Chaos Follows Controversial House Vote

Republicans Walk Out In Protest, Accuse Dems Of Breaking Rules

(The Politico)  By The Politico's Patrick O'Connor

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Note: This item originally appeared on The Crypt, Politico's behind-the-scenes blog about Congress.

In a massive flare-up of partisan tensions, Republicans walked out on a House vote late Thursday night to protest what they believed to be Democratic maneuvers to reverse an unfavorable outcome for them.

The flap represents a complete breakdown in parliamentary procedure and an unprecedented low for the sometimes bitterly divided chamber.

The rancor erupted shortly before 11 p.m. as Rep. Michael R. McNulty, D-N.Y., gaveled close the vote on a standard procedural measure with the outcome still in doubt.

Details remain fuzzy, but numerous Republicans argued afterward that they had secured a 215-213 win on their motion to bar undocumented immigrants from receiving any federal funds apportioned in the agricultural spending bill for employment or rental assistance. Democrats, however, argued the measure was deadlocked at 214-214 and failed, members and aides on both sides of the aisle said afterward.

One GOP aide saw McNulty gavel the vote to a close after receiving a signal from his leaders – but before reading the official tally. And votes continued to shift even after he closed the roll call - a strange development in itself.

Whatever the final tally, acrimony quickly exploded between lawmakers on either side of the aisle as Democratic leaders tried to plot a solution, while parliamentarians on either side argued over protocol.

Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., eventually offered a motion to reconsider, according to floor staff on either side, ostensibly giving members a chance to recast their votes. But the maneuver sparked a chorus of angry protests from the Republicans, yelling “shame” on Democrats, while they returned fire with angry volleys of their own.

When Democrats finally moved to consider the spending bill as the last vote of the night, furious Republicans left the chamber en masse to protest the maneuver. The House eventually recessed at 11:18 p.m. But Republicans quickly discovered that there was no longer any record of the controversial vote and immediately charged Democrats with erasing the bad result.

“Obviously, the Democrats don’t want to stand up against illegal immigration – so much so that they’re willing to cheat in order to win a vote,” Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., said in an e-mail. “They’re desperate – and it shows.”

The official House website did not show a record of the vote as of 1 a.m. Friday.

[old300d]

And votes continued to shift even after he closed the roll call - a strange development in itself.


That happens all the time in Florida !

[one_american]

Democrats are corrupt.

That's all there is to it.

[BlueInWI]

This is minor compared to Denny Hastert (when he was Speaker) appointing congressmen who voted against the Health Care Security Act, when it passed both the House and Senate, to a conference committee to work out 'compromise' legislation. Of course, this killed the bill that had passed both houses of Congress.

First time any speaker in history had been slimy enough to come up with that procedure to override the majority of both houses.

[rafterman1]

===First time any speaker in history had been slimy enough to come up with that procedure to override the majority of both houses.===

Let's not forget Repubs calling for a surprise roll call vote in the middle of the night to get some if their legislation passed.

[shingles1]

Funny how the right wing Politico decides that this is news ONLY now that the Democrats are doing it. But of course when the Republicans ran the Congress, and changed rules at will and on a daily basis, the journalistic elite were so quiet you could hear the crickets chirp. Check out Matt Taibbi's article in Rolling Stone from last October on the Worst Congress Ever.

Amusing and depressing at the same time.

[zorlacskates]

payback is a ***, eh bushies? you reap what you sow, crybabies.

[missingamerica]

Speaking of that Republican "vote in the middle of the night", that was the true problem with it.

It set a precedent stating that the Republicans would do ANYTHING, which in turn leads the Democrats to believe that anything goes.

Besides, what does it matter?

Bush will just add one of his infamous "signing statements" and continue to negate anything Congress does, anyway.

Of course, now that the next President has Bush's precedent, things could get really nasty out for Republicans post-2008.

It is a shame the Republicans had to open Pandora's box.

[ixoye_02]

Republican't representatives cry, "Whaaa, whaa, whaa, we are no longer in control of the House and the Democrats aren't playing fair....." Sad state of affairs but the shoe is on the other foot....SO GROW UP!!! I am not saying that bad behavior from the Democrats is to be cheered. But, I am just glad that the republican'ts are getting a taste of what they put the rest of the country through when they were in power of the Congress.

[shingles1]

Democrats are corrupt.
That's all there is to it.
Posted by One_American

It must be so nice to go through life with a cartoon one dimensional view of things. Much like a five year old.

Democrats = BAD
Republicans = GOOD
even when they do the exact same thing

Well, One_American, at least you're consistent.

