Steve King could be expelled for his racism from congress by two thirds vote.

[pwb]

Article 1 section 5 of the constitution.

Each house may determine the rules of its proceedings, Punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.

Fat chance but it is in the Constitution .

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. He is a vile piece of shit.

[mysteryowl]

2. Sounds like a really good idea.

[hibbing]

3. That would offend the base of the party n/t

[CTyankee]

6. Betcha they would come to a place where even they can't stand it anymore...

Trump is a special kind of crazy...

[Initech]

16. Fuck the base!

For a party that loves to rail on snowflakes, they really are a bunch of snowflakes. They can fuck off for all I care!

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

28. You said it. Boy, you said it.

Buncha real mouthy, nasty tough guys. Gun worshipping etc. Until they take a perceived hit then...watch the wailing.

[Hortensis]

34. Itm, HE embarrasses most, even many among de- base.

At this point, with a solid Democratic majority, I'm guessing he serves us best by remaining and continuing to act out.

[dalton99a]

4. There must be official punishment. Put his defenders on the record

Sanction only requires a majority vote

[Andy823]

5. Go for it

Make republicans go on recored so in the next election those who support him will be held accountable for their vote!

[dsc]

7. there is a proper way to get rid of him

it is called an election, which it should be noted, we just had. He won the election. His constituents knew or should have known, as it has been obvious for years, that he is a racist piece of crap. They voted for him anyway. That is how democracies work. I get irritated when we try to protect voters from the consequences of their poor choices.

[pwb]

8. The Constitution is proper.

.

[dsc]

15. So what happens when a gay legislator gets expelled for anti religious bigotry

or a black one for being black? Yes expulsion exists in the Constitution but it isn't there to fix voter error. It is there to get rid of lawbreakers, people who fraudulently got the office, that kind of thing. There is a much more reasonable solution to the Steve Kings of this world, don't vote them in.

[pwb]

18. That is your interpretation .

That is what makes it a great document. It all depends on how it is interpreted . If someone deserves to be expelled they should be. The two thirds vote protects innocent people i would think.
I didn't write the Constitution i am just stating what it says.

[dsc]

22. actually the Powell case is pretty on point here

and it forbids use of this to policy policy as opposed to behavior.

[pwb]

23. The point is Nancy Pelosi could bring it to a vote to shut him up.

Sounds like you favor ignoring Kings hate? Cant figure out why. But you go ahead .
I don't know what the Powell case even is.

[FreepFryer]

26. The last thing we want is 2/3rd majority expulsion becoming a litmus test or a normalized gauntlet.

[pwb]

31. Im good with it.

Thats why its in the Constitution. A chance to clean the house of hate. Some elections are mistakes. Trumps for instance.

[FreepFryer]

37. Today hate, tomorrow what else? And when the amendment is proposed to "go nuclear"?

Will you be okay w a simple Majority expelling the opposition?

Will that still be democracy in your eyes?

[pwb]

39. It takes two thirds not a simple majority.

You cant change the Constitution like you can the rules of the congress. Come on?

[FreepFryer]

40. Correct, which is why I used the word amendment.

[pwb]

42. To amend the constitution takes two thirds of both houses and three quarters of state legislatures.

Almost impossible to do and rightly so it is a serious document. Good talk we just see things a little differently. Peace.

[dsc]

32. Adam Clayton Powell was a Congressman from Harlem

who Congress tried to refuse to seat. The Court said no way. https://www.oyez.org/cases/1968/138 The case against King would be even weaker than that against Powell. As to your other comment. What I am in favor of is elections actually meaning something (aka democracy). Elections should matter even when we don't like the outcome of the election.

[pwb]

38. Alrighty then.

Seated? Expelled? Elections matter? Last i knew all congress members are elected. Apples and oranges. You got a supporter so kick it up with them. i would never defend a racist and think he should be challenged however possible.
I didn't write the constitution, you do know that right. Your argument is with the founding fathers not me. Peace.

[dsc]

58. I didn't either but those that did were pretty clear in this

and they agree with me. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/22/why-the-law-might-not-allow-the-senate-to-expel-roy-moore-215858

Apparently you think the ends justify the means. I don't. The fact is that encouraging Congress to decide who is and who isn't permitted to be in Congress on the basis of policy instead of behavior is a horrible idea. If you don't think the GOP would use this new found power to refuse to seat Democrats who they don't agree with you have vastly more faith in them than I do.

[EffieBlack]

63. You're absolutely right

[superpatriotman]

10. Clearly his supporters share a great responsibility

We need to stop letting voters off the hook in re horrible politicians/humans

[47of74]

19. Yeah. As an Iowan I'm boycotting his district.

The people of NW Iowa need to understand that his election has consequences.

[dflprincess]

17. How about protecting the rest of us

From the poor choices made by the voters in King's dustrict?

[dsc]

20. we have done that by putting him in the minority

Again if we turn expulsion into we don't like who a district chose that is a problem. And it should be noted that Adam Clayton Powell brought a case which settled this issue.

[FreepFryer]

25. Excellent arguments grounded in nonpartisan appreciation of the constitution and the law, thanks dsc

[Cosmocat]

24. Yep

Pretty clear that he represents his district.

[smirkymonkey]

45. That is the scariest thing.

What the hell is wrong with these people that they would elect someone like that?

[dflprincess]

62. There is some hope.

In 2016 he won 61.2% of the vote, the Democrat got 38.6%.

