Two GOP Reps Brazenly Violate THE CONSTITUTION

[Perknose]

ZOMG, I is outraged!! D:

They pulled a major boehner!!

On the very day they publicly read the Constitution, two GOP members violated it.

No, they didn't refuse to extradite some fugitive slaves. They just acted like duly elected Representatives without being sworn in!

The new Republican majority already committed a major boehner on the second day of the new Congress. Representatives Pete Sessions of Texas and Mike Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania were busy attending a fundraiser when all their colleagues were actually sworn in as members of Congress. So, whoops, they're not members yet. No biggies, right? Wrong! Because then they both showed up to work and cast some votes, in direct violation of our Constitution, which they then participated in the official reading of, on the floor of the House.

Sessions even chaired the Rules Committee while he wasn't a member, because in 2011, all jokes will officially write themselves.

The commie rat bastards!

This calls for a 2nd amendment remedy, like, you know, making them join a militia or something.

 

[UberNeuman]

In normal world it would be considered an oversight and a mistake to be corrected...

In rightwing world if it were democrats it would be: derp derp commie leftist fascist kenyan mooslim attempts to overthrow the gubment...

 

[silverpig]

Impeach Obama!

Right?

 

[manimal]

they saw it on tv so that made it ok

 

[woodie1]

Another Bush error! When will it end!

 

[101mpg]

Hold on let me muster up some fake outrage

 

[Kadarin]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't some Republicans (or was it Foxnews talking heads) make a stink about Obama not being President when the Chief Justice flubbed the oath in the Inaugural swearing in ceremony?

 

[trenchfoot]

Our elected repubs just can't help making blatant, flaming lying hypocrites of themselves out of blinding partisanship and the uncontrollable insatiable desire to acquire and hold on to the reins of power at any cost for the purpose of gifting the nation's treasures to those that have the same disease.

It is what it is.

 

[ProfJohn]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't some Republicans (or was it Foxnews talking heads) make a stink about Obama not being President when the Chief Justice flubbed the oath in the Inaugural swearing in ceremony?

Obama was re-sworn when the mistake was noticed.

I believe it happened within a few hours of the first one so about the only thing Obama did was watch the parade and give a speech. No big deal.

 

[rockyct]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't some Republicans (or was it Foxnews talking heads) make a stink about Obama not being President when the Chief Justice flubbed the oath in the Inaugural swearing in ceremony?

and with that some sort of oath was taken, it just wasn't perfect. The legality of requiring a second ceremony was iffy at best but they did it to shut up the wackos. These guys weren't even at the swearing in and one was reported to be at a fundraiser. Wow, a fundraiser is more important than getting sworn in.

Is this a big deal? No, not really, but it does point out a level of hypocrisy of the far-right conservatives.

 

[nageov3t]

In normal world it would be considered an oversight and a mistake to be corrected...

In rightwing world if it were democrats it would be: derp derp commie leftist fascist kenyan mooslim attempts to overthrow the gubment...

clearly, because republicans would theoretically do that, it makes it perfectly ok to actually do that preemptively?

 

[JockoJohnson]

So if they were fundraising in the Capitol building, that is a direct federal crime. I expect them to be prosecuted. Or maybe they weren't fundraising but it is easier to say that to create more drama. Hurf Blurf from the typical wackos.

Still, they're idiots for losing track of time and not being on the House floor during the ceremony.

 

[Perknose]

clearly, because republicans would theoretically do that, it makes it perfectly ok to actually do that preemptively?

Theoretically? Where the hell have you been the last two years? They do so, with insane vigor, at every conceivable opportunity.

Btw, my post was a humorous, sarcastic commentary, hoisting the more crazed right dingers on their own petard, and NOT straight ahead advocacy or hurf-burfing over this minor procedural error, or are you so irretrievably stupid that you somehow missed that?

My proposed 2nd amendment remedy, making them join a militia, THAT was too subtle for you?

 

[Scotteq]

Theoretically? Where the hell have you been the last two years? They do so, with insane vigor, at every conceivable opportunity.

Btw, my post was a humorous, sarcastic commentary, hoisting the more crazed right dingers on their own petard, and NOT straight ahead advocacy or hurf-burfing over this minor procedural error, or are you so irretrievably stupid that you somehow missed that?

My proposed 2nd amendment remedy, making them join a militia, THAT was too subtle for you?

Well - Given an atmosphere where people want to crucify Conservatives because they *didn't* read the sections in the Constitutions concerning things like Blacks being 3/5ths of a person, Prohibition, and that Indians aren't people at all....


I can see where this would/could be interpreted as another attack.




Regarding the original issue: Strike the votes. Chew them out. Then swear them in so they can go to work. Problem solved.

 

[PeshakJang]

A spokeswoman for Sessions, Emily Davis, issued the following statement: “During the swearing in of the 112th Congress, Congressman Sessions stated the oath publicly in the Capitol but was not on the House floor. To ensure that all constitutional and House requirements are fulfilled, Congressman Sessions officially took the oath of office this afternoon from the House floor. Public records and votes will be adjusted accordingly.”