[zorlacskates]

oh, and another thing: those on the right may want to double up on the heart medication come 2009, because when a democrat moves into the whitehouse in jan of 2009 all the nonsense the currents residents have been getting away with is going to come back and haunt you in a big, big way. and to think, you'll only have yourselves to blame for defending bushco and his behavior these last several years. have fun dealing with that.

[prinzowhales]

More cheap theater...What was accomplished?-- The Republicans had the opportunity to pretend that they really, really, really, really were against illegal immigration. The Democrats were able to allow the indirect subsidies to America's corporate latifundia to continue.

The fact remains, as the curtain comes down on this tawdry spectacle, the borders are still open...the lying, thieving, murdering dogs are still in power in Washington...and the show will go on until Americans vote out the smiling, obsequious, strutting swine in the White House and in the Congress.

[gunnerv1]

SHINGLES 1. They are all Bad. Heres another for you to investagate. You should know of the Org. called ACORN. Why don't you ask how much they pay their "Grunt Labor" after they railed about the minimum wage? They went back and had themselves made exempt from paying the higher wage. Something about a Goose and a Gander comes to mind.

[shingles1]

gunnerv1, no sh*t.
pointing out the fact that certain folks are highly selective and completely partisan when it comes to their outrage isn't a defense of the Democrats.
Its all about the hypocrisy.
Same with ACORN.

[panhandlpete]

THIS IS NOT PARLIMENTARY PROCEDURE IN QUESTION!!! It is the giving away of $198 Million from the Medicare of seniors, benefits for veterans, and taxpayers money to ILLEGAL ALIENS. Priority will be granted to the illegals over American citizens. They can receive WIC assistance for pregnant mothers and all children under two, get food stamps for the entire family, and receive health care.

Once again, the DEMS are forgetting why they were given control back in November, 2006. The names of every supporter of this Agriculture bill should be circulated as being traitors to the American taxpayers and their interests. If this is reflective of what our government is bent on doing, what would they give away with a DEMOCRAT in the WH?

I know that Obama and Clinton supported the immigration bill, and therefore, they are OFF my list. Still looking for a candidate who puts American citizens first.

[donbl1]

The war may be turning,,,,,

The congress is in turmoil,,,,,

Public is mad at congress,,,,,,

2008 election is starting to look worrisome to the Demos.

Sounds like a fun election year with many candidates trying to change what they said and did.....

[rmmm201]

What's new about this??? Ted Kennedy wants to spend 100 billion on a jet engine the Air Force does not want. Of course it would be built in Mass. Illegals should not get one penny of tax money period. We should close the borders, even if we have to start the draft again to do it. Just goes to show ya,politians will do anything to keep their jobs.Dems and Rep. included.

[roger_inkart]

Payback is a beeyatch, eh? And you GOP ********** are getting only about .01% back of the shiite you pulled when you ran the show.

[mrhoppy-2009]

I seem to remember the republicans meeting off hill without a single democrat to discuss the development of mini nukes. Not the democrats are erasing the record to hide a criminal act and that is grounds for a felony charge of destruction of evidence. IMPEACHING THE ENTIRE *** LOT OF THEM!

[tejasdemo]

Payback is a beeyatch, eh? And you GOP ********** are getting only about .01% back of the shiite you pulled when you ran the show.
Posted by roger_inkart at 12:32 PM : Aug 03, 2007


Exactly ! And I hope they choke on it.

[stevex47]

hahahahha,
"so much so that they%u2019re willing to cheat in order to win a vote,%u201D

The neocon nut jobs so soon forgot how their king got in office (remember florida).

Ya, run out of office nut jobs, and take cheney and boosh with you.

[lorinkundert]

If ANY Democrat even attempts to give anything to illegal aliens we will remove you from office, The people are not going to support the citizens of another country.

[dbeofuse]

This will paralyze the Congress and perhaps the Democratic committee investigations which I find personally disheartening. I'm a democrat and have a list of rants against this administration. But I must tell you that the "gavel interruptus" did not look accidental to me. I believe the Pro Tem got a communication to drop the gavel and hid did.The last congressments vote change was being announced from aye to nay - it was clear and should be the real conclusion of the vote.

