Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) laid the law down on House Democrats today. The GOP’s grim reaper ripped rival legislators for a plan to permit proxy voting on legislation.
In a speech from the Senate floor he expressed, “Since the early days of this crisis, the self-described ‘People’s House’ has been suspiciously empty of people. I understand they’ve convened for legislative session a grand total of two days — two — in the last eight weeks.”
Also he announced, “But there’s a new wrinkle: House Democrats jammed through a precedent-breaking remote voting scheme that will let one member cast ten additional votes. There will be enormous constitutional questions around anything the House does if they fail to demonstrate a real quorum but plow ahead anyhow.”
Plus he added, “While essential workers across the country continue to clock in, the Democratic House of Representatives has essentially put itself on paid leave for months.” A stinging shot landed there by McConnell.
And The Washington Examiner reported:
McConnell said the rule allowing a remote quorum raises constitutional questions, an opinion that is backed up by the Congressional Research Service. The service said proxy voting might survive legal challenges, but using proxy votes to constitute a quorum may not. McConnell raised the same legal questions.
“The Constitution requires a physical quorum to do business,” he stated. “The new rule says one person may mark himself and 10 others present, even if they are nowhere in sight, a flat-out lie.”
As The Daily Wire told:
Last Friday, the House voted along party lines to allow the Speaker to temporarily change the voting rules. According to The Hill, three Democrats voted against the move and no Republicans voted for it. However, Congressman Francis Rooney (R-FL), who was not present for the vote, showed support for it after it passed.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) declared, “If some people should stay home because of a health issue — thank you for not sharing. We’d rather you do stay home. And if transportation is difficult in that regard we want their voices to be heard. The planning that has gone into it has been very smart.” Many others unfortunately don’t see things the same way.
