House In Chaos After Republicans Force Vote During Lantos Memorial

"During what was supposed to be a somber memorial service in Statuary Hall for Rep. Tom Lantos, who died Monday, the House chamber became mired in chaos over procedural votes," the Politico reports.

House Republicans are upset that Democrats are voting today on contempt citations for White House aides Harriet Miers and Josh Bolten, and vowed to hold 'protest votes' to suck up time and delay the contempt proceedings.

But Democratic aides were shocked when, during the middle of a memorial for Holocaust survivor and Congressman Tom Lantos, GOP Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart demanded a procedural vote on the floor, forcing members to leave the service early, even "while dignitaries were still giving tributes to Lantos."

"The disrespect that has been shown by a Republican member of Congress in calling a political procedural motion during the memorial service for the late Chairman Tom Lantos is incomprehensible," said Stacey Bernards, a spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). "It is unjustifiable, and Republican leaders should restrict their members from further such action."

Here's Diaz-Balart speaking on the House floor, claiming he was justified to interrupt the memorial because the House had been called back in session. But no votes were scheduled during the memorial, and the vote he call was entirely procedural:

The Florida Democratic Party has released a statement:

"Everyone from the Israeli Foreign Minister to Condoleezza Rice to Bono took time out to mourn the loss of this respected Holocaust survivor and Congressman, but apparently, even a memorial service can't stop Lincoln Diaz-Balart from playing politics," Florida Democratic Party spokesman Alejandro Miyar said. "This is simply shameful."

"The disrespect that has been shown by a Republican member of Congress in calling a political procedural motion during the memorial service for the late Chairman Tom Lantos is incomprehensible," Stacey Bernards, a spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, told Politico. "It is unjustifiable, and Republican leaders should restrict their members from further such action."

Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor to ever serve in the U.S. Congress, represented California's 12th District for almost 28 years. He died of esophageal cancer Monday at the age of 80.

Comments

[flacon]

Okay folks, take a deep breath and exhale. The screamers here are either stupid or intentionally obtuse. The facts show that the dems forced this confrontation, on purpose I suspect, by calling the house back in session after promising not to do so. That they did this during the tribute to Lantos, one of their own, makes this doubly disgusting.

[GrouchoMarxist]

Nice try, Rush.

[andyg]

it's the truth bozo.

[clumberfeet]

It's not like GOP Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart walked into a memorial service and disrupted it by yelled 'fire!'

He yelled 'I demanded a procedural vote on the floor' and the venue was cleared.

[globality]

Will the jewish community allow this insult to the only Holocaust survor in the Senate. Diaz-Balart repreents miami. Get rid of him. Replace this schmuck. Even if it is with another Republican just get rid of this guy. This is just another trick by the Christian right to denigrade and insult the so called "Jesus Killers"

Do NOT stand for this

[strandwolf]

Oh right, maybe AIPAC will demand a refund of the money they gave him. They DID give him money. They must have--only stooges for Israel are elected to the U.S. Congress, bought and paid for by ZION.

[kevenseven]

Shocking. A lobbying group gave a legislator money. That is new.

[GoreyFantod]

What on Earth? It never ceases to amaze me how you obsessives drag everything back to "Zionism," wink, wink.

Although you oh-so-cleverly avoid using the J-word, your slip showed when you ended on ZION - in all caps, no less, so we'd all get the hint. Clearly, subtlety isn't your forte.

Given that a reasoned discussion of the role that lobbyists play in facilitating collusion between politicians and the military/industrial complex is clearly outside your ken, perhaps you should find a new hobby.

[kevenseven]

Lantos was in the house...ot­herwise, carry on.

[jfh]

I am suprised that the Obama supporters are not blaming Senator Clinton for this shameful action by Repug Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart .

[SaulGood]

do you actually believe clinton supporters are any better? take your comment, for instance..­..

[kevenseven]

Why, do you assume that Obamans are stupid?

[ManassasMan]

Just because Tom Delay is no longer there doesn't mean that there are no more Republican thugs in residence ! Does this really surprise anyone ?

[Brady Bonk]

Republigoats would poop on puppies if it would get them what they want.

[SaulGood]

dude, i've got to eat soon.

[gopindrag]

Let's divide the nation. Put all the red states together as a confederation. See how long they can sustain the occupation of Iraq.
Let them have no minimum wage, a large immigrant workforce, a constitution rewritten to conform to the King James Bible, and a unitary executive modeled upon King George. How's that sound, trolls? A Unitard who reserves the right to ignore any legislation he signs into law. I'd love for you trolls to get what you so desperately wish for, a nation consisting of the very rich and the desperately poor. How long do you think the desperately poor would stay with you, how long before they emigrated to a land of opportunity? You fuckers are so dead.

[DJBrunner]

As bad as things are now I myself have had this very thought. I'd have one small additional requirement though, that we get to keep all the nuclear weapons. Of course that would probably invite an invasion due to us having WMD. Oh well, we could always bomb them back to the stone ages where they're trying to take us to, or more appropriately to their beginning of time some 6,000 years ago.

