That’s a lot easier than trying to argue the point. The Republicans are trying to make it go away, because in the end it was stupid and distracting.
But I can guarantee you if it was democrats, the press wouldn’t have mentioned it, they wouldn’t be changing the votes, and nobody would care.
Anyway, the rules of the house are the implementation of the constitutional requirement to take an oath. Congress could have made the rule so they could swear people in vie TV.
My point about the absurdity of the public swearing-in being the constitutional requirement is proven by the fact that these two didn’t get the public swearing-int, and were able to vote. The only reason we KNOW they were not there, and therefore the issue was raised, was because someone HAD a video of them NOT being there. If they had simply stepped out of the chamber, nobody would know.
So that can’t possibly meet the constitutional requirement to swear an oath. That’s why I believe they all do a written oath, and that written oath is collected and put in the record.
My explanation for why they re-voted is that the republicans don’t have the guts to stand up to this kind of thing, they always go out of their way to react to the press.
The two idiots should be forced to resign. Incredible after everything that is going on that someone’s judgement could be so fubar. We don’t need people with no compass in congress now.
And who would think it is a good idea to schedule a fundraiser on that day? Can you imagine a police chief skipping out on the swearing in?
The first most important thing that an elected person must do - be sworn in...and they blow it off and then they violate the Constitution by voting anyway. Screw them throw them out!
If the GOP really cared about changing things they would make huge examples of these two miscreants.
Yeah, but they didn't. Congressmen have got to learn to live by the rules and laws that they make.
These clowns set a really bad example and I am glad that Boehner took them to the woodshed on this one. He is going to need to do that a lot. It's too bad there wasn't a democrat or two who skipped the ceremony. But they didn't. This embarrassment belongs to the GOP.