Feb. 14, 2008 – 1:42 p.m.
A solemn Statuary Hall memorial service for House Foreign Affairs Chairman Tom Lantos, D-Calif., was interrupted Thursday by bells calling members to the floor to vote, triggering an angry partisan wrangle.
The memorial for Lantos, a highly respected 14-term House veteran and the only Holocaust survivor ever to serve in Congress, became entangled with the two partisan issues of the day — a debate over electronic eavesdropping rules and a Democratic effort to hold White House officials in contempt of Congress.
The Democratic efforts and the Republicans’ procedural vote counter-punch had been planned in advance, but the choreography was thrown off by the timing of the bells, infuriating both sides.
“If there’s anyone in Congress who doesn’t deserve to have it happen to him, it’s Chairman Lantos,” said Rep.
“It was completely disrespectful and inappropriate,’’ said Brendan Daly, Speaker
Republicans said they had warned Democrats that when they brought up the Judiciary Committee’s contempt resolution against White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and former counsel Harriet Miers they would protest by moving to adjourn.
Republicans said they thought they had an agreement with the Democratic leadership not to start regular House business until after the conclusion of the Lantos service.
Instead, the service was still in progress when the House went back into session.
Rep.
“It was most disturbing that the bells rang. The House was going back into session,’’ he said later. “I’m very, very sorry that the day had to begin in that ultimately unfortunate fashion.”
The roll call on the GOP motion was held open for almost an hour to wait for the service to wrap up so members could get to the chamber.