[oakishpines]

little girls are more likely to be raped, and must not be allowed freedoms like market share and tax money and armor and weapons and alcohol and parades

big men are more likely to rape, and must be allowed freedoms like market share and tax money and armor and weapons and alcohol and parades

[speakinup]

impeach the whole lot. No solutions for Social Security, health care, illegal immigration, and on and on and on. Folks, we have known about these problems for YEARS! INSIST on term limits for House of Representatives and the Senate. This will turn over the power to STATESMEN instead of POLITICIANS that want to stay in office. They won't have to think about can I get re-elected if I vote for something. Then we can vote on CHARACTER and not parties!

[antoniof123]

Children now behave. God these kids just keep getting out of hand time to bend them over the knees and spank them.

[notblue]

This shows an all new level of hipocracy on the part of the Democrats and there supporters. Gee what a suprise! NOT!

[speakinup]

stevex47 - wow, dude. First of all - you are wrong about the vote, but even if you weren't - you've been hurting for a long time. Take you meds dude. I mean you've got to let go...

"The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater their power to harm us." Voltaire

Hope the head's better soon.

[infidel_us]

Most people know demolibs talk out of both sides of their mouth. BTW, you see the 3% approval rating congress got for their handling of the war? LOL I don't believe you'll see it here.....at least, not in its true form.

[unfeigned]

Politics as usual, is anyone really surprised? It's time for Americans to dump all of them and physically take over the house and senate and let some real Americans who work for a living make the decisions that impact their owns lives instead of some bureaucrats dictating what is best for us!

[johnpatrick9]

Let the cry baby republicans take a hike now that the shoe is on the other foot. Considering how the republicans screwed up this nation for six years they should be abolished and dismissed for treason againt the Republic of the United States. COME QUICKLY 2008 SO WE CAN RID OURSELVES OF THESE CORPORATE IMPERIALISTS. Blood and treasure gone for a lie. Ike must be rolling over in his grave as his warning has come to pass.

[zed1974]

Hear, hear speakinup. Boot 'em all out and re-elect. Carte Blanche! And while we're at it let's start electing the FCC!

[nfin8sadness]

What kills me is how anyone can defend or attack either side of the aisle at this point. The whole system is screwed up with no real fix in site.
I agree with the person that said there should be term limits in place. Do not let someone stay in office forever. all that happens is they get more in debt to the special interests that put the $ up and less likely to watch out for those that voted them in.
also for the dems that bring up florida still, get over it. your candidate lost. you didnt get cheated, you just lost a close one. what i would be more concerned about is the up coming election.

[motherjones-2009]

How sweet it is!!!!! The rethugs ruled with tyrannical glee when they were in power. Now they're whining about those mean ole Democrats! Have they so soon forgotten the good old days of their unprecedented abuse of majority power? Remember when pig-man James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), suddenly and without warning, shut down hearings in the middle of witnesses testifying about human and civil rights abuses at Guantanamo Bay, prolonged detentions of Americans after September 11th and other abuses becasue he didn't like what the witnesses were saying. And what about the rethugs keeping the Medicare vote open until the wee hours so they could coerce wavering colleques into voting they're way?

What goes around, comes around. How do you like it? HA! HA! HA!HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! By the way, why isn't fat little Patrick McHenry in Iraq instead of sitting on his fat *** on a velvet cushion in Congress. Can't get passed the "don't ask, don't tell" requirement?

[mudrose-2009]

Most people know demolibs talk out of both sides of their mouth. BTW, you see the 3% approval rating congress got for their handling of the war? LOL I don't believe you'll see it here.....at least, not in its true form.


Posted by infidel_us

Love the stats. If that got that for Iraq, imagine what they're gonna be getting from this little bit of trickery. Certainly not another opportunity to be a majority. That's for sure.

[walt1944-2009]

One day Emperor Bush will get totally fed up with Congress (including congressmen in his own party), and will write and sign an "executive order" declaring himself president for life, dissolving Congress permanently, and will put KBF and Halliburton in charge of repairing the country's infrastructure (like they are repairing Iraq's), creating a "neocon paradise"!

So there! All problems solved??!!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!

[infidel_us]

Dems = Dishonest vote stealers!

[processor2]

Typical liberals

"do as we say, not as we do"

...

[sskane]

?

[perception5]

DID EVERYONE SEE HOW FAST CBS (CENSORING BROADCASTING STATION) MOVED THE STORY ABOUT THE DEMOCRATS ATTENDING THE DAILYKOS "BROWN SHIRTS" CONVENTION???? THEY POSTED IT AROUND 11:30AM AND HAD IT MOVED WITHIN 90 MINUTES..... UNBELIEVEABLE

THIS IS CENSORSHIP!!!

RICK KAPLAN, (head of CBS News Divison)YOU NEED TO RESIGN SIR...!!!

