Guns in the House? A raucous Natural Resources panel debate

[brooklynite]

Source: Politico

House Natural Resources Committee Republicans on Wednesday defeated Rep. Jared Huffman’s (D-Calif.) push to reinstate an explicit ban on carrying firearms to the committee room after a lengthy and occasionally heated debate.

The panel’s chair, Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), repeatedly declined to clarify, under questioning from Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Huffman, whether he interpreted House rules as barring firearms from committee rooms. Multiple Democrats contended that different members have various interpretations of the House rules, but Westerman referred their questions to the Administration Committee, which sets the chamber’s internal standards.

At one point, Huffman asked his colleagues for a show of hands to reflect who among them were currently not carrying a weapon — a question many Republicans declined to answer. He then asked how many lawmakers felt like they would need a weapon in the committee room.

“I feel I need one everywhere here. There are often times we are harassed in the hallways. We walk alone,” Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) replied, underscoring that it would “not be an unloaded weapon.”

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/01/gun-debate-natural-resources-panel-00080654

[judesedit]

1. Are they planning on joining the next insurrection from the inside

Or starting one?

[2naSalit]

21. 50/50.

It's certainly one of those.

[tinymontgomery]

25. Democrats should bring in AR 15, set them on their desk

Pointed right at the republicans with finger on the trigger's and then have a discussion about weapons in the committee rooms.

[judesedit]

28. Good one. Play by their rules anyone?

[RocRizzo55]

29. They are not patriots

By any measure. They believe that they need to eliminate those who oppose them, not work to an amicable solution. In many ways guns are the lazy way out.

[judesedit]

2. Maybe the dems should have armed guards stationed all around the inside of the building

Seems pretty mandatory to me with these lunatics running the joint fully loaded.

[maxsolomon]

3. JFC. The Dems know they're dealing with nutters.

It feels a little pointless to argue about this.

[2naSalit]

22. The point is...

That this formal discussion places the conversation into the public record. It makes this problem public for us to know that these fuckers are packing in the halls of Congress.

[maxsolomon]

35. I guess. It comes off as squabbling.

But squabbling is probably the best we can hope for in this Congress.

[Eko]

4. What the fuck.

[Warpy]

5. I think the bulk of the violence will be GOP on GOP

because they already know the mild mannered people on the other side of the aisle are a bunch of godless communists and lost causes, they'll more likley to be on the lookout for lapses in orthodoxy among their own insane party and deal with hit harshly.

The tone was set during the multiple votes for Speaker, when a great deal of shouting went on and members had to be restrained from doing violence to other members.

As time goes on, CSPAN might start attracting a sports audience.

[PlutosHeart]

6. Unacceptable in this climate.

If this is not remedied then it will happen that someone will be shot.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

7. Let's see...guns OK...

Head wear for a Rep going through cancer treatment NOT ok?

[Evolve Dammit]

9. seriously, WTF?

[BOSSHOG]

8. Lauren boo-boo makes me chuckle

SHE is whining about being harassed. Gosh Lauren who would want want to harass you and why? If your party had a legitimate agenda there would be no time for this sophomoric nonsense. But that is your agenda when you don’t know how to lead, govern or manage money. My broken record plays on.

[Evolve Dammit]

10. I cannot believe they are allowing loaded firearms in the U.S. Congress. This is insanity. nt

[2naSalit]

23. +1

It's probably one of the deals Kkkevvy made to get his hands on the gavel.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

11. What could go wrong?

[Traildogbob]

12. If they shot someone

They would not be held accountable. You can’t charge sitting members, they are immune to our laws. Fuck this God damned country as is.

[Elessar Zappa]

13. Yes, sitting members can be charged with crimes.

And they have been in the past. They don’t have immunity. Well actually they do have temporary immunity while they’re in session but that’s it. They can be arrested at any other time.

[Traildogbob]

17. I thought

DC had no conceal or open carry. How are they roaming around town for meals etc carrying from the capital? Think I saw on Reid today a picture of MTG holding an assault rifle with pictures of Dem women. I will believe they are under OUR laws when I see a hint of the insurrectionist at minimum Be brought in front of investigators.
It is all men carrying out mass shootings in civilian world, but the biggest threat of mass shooting in our house are women.

[sir pball]

33. DC has what's known as "shall-issue" concealed carry, you *must* be issued a permit if you qualify.

They changed their handgun laws after the Heller decision, in an attempt to stave off another lawsuit that SCOTUS could potentially use to eliminate firearms permits nationwide. Currently if you have a handgun, $350, and a clean background check, the City is mandated to issue you a license, which includes concealed carry.

[Traildogbob]

34. Thank you

For the info.

[ancianita]

18. If so,

they'd be charged. But they wouldn't lose their seats.

