Michael Jackson Resolution Faces GOP Opposition

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has joined the opposition in rejecting a resolution honoring Michael Jackson.

"It's not necessary," said Pelosi, who thinks bringing the measure to a vote would "open up contentious views" that the House doesn't need to deal with "at this time."

In sotto voce, she acknowledged Jackson as a "great entertainer" -- but scoffed when a reporter asked about the resolution.

"We're into the popular culture questions," she said.

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WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee may have trouble keeping the promise she made at Michael Jackson's public memorial for a House resolution that "forever" honors the late pop star.

Jackson Lee, a Texas Democrat, took the stage Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and hoisted a framed copy of the resolution, embossed with a gold seal. The measure will be debated on the House floor, she said.

For that framed, embossed resolution to be completely legit, it must first get past some opposition.

Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican who called Jackson a "pervert, child molester, pedophile" in a video he posted on YouTube this week, vowed Tuesday to do "whatever I have to do" to oppose honoring Jackson.

Without mentioning King by name, Jackson Lee noted at the memorial that Michael Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges. She blasted critics who "don't understand the hearts of entertainers" and "don't know how they heal the world on behalf of America."

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"We understand the Constitution. We understand laws and we know people are innocent until proven otherwise. That is what the Constitution stands for," Jackson Lee said, clutching the framed resolution in front of her shiny white suit.

Her legislation, House Resolution 600, lists several charitable acts by Michael Jackson over his long career and proclaims him as an American legend, musical icon and world humanitarian. He is, Jackson Lee said, "someone who will be honored forever and forever and forever and forever and forever."

In the House, non-controversial resolutions honoring a person who has died or carried out a noteworthy accomplishment normally move quickly from committee to the House floor and then pass on a voice vote. The Michael Jackson resolution, introduced June 26, is awaiting action in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, of which Jackson Lee is a member and King is not.

An opponent could ask for a recorded vote, which then requires a two-thirds majority for passage. So far, Jackson Lee's resolution has just one co-sponsor, Rep. Diane Watson, D-Calif.

Jackson Lee hosted a 2004 meeting in her Capitol Hill office that brought Michael Jackson together with ambassadors to the U.S. from African countries. At the time, Jackson was considering a tour to raise money to fight AIDS. However, he was also facing child molestation charges and was unable to leave the country without court permission.

Even so, Jackson was greeted by screams, applause and flashing cameras.

Jackson also visited Iraq veterans at Walter Reed Hospital while in Washington.

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Comments

[dantanna]

hey pelosi you know then what else is not necessary??? YOU!

[caseyasmith]

Apparently neither are you. Grow up, toddler. Either that, or vote republican...see how much time a repuke gives to michael jackson...when they're not starting unneccessary wars and gagging the press and mandating christianity in schools and outlawing abortion and stem cell research and the teaching of evolution and giving free reign to big business and...well, nailing hookers, of course.

[koyak23]

No resolution like this is "necessary", so why not end this unnecessary congressional tradition ?

And while you're at it, eliminate resolutions that recognize National Pig Farmers Day, National Cancer Awareness Month, and the rest of the superfluous honorifics that have become the daily fare of our body politic.

[BluebirdofUnhappiness]

Absolutely. I want a government not OK! magazine. Concentrate on the bread, skip the circuses.

[harriscrl3]

She ought to know about UNNECESSARY resolution.

See affter all the money you gave to the democrats how DISLOYAL they can be too bad they dont behave this way with Lobbyist.

Way to go Democrats tell the MJ supporters many of who are AA that their resolution is UNNECESSARY.

Funny Rethugs didnt tell their GOP member that bought resoultion to require a President show his birth certificate Unneccesary.

I'm seriously going to think twice before this party gets another dime from me. Cause they are starting to become UNNECESSARY

[NYed]

I agree with Congressman King on this one. (Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.) All of MJ's fans who choose to look the other way on pedophilia are just like the Roman Catholic hierarchy. They are the truly evil people of this world.

Moonwalking dosen't make child molestation OK!

[Roye Barber]

What proof do you have that Michael is a pedophile or is your definition the same as Congressman King?

[NoahVail]

Try organizing a 'sleepover' with your neighborhood kids and see what sort of response you get. Be sure to tell the parents that their children will be sleeping with you in your bed.

It may not be pedophilia, but it sure is weird.

[bosha]

I would agree with Pelosi on this right now is not the time MJ will never be forgotten although he did make a lot of people billions of dollars. But there are pressing issues right now America faces.

[Bardmess]

Thank you Ms Pelosi for some common sense. Isn't there a separation of entertainment and state in the constitution? opps, sorry, that was church and state. Same thing.

[Countdown09]

Ms. Watson very well may end up with egg on her face serves her right for announcing this before she had gotten it done.

[kappa08]

Thank you...emotional resolutions don't seem appropriate.

[llisa]

This resolution is a silly waste of time.

Michael Jackson will be honored by some and reviled by others, but the government needs to get back to business.

[mollymac]

Yep.

[AnnfromCA]

Well, I have to agree with her once in a blue moon.

[jaglon]

Sorry, Congress has more important things to do. MJ was a great musician and dancer and, personally, I think he was incapable of having sex with anyone or anything including a knot in a tree. He had some clear issues with sex; I think he found it repulsive. That said, he did do some pretty creepy things with boys including sleeping with them. But none of those things were crimes and he was acquitted of any wrong doing. Elvis Presley also had some pretty weird views about sex too. Both of them were a couple of drug addicts, that much is very clear.

He should be remembered for his great talent and some of the good things that he did but an honor from congress he should not have. Congress has some important stuff on its plate and to get bogged down arguing about this would be a huge waste of time. Let's bury Jackson and move on.

[HC4BO]

Personally I think this resolution is USELESS ... (Micheal will be honored by the personal memories of those who loved him ... )

BUT ...

Peter King is STILL a M0R0N !!!

[interesante]

That's odd, Pelosi finds it necessary to run mock impeachment trials for Bush and to apologize for slavery.....

I never thought I'd say this, but I think to honor MJ would have ten times more "necessity" than those things.

www.warmongerblog.com

[julia23]

You think honoring a pop star is more important than appologizing for capturing and enslaving a whole race of people for hundreds of years?

[interesante]

It was only the 10,000th time it's been apologized for. I wasn't around, so I'm not apologizing.

www.warmongerblog.com

[southwindow]

priorities lol

[mero909]

Funny... on here just yesterday when it was just the GOP that was against a resolution for MJ, everyone was proclaiming the GOP as fools, uncaring, etc. Now that Pelosi is siding with the GOP on this, she's "doing the right thing". Funny.

[WhatTheHolyHeck]

What does party politics have to do with this? Is party affiliation the only criteria for deciding an issue now?

They're in government; they have important governing to do. Let the popular press deal with the death of a pop singer.

[Scalawag]

Do you think that perhaps the posters who are saying she doing the right thing are different posters than those who proclaimed the GOP as fools? Pelosi is doing the smart thing. She knows that the GOP is just itching to use this against Dems.

[kappa08]

dude are you for real?...so logic is partisan as well...Grow up.
Trust me Republicans have a looooonnnggg way to go before the catch up to the "smart" bus.

[1887doch]

Isn't it though, Funny how liberals think,
And Mr. King you have your beliefs and mine are some what the same, and one Republican to another, it is not the time, The MJ was good, not a god but he was famous, and well liked, And his family needs time to heal, so cut them some slack.

[treadway123]

Say NO, and also say Congressman King needs to shut-up, and stop stiring up racial divide!