O'Connor to serve as president's doctor
WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden has brought back Dr. Kevin O'Connor as his physician, replacing former President Donald Trump's doctor with the one who oversaw Biden's care when he was vice president.
The White House confirmed that Dr. Sean Conley, the Navy commander who served as the head of the White House Medical Unit under Trump and oversaw his treatment when he was hospitalized with covid-19, will assume a teaching role at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
O'Connor, a retired Army colonel, was Biden's doctor during his entire tenure as vice president, having remained in the role at Biden's request. He remained Biden's physician while assuming a role on the faculty of George Washington University.
The White House said O'Connor was being commissioned by the president but was not rejoining the military. He is the first non-active duty doctor to serve as physician to the president in almost three decades.
Conley faced scrutiny over his lack of transparency during Trump's illness with covid-19. Then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said at the time that Trump's condition was worse than Conley had let on.
Won't seek new term, GOP senator says
CINCINNATI -- Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said Monday that he won't seek reelection in part because of how it's gotten "harder to break through the partisan gridlock and make progress," and he plans to end a career in federal government spanning more than three decades.
"Our country is very polarized," Portman said, adding that former President Donald Trump did not help with the polarization. "It's shirts and skins right now. We need to tone it down."
Portman, 65, who served in the presidential administrations of both Bushes, was under consideration by both John McCain and Mitt Romney to be their running mates in their respective presidential bids. Portman also helped them and other GOP presidential candidates practice for debates by playing their Democratic rivals.
He was elected to Congress from southern Ohio in a 1993 special election and won six more elections before being tapped by President George W. Bush to serve as U.S. trade representative in 2005. He traveled the globe, negotiating dozens of trade agreements. Bush then nominated him to be his White House budget director in 2006.
Portman stepped down in 2007. He returned to politics in 2010 with a successful U.S. Senate run and won again in 2016, both times by landslide margins in a traditional swing state.
Ohio Republican Party Chairman Jane Timken said in a statement after Portman's announcement that his service has been "invaluable."
Senator calls for panel counter-inquiry
ST. LOUIS -- Sen. Josh Hawley on Monday filed a "counter-complaint" against seven Senate Democrats who are seeking an ethics investigation of the Missouri Republican.
On Thursday, the Democrats asked the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate the actions of Hawley and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, "to fully understand their role" in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump.
A news release from Hawley's office accused the Democrats of "historic partisan abuse of the Senate ethics process." Hawley is asking the committee to investigate the Democrats and take any disciplinary action deemed appropriate.
Thousands of people gathered on Jan. 6 as Congress voted to formally certify President Joe Biden's victory over Trump in November. Hawley and Cruz led objections in the Senate to Biden's victory, despite the widespread recognition that the effort would fail.
Lawmaker aims to lead Louisiana GOP
BATON ROUGE -- A lawmaker who once led Louisiana's House Republican delegation announced Monday that he's running to be chairman of the state GOP, challenging the current party leader.
State Rep. Lance Harris said he'll seek to unseat Republican Party Chairman Louis Gurvich, a New Orleans businessman who was elected to the job in 2018. Harris has a short time to campaign, with the party leadership election set for Saturday morning in Baton Rouge.
"Our party leadership needs to focus on consistency and stability, and I'm ready to help with that. I want to be transparent about the areas where we're falling behind and do something to fix it. I want to take the areas where we're winning and build on it," Harris said in a statement. "This LAGOP election is about a culture change. We must ensure that our house is in order, grow our base and spread our conservative message."
Members of the GOP's elected governing body, the Republican State Central Committee, choose the chairman and other party leaders.
Harris, who lost his bid for a U.S. House seat in a December runoff election, is in his third four-year term in the state House of Representatives. He worked as House GOP leader during the previous term, routinely sparring with Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards over budget and tax policy.
-- Compiled by Democrat-Gazette staff from wire reports