Thread: Republicans Angry Over House Vote

Republicans Angry Over House Vote

By ANDREW TAYLOR
The Associated Press
Friday, August 3, 2007; 11:58 AM



WASHINGTON -- House Democrats apologized Friday for wrestling what appeared to be a winning vote tally away from Republicans on Thursday night.

Republicans continued to steam, however, over the episode in which they appeared to be the winners by a 215-213 tally on a procedural motion designed to make sure illegal immigrants would not get certain benefits from an agriculture spending bill.

Instead, with several lawmakers milling in the well of the House registering votes, Rep. Michael McNulty, D-N.Y., quickly gaveled the vote to a close, saying the GOP measure had failed on a 214-214 tie vote.

Republicans erupted, chanting "shame, shame, shame," and then walked out in protest after McNulty permitted further Democrats to switch their votes to prevail on a 216-212 tally. Despite winning that tally, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., moved for a revote as permitted under the rules and Democrats subsequently prevailed.

On Friday, Hoyer apologized. "The minority was understandably angry," Hoyer said.

The heavy-handed tactics capped a partisan week in the chamber and Hoyer and Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, promised to try to work out some accommodation.

Still, rank and file Republicans remained furious and the House recessed Friday morning as its leaders pondered what to do.

Democrats changed House rules in January to disallow the practice of holding votes open to affect the outcome. The new rule came after Republicans routinely held open votes to twist arms, including a 2003 episode on the Medicare prescription drug bill in which Republicans held a vote open for three hours until finally prevailing.

"Never once did we in the majority attempt to steal a vote," Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., said Friday.

The stakes on the issue involved Thursday were far smaller. Democrats had routinely accepted comparable language on illegal immigrants on other spending bills, but the agriculture measure was being debated under fast-track conditions denying Republicans a chance to offer the provision.

© 2007 The Associated Press


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 74_pf.html

The Democrats are going to regret that move.

Dixie

I agree, I hope they get lambasted when they get home, they sure deserve it, and I hope the Republicans stand their ground!!!


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House Struggles to Restore Civility After Explosion of Partisan Rancor

By Jonathan Allen | 11:15 AM; Aug. 03, 2007 | Email This Article
The House erupted into chaos late Thursday night when Democrats ruled that a roll call had failed even though, when the gavel fell, 215 members had voted for a Republican motion and 213 had voted against it.

The motion would have recommitted the fiscal 2008 agriculture appropriations bill (HR 3161) and amended it to bar use of funds in the bill to employ or provide housing for illegal immigrants. Instead, Democrats plowed ahead, eventually passing the bill by 237-18 on a roll call boycotted by most Republicans.

Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., took the floor early Friday to apologize for the way the entire series of votes was handled, as did Michael R.McNulty, D-N.Y., who had been presiding over the House when the furor erupted.

Republicans accused Democrats of using the kind of heavy-handed tactics that Democrats had assailed when the GOP ran the House. The late-night exchange featured a heated exchange between former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and Hoyer.

Friday morning, Hoyer expressed regret about the blowup. “The minority was understandably angry,â€

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[quote]“Never have I seen such mayhem,â€

[quote="butterbean"][quote]“Never have I seen such mayhem,â€

[quote="butterbean"][quote]“Never have I seen such mayhem,â€

Yey Ha! Look at those Republicans go! The Democrats have stepped in a BIG pile of donkey do!

Republican Whip Blunt Addresses the House Floor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dgkV6gerTY