Thomas apologizes for calling cops on Dems

Scripps Howard News Service ^ | July 23, 2003 | LAWRENCE M. O'ROURKE

[RJCogburn]

Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Calif., one of the most powerful figures in Congress, conceded Wednesday that he exercised "poor judgment" when he ordered Capitol Hill police last week to remove Democrats from a congressional library where they had been meeting.

Fighting back tears, Thomas declared in a speech on the House floor that he agreed his action was "just plain stupid."

"As my mother would have put it, 'When they were passing out moderation, you were hiding behind the door,' " said Thomas, his shoulders shaking with emotion.

As chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Thomas holds immense power, sometimes amounting to absolute control, over big-ticket legislation dealing with taxes, Social Security, Medicare and trade.

The 13-term congressman from Bakersfield in the California Central Valley said he had learned "a very painful lesson."

"Because of my poor judgment, those outside the House who want to trivialize, marginalize and debase this institution were given an opportunity to do so," he said. "Because of my poor judgment, the stewardship of my party . . . has been unfairly criticized."

Republicans vigorously applauded Thomas when he completed his remarks and left the microphone in the well of the House.

Many House Democrats, among them Rep. Charles Rangel of New York, ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee, stood and applauded perfunctorily.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., called on Rangel, who often battles with Thomas, as the next member to address the House.

Rangel, who sponsored a privileged resolution to rebuke Thomas for his conduct, said that any minority in the House has "a right to be respected, to be heard." The House has been under GOP control since the 1994 election.

Rangel said that the Republican majority has a duty to "use not the rules that we make up as we go along, but the rules that have allowed this (House) to exist for over 200 years."

The House, controlled by a narrow GOP majority, has been in turmoil since the incident a week ago when the committee chaired by Thomas met to consider legislation to change pension law.

Democrats said Thomas had unveiled the bill only 10 hours before the committee meeting. Democrats said they wanted time to "read and understand the legislation before them," Rangel recalled in a letter to House members.

When Thomas sought to avoid a lengthy reading aloud of the bill by the committee clerk, Rangel objected, insisting on the full reading.

Democrats then left the committee room for an adjacent library. Rangel said their goal was to "discuss the legislation and determine how to react given the short notice."

Within a few minutes, Capitol police officers arrived. "The police were under the distinct impression that they had been asked to remove us," Rangel said.

An hour later, the House sergeant at arms told the Democrats that the dispute was a "committee matter" and they would not get involved.

Meanwhile, Rep. Fortney Stark, D-Calif., who had remained in the hearing room after the other Democrats left for the library, got into an exchange with Republicans.

Stark, whose aggressive style and acerbic words often rival Thomas', directed personal comments at a Colorado Republican that some Republicans said amounted to an invitation to fight.

"I did exchange words that were not becoming of my office," Stark said after the incident. "I regret that."

[RJCogburn]

Fighting back tears, Thomas declared in a speech on the House floor that he agreed his action was "just plain stupid."

"As my mother would have put it, 'When they were passing out moderation, you were hiding behind the door,' " said Thomas, his shoulders shaking with emotion.

I really don't like seeing grown men carry on like that. Oh, for the death of a loved one or some other horrible tragedy, sure, but for a political event!? What a limp-wristed wuss...or a phony - or both.

[corkoman]

this makes me nauseous - where do the pubbies get these milktoasts?

[Lib-Lickers 2]

Pete Stark calls him a c*** sucker and a fruitcake and he disproves it by crying and wimpering,,,lmao

[Jay D. Dyson]

Hell, if anyone should have had to apologize, it was that foul-mouth Demoncrat who issued all manner of slurs during that mess. (Of course, the lamestream media gave him a free pass on that...even though the slurs were totally anti-gay and would have resulted in crucifixion if a Republican had uttered them...)

-Jay

[mewzilla]

Thomas should have called the Orkin Man.

[jwalsh07]

Morons, for once can't they just stand up and see "Kiss my Ass"!

[RJCogburn]

Hell, if anyone should have had to apologize, it was that foul-mouth Demoncrat who issued all manner of slurs during that mess

Oh, maybe Thomas is a crybaby because somebody caled him a name.

That certainly is not the kind of man I want as a leader.

[sirchtruth]

That certainly is not the kind of man I want as a leader.

Unbelievable! Why are republicans always crying like babies, apologizing for doing the right thing!?

Meanwhile Stark is laughing his arrogant snippy ass off!

[Vesuvian]

I can sort of understand the apology (sort of, ok, I really can't) but if I had to do it it would have gone something like this, "Sorry I called the cops on you. That was an error of judgement on my part. I should have called the garbage man to take out the trash!"

[over3Owithabrain]

This is the GOP in a nutshell. What a couple of pathetic parties run this country - pathetic.

[AHerald]

I don't think Stark's remarks were aimed at the crybaby, but at congressman Scott McGinnis from Colorado.

[gaspar]

I agree. It is time for both Thomas and Hastert (who seems barely coherent in interviews) to step down. They are neither tough enough or intelligent enough to lead a majority party.

[basil]

I'm so happpy to see that most freepers have the same opinion I do. When I saw him on tv blubbering like a baby, I was actually embarrassed for not only him, but for the entire country.

We need to somehow find a way to measure a candidate's spine before electing them to anything!

[CalvaryJohn]

A Republican apologizing for excersisng his cajones. About what we should expect, I suppose.

[Consort]

A short time later, Pelosi accepted his apology but she said it would not change things.

[Sloth]

Why are republicans always crying like babies, apologizing for doing the right thing!?

Right out of the GOP standard playbook. Do something halfway principled, then get all weepy and apologize within a couple of days. Pathetic fools.

[exit82]

I saw his apology last night on Foxnews at 6 pm EST and called Thomas's office immediately in DC. I told them Thomas had nothing to apologize for, and that it was nice for once to see a Republican exercising the privilege of majority for a change. Besides, such an apology would fall on deaf ears.

Immediately after Thomas spoke, Hastert should have called on Pete Stark to issue his apology. If he wasn't there, he should have told Pelosi to issue one from the floor.

But then that would take b#lls and leadership.

The Dems would never do this. By their reaction yesterday, they show the utter contempt they hold the Repubs in.

[LTCJ]

where do the pubbies get these milktoasts?

Good grief. Why don't they just paint the elephant pink and get it over with?

[RoseofTexas]

HERE we go again...spineless, no balls cry babies!! No wonder the RATS have gain the upper hand against them! RULE NUMBER ONE..never, ever apologize to a demon heartless RAT. For once can't they learn from the past! I have YET to hear the Ca. Rats apologize!! FREAKIN AMAZING!

[ZviTheWise]

Never complain
Never explain
and never apologize.