Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks during her weekly
press conference at the U.S. Capitol on November 13, 2020 in
Washington, DC. Speaker Pelosi spoke about honoring veterans, the
coronavirus, and President-elect Joe Bidens victory over President
Donald Trump in the 2020 Presidential Election. Samuel Corum/Getty
Images/AFP
Nancy Pelosi, the only woman to serve as US Speaker of
the House, was narrowly re-elected to the position Sunday in a
deeply divided new Congress that convened in the final weeks of
Donald Trump’s presidency.
Pelosi, 80, faced a scare when five fellow Democrats defected
and voted “present” or for someone else during the floor vote.
But the woman who is third in line to the presidency secured her
fourth — and perhaps final — non-consecutive term as House speaker
by earning 216 votes versus 209 for Republican leader Kevin
McCarthy.
In a symbolic gesture beginning the 117th Congress, McCarthy
formally handed the speaker’s gavel over to Pelosi, who raised it
in triumph as Democrats cheered and applauded.
“We begin the new Congress during a time of extraordinary
difficulty,” Pelosi told the chamber, noting the toll of 350,000
dead and 20 million infected by Covid-19.
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“Our most urgent priority will continue to be defeating the
coronavirus,” a masked Pelosi said. “And defeat it, we will.”
The vote took hours, as lawmakers were required to vote in
groups of several dozen due to social distancing rules imposed
during the coronavirus pandemic.
Pelosi has been Trump’s chief nemesis in Congress, and the two
clashed bitterly over the past two years, particularly as she
leveled impeachment charges against the president.
Trump was impeached in December 2019, but the Senate acquitted
him early in 2020. His successor, Joe Biden, takes office on
January 20.
With Pelosi scrambling to keep her post, it was a handful of
progressive lawmakers and members-elect who have been critical of
her leadership but ultimately voted for her on Sunday.
Among them was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the most
high-profile Democrats in Washington, and incoming lawmaker Cori
Bush, who is the first African-American woman to represent Missouri
in Congress.
There are normally 435 members of the House, but just 427 votes
were cast Sunday as a few congressmen-elect are in quarantine due
to Covid-19 and a tight House race in New York has yet to be
formally decided.
One congressman-elect from Louisiana, Luke Letlow, died of
complications from Covid-19 last week, days before he was due to be
sworn in.
That leaves Democrats with one of the slimmest House majorities
in two decades, 222 to 211 with two vacancies, as they navigate the
remaining few weeks of Trump and carry into the Biden
presidency.
On a day that was anything but conventional, Republican Chip Roy
interrupted the swearing-in process to ask that the delegations
from the six swing states where Trump has contested the election
results not be seated Sunday as House members.
Pelosi dispensed with the effort by holding a vote that affirmed
her right to swear in all members.
Read more https://swordpress.com.ng/2021/01/04/democrat-pelosi-narrowly-re-elected-as-us-house-speaker/
The Ondo State Government has described the Chief of Protocol to
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Mr Tosin Ogunbodede, who died in a fatal
crash on Saturday, as a loyal and diligent aide.
![image](/2020/10/lawreport.jpg")
Ogunbodede and his driver with one other person were reportedly
involved in the accident when his car rammed into a truck on the
Akure-Ilesa Expressway.
![image](/2020/10/NWLRland.jpg")
While Ogunbodede and the driver lost their lives, the third
occupant of the Toyota Corolla car was injured in the crash and is
said to be receiving treatment in a hospital.
The late Chief of Protocol was said to be returning from Ibadan,
Oyo State, when the accident occurred in Ilesa, Osun State.
In a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information
and Orientation, Mr Donald Ojogo, on Sunday, the government
described the deceased as a responsible legal practitioner.
The statement read in part, “Ogunbodede discharged his assigned
duties with utmost attention and responsibility. Until his untimely
death, he had been a very loyal political lieutenant of Governor
Akeredolu over the years.
“For Governor Akeredolu, this is a personal loss. It becomes
more emotional when it’s recalled that the loyal and dedicated
Tosin stopped by at the governor’s Law Hub, Ibadan, to greet his
principal while returning to Akure from his uncle’s residence.
“Even with a heavy heart, Governor Akeredolu enjoins all to take
solace in the fact of God’s infallibility. He giveth and taketh.
This is just as he expresses the heartfelt condolence of his
immediate family, the government and the good people of Ondo State
to the wife, children as well as the family of his late CoP.”
The statement added that the state government would soon unveil
the burial plans for the deceased after due consultation with his
family.