The Political Chase

Boehner’s Rules of Disorder

(Update below)

Absolutely reprehensible.

The Republicans’ tirade appears to be a multi-faceted protest and disruption that began with with fear-mongering President Bush demanding this morning that the House rubber-stamp immediately the Senate’s version of the FISA bill passed Tuesday. The Senate’s bill provides amnesty for the telecoms, but the House version (RESTORE Act) passed weeks ago does not.

Rather than wait for the House and Senate to negotiate differences in their versions of the intelligence legislation, Bush wants a rubber-stamp of the Senate bill so he can sign it into law immediately. Bush has said he will not approve another extension, and House Republicans helped defeat a 21-day extension of the law on Thursday.”…

[Bush] 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.”

“Without this liability shield, we may not be able to secure the private sector’s cooperation. … and that of course would put the American people at risk,” Bush said.

After the president issued his ultimatum, the hot-headed Republicans disgraced themselves by calling for a vote to adjourn during a memorial service for Rep. Tom Lantos.

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.

After the disrupted memorial service, Democrats introduced the criminal contempt resolution against White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers. Upon introduction of the resolution, the GOP crybabies walked out after their whining Minority Leader John Boehner had the chutzpah to deliver a diatribe on the Democrats “political grandstanding.” Paul Kiel’s video is below.

I’m not sure if there were any notable events that occurred after Boehner’s fulmination and subsequent walkout, but apparently the GOP returned to the chambers, the contempt resolutions were voted on and passed overwhelmingly in a 223 to 32 vote. Oddly lopsided isn’t it?

No word yet on the FISA situation…more to come.

Update: This is the video of Boehner’s diatribe (via TPM).

Transcript of video:

BOEHNER:  Ladies and gentleman, we will not stand here and watch this floor be abused for pure political grandstanding at the expense of our national security. We will, we will, we will not stand for this and we will not stay for this. And I would ask my, my House Republican colleagues and those who believe, uh, that we should be here protecting, uh, the American people not vote on this bill. Let’s just get up and leave.