In 2018 he only got 50.3, the Democrat got 47% and the other 2.7% was divided among 3 other candidates (with a Libertairan getting most of that)

[EffieBlack]

56. I agree.

He shouldn't be removed for the remarks or for his bigotry at this point. But he should be censured.

[Golden Raisin]

9. Nice concept but don't hold your breath.

[pwb]

11. Its not a concept its in the Constitution of the United States.

Cant be more powerful than that. I never said it could pass.

[Basement Beat]

12. Modern day repugs would rather ...

cover their eyes and support a Russian asset as president than actually boot their own.

Oh, wait...

[AlexSFCA]

13. no way, he is one of trumps favorite congressmen

[TreasonousBastard]

14. Censure is easier, and would remove him from committees and cancel some privileges. But...

ultimately, he represents his district, so if they elect him the rest of us just have to deal with it. He has to do something really raw or criminal to be sanctioned, not just run his mouth.

However, I just heard that his margin dropped from 26% to 2% in the last election-- his district may be getting tired of him.

[marylandblue]

35. Censure may be appropriate

He has a right to his disgusting views and the House has a right to strongly condemn such views.

[Chickensoup]

36. I understand your point.

But his views cause hurt and pain to other
Segments in our society beyond being just
another point of view. nazi started
by being another point of view and ended
killing millions. When you are allowed
to dehumanize a group it is only the beginning toward genocide. Never again.
No excuses period.

[Johnny2X2X]

21. He's a mainstream Republican.

He’s a normal Republican and speaks for the majority of their voters. Only mistake he made was forgetting to use code words for a minute.

[Chickensoup]

27. Can't wait for the day.

[at140]

29. No room in congress for racists!

Kick King out!

[Liberty Belle]

30. Slippery slope. What if Reps threw out Dems who joined the sit-in?

They could've called that disorderly conduct.

Unless someone is repeatedly throwing heavy objects around and threatening to harm other legislators or something of the like, I don't think mere speech however offensive should be cause to remove anybody from Congress, and I doubt it would be constitutional to do so.

I do support expelling members convicted of felony crimes (for instance, if Duncan Hunter is found guilty in his Sept. trial).

But the bar can't be so low that each side can mass-expel members of the other party just because they don't like what they say.

Racism is repugnant. Those who make racist statements should be exposed, pressured to change their ways (ie, some former racists ultimately did vote for the Civil Rights Act) and for those who persist in racist views, they should be voted out by their constituents. I would support censure of them in the short term, and stripping them off any committees that considers race-based legislation such as civil rights, voting rights or criminal justice matters.

[riversedge]

33. Past time for Iowa to vote OUT Steve King, the bigot!

[SCVDem]

41. He obviously matches

The feelings of the majority of Iowans.

Pathetic!

I would have hoped for better from the lack of heartland.

[Cairycat]

48. He does not represent a majority of Iowans at all

he is supported by a majority of those voters in WESTERN Iowa who got out and voted for him Yes, there are plenty of bigots in Iowa, but the majority of folks living east of I-35 are disgusted by him. He has a couple of primary challengers for 2020, who are no prize pigs either, but not so blatantly racist.

[EffieBlack]

57. If a majority of people are disgusted by him, they need to get up, go to the polls and vote him out

The sane Members voted in by people in other parts of the country shouldn't have to do their dirty work for them. Iowans sent him to Washington. Iowans need to bring his racist ass home. If they can't be bothered to do that, he will represent them on the national stage.

[Cairycat]

59. He's a rep for the 4th district, not senator for the entire state

He's never run for statewide office, because he would not get enough votes from the the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd districts. Western Iowa is much more like adjacent Nebraska or South Dakota, very rural, virulently anti choice.

[EffieBlack]

61. If he's representing his constituents, then it doesn't matter what people in other part of the state

think of him. As much as we hate his a d their views, they have every right to elect whomever they want to Congress.

The best way to counteract that is for Iowans to elect more Democrats to the state legislature and redistrict the state in order to make the representation more reflective of the population by eliminating ultra right wing districts. But they can't demand that Congress kick out duly elected representatives.

[Hulk]

43. Will never happen...

Too many repuKKKe racists to make it a reality. Two thirds is a high bench.

[pwb]

44. Yea, said that in my post.

Just saying if Speaker Pelosi took the vote it might shut him up.

[Grokenstein]

46. Best part would be theDotard's reaction

twitter-shrieking that it's "an abuse of power."

[mastermind]

47. That racist pos should have been kicked out of government a long time ago

but he probably has a nice, cushy koch brothers job waiting for him when he gets the boot.

[oldlibdem]

49. GOOD!

FUCKEN DO IT!

[yortsed snacilbuper]

50. Like trump?

[duforsure]

51. I'll believe that when I see it

trump's a bigger racists then King is , and have done nothing to him. trump had bannon and others meeting with these racist groups overseas also, and have done nothing.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

52. Secretly the Republicans want to give him a medal.

[liberal N proud]

53. A Democratic representative would have already resigned

Many have for far less.

[beachbum bob]

54. House has expelled members before, but pelosi would need like 50 GOP's to vote

to expell king, I don't think GOP has 50 members in the house that aren't racist too

[pwb]

55. i know but remember all the votes republicans took on Obama care repeal?

She should do a little pay back and take a vote to remove him just to shut him up for a while. I would. pay back is a bitch.

[Polybius]

64. And what happens if he or another white nationalist wins the special election?

Expelling for crazy statements definitely opens up a can of worms.

[pwb]

65. Just read they stripped asshole of his committees. Good

.

[kairos12]

66. Future Shitler Cabinet Member.