Two Republicans miss swearing in ceremony to attend fundraiser

[NuclearDem]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/06/two-house-republicans-vot_n_805423.html

WASHINGTON -- Two House Republicans have cast votes as members of the 112th Congress, but were not sworn in on Wednesday, a violation of the Constitution on the same day that the GOP had the document read from the podium.

The Republicans, incumbent Pete Sessions of Texas and freshman Mike Fitzpatrick, missed the swearing in because they were at a fundraiser in the Capitol Visitors Center. The pair watched the swearing-in on television from the Capitol Visitors Center with their hands raised.

"That wasn't planned. It just worked out that way," said Fitzpatrick at the time, according to local press on hand, which noted that he "happened to be introducing Texas Congressman Pete Sessions while glad-handing his supporters in the Capitol Visitor Center that he secured for them when the House swearing in began."

House ethics rules forbid fundraising in the Capitol.


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Wonderful. Violating the Constitution ON THE DAY IT WAS READ.

[Tx4obama]

1. K & R n/t

[silverweb]

2. The GOP will downplay and justify it.

After all, IOKIYAR.

:kick:

[Kber]

3. a fundraiser for sick kids or orphaned puppies? That's not so bad.

Oh wait - it was for themselves? Well that's pretty fucked up.

[gateley]

4. Ed is covering it now on TV. He said it's a violation of the Constitution to

vote without being sworn in. If that's accurate, I wonder if anybody will call them on it -- on the Floor, maybe.

[doc03]

5. Won't happen n/t

[WCGreen]

6. Don't hold your breath...

[gateley]

10. I know - I just keep hoping! I swear if I were there I'd stand up and say

"According to the Constitution...." So would you! Why won't ONE Dem do that?

[jberryhill]

9. Geez, what is wrong with people

I can't believe how much importance people place on ceremonies.

You can take an oath sitting on the toilet before heading over to the floor if you want.

You don't need to be in any particular room or place to do so.

In fact, the relevant passage suggests that it is implicit:

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The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution;
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Where does it say that anyone needs to do it at some particular place or time?

[gateley]

11. Well I can't speak for all people, but for me, obviously I'm more stupid than fuck. Thank

you.

[jberryhill]

13. Not even what I said

Nothing in the Constitution requires any official to attend any particular ceremony in order to take an oath.

Yes, they all have to take an oath.

They do not have to do it at any particular ceremony.

This is as dumb as when Roberts flubbed the oath at the Inauguration, and idiots were saying "he's not really president", so they did that ridiculous re-do the next day (Obama had already SIGNED the oath anyway).

[gateley]

16. Sorry - I've been like that all day. I know you didn't say that and I jumped on you.

I don't know if Ed indicated they had to be THERE (in the hallowed halls) to take the oath, but I think was just commenting that having not been sworn in, they couldn't vote. Apparently they made an effort to be sworn in today. Watching it on TV didn't cut it. :7

[kestrel91316]

14. Don't count on any Dems to call them out on it. That would require a spine.

[AsahinaKimi]

7. Hey!! Its okay....

After all, they are Republicans! :sarcasm::sarcasm:
:sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm:
:sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm:
:sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm:

[w8liftinglady]

8. BIG SHOCK! Sessions is my partner's Congressman

We have a running competition on who has the biggest douchebag for Congressman..him or me(Joe Barton)

[gratuitous]

12. "It just worked out that way"

And besides, what's more important: Doing the job you were elected to do or hobnobbing with the Big Money Fatcats? And what's the big deal about casting votes without being sworn? No biggie. They TIVO'd the ceremony. Jeez, don't you libruls have anything better to do than nitpick about every little thing?

Now, let's get back to the not-a-mosque not-at-ground-zero nontroversy. THAT's what matters!

[tanyev]

15. Unintentionally revealing what their true priorities are.

[felix_numinous]

17. Neglecting to take the oath to uphold the Constitution

-oaths apparently do not mean anything to these guys, even if they said the words.