House Erupts in Chaos

[red states rule]

Moments away from losing a vote in the House, Dems simply stopped the vote and called the session to a close

This from the party that rants to count every vote. I guess they want every vote counted when they win the count


August 03, 2007
Read More: Bad behavior

House erupts in chaos


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.


http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0807/House_erupts_in_chaos.html

[PostmodernProphet]

shucks, I don't understand why folks bitch about the state of the Iraqi parliament....seems like in only four years they have developed a system as effective as the US Congress.......

[red states rule]

and Dems wonder why they have record low poll numbers

[Tarheel]

Sounds like it was republicans doing throwing the temper tantrum. Can't get my way and co-sign everything the WH wants, I'll just pack up and go home? How is that for representing their constituency...which, btw... does not consist solely of the right in their districts?

Its all ridiculous anyway. I'm sick of both parties antics. Democrats are no more guilty of being partisan and stupid than republicans.

[darin]

Sounds like it was republicans doing throwing the temper tantrum. Can't get my way and co-sign everything the WH wants, I'll just pack up and go home? How is that for representing their constituency...which, btw... does not consist solely of the right in their districts?


Did you read the story?

[Hagbard Celine]

Vote independent.

[Black Lance]

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.

Could some liberal on this site please explain to me the logic of knowingly giving federal funds to illegal aliens in order to help them, unlawfully, find work here?

Here's another question: is there no law which prohibits Congress from aiding people in breaking laws of the United States?

[theHawk]

Could some liberal on this site please explain to me the logic of knowingly giving federal funds to illegal aliens in order to help them, unlawfully, find work here?

Here's another question: is there no law which prohibits Congress from aiding people in breaking laws of the United States?

Common sense and liberalism don't mix.

[glockmail]

Sounds like it was republicans doing throwing the temper tantrum. ..... Way to mis-comrehend a simple article. :lame2:

[glockmail]

..... Rep. Michael R. McNulty (D-N.Y.) gaveled close the vote on a standard procedural measure with the outcome still in doubt.....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.....


:laugh2: This sounds exactly like tactics liberals use here at DP!

[red states rule]

Sounds like it was republicans doing throwing the temper tantrum. Can't get my way and co-sign everything the WH wants, I'll just pack up and go home? How is that for representing their constituency...which, btw... does not consist solely of the right in their districts?

Its all ridiculous anyway. I'm sick of both parties antics. Democrats are no more guilty of being partisan and stupid than republicans.

You must be a reporter for the NY Times. This is how they would report the events on the House floor

[red states rule]

Could some liberal on this site please explain to me the logic of knowingly giving federal funds to illegal aliens in order to help them, unlawfully, find work here?

Here's another question: is there no law which prohibits Congress from aiding people in breaking laws of the United States?

Not a lib, but they see they see the illegals as a huge untapped voting block (bigger then the black vote)

In a few years, Dems will have no problem with giving them the right to vote - after all they will say, they are here anyway - why not let them vote?

[red states rule]

Way to mis-comrehend a simple article. :lame2:

It is the liberal way of comprehending the article. Dems atre as pure as the wind driven snow - and Republicans are evil scum bags

[red states rule]

Democrats apologetic, but unmoved
By Sean Lengell

snip


The fight carried over from late Thursday night, when Republicans walked off the House floor in protest as shouts of "Shame, shame, shame" rang through the chamber.

"This was an astonishing and unprecedented abuse of power, defying the will of the people and trampling on the very fabric of American freedom and democracy," said House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican.

Democrats quickly apologized, saying the matter resulted from confusion on the House floor at the end of a busy day of voting.

"I regret what happened last night," Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, Maryland Democrat, announced on the House floor yesterday morning. "The minority, having been in that place, was understandably angry. ... Had that happened to us, we would have been angry."

The dispute centered on a Republican measure to prohibit illegal aliens from receiving certain benefits such as food stamps, housing assistance and employment opportunities included in an agriculture spending bill.

As time expired on voting, the sitting House speaker, Rep. Michael R. McNulty, New York Democrat, declared the Republican measure had failed on a 214-214 tie vote. But because some members changed their votes in the final seconds of voting, the electronic tally board showed the vote as 215-213, indicating the motion had passed, when Mr. McNulty struck his gavel.

Republicans immediately called for the 215-213 tally to stand, and began walking off the House floor in protest when Mr. NcNulty allowed more members to change their votes. The final tally was 212-216, with the motion failing.

Mr. Hoyer, citing the confusion on the House floor, then called for an immediate recount. Because only a few Republicans remained in the chamber, their measure was easily defeated.

"I wish to express my apologies to all the members of the House for calling the vote prematurely," Mr. McNulty said.

The House was in recess for most of yesterday morning while leaders from both parties met to discuss the dispute. Mr. Hoyer declined to reopen the matter, saying every member present was allowed to cast a vote.

"The majority has been forthright in apologizing for last night's unprecedented overreach, and I take them at their word that the violation was unintentional," said Minority Whip Roy Blunt, Missouri Republican.

"But instead of doing the right thing this morning and reinstating the vote's true outcome, Democrats seem content with the result they manufactured and are now simply trying to move on."

http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070804/NATION/108040062/1001

[Black Lance]

Not a lib, but they see they see the illegals as a huge untapped voting block (bigger then the black vote)

In a few years, Dems will have no problem with giving them the right to vote - after all they will say, they are here anyway - why not let them vote?