[fairandbal]

It's totally amazing how CBS reports on GOP complaints of Democrat's rule breaking. CBS reports GOP claims as the truth.
At the same time we heard nothing of the flaunting of rules that took place in the House under 12 years of GOP rule. CBS is just like other corporate media in trying to bring back their corporate friendly GOP to rule Congress again in 2008.

[infidel_us]

Typical liberals
"do as we say, not as we do"
Posted by processor2 at 01:22 PM : Aug 03, 2007

Yep....the most ethical hooters in the history of congress! :)

[andor3]

I think we are all tired of the right-wing bias in reporting at CBS and big media in general. It comes of having the rich and powerful control the media through a few corporate channels.

[vastr-wcon]

"motion to bar undocumented immigrants from receiving any federal funds" This issue should be a NO-BRAINER to anyone that has any respect for the law. The Dems, however, only respect AMNESTY for illegals, and have consistently and repeatedly tried to water-down or stop any and all efforts to stop this invasion of the US. Just as the Repugs are the party for the endless, senseless neocon wars; the Dems are the party for the continued invasion of the US with a total disrespect for the rule of law when applied to illegals. The country desperately needs a third party that will actually represent the people; the current two poor excuses have failed miserably.

[infidel_us]

At the same time we heard nothing of the flaunting of rules that took place in the House under 12 years of GOP rule. CBS is just like other corporate media in trying to bring back their corporate friendly GOP to rule Congress again in 2008.
Posted by fairandbal at 01:28 PM : Aug 03, 2007

How do you know there was "flaunting of rules that took place in the House under 12 years of GOP rule?" Also, what the dems just did could hardly be called "flaunting of rules." What they did was the kind of stuff Hitler pulled back in the 30's. VERY dangerous and telling.

[doro8202]

Ok, I am very confused. The Republicans were screaming about the vote so there was a motion to recaste the vote and that really set off the Republicans. (Were they afraid it would come out the same?) Isn't that what you are supposed to do when there is a question on a major vote. Oh I forgot the Republicans do this all the time, anyone remember the Bush, Gore election when the people voted Gore president and the Supreme court gave it to Bush? (No re-vote in Florida so there would be no confusion, Bush might have lost in a fair vote) Republicans remind me of little babies throwing a tantrum. As long as they were in the majority and got their own way things run smooth (Replican Pres., Republican Congress, Republican Senate) Yeh and look where that got us.

[ramos937]

Let's see, while the Republicans controlled the House, they (1) broke every House rule to pass the Medicare bill they wanted. One actuary was actually told he would be fired if he told the Congress the truth of the cost of the measure, (2) during a key vote a GOP committee chairman "locked" up his Democratic members so they could not vote on an important bill, (3) the list goes on and on. Actually, the Democrats learned at the knew of the GOP members.

How sweet it is!!!!!!

[mudrose-2009]

Dems = Dishonest vote stealers!
Posted by infidel_us

Hey, what the hell are you talking about? The Supremes told Gore he had to stop counting and he finally did after the ruling. He was above board.

[Syndicate]

It happens more than you would think. I only visit Cbsnews.com because of these message boards. I like the way cbs doesn't censor our comments to much. I use to post on Al Jazeera but that was frustrating because anything pro American or anti musslim was not posted. But anything anti american or anti jew regardless of how dispicable was allowed.

[phydeux1]

This Congress will forever go down in history as "The Kindergarten Congress". They're nothing but a bunch of crybaby children who kick and scream if anything stands in the way of their pandering for re-election.

Democrat or Republican, its all the same at this point. I see no difference between the parties. No one is a firm conservative, and no one is a firm liberal. Even the party platforms are so muddied as to be indistinguishable from one another.

So let us citizens lead them by example and form a unified front regardless of party affiliation telling Congress to knock off the petty bickering and get to work on putting real solutions to real problems and lay the political posturing aside.

This government serves at the will of its people, and until we all stand together to tell them their behavior is unacceptable, they'll continue this parade of partisanship.

[mudrose-2009]

I think we are all tired of the right-wing bias in reporting at CBS and big media in general. It comes of having the rich and powerful control the media through a few corporate channels.
Posted by andor3

This is just too cute. CBS right-wing bias reporting. Okay, now can you imagine when they are doing serious left-wing bias reporting? I imagine they are getting a head start on the Fairness Doctrine Act that the lefties so ardently want, thinking the airwaves will then be fair and balanced. What ever happend to Air America? Didn't they go bankrupt?