[Proud2BIndy]

I'm ALL for that.

They could enjoy their disdain for education, love for authoritarianism, their latent affinity towards fascism and their lust for hypocrisy in peace.

And if they want to enjoy the treasures of the North, they could just get in line for a green card like everyone else.

[GeoLee]

I heard tonight on Larry King Live McCain say that he felt it should be up to the border states to certify that there are not illegal immigrants crossing their borders. Of course, that puts the financial bonus on them...Gos­h, I thought the U. S. constitution guaranteed three three things to each state: Protection from invasion, a representative form of government and territorial integrity. Well, is not illegal immigration over the borders an invasion?

[PrdAmerican]

Bet this will go over like a lead balloon with his constituants in Miamai. Hope one of them mow him down with their golfcart next time he shows up stumping at their retirement village.

[nunzia]

His constituents in Fla are those crazy Cubans who are staunch Republicans. They are solidly behind Bushco. This abject disrespect won't bother them a bit.
These are the same people who wanted to keep a little boy from his father to score points against Castro.
Insane.

[rollingdivision]

Democrats called the house back into session during the memorial. If they hadn't no votes could have been called.

[ClaudiaJean]

OK -- suppose YOUR logic is the way the go. What exactly was it that kept the call for a vote from waiting, oh, I don't know, half an hour until some eulogies, some rememberances, some tributes were paid to a dead colleague? Nice attempt to divert attention away from the issue... No go.

[HearNoWeasel]

It's just typical that the "big story" will be this Vote-Durin­g-Funeraln artificial drama, rather than the true big story: the contempt vote. But that's not what the press wants to focus on and the Republicans provided a beautiful distraction today.

[Bendersky]

The republicans are shallow, thugish hypocrites, but goddamn, at least they are willing to make some sort of statement, no matter how wrong-headed and ignorant.


The democrat senators who are still voting to give Herr Fuerher Bush more powers to continue his domestic spying, his insane tax cuts, permanent friggin bases in Iraq (and a slew of other bad ideas) simply because they're too cowed to be labeled as (gasp!) "liberals" or unpatriotic is beyond the pale. Hey guys--"HE'S A LAME DUCK! IT'S SAFE TO COME OUT NOW AND STAND UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT!!!..­.


...like Dodd, a lone senator who decides, by god, that he'll fillibuster this ridiculous FISA bill. No one stands by him. The dems have become a morally compromised party, and are on the verge of completely marignalizing themselves if they keep giving into Bush's transperent fear tactics.

So thanks, dems, for standing up for once. You may even stay in power if you keep doing what we elected you to do.

[Proud2BIndy]

I fully agree with you.

The sad truth is, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi stand up all tall and proud in front of the cameras, meet with the Republicans behind closed doors, then re-emerge to break it to the American people that they are yet again sitting back down.

[castlerider]

Why don't Obama or Hillary, since they have the nation's constant attention, show some leadership, stand up and have a say about this?
They need to be mouthing off about the horrible and fascist policies of Bush and his rightwingers, and putting them decisively in their places!
The country would love it, and the congress would have to admit that they are NOT DOING WHAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WANT!!!

[Proud2BIndy]

No shit.

[toosinbeymen]

The vast majority of people are not paying attention, that's why.

[DubiousAtBest]

What a fucking prick.

[kingofscotts]

Surely you speak of the Dems.

Maybe you need to actually read the whole story. The Repubs made it clear at the start of the day that they would be trying to stop the vote.

The Dems in all their wonderful splendor decided to reopen the House floor during the memorial KNOWING that the Repubs would have no choice but to make a motion at that time.

The Dems wanted this to happen so they could accuse the Repubs of being "insensitive".

Shameful. But that's what we have come to expect from the never ending let down that is Pelosi.

[apogee2perogee]

Did you even read it? Or did you just listen to what Rush told you?

"But no votes were scheduled during the memorial, and the vote he called was entirely procedural"

Don't blame us just because you don't understand the procedural issues of the house.

Unless your last name is Stuart, you should drop the King of the Scots tag.

[factanonverba]

Yeah exactly and that is whom Obama thinks he can work with. Wake the fuck up! You can not work with these people. Unity is a crap shoot. It doesn't work. It may be laudable but it is foolhardy.

Lincoln Diaz-Balart's move is like those wackos from Topeka, the Westboro Baptist Church. And Lincoln Diaz-Balart ain't going anywhere. He will be in Congress for as long as he wants because the Cubans in Miami will send him back again and again. You can only fight these people. Clinton is a fighter, Obama already has surrendered on health care even before the first shouting match, he whispers.

[ShawnMichel]

The Repukelickans ... vile, rancid, worthless.

Time for them to go. Period.

SMdM

[IMD]

Give 'em enough rope... hell, these guys even supply it themselves. Who's gonna bring the nails for the coffin? All anyone has to do is step back and let them do their thing. Amazing.

[pizzmoe]

And this surprises anyone why?