I know, but I still don't understand the legal justification for this bill. Last time I checked it was illegal for US citizens to knowlingly assist other people in breaking the law. Given that the legislation advanced by the Democrats was explicitly intended to assist illegal aliens in violating labor laws, how is it that Democratic Congressman are not being prosecuted as attempted accessories?

[Angel Heart]

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_y08iTaGcm0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_y08iTaGcm0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>


Democrats strong-arm their vulnerable members into flip-flopping on taxpayer benefits for illegal immigrants as chaos ensues

[red states rule]

I know, but I still don't understand the legal justification for this bill. Last time I checked it was illegal for US citizens to knowlingly assist other people in breaking the law. Given that the legislation advanced by the Democrats was explicitly intended to assist illegal aliens in violating labor laws, how is it that Democratic Congressman are not being prosecuted as attempted accessories?

When has the left ever cared about the law?

The ONLY thing that matters to them is their power - and they see illegals as an untapped voting block

To libs, the ends justify the means

[red states rule]

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LIbs will say it is a doctored video from the office of Karl Rove

[Angel Heart]

Longer video...

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/d2AxA7SSOP4"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/d2AxA7SSOP4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>


What Happened On The Floor Last Night

10:32 pm. During consideration of H.R. 3161, the Agriculture spending bill, the Chair, Rep. Mike McNulty, calls for a vote on a motion to recommit offered by the ranking Republican member of the House Appropriations Committee, Jerry Lewis, that prohibited any funds in the bill from being used to employ or to provide rental housing assistance to an illegal alien not authorized to receive such assistance under the Immigration and Nationality Act. It was slated to be a 15-minute vote.






10:52 p.m. According to a CQ story posted this morning: “McNulty had his eyes on the electronic scoreboard, which still read 214-214. But almost as soon as the gavel came down, the scoreboard registered Mario Diaz-Balart’s vote, pushing the tally to 215-213. The scoreboard showed those numbers and the word ‘FINAL.’ Within a minute or so, a flurry of post-gavel vote switches by Reps. Zach Space of Ohio, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Jerry McNerney of California — resulted in a 212-216 outcome.”

The Clerk’s website reads: “On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 212 - 216 (Roll No. 814).”

10:57 p.m.: The Majority Leader moves to vacate, and then reconsider the previous vote.



Leader Boehner rises to make a parliamentary inquiry. The Chair says he must first call the vote on the motion to reconsider. The Chair explains that he prematurely called the vote of 214-214, “while there were votes being entered. After all the cards were added, the vote was 212-216 nay,” thus rejecting the motion to recommit.

Majority Leader Hoyer again moves to reconsider the vote, and Leader Boehner asks for a recorded vote. Because the vote has still not been called, Mr. Boehner calls for a motion to adjourn. The Chair says the reason they aren’t moving on to the vote to reconsider is because the machines are down. The vote is finally called on the motion to reconsider at 11:02 p.m.



http://gop.gov/web/guest/conference_call?p_p_id=62_INSTANCE_GRks&p_p_action=0&p_p_state=maximized&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=&p_p_col_pos=0&p_p_col_count=0&_62_INSTANCE_GRks_struts_action=%2Fjournal_article s%2Fview&_62_INSTANCE_GRks_groupId=1&_62_INSTANCE_GRks_articleId=847&_62_INSTANCE_GRks_version=1.0

[red states rule]

Longer video...

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http://gop.gov/web/guest/conference_call?p_p_id=62_INSTANCE_GRks&p_p_action=0&p_p_state=maximized&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=&p_p_col_pos=0&p_p_col_count=0&_62_INSTANCE_GRks_struts_action=%2Fjournal_article s%2Fview&_62_INSTANCE_GRks_groupId=1&_62_INSTANCE_GRks_articleId=847&_62_INSTANCE_GRks_version=1.0



No wonder the Dems poll numbers are in the toilet. They let the power go to their head and now they shut off the voting when they are losing

[Pale Rider]

And people sometimes think I'm cracked when I say this country will see another civil war.

So now the "ILLEGALS" are going to get "LEGAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE?" What the fuck is this country coming to? Hearing shit like this makes my blood boil... now my day is shot... and so is that fucking wetback sons a bitch walking down my sidewalk...

[red states rule]

And people sometimes think I'm cracked when I say this country will see another civil war.

So now the "ILLEGALS" are going to get "LEGAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE?" What the fuck is this country coming to? Hearing shit like this makes my blood boil... now my day is shot... and so is that fucking wetback sons a bitch walking down my sidewalk...

They get them when libs want to bring them into the Dem tent so they will be loyal voters like the black vote

It will opnly be a matter of time until you will hear Dems say they have a right to vote in our elections

I give it by the 08 elections

[Pale Rider]

They get them when libs want to bring them into the Dem tent so they will be loyal voters like the black vote

It will opnly be a matter of time until you will hear Dems say they have a right to vote in our elections

I give it by the 08 elections

Over my dead body.

[red states rule]

Over my dead body.

Don't give them any ideas.

[Pale Rider]

Don't give them any ideas.

Makes no difference to me. I vowed to fight and die for my country when I joined the military. That vow still stands.

[red states rule]

It's not their idea.

We will have to wait and see how far the libs will take this. Of course, they will play the race card and anyone who disagrees with them are meanspirited racists

Well, put me at the top of the list