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.
Good government is a gift from God. Lord, have mercy upon the people of the United States of America.
God is a registered Republican. Anyhoo, it’s nice to see God’s party opposing [i]some[/i] federal spending, for a change.
If Michael McNulty is the man who replaced Sam Stratton (D-NY), then he is a poor relacement for Sam Stratton.
Sam Stratton was a man of strong character who would not have done what McNulty did at the ‘beck and nod’ of the Democrat leadership.
House Erupts in Chaos
How could anyone tell?
[i]”House Erupts in Chaos
How could anyone tell?”[/i]
C-SPAN didn’t go to a commercial.
The House more closely resembled Commons in the way they erupted in angry shouts. It was rank manipulation allowed for by wrong practice, followed by a bogus ruling from the chair.
The next day dems were on the talking head shows trying to do damage control spin. IMO, this action was so egregious a shutting down of what is, after all the entire reason for the House to exist, as to make a person shudder, who is concerned with the Constitution and freedom in this land.
And we’ll see more of this type behavior if the Dems win the White House in ’08.