One Dem already caving.... on OATHGATE

[underpants]

Liberal Dem seeks reform of 'restrictive' oath-taking process
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/136697-liberal-dem-seeks-reform-of-restrictive-oath-taking-process

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) said Friday the rules governing lawmakers' oaths are too strict and could endanger the country in the case of a disaster or attack.

"I think needs to be changed," he said. "It's way too restrictive, and it goes to the whole question of succession and in the case of a disaster. To say members have to be sworn in, present on the floor, with the Speaker in the chair — I think we need to revisit ."

The Oregon Democrat, who was in his district during Wednesday's opening of the 112th Congress, said he'd planned to be sworn in by a federal judge at home.

"I thought that was OK," DeFazio said. "We'd already arranged it."

He wasn't the only member caught up in the technicalities of the opening ceremonies. GOP Reps. Pete Sessions (Texas) and Michael Fitzpatrick (Pa.) became entangled this week in a much-higher profile episode, when the two lawmakers — attending a separate event in the Capitol — attempted their swearing in before a television projecting Boehner delivering the oath.

--

No no no "not the only member" he was ANOTHER member but he didn't skip the oath for fundraising for crying outloud

[Fumesucker]

1. My name for the Democrats now is "The Spelunking Party".. n/t

[Ron Green]

2. DeFazio was at a meeting about a VA hospital, rather than at the Constitutional Recital Circus.

He's a real representative and a mensch.

[TheKentuckian]

7. Don't like the Constitutional requirement to swear in? Amend

[onenote]

12. The issue isn't the Constitutional requirement of being sworn in

Its the House rule (not Constitutionally mandated) specifying where the swearing in has to take place. I've enjoyed the embarassment that this has caused the repubs, but its not nearly as much fun now that it turns out out that a leading progressive made the same mistake.

[TheKentuckian]

20. They weren't sworn in at all. They turned on the tube and threw their hands up.

No one swore them in plus they were shadily at a fundraiser at the damn Capital and couldn't be bothered to walk across the building and take their oath.

They know it is a pooch screwing. Their votes and participation yesterday are invalid, anything else is a bunch of bullshit.

[Rex]

3. I'm sorry, but if you cannot even show up for your own swearing in

then what good are ya to the country!? I swear, can my country get any more pathetic. You are a hundred out of several hundred million...show up and do your job, or quit.

[walldude]

4. Can you imagine getting a job and not showing up for orientation?

Fired on the spot.

[onenote]

8. In the case of both Sessions and DeFazio, they are incumbents

So its not exactly like they missed "orientation". And even Fitzpatrick had previously served a term in Congress although he was not an incumbent.

Pretty poor analogy.

[derby378]

9. Doesn't matter - if your term expires, you have to be sworn/affirmed in again

It's like someone who works at a movie theater and always gets his paycheck from the boss behind the security door, but after he quits, he walks through that security door out of habit, only to be reminded that he is no longer an employee and needs to wait for someone who still works there to get the check - otherwise that ex-employee could, in a worst-case scenario, be charged with trespassing.

[Rex]

14. How? Do you show up for work? Did you miss the first day of your last job?

Didn't think so. :eyes:

[Raine]

21. Really. How many citizens ever get the privilege of serving in congress

yet then couldn't be bothered to be at a memorable event like being sworn in for the first time. No, getting funds for a re-election that you may not get was more important. All I know is if I was ever lucky enough to be in that position I would suck up every bit of it. You may never pass that way again.

[onenote]

5. are we now throwing defazio under the bus?

[Hello_Kitty]

16. Yes. Next question?

:eyes:

[Parche]

6. run oregon run

hey i like defazio he is here in oregon helping us!!
he is a good congressman , always has been my stepdad
and a friend of mine know him

[malaise]

10. 20 Dems voted with ReTHUGS

for the resolution fix for Sessions and Fitzpatrick.
:puke:

corrected

[former9thward]

13. I don't kinow what the vote was but there are only 193 Democrats in the House.

[malaise]

15. Oops 20 not 208

My bad.

[stevedeshazer]

11. I wish you'd seen DeFazio just a few moments ago on the Ed Show.

DeFazio is one of the best progressives out there.

I'm really surprised you're cracking on him. You must not know much about Pete.

:shrug:

[MilesColtrane]

17. Hey, Pete.

23 years and you still don't know your job requirements?

C'mon man.

[tammywammy]

18. I agree with him, that in the case of an emergency or disaster

The requirement of them being on the floor would be restrictive. They should come up with a solution to that, but going to a fundraiser wouldn't qualify as an emergency.

[Uzybone]

19. much ado about absolutely nothing

besmirching a solid liberal like DeFazio because he thinks an anachronism (IMO) like having to be physically present for a stupid swearing in a bit much.

Those two GOP crooks have much more serious blood on their hands than this.