There are no federal statutes or Rules of the House of Representatives that directly affect the status of a Member of Congress who has been indicted for a crime that constitutes a felony. No rights or privileges are forfeited under the Constitution, statutory law, or the Rules of the House merely upon an indictment for an offense, prior to an establishment of guilt under the judicial system.

Under House Rules, therefore, an indicted Member may continue to participate in congressional proceedings and considerations. Under the Constitution, a person under indictment is not disqualified from being a Member of or a candidate for re-election to Congress.

Internal party rules in the House, however, require an indicted chairman or ranking Member of a House committee, or a member of the House party leadership, to temporarily step aside from his or her leadership or chairmanship position.

Additionally, a change in rules by the House requires the House Committee on Ethics to either initiate an inquiry by an investigative subcommittee of that Committee within 30 days of the time any Member of the House has been indicted or otherwise charged with criminal conduct in any state or federal court, or to report to the House the Committee’s reasons for not moving forward.

As to a conviction of a crime, Members of Congress do not automatically forfeit their offices upon conviction of a crime that constitutes a felony. No express constitutional disability or “disqualification” from Congress exists for the conviction of a crime, other than under the Fourteenth Amendment for certain treasonous conduct by someone who has taken an oath of office to support the Constitution.

Members of the House are, however, instructed by House Rules not to vote in committee or on the House floor once they have been convicted of a crime for which the punishment may be two or more years’ imprisonment. Furthermore, under party rules, Members may lose their chairmanships of committees or ranking member status upon conviction of a felony.

https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL33229.html


Chris Collins and Duncan Hunter were convicted, sentenced to prison, then pardoned by Trump. They're no longer in Congress.

Jeff Fortenberry resigned after he was convicted in 2022 for illegal campaign contributions, got 2 years probation 320 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine. McCarthy called for his resignation.

[Traildogbob]

20. Thank you for

All this detail. Does not make me feel any better. McCarthy would not push to unseat any of them if they opened fire on Dems. Probably give em a chairmanship on the Gun Committee. He can’t lose a seat. He would be toast after called to step aside by a Dem under new house rules to oust a speaker. I’m just not sure we come out of these two years. Pretty freakin bleak.

[ancianita]

24. ...

Last edited Thu Feb 2, 2023, 12:39 AM - Edit history (2)

it's not a pleasure, but you're welcome. I'm totally as pissed off about it as you, but there is a level of recourse we have to shoot for until we make sure these assholes lose their seats.

For one thing, having guns in Congress should be proactively brought forward to some entity beyond McCarthy. If not, even one internal insurrection "move" by one of his members could be subject to charges filed by any other members who consider that "move" physical endangerment and/or workplace harassment. And charges filed against him, as well. The whole removal of metal detectors from the House is dereliction of duty, given why they were installed by the 117th Session to begin with.

For our side, the daily shit show might have to take the form of low level "fuck around and find out" behavior modification just to get to the point of committee functionality. It's horrifying, it's a toxic work environment, but I'm sure that our side has thought through a whole "if/then" decision and action list. I feel better having Danny Goldman as our SDNY man in Congress -- he can have direct witness and evidence gathering capability to make sure any "event" is properly handled by McCarthy, by House rules and by law. (He's also aggressively criticizing the legal stupidity of Republicans on MSNBC every single night.)

We knew the shit show would show up. Another day, another episode.
Let's buckle up. Our side, the adult side, has got this.

[Traildogbob]

26. Thank you again.

This explanation is encouraging and a nice way to get to bed feeling like a whole lot of us are in this together against the hell scape they are creating. Easy to feel like it’s and individual against all the cult most of the time. I would like to see Master Chief Malcom Nance as Master at Arms to control the nuts in our house. Drunken monkeys with machine guns. What could go wrong.
Cheers, appreciate the conversation, and encouragement. We need a few rolling heads to feel we can get control of this mess and laws matter.

[Initech]

16. No, they should *NOT* be allowed under any circumstances!

Fuck the NRA and Q Anon nuts!

[IronLionZion]

19. If a heated debate escalates to shooting

that's the price of freedom

[twodogsbarking]

30. This is not civilization. Any questions?

[uncle ray]

31. "I feel I need one everywhere here."

you know what, Lauren? fuck your feelings.

[Hope22]

32. There was only one reason to tear the metal detectors out on day one.

These people are really very sick and need help. The shooter is in the house as far as I can tell. Dems are in grave danger. I’m a peacenik and against capital punishment but if one of these f@#@##$ shoots anyone in the building I believe the punishment should be execution.

[Bayard]

36. "harassed in the hallways"

So, she's thinking she can just blow reporters away?

[cstanleytech]

37. More like Goons in the House but hopefully the Democrats will be able to

take the House back from them.