Posted on 12/09/2006 7:41:12 PM PST by RedRover
Four House lawmakers have not registered a vote in the lame-duck session, missing every roll call since the Nov. 7 elections.
Reps. Barbara Cubin (R-Wyo.), Jim Gibbons (R-Nev.), and John Murtha (D-Pa.) avoided the House floor — or Washington altogether — when the lower chamber was in session last month as well as this week. (Roll-call votes through Dec. 5 were available at press time.)
Retiring Rep. Lane Evans (D-Ill.), who has Parkinson’s disease, withdrew from his congressional duties in March. He cast his last vote in February.
Gibbons spokeswoman Melissa Subbotin said, “Currently he’s wearing two hats,” noting that he won his race for governor.
The other governors-elect in the House ranks, though — Reps. Ted Strickland (D-Ohio) and C.L. “Butch” Otter (R-Idaho) — have made it back to Washington for some or all of their floor votes.
Otter’s spokesman Mark Warbis said the closest advisers to the congressman have led his gubernatorial transition while he has made every vote, but certain sacrifices are inevitable. “There have been several speaking engagements and appointments here in Idaho that he has had to put aside to finish up his work in Washington.”
Cubin has made it back to Washington, according to press secretary Alison McGuire, just not to the Capitol. “Right after the election, she was laid up with the flu and now it’s a recurring back problem,” McGuire explained. “She’s in D.C., but laid up at her apartment.”
While seeking support for his majority leader race against Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) in the week after the election, Murtha failed to vote on pending business on the floor. Hoyer has not missed a vote since the elections.
Murtha’s office did not comment for this article.
David Williams, vice president of Citizens Against Government Waste, expressed dismay at lawmakers who have not cast a floor vote in the lame-duck session.
“They’re being paid until the end of their term and they should be working for that money,” he said. “It’s absolutely pathetic. This is their job: to cast votes.”
Subbotin made clear that Rep. Gibbons could best serve his constituents in his capacity as governor-elect, given the pressing concerns in his home state — the nurses union on strike in Las Vegas, for example.
“It’s not like we have completely rolled up the carpet and closed up shop,” Subbotin added. “He’s on the phone regularly and still very much in touch with people in D.C. He is still a congressman until his inauguration; he just can’t make it back to D.C.”
Every senator has registered votes during the lame-duck session.
They take long vacations all over the world.
A real representative of the people.
Well surely the majority of constituants from the 12district have no problem with this.
Murtha has poured millions in taxpayer dollars into Johnstown companies such as Laurel Technology. Laurel employs all of 200 people. Still, voters in his district believe Murtha brings home the bacon for them rather than just his major campaign contributors. I'd say the voters in the 12th are just about dumb enough to believe anything Murtha shovels out.
We would be better off if we paid them to stay home. Lawmakers? We have far too many laws and regulations.
Good catch. Maybe he died, is buried in an undisclosed location, and his constituents think he's hard at work.
His constituents are the world's biggest dupes. They don't demand an honest or patriotic voice in Congress--and they don't even care that Murtha spends his time blogging on leftwing websites instead of doing his job.
If Murtha had been elected House Majority Leader and Pelosi had later stepped down, the only thing standing between Murtha and the White House would have been Dick Cheney's fifth heart attack.
I have felt that way since the election. They drew a line in the stand and elected a real bum to represent them.
Hopefully, el smootho will give us an update one of these days about the '08 campaign. Next time, I'm coming down there, smooth!
Smooth will come through as usual with solid info. Yo smooth, been a while, how is it going?
Yeah, the more that the Reps miss votes and proposals of laws, the better I feel. The best govt. would be that one which governs least for the next two years. Of course, that might even grant the Dems some respect! LOL
Simple enough, if they are not there doing their job they shouldn't be paid.
Just fine, Uncle! Hope all is well with you!
Mrs. Smooth and I will be attending a Christmas Party this coming week for Irey campaign staff and volunteers. Hopefully I will have an update for you and Red after that.
I'm in the process of transferring files from my old system to my new computer. I'm archiving everything I have from the campaign and it's quite time intensive. But I want to be ready to go when Diana gives the word.
Thank Goodness for Red and Jaz. They have kept a bright light shining on the Murtha story around here!
Take Care! :-)
Please give Diana my best, smooth. And tell her if she runs again, we'll write her another song!
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