Morning rundown: House speakership in limbo; Southwest’s apology

KARAH RUCKER: MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WILL RECONVENE IN THE HOUSE TODAY TO TRY AND ELECT A SPEAKER AFTER THREE FAILED ATTEMPTS YESTERDAY.

THIS IS YOUR MORNING RUNDOWN AIMED DOWN THE MIDDLE WITH STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.

HOUSE TO VOTE AGAIN FOR SPEAKERSHIP

Cheryl Johnson | Clerk of the House of Representatives: “No person having received the majority of the whole number of votes cast by surname, a speaker has not been elected. For what purpose does the gentleman from Oklahoma rise?”

ON THREE SEPARATE VOTE COUNTS…THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FAILED TO ELECT A HOUSE-SPEAKER.

WITH THE GOP IN CONTROL OF THE CHAMBER…CONGRESSMAN KEVIN MCCARTHY IS THE PARTY’S FRONT-RUNNER.

BUT WITH AS MANY AS TWENTY REPUBLICANS VOTING AGAINST HIM…HE’S NOT GETTING ENOUGH SUPPORT TO GET PASSED THE THRESHOLD.

HOWEVER MCCARTHY SAID LATE TUESDAY “THERE IS NO SCENARIO IN WHICH HE DROPS OUT OF THE RACE FOR HOUSE SPEAKER.” 

Rep. Kevin McCarthy | (R) California: “Look, today, is it the day I wanted to have? No. I mean there are a lot of things we wanted to do. But if we’re able to work out our differences, and make this time, we’re only going to be stronger to be able to accomplish the things we want to do.”}

SO MORE VOTES WILL TAKE PLACE AGAIN TODAY…TO SEE IF REPUBLICANS CAN GET ON THE SAME PAGE. IN THE MEANTIME…NOTHING ELSE WILL GET DONE.

NO SWEARING IN OF NEW CONGRESS MEMBERS AND NO COMMITTEES WILL BE FORMED…UNTIL A SPEAKER IS SUCCESSFULLY ELECTED.

SOUTHWEST OFFERS POINTS AS APOLOGY

THIS TIME LAST WEEK…SOUTHWEST CUSTOMERS WERE LARGELY STRANDED IN AIRPORTS, WITHOUT THEIR LUGGAGE, WAITING HOURS ON END AS THOUSANDS OF FLIGHTS WERE CANCELED DAILY.

TO MAKE IT UP TO THOSE TRAVELERS IMPACTED BY THE DEBACLE, SOUTHWEST IS NOW GIFTING 25 THOUSAND REWARD POINTS…WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT A 300 DOLLAR VOUCHER.

THE POINTS WILL LIKELY COVER ONE FREE ROUND-TRIP PER PERSON.

THE REWARD CAME WITH AN APOLOGY LETTER FROM THE CEO…SENT OUT TO IMPACTED CUSTOMERS.

DESPITE THE GESTURE — THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS IT IS STILL INVESTIGATING THE AIRLINE.

Karine Jean-Pierre | White House press secretary: “Look, Southwest Airlines failed its customers. Point blank. The Department of Transportation will hold them accountable to their commitments to make their customers whole. While every major airlines faced challenges from a pre-Christmas storm that that wreaked havoc on the aviation system, all major airlines, except for one which is Southwest, clearly were able to recover quickly.”

CARTEL KINGPIN AMONG 27 ESCAPEES

AT THE CENTER OF THESE MUG SHOTS IS A CARTEL KINGPIN WITH TIES TO EL CHAPO’S NOTORIOUS STREET GANG.

HE WAS AMONG 27 INMATES WHO BROKE OUT OF A MEXICAN PRISON FOLLOWING AN ORCHESTRATED RESCUE MISSION.

THAT RESCUE MISSION TURNED OUT TO BE A MILITARY-STYLE ATTACK ON THE PRISON…KILLING 17 PEOPLE INCLUDING TEN PRISON GUARDS.

U.S. BORDER PATROL SAYS THEY ARE “IN DEFENSE MODE”, WORKING WITH MEXICAN AUTHORITIES AS THE ESCAPEES COULD TRY TO CROSS INTO THE U.S.

DRIVER INTENTIONALLY GOES OFF CLIFF

VIDEO FROM HELICOPTER RESCUE CREWS SHOWS A CAR AT THE BOTTOM OF A CLIFF ALONG CALIFORNIA’S INTERSTATE ONE.

CREWS SAY MIRACULOUSLY EVERYONE IN THE TESLA VEHICLE SURVIVED.

INCLUDING TWO CHILDREN, TWO ADULTS.

Brian Pottenger | Battalion Chief, Coastside Fire Protection District/Cal Fire: “We have 300 foot ropes and we just about maxed them out to get down to those people. We come out here unfortunately all too often for things like this, this was nothing short of a miracle today that they survived.”

WHILE THE GOOD NEWS IS NOBODY DIED…INVESTIGATORS DISCOVERED IT WAS THE DRIVER’S INTENTION TO KILL EVERYONE IN THE CAR BY PLUNGING OFF THE “DEVIL’S SLIDE CLIFF.”

THAT DRIVER HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER AND CHILD ABUSE.

BUMBLE DATE KIDNAPPED FOR FIVE DAYS

A TERRIFYING TALE OF ONLINE DATING GONE HORRIBLY WRONG…AND PERHAPS A TALE OF CAUTION FOR THOSE WHO ARE MEETING PEOPLE ONLINE.

THIS MAN, ZACHARY MILLS, WAS ARRESTED AND ACCUSED OF HOLDING A WOMAN CAPTIVE FOR FIVE DAYS AFTER THEY MATCHED ON THE POPULAR DATING APP “BUMBLE”.

THE VICTIM AGREED TO MEET “MILLS” AT HIS APARTMENT IN HOUSTON.

WHEN THE WOMAN TURNED DOWN HIS ADVANCES, HE ALLEGEDLY STARTED PUNCHING, BITING, HITTING HER WITH A SCREWDRIVER, AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED HER.

COURT DOCUMENTS ALSO STATE HE DEPRIVED HER OF FOOD AND WATER FOR THE FIVE DAYS SHE WAS HELD CAPTIVE.

BUMBLE HAS GUIDELINES FOR SAFE-ONLINE DATING, WHICH INCLUDES MEETING IN A PUBLIC SPACE. AND HAVE A FRIEND KEEP TABS ON WHERE YOU’RE GOING.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP HEADLINES ON THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING.

THANKS FOR WATCHING STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS WHERE WE STRIVE FOR JOURNALISM WITHOUT AGENDA.