Republicans in a show of unity walked out of Congress today due to a few things. First, the Democrats continually dragging their feet on the FISA bill. Here is the video of the walkout and the GOP holding a press conference.
“There is really no excuse for letting this critical legislation expire,” Bush said, his second statement on the bill at the White House in two days.
Bush said that “it would be a mistake” if Congress allowed the law to expire. “Members of Congress knew all along that this deadline was approaching. They set it themselves. They’ve had more than six months to discuss and deliberate. And now they must act.”
He denied claims that the issue had turned into a political game.
“I certainly hope not,” Bush said. “I can assure you that al-Qaida in their planning isn’t thinking about politics, they are thinking about hurting the American people again.”
“I guess you got to come to the conclusion that there’s a threat to America, or not a threat,” Bush said. “I mean, evidently, some people just don’t feel that sense of urgency. I do. And the reason I do is I firmly believe that there are still people out there who would do us harm.”
And second because of the House voting to pursue contempt charges against Bolton and Miers over the attorney firing sillyness. Contempt charges which will not be filed by the DOJ but in their continuing quest to make politics as partisan as ever the Democrats went ahead with it anyway.
They not only used the walkout but they also used a voting tactic to disrupt the proceedings, a memorial for Rep. Tom Lantos. Why would they do such a thing? Democrat procedural shananigans which cutoff debate of the contempt charges and which will allow the FISA bill to lapse.
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.
Democrats angrily denounced the GOP as insensitive for calling a “motion to adjourn” — essentially a dilatory tactic — while dignitaries were still giving tributes to Lantos, a Holocaust survivor who was chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. But Republican aides shot back quickly, saying it was Democrats who broke an agreement to keep the House in recess during the memorial service.
To some extent, it appears both sides are at fault, but the recriminations have been fast and furious.
“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 H. Hoyer (D-Md.). “It is unjustifiable, and Republican leaders should restrict their members from further such action.”
A senior Republican aide, however, said the GOP was given no choice in asking for a vote because Democrats broke their commitment to keep the House in recess during the memorial service. Democrats are pushing a contempt vote against White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former Bush counsel Harriet Miers, and have bypassed traditional rules allowing an hour of debate on the matter, according to Jo Maney, a spokeswoman for Republicans on the House Rules Committee.
So the Democrats wanted to play politics during a memorial but the Republicans came to play also.
This kind of thing will only get worse if we stay home to teach all of the right a lesson. I mean Obama can’t be all that bad right? He wouldn’t do everything in his power to ensure our intelligence agencies are hamstrung in protecting this country would he? He wouldn’t raise our taxes, grant amnesty for those here now and everyone who comes in the future, surrender to fanatical Islam and all that would he?
Sigh….
UPDATE
It appears the Democrats have taken responsibility for the cheap stunt. First the reason for the chaos:
A senior Republican aide, however, said the GOP was given no choice in asking for a vote because Democrats broke their commitment to keep the House in recess during the memorial service. Democrats are pushing a contempt vote against White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former Bush counsel Harriet Miers, and have bypassed traditional rules allowing an hour of debate on the matter, according to Jo Maney, a spokeswoman for Republicans on the House Rules Committee.
“The reason for the chaos is the majority,” Maney said. “We made clear we would use every procedural rule” to delay the contempt votes.
“There was an agreement that there would be no votes during the service, but they [Democrats] rang the bells” to bring the House back into session, Maney said.
And the explanation from the Dem’s….it was a mistake:
Under a bipartisan agreement, the House was not to come into session until after the Tom Lantos memorial service. But the service ran long, and the session was gavelled in anyway. The first item up for consideration was a Republican motion to adjourn. At first, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s (D., Md.) office believed at first that this had been the Republicans’ fault. Later on, that misunderstanding was cleared up and explained on the floor. Someone just messed up, no ill will intended.
Of course by that time the left had already smeared the man who called the vote, Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart. Michael Steele via Michelle Malkins blog:
“This morning, during the memorial service for Tom Lantos – a public servant beloved on both sides of the aisle – the House Democratic Leadership violated an agreement and called the House back into session. They took this action despite clearly understanding that it would trigger a series of procedural motions. This cheap, cynical political move seems to have been designed to shut down one of the few procedural tools that can be employed by the minority party in the House. Playing this sort of game during the memorial service of a great and good man is beneath the dignity of this House and should be beneath the dignity of Democratic Leaders.”
“We appreciate Rep. Hoyer’s statement that he “regrets” the situation this morning and the inaccurate statements that were directed at Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart.”
UPDATE II
Congressman Mike Pence on this walkout and the stalling tactic employed by the Democrats on FISA:
[audio:https://floppingaces.net/Audio/gibsonpence.mp3]
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