@tisaph.bsky.social
Josh Marshall, well known media figure and analyst, and not a panicker:
"The Clerk of the House is the fulcrum of House continuity ... the Clerk is the person could simply decide to accept some certificates of election and reject others. They have zero authority to do it. But they could."
"The Clerk of the House is the fulcrum of House continuity ... the Clerk is the person could simply decide to accept some certificates of election and reject others. They have zero authority to do it. But they could."
He can not just decide that. He's not even a member of Congress after his term ends! Just like everyone else! There is no old House. They literally stop having any power! It's a new House every 2 years!
January 15, 2026 at 7:15 PM
Josh Marshall, well known media figure and analyst, and not a panicker:
"The Clerk of the House is the fulcrum of House continuity ... the Clerk is the person could simply decide to accept some certificates of election and reject others. They have zero authority to do it. But they could."
"The Clerk of the House is the fulcrum of House continuity ... the Clerk is the person could simply decide to accept some certificates of election and reject others. They have zero authority to do it. But they could."
And if the House simply decides to ignore this, and acts as if Johnson is still Speaker? This is a plausible scenario and there are zero guardrails beyond expecting the current seated majority to enforce the rule.
It's wild. Especially because Johnson won't even be Speaker legally even if Repubs somehow win until the new Congress swears him in! People just don't realize how terms of office just end in the US.
January 15, 2026 at 6:32 PM
And if the House simply decides to ignore this, and acts as if Johnson is still Speaker? This is a plausible scenario and there are zero guardrails beyond expecting the current seated majority to enforce the rule.
What if Johnson simply does not follow procedure and the GOP House Majority decide to not seat a few new members? What is the _mechanism_ to deal with a scenario where one or two subtleties of the rules (and to the public, who is the audience, these ARE subtleties) are ignored? SCOTUS?
All I'm asking for is a rebuttal of Jamelle's actual points.
January 15, 2026 at 6:29 PM
What if Johnson simply does not follow procedure and the GOP House Majority decide to not seat a few new members? What is the _mechanism_ to deal with a scenario where one or two subtleties of the rules (and to the public, who is the audience, these ARE subtleties) are ignored? SCOTUS?