MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (in red dress) was sworn in last month as a new member of the U.S. House of Representatives by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Wikipedia).

A battle is looming on Thursday in the U.S. House of Representatives over whether to punish a Republican Congresswoman over her controversial statements endorsing conspiracy theories.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, 46, was elected to a seat from northwestern Georgia in 2020.  According to the Associated Press, she is a strong supporter of former president Donald Trump. She has maintained that Trump, not Joe Biden, won the presidential election, and filed impeachment papers against the new president on the day of his inauguration.

Critics say she has backed conspiracy theories promoted by the QAnon group, including claiming that Hillary Clinton was responsible for several murders and that the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the mass shooting at Parkland High School in Florida were faked. She has also supported the theory that the 2018 Camp Fire in California was caused by Jewish “space solar generators.”

Democrats are seeking to strip her of committee assignments. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California)– while disavowing her extreme positions – said he opposed the proposed action. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky condemned “loony lies and conspiracy theories,” referring to Greene.

The News: Democrats get the gavel

An agreement reached Wednesday in the U.S. Senate will give Democrats control of the upper house of Congress. Democrats and Republicans each hold 50 seats, but Vice President Kamala Harris can cast a tie-breaking vote. Under the new deal, according to United Press International, Democrats will chair all Senate committees.

The transfer of power was delayed by the insistence of Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, that the filibuster rule be preserved. The Democratic leadership demurred, but McConnell was satisfied when two centrist Democrats said they would not support a change to the rule.

“American Rescue Plan” advances: President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan is advancing through Congress. The Senate, on a party line 50-49 vote, approved the measure, which now goes to the House of Representatives, where Democrats hold a slim majority. Republicans have proposed a slimmer $618 billion alternative.

Coronavirus cases decline: New cases of coronavirus in the U.S. are showing a decline. The 14-day average monitored by the New York Times shows a 30 percent reduction, although deaths during that time are up 2 percent.

The Business: Apple cars may become real

The long-rumored “Apple car” is close to becoming a reality, according to a report by CNBC. The world’s leading high-tech firm is said to be close to a deal with Hyundai-Kia of Korea to manufacture an “autonomous [self-driving] electric vehicle.” Under the purported deal, the new Apple cars could go into production as early as 2024.

Market cools off a bit: After a blazing Tuesday, Wall Street cooled down a bit on Wednesday. Two of three major stock indexes showed modest increases and a third a small decline. The Dow Jones Average gained 36.12 points to 30,723.60. The S&P 500 rose 3.86 to 3,820.17, while Nasdaq declined 2.23 points to 13,610.54.

The Weather: Sunny through Sunday

Wednesday may have been a bit cloudier than predicted, but the forecast for the rest of the week looks brighter. The National Weather Service is predicting sunny days with highs in the range of 68 to 72 through Sunday, with overnight lows in the mid-to low 40s. The chance of rain ranges from 2 to 7 percent. In the coastal area of West Orange County, daytime highs will be about five degrees cooler.

The Sports: Bulldogs still #1; Goff says bye

JARED GOFF

Gonzaga’s men’s basketball team is right where it’s been on the AP Top 25 college rankings: first place. The Bulldogs (17-0) received all but three of 64 first place votes. Those three ballots went to second-ranked Baylor (16-0). UCLA (13-3) has risen to 21st place, the best ranking California team. USC, while unranked, received enough votes to be what would be the 27th spot.

Goff says farewell: In a social media statement posted Wednesday, Jared Goff – the Rams’ quarterback traded to the Detroit Lions for veteran Matthew Stafford – bid a gracious goodbye to Southern California fans. “Thank you for your relentless support through all the ups and down – it has meant the world to me. From the bottom of my heart, it’s been an honor to represent the city of LA,” he wrote.