New and returning members of the House took the oath of office early Saturday after Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was elected speaker.
The GOP leader endured a grueling series of ballots that stretched across four days before finally winning over the holdouts blocking his speakership. The impasse broke after he met the steep demands of GOP hard-liners set on diminishing his power in the 118th Congress. He ultimately won the gavel on the 15th ballot, but not before the House erupted in chaos on the 14th when the few remaining holdouts tanked the round.
Following a speech that preceded his own swearing-in, McCarthy administered the oath of office to members en masse, asking everyone to raise their right hand. That included George Santos, the New York Republican embroiled in scandal for fabricating his personal story on the campaign trail.
GEORGE SANTOS SWORN IN AS SCANDAL ENGULFS FRESHMAN LAWMAKER
“Congratulations, you are now members of the 118th Congress,” McCarthy said after administering the oath.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Choosing a speaker is the first order of business for a new Congress, meaning members-elect were unable to be sworn in until the standoff was resolved. The delay kept incoming members from, among other things, providing constituent services and receiving classified briefings.
