The House descends into chaos as Kevin McCarthy fails to win the race for speaker on the first three ballots, Republicans prepare to swear in a new member of Congress who made up his entire life story, and the last Congress ends by making Donald Trump’s tax returns public and asking the Department of Justice to charge him with multiple crimes. And later, Jon, Jon, and Tommy kick off the new year with a round of Take Appreciator.

Show Notes

• WSJ: House Prepares to Vote for Speaker as Kevin McCarthy Tries to Rally Support
• TheAtlantic: The Republican Majority’s Opening Debacle
• NYT: A Con Man Is Succeeding Me in Congress Today 
• NYT: Brazilian Authorities Will Revive Fraud Case Against George Santos 
• NYT: What Can the House Do to Address George Santos’s Falsehoods?
• NBC: George Santos will have to ‘consider resigning,’ Republican Rep. Brady says 
• WaPo: The talented Mr. Santos: A congressman-elect’s unraveling web of deception 
• NYT: Santos, a Suburban House and $11,000 in Campaign Payments for ‘Rent’ 
• NYT: George Santos: What We Know and Don’t Know About the Representative-Elect
• CNN: Maggie Haberman says George Santos coverage is a ‘death of local media’ story. Here’s why 
• NYT: Who Is Rep.-Elect George Santos? His Résumé May Be Largely Fiction.
• NYT: A New York Gala Draws Incoming G.O.P. Lawmakers, and Extremists 
• NYT: Trump Tax Returns Undermine His Image as a Successful Entrepreneur 
• NYT: Key Takeaways From Trump’s Tax Returns 
• NYT: ​​Trump’s Taxes: Red Flags, Big Losses and a Windfall From His Father
• CNBC: Jan. 6 committee sends DOJ historic criminal referral of Trump over Capitol riot
• NBC: Jan. 6 committee approves criminal referrals against Trump for his role in trying to overturn the 2020 election