Jonathan Nicholson

Previously covered Hill @HuffPost. Will write/edit for food. He/him. Okie. MCU. Muscogee. [email protected]
RTs =/= endorsements

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

Max Miller sarcastically asked a female colleague "I'm sorry -- are we getting a little emotional?" on the House floor only a few hours after Trump told a female CNN reporter she needed to smile more.

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

Six GOPers to vote to move the bill forward were Bacon, Fitzpatrick, Lawler, McCaul, Max Miller and Joe Wilson. Bacon and Fitzpatrick, as well as Independent-but-caucuses-with Republicans Kevin Kiley signed the discharge petition to get it to 218.

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

Procedural vote to advance Ukraine support/Russia sanctions passes with 218 votes. Six Republicans voted yes. In 2024, the last time a big Ukraine bill was on floor, 101 Republicans supported. (This was a rule vote, vs. vote on bill itself, so not directly comparable. Still...)

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

House holding procedural vote to allow Ukraine support bill to be voted on.

Meanwhile, in Ukraine:

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

Heritage says they're going to count Russia sanctions/Ukraine support bill as a key vote.

"...this rogue bill directly undermines [Trump] administration by advancing the failed agenda of the foreign policy establishment." - H'tage Pres. Kevin Roberts

https://t.co/htarn3aRym

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

Danny Davis: "Farvarah"

Judy Chu: "Farver"

Congressional Pronounce Brett Favre's Name Correctly Challenge

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

international treaty outlawing it, the Biden admin was reluctant to apply the label, preferring "war crimes" or "atrocities" instead. 4/4

Text of the bill here: https://t.co/QQp55fgf26

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

Interesting nugget on the Ukraine bill coming to House floor: for 1st time I'm at least aware of, it would officially label Russia's acts in Ukraine "genocide," something Biden WH refused to do.

It includes several "sense of Congress" provisions calling out Russia for invading

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

It also says Congress supports "the continued prosecution of Vladimir Putin and Russian political and military leaders for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide…"

While taking children away from a group is one of 5 acts that can constitute genocide under the 1948

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

We're almost 10 years out from then-Speaker Paul Ryan being asked if Trump was qualified to be president.

His response? "Donald Trump won the nomination."

https://t.co/SIbvchsjGF

[Aaron Rupar @atrupar]

Q: Do you think Bill Pulte is qualified to be the acting DNI?

MIKE JOHNSON: The president obviously has the prerogative and the choice on who he appoints to these positions

(Not a yes!)

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

Trump: Thank God, between the war and the economy and the weaponization fund and the ballroom, people have finally stopped talking about the Epstein files

Bessant: Don't worry, boss! I can fix that!

[Aaron Rupar @atrupar]

holy shit -- if I was Scott Bessent and I worked for Trump I would probably not be trying to score political points on Epstein coverups

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

Zelenskyy gave his permission for the Victory Day parade to go on but not for Putin's pet economics conference to happen.

[(((Tendar))) @Tendar]

Air travel over Saint Petersburg, Russia, has been completely suspended.

Attendees of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026 (SPIEF 2026), which is starting today, currently cannot reach the city by plane and are stuck in their home ports (Moscow etc.).

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

In May, Johnson worried the Russia sanctions bill would upset talks between Russia and Ukraine. Now apparently he worries it'll upset talks between Senate and WH over sanctioning Russia, talks far from guaranteed to result in anything given the WH history with Russia/Putin.

[Meredith Lee Hill @meredithllee]

NEW — Speaker Mike Johnson urged House Republicans to vote NO on the Dem-led Russia sanctions discharge bill on the floor Thursday, during their closed door meeting this morning, per sources

He cited his disapproval for the discharge aspect, but also told House Rs the Senate is continuing to negotiate Russia sanctions with the WH — and they should give them space to do that

GLENN GROTHMAN and others raised deep frustrations in the closed-door meeting about several Republicans bucking leadership to force a floor vote on the Russia sanctions and Ukraine aid bill — and other pro-labor and more legislation

GROTHMAN said he always votes with leadership against the discharge bills - but said he may like some of the underlying bills

Several dozen conflicted House Rs are mulling how to vote on the Russia sanctions bill now

Johnson said in response to Grothman’s inquiry/venting to oppose the Russia sanctions bill full stop

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

Zelenskyy says "hello!" on the first day of Putin's pet project St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

[Jay in Kyiv @JayinKyiv]

An air-defenseless St Petersburg continues taking incoming drone strikes.

This is the St Petersburg oil facility, processing 12.5 million tons of oil/year.

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

House at least starts consideration of Rep. Gregory Meeks' effort to bring the Russia sanctions/Ukraine aid bill to the House floor. Two brutal attacks on Kyiv in last 10 days make it hard for opponents to argue peace talks are making progress or in delicate territory now.

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

He cut his Cameo prices by half and is available to turn around requests within 24 hours now, according to his Cameo page.

[Ben Pershing @benpershing]

Former NY Rep. George Santos under investigation for alleged insider trading on Kalshi https://t.co/jv4391XL6i

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

I now no longer wonder what it would be like if the Bicentennial had happened two years earlier or if G. Gordon Liddy had been named to head the CIA.

[Mary Catherine @mcwellons]

Sen. Cassidy on Bill Pulte for acting DNI: “Nothing here suggests he's competent in the job for which he’s been appointed...he has no military background, no intelligence background"

Cassidy spoke to @emrwilkins at @CNBC's CEO Council today:

https://t.co/LDMVgIqbii

[Jonathan Nicholson @JNicholsonInDC]

Zelanskyy warning this could happen again as soon as tonight:
https://t.co/Y7tMBDpgUn

[Kate from Kharkiv @BohuslavskaKate]

This is not a movie about meteor showers before the apocalypse; this is Russia bombing Kyiv last night. A city with several million people in it - children, the elderly, and normal families just like yours.