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Anchored by Jake Tapper, The Lead airs at 4 p.m. ET on CNN.
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politics lead
House Speaker, Louisiana Democrat back embattled Rep. Scalise
Washington (CNN) - House Republican leadership is standing by Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 3-ranking House Republican, in the wake of a firestorm of criticism surrounding his 2002 speech to a white supremacist group.
Scalise's position as House majority whip has been thrown into doubt by the revelation, and the congressman had been calling members to gauge the level of support he had from his party, according to a senior House Republican source.
But House Speaker John Boehner, in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, said Scalise has his "full confidence" as whip.
politics lead
A felon serve in Congress? Michael Grimm will test House
Washington (CNN) - After pleading guilty to a judge Tuesday on a felony tax evasion charge, New York Rep. Michael Grimm pledged to reporters he would also stay in Congress.
Grimm pled guilty in court to one count of tax evasion and was set to submit to a "statement of facts" that admits to all the conduct alleged in the 20-count federal indictment.
He apologized for his actions and took responsibility, but said the unpaid taxes from a New York restaurant he once owned were all a big mistake.
"As long as I'm able to serve I'm going to serve," Grimm said. Reelected in November, he was is set to be sworn in to a new term in January.
politics lead
Boehner to Obama: Caution, you could 'burn' yourself
Washington (CNN) - An emboldened House Speaker John Boehner, fresh off Tuesday's midterms when Republicans secured a bigger House majority and a GOP controlled Senate, warned President Barack Obama if he tried to go around Congress and take executive action on immigration he will get "burned."
"I've made clear to the President if he acts unilaterally on his own outside of his authority he will poison the well and there will be no chance for immigration reform moving forward in this Congress. It's as simple as that," Boehner said.
In his first news conference on Capitol Hill since House Republicans picked up at roughly a dozen seats in Tuesday's midterm elections, the Speaker flashed a combative tone.
national lead
Troubling series of failures by Secret Service
U.S. Secret Service Director Julia Pierson called an incident in which a man scaled a fence and entered the White House "unacceptable" and told a congressional committee Tuesday that she takes "full responsibility."
Omar Gonzalez, a 42-year-old knife-wielding Iraq war veteran, entered an unlocked door to the executive mansion, Pierson told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which grilled her on the September 19 security breach.
politics lead
House Republicans elect McCarthy to take Cantor's job
Washington (CNN) - House Republicans on Thursday elected Kevin McCarthy as majority leader, succeeding Eric Cantor, who is relinquishing the job after losing his primary election in an upset.
The California Republican defeated Idaho Rep. Raul Labrador for the No. 2 position, which is responsible for the day-to-day running of the chamber and deciding which bills come to the floor for a vote.
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