Just when you thought that the Republcians could sink no further to strangle the freedom of speech, I read
this shining example of Republician Arrogrance from
The Hill.
A House Judiciary Committee hearing on the renewal of the Patriot Act turned ugly this morning after Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) gaveled the proceedings to a close over the objections of Democrats.
Democrats continued to make statements and witnesses continued to offer testimony even after Sensenbrenner had left the room. C-SPAN cameras were still rolling as the committee's majority staff rushed to turn off microphones and lights on the Democrats, prompting the television crews to break out boom mikes.
more below the fold
Even Nancy Pelosi got into this one...
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said this afternoon that she wanted an apology from Sensenbrenner. "I will ask Speaker Hastert to order Mr. Sensenbrenner to apologize for his behavior to the witnesses at the hearing today, and to promise that this will never again happen," she said in a statement. Pelosi used the dust-up to highlight the Democrats broader message that Republicans are abusing their power. "The Republicans' abuse of power reached a new low this morning when they tried to silence Democrats at a hearing on the Patriot Act by cutting the microphones," she said.
Despite protestations from the Republicians that the procedure for the committee was 'correct'
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), one of the Democrats who kept the hearing going after Sensenbrenner left, said, "At the end, I wanted to make a statement. I sought recognition, but the chairman declared the hearing adjourned. I said, 'point of order,' and he just got up and walked out." Proper parliamentary practice in the House generally requires that committee chairman adjourn on motion or without objection, neither of which was the case this morning. "Despite the fact that [Sensenbrenner had left], I went ahead and made the statement, at which point, someone turned off my mike and I had to comment loudly," he said. The hearing was one of a dozen the Judiciary committee has held on the reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act, but it was the only one to feature solely witnesses put forth by the panel's Democrats.
Of course the Main Stream Media has Reported nothing of this despite the presence of Cameras and Microphones. If this had happened during the Clinton Administration it would have been all over the 6PM news!! As the Chicken Media plays Dean's remarks for the umpteenth time, and ignores real abuses of power! No wonder their viewers and readers are dwindling!