Posted on 05/19/2016 5:37:10 PM PDT by massmike
Democrats shouted "Shame! Shame!," but seven Republicans switched their votes and defeated a measure to protect gay rights.
The final vote was 213-212 after the chaos on the House floor. That was enough to defeat an amendment by Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y., aimed at upholding an executive order that bars discrimination against LGBT employees by federal contractors.
Maloney and other Democrats were incensed. "They literally snatched discrimination from the jaws of equality," Maloney said.
He said he had approached Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as McCarthy worked on GOP colleagues to vote against the measure. McCarthy told Maloney to get back on his side of the aisle.
"I told him, 'What side am I supposed to stand on in support of equality?'" said Maloney, New York's first openly gay congressman. "It was disgraceful."
Maloney's amendment would have prohibited the use of taxpayer dollars to violate President Barack Obama's executive order barring discrimination.
"There are some people who are emotional ... that's beyond the pale. They can say whatever they want to but that's beyond the pale," said Rep. Bill Flores, R-Texas, asked about Democrats saying Republicans were a party of hate. "This country has a First Amendment that protects religious liberties, and that's all we were doing is protecting that."
Democrats were outraged, loudly chanting as their leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, yelled up from near the well of the House at her members, imploring them to vote down the underlying bill.
In the end, 29 Republicans joined 183 Democrats backing the measure, but it was not enough.
Democrats were quick to publicize the name of the Republican vote-switchers. Reps. Darrell Issa, Jeff Denham, David Valadao and Mimi Walters of California; Greg Walden of Oregon; Bruce Poliquin of Maine; and David Young of Iowa.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
One of those RINO’s is my congressman, Dold. I hope he’ll lose to Joe Kopsick. If Joe loses, I hope a conservative, with political experience, will start campaigning (in Dec. 2016) for the 2018 primary.
If Dold loses, it will be to demorat Brad Schneider, not Joe Schmoe (Absurdist Party? WTF? Did the Libertarians change their name? Makes sense.).
I expected Dold to vote for this and I can live with someone from his district doing so. But I’m very displeased to see Davis, Kinzinger and Shimkus hopping onboard this train.
Friggin Shimkus, the most conservative district in the state.
I agree that Kopsick will probably lose. He made a new party because he hopes to be endorsed by the Constitution and Libertarian Parties, attracting more people. He’s the only candidate, in that race, who wants to cut spending and repeal Obamacare. He’s the only candidate, in that race, who strongly supports gun rights.
Why so close? How come the Republicans have so many traitors?
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