Parliamentay procedure be damned! The Dems want a do over.

 

UPDATE:   Tammy Bruce is ready to “[f]ire the lot” of ’em in Washington and require “every district…come up with a newbie for office.” 

Actually, that doesn’t sound too bad to me.  Could they do any worse that what we’ve seen, so far?  Just look at the congressional approval ratings.  That should say it all.

Have you found that Bastille, yet, Tammy?

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Rep. Michael R. McNulty (D-NY)

Michael R. McNulty dropped the gavel on a procedural motion by Republicans designed to make sure illegal immigrants would not get certain benefits from an agriculture spending bill vote.  Republicans insisted that they had gotten a 215-213 vote to secure it, whilst McNulty insisted that the Republican measure had failed with a tie at 214-214.  Via NewsMax…

House Democrats apologized Friday for wrestling what appeared to be a winning vote tally away from Republicans on Thursday night.

Republicans continued to steam, however, over the episode in which they appeared to be the winners by a 215-213 tally on a procedural motion designed to make sure illegal immigrants would not get certain benefits from an agriculture spending bill.

Instead, with several lawmakers milling in the well of the House registering votes, Rep. Michael McNulty, D-N.Y., quickly gaveled the vote to a close, saying the GOP measure had failed on a 214-214 tie vote.

Republicans erupted, chanting “shame, shame, shame,” and then walked out in protest after McNulty permitted further Democrats to switch their votes to prevail on a 216-212 tally. Despite winning that tally, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., moved for a revote as permitted under the rules and Democrats subsequently prevailed.

On Friday, Hoyer apologized. “The minority was understandably angry,” Hoyer said.     more….

So much for “the most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history” that Rep. Nancy Pelosi promised us in November 2006.

Rep. Eric Cantor provides us with video of the debacle:

Politico has the story behind the story.

In a massive flare-up of partisan tensions (video link courtesy Breitbart.tv), Republicans walked out on a House vote late Thursday night to protest what they believed to be Democratic maneuvers to reverse an unfavorable outcome for them.

The flap represents a complete breakdown in parliamentary procedure and an unprecedented low for the sometimes bitterly divided chamber.

The rancor erupted shortly before 11 p.m. as Rep. Michael R. McNulty (D-N.Y.) gaveled close the vote on a standard procedural measure with the outcome still in doubt.

Details remain fuzzy, but numerous Republicans argued afterward that they had secured a 215-213 win on their motion to bar undocumented immigrants from receiving any federal funds apportioned in the agricultural spending bill for employment or rental assistance. Democrats, however, argued the measure was deadlocked at 214-214 and failed, members and aides on both sides of the aisle said afterward.

One GOP aide saw McNulty gavel the vote to a close after receiving a signal from his leaders – but before reading the official tally. And votes continued to shift even after he closed the roll call – a strange development in itself.

Whatever the final tally, acrimony quickly exploded between lawmakers on either side of the aisle as Democratic leaders tried to plot a solution, while parliamentarians on either side argued over protocol.

Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) eventually offered a motion to reconsider, according to floor staff on either side, ostensibly giving members a chance to recast their votes. But the maneuver sparked a chorus of angry protests from the Republicans, yelling “shame” on Democrats, while they returned fire with angry volleys of their own.

When Democrats finally moved to consider the spending bill as the last vote of the night, furious Republicans left the chamber en masse to protest the maneuver. The House eventually recessed at 11:18 p.m. But Republicans quickly discovered that there was no longer any record of the controversial vote and immediately charged Democrats with erasing the bad result.

“Obviously, the Democrats don’t want to stand up against illegal immigration – so much so that they’re willing to cheat in order to win a vote,” Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) said in an e-mail. “They’re desperate – and it shows.”

The official House website did not show a record of the vote as of 1 a.m. Friday.

Way to go Nancy!  If you can’t be the “most honest, most open, and most ethical”, just shoot for the history books with the most dishonest, most controlling and most unethical Congress in history, huh?

Others covering this shameful behavior by the majority party:

Michelle Malkin, Allahpundit, Kathryn Lopez, Sister Toldjah, Stuck on Stupid, Webloggin, Bill’s Bites, Instapundit, David Freddoso