Breaking: Republicans Talk Energy Even While Dems Hit the Lights
Update: Politico’s Part III and IV. From Part IV:
With the public viewing galleries shutting down for the night, Rep. Kevin Brady has just invited everyone down to the House floor to keep the protest going.
It has been quite the scene on the House floor this afternoon, as GOP staff members have kept the chamber filled with an eclectic assortment of people.
Boy Scouts, members of the German army, stray tourists and even members in shorts and t-shirts have all been spotted on the floor at different times.
While Democrats have privately decried the breakdown in order, Republicans defended the protest.
“You are not witnessing a revolt,” said Rep. Mike Pence. “You are witnessing democracy in action.”
Rep. Donald Manzullo also delivered a passionate speech, saying today was his late father’s birthday.
After relating how his father, an Italian immigrant, came to live in Illinois and own a little grocery store, Manzullo brought the crowd to its feet with this line: “The people of this country are rising up and saying, ‘We want our country back!’”
Regular post:
The Democrats adjourned the House of Representatives, going so far as to turn off the lights and the microphones, but that didn’t stop Republicans from talking gas prices.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Democrats adjourned the House, turned off the lights and killed the microphones, but Republicans are still on the floor talking gas prices.
Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and other GOP leaders opposed the motion to adjourn the House, arguing that Pelosi’s refusal to schedule a vote allowing offshore drilling is hurting the American economy. They have refused to leave the floor after the adjournment motion passed at 11:23 a.m., and they are busy bashing Pelosi and her fellow Democrats for leaving town for the August recess.
Says HotAir: “A transparent stunt but an awfully shrewd one.”
Republican Representative John Culberson is turning to the new media: Twittering us with updates. He’s also videostreaming at Qik.
I say: Wow! Finally some decisiveness from Congress that isn’t just a check.
The House adjourned about three hours ago, but GOP lawmakers — outraged that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Democrats went home for five weeks without allowing a vote on offshore drilling — have refused to leave the floor. Even though C-SPAN can’t show you what’s going on (C-SPAN is prevented from showing what’s happening on the floor when the House is out of session), Republicans are holding an unprecedented session on the House floor. They have brought in dozens of their members, who are walking up and down the aisles making speeches. They have packed the floors and galleries with staffers. When Capitol Police tried to remove reporters from the gallery, Republicans stopped it from happening. The crowd has repeatedly broken out in chants of “Vote, vote, vote!” There are several dozen Cub Scouts sitting on the House floor in seats normally occupied by members.
Update: A GOP staffer just informed me that post-adjournment protests by the minority party are not unprecedented. The Democrats did it back in 1995, when the Republicans were in control. Democrats placed a big photo in the speaker’s chair of then-Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) wearing a diaper. Republicans note they are being more respectful this time.
Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), who was on a plane headed home, went back to the Capitol, walking on to the floor dragging his luggage. He got a standing ovation.
Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) called it a “new Boston Tea Party!”
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) said he was “not leaving until we call this Congress back into session and vote for energy independence.”
Rep. Tom Cole (Okla.), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said the dimly lit chamber is a “vision of the future by the Democrat Party: The lights are out, there’s no power, and the air conditioning is gonna go off soon.”
Says Michelle Malkin:
The Washington Post calls the GOP House revolt “bizarre.”
No. “Bizarre” is Democrats whining about high gas prices and then taking a vacation and doing nothing, nothing, nothing to solve the energy crisis about which they whine.
Guess a 14 percent approval rating isn’t low enough for them.
Not sure what the latest is.
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