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Alan Grayson Unlikely to Face GOP Reprimand

(grayson.house.gov)
Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida, a self-proclaimed "Democrat with guts," appears unlikely to be subject to a resolution of disapproval for suggesting that part of the Republican health care plan is for Americans to "die quickly if you get sick."

The Associated Press is reporting that a spokesman for Republican Rep. Tom Price of Georgia, who drafted a resolution of disapproval against Grayson and threatened to introduce it on the House floor, is suggesting that Price does not plan to do so.

"…at this point the people of his district are probably in the best position to register their approval or disapproval of Mr. Grayson's consistently embarrassing behavior," said Price spokesman Brendan Buck.

A resolution of disapproval against Grayson was unlikely to pass in the Democrat-dominated House. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signaled on Thursday that she would not press the Florida Democrat to apologize, arguing that incendiary rhetoric has come from both sides in the health care debate.

After Republicans complained about Grayson's comments and called for an apology, Grayson defiantly offered one on the House floor – not to Republicans, but "to the dead and their families that we haven't voted sooner to end this holocaust in America." The comment was a reference to a report that said more than 40,000 people die each year because they lack health insurance. (Grayson later apologized to the Anti-Defamation League for using the word "holocaust," saying he should not have used the word.)

In an interview with CBSNews.com, Grayson said the response to his comments has been "overwhelmingly positive," adding that "people are calling us from all over the country to congratulate us for telling the truth." He has said the controversy has helped him raise money and called his critics hypocritical "knuckle-dragging Neanderthals."

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