Up Close 10/29/23: New speaker of the House, Maine massacre, crisis in the Mideast

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- On this week's episode of Up Close, we are digger deeper into the new house speaker, Mike Johnson.

Johnson is the least experienced house speaker in 140 years, with less than seven years in congress. With several controversial issues facing the United States like gun control in the wake of the mass shooting in Maine and crisis in the Mideast between Israel and Hamas, Johnson has his work cut out for him. Democrat Josh Gottheimer and Republican Mike Lawler, both members of the House Problem Solvers Caucus, talk to Bill about bipartisan ways to address these issues.

Plus, Bill talks to ABC News Political Director Rick Klein and Political Consultant Hank Sheinkopf about their perspectives on the House of Representatives and the latest political issues. Biden has used the massacre in Lewiston, Maine to ask Republicans in congress to jump on board and come up with a ban on assault weapons. Under Johnson's leadership, will the house be able to pass legislation on gun control or mental health care? Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump was fined for violating a gag order in his New York civil fraud trial, and Representative George Santos could find himself without a job in the House this coming week.

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Up Close with Bill Ritter airs Sunday mornings at 11:00 on Channel 7.