Pelosi blasts House Republicans over lawsuit to halt proxy voting: 'Sad stunt'

The Hill via MSN ^ | 5/27/20 | Jesse Byrnes

[Libloather]

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) late Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit from House Republicans seeking to block the chamber from holding proxy voting, in which members vote for colleagues remotely on the House floor.

Pelosi issued a statement calling the lawsuit a "sad stunt" aimed at distracting from new efforts for an additional relief bill amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"The House made its will clear two weeks ago when it voted to implement remote voting by proxy and other necessary measures to ensure that Congress can continue to protect lives and livelihoods," Pelosi said in a statement.

"The House's position that remote voting by proxy during a pandemic is fully consistent with the Constitution is supported by expert legal analyses. Further, the Supreme Court made clear over a century ago that the Constitution empowers each chamber of Congress to set its own procedural rules," she added.

House Republicans filed a lawsuit earlier Tuesday seeking to thwart the use of proxy voting. A rules change allowing the remote voting was approved along party lines earlier this month.

Republicans have for weeks fiercely criticized the effort, with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) dubbing it an "unconstitutional proxy voting scheme."

[Alas Babylon!]

Well, in-person, a person can be argued with, even possible made a deal with. A Republican could persuade a democrat to not vote for a bill, by convincing him it would hurt his constituents or get a Republican to support some democrat's pork bill, etc., etc.

With proxy voting, there's none of that. Nanzi gets to say how they vote. Period.

[Vaduz]

Constitution empowers each chamber of Congress to set its own procedural rules.

Ok make proxy voting not to be counted.

[Dacula]

I have no problem with congress critters voting from their own district. As it stands now, Americans can watch the elected officials from the balcony inside the chambers of Congress.

I say, if they want to vote from their home district, let them, but they MUST allow ALL citizens watch them cast their ballot. Maybe even a post-vote interview would be needed.

[knarf]

THIS time, it won’t be by water.

[texas booster]

Staffer have been known to vote for house reps going back decades.

Just one of the many perks of being a Congresscritter I suppose.

[Ronaldus Magnus III]

The first time Pelousy became Speaker she ‘ran’ (controlled) the House of Representatives just the way she does today. There are no committees, or sub-committees, or any other regular order procedures. Pelousy simply closes her office door, creates whatever monstrosity of ‘legislation’ she and her minions desire. Then, any democRAT who dares to not support her, well, they will soon discover that no support will be forthcoming for their next re-election. Only just very recently have a few dared to challenge Pelousy.