They were just trying to conserve electricity
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Democrats adjourned the House, turned off the lights and killed the microphones, but Republicans are still on the floor talking gas prices.
Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and other GOP leaders opposed the motion to adjourn the House, arguing that Pelosi’s refusal to schedule a vote allowing offshore drilling is hurting the American economy. They have refused to leave the floor after the adjournment motion passed at 11:23 a.m., and they are busy bashing Pelosi and her fellow Democrats for leaving town for the August recess.
At one point, the lights went off in the House and the microphones were turned off in the chamber, meaning Republicans were talking in the dark. But as Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz..) was speaking, the lights went back on and the microphones were turned on shortly afterward.
But C-SPAN, which has no control over the cameras in the chamber, has stopped broadcasting the House floor, meaning no one was witnessing this except the assembled Republicans, their aides, and one Democrat, Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio), who has now left.
Only about a half-dozen Republicans were on the floor when this began, but the crowd has grown to about 20, according to Patrick O’Connor.
Meanwhile, Michelle Malkin has a great post on how the GOP stuck it to the Democrats and their energy policy on the House floor.
Additional reading:
Breaking: Pelosi reportedly moves to shut down House revolt; Tourists fired up!; Pence: “We will be here through the break”
GOP revival: Twittering the House revolt; Hoekstra: “Our voices can’t be shut down”
Floor revolt: No vacation for House Republicans; GOP calls for special session on gas prices; Pence: “Prepared to stay here as long as we can;” Update: Pelosi crackdown?!; “God Bless America”
Breaking Speaker Pelosi’s News Blackout