Fitzpatrick spokesman Darren Smith said: “Yesterday, at the time the oath of office was administered, Congressman Fitzpatrick was in the Capitol Building meeting with constituents from Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District. He took the oath of office at that time. When the oath was administered, Congressman Fitzpatrick had already signed the written oath of office provided by the Clerk of the House. Today, after speaking with the House Parliamentarian, out of an abundance of caution, Congressman Fitzpatrick was re-administered the oath of office by the Speaker. The public record will be adjusted accordingly.”

So it looks like they took the oath via television monitor, from the Capitol building, and even had signed the written oath, but technically needed to be "within proximity of the speaker".

A little silly, but basically a non-issue technicality.

EDIT: props to Salon.com though for completely editing the same story that they linked to, as well as drumming up fake outrage over the "edits" to the Constitution. LibLOL

 

[Craig234]

These technicalities matter. If you let one 'slide', it becomes precedent and then you can let a little more slide, and then a little more.

That's not the same as the political abuse of a situation. Saying it is important to do it right isn't the same as a political attack on them or their party.

The issues of party corruption, abuse of power, etc. are important issues and should not be misused by being raised over something like this that are not those things.

However, the reason for this happening at all is a separate matter. What was so important they couldn't attend the swearing in?

If it really was a fundraiser, that's a reasonable political attack; in fact, they say these Republican Congresspeople are breaking new ground with big fundraisers BEFORE they take office, which I think does say something about them and their agenda (not to mention the several who appointed lobbyists as chief of staff).

One guy said he was 'meeting with constituents'. He shouldn't have been even if they were little old ladies talking about puppies, he should have been at the swearing in, but if 'meeting with constituents' was a euphemism for 'attending a fundraiser', that's even worse.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

OMG!!!!

 

[jhbball]

Faux outrage thread. But as the anti-Obama spam has been in full-force for the last 2 years, I'd like to see a thread like this every day

 

[PeshakJang]

These technicalities matter. If you let one 'slide', it becomes precedent and then you can let a little more slide, and then a little more.

That's not the same as the political abuse of a situation. Saying it is important to do it right isn't the same as a political attack on them or their party.

The issues of party corruption, abuse of power, etc. are important issues and should not be misused by being raised over something like this that are not those things.

However, the reason for this happening at all is a separate matter. What was so important they couldn't attend the swearing in?

If it really was a fundraiser, that's a reasonable political attack; in fact, they say these Republican Congresspeople are breaking new ground with big fundraisers BEFORE they take office, which I think does say something about them and their agenda (not to mention the several who appointed lobbyists as chief of staff).

One guy said he was 'meeting with constituents'. He shouldn't have been even if they were little old ladies talking about puppies, he should have been at the swearing in, but if 'meeting with constituents' was a euphemism for 'attending a fundraiser', that's even worse.

Fitzgerald supposedly "missed" it because he was throwing a celebration for his own swearing in, hence he took the oath via television monitor, in the capitol building, from his own party. So saying he missed it to attend a fundraiser is pretty disingenuous of the true situation... as self-congratulatory as it is otherwise.

Also, some claim that the party was $30/person... Fitzgerald reps said that was the cost of transportation to the event... but even with a couple hundred people max, I don't think you could call it a fundraiser.

 

[thraashman]

Faux outrage thread. But as the anti-Obama spam has been in full-force for the last 2 years, I'd like to see a thread like this every day

Well exactly. It would seem the entire puprose of this thread is to mock the constant faux outrage threads you get from the right. Though I think we should take a lead from another member of this board and insist that because these members of Congress weren't sworn in properly that they don't represent We The People! :awe:

 

[werepossum]

Well - Given an atmosphere where people want to crucify Conservatives because they *didn't* read the sections in the Constitutions concerning things like Blacks being 3/5ths of a person, Prohibition, and that Indians aren't people at all....


I can see where this would/could be interpreted as another attack.




Regarding the original issue: Strike the votes. Chew them out. Then swear them in so they can go to work. Problem solved.

Strike the votes AND fine them about $10K each. Maybe that will teach them not to place fund raising ahead of the jobs OR the Constitution.

 

[Carmen813]

I'm not really outraged, I'm just laughing at how incompetent the GOP is. I mean...this is comedy gold.

 

[Lemon law]

In my mind this is a tempest in a tea pot. They were on the list send by their State to the House leadership as winning the general election in their district. In the absence of any outstanding legal challenges to that State certification, the person in question will represent their district from the first to the last day of the 112'th congress. IMHO, at best the swearing in ceremony is somewhat of a sideshow

After that any house member can be removed or restricted for misconduct, but it basically takes a majority of fellow house members to do so.

 

[Atreus21]

This is what happens on Anandtech P&N when your side wins an election. Sigh.

 

[Bateluer]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't some Republicans (or was it Foxnews talking heads) make a stink about Obama not being President when the Chief Justice flubbed the oath in the Inaugural swearing in ceremony?

No, there was nothing of the sort.