July 16, 2004
US Congresscritter censured after calling 2000 election a "coup d'état"
US Representative Corrine Brown (D-FL) got her hand smacked by her fellow Congressmen yesterday after referring to the 2000 election fiasco as a "coup d'état" on the floor of the House.
The verbal battle began after Congressman Steve Buyer (R-IN) proposed a measure which would bar any US official from requesting United Nations observers come monitor the US general election in November. The suggestion of UN inspectors has been made by Brown and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Progressive Caucus. They argue that "disenfranchised" citizens were not able to vote in 2000, and are "afraid" that those same "disenfranchised" citizens might not be able to vote again in 2004.
"I come from Florida, where you and others participated in what I call the United States coup d'état. We need to make sure it doesn't happen again," Brown said. "Over and over again after the election when you stole the election, you came back here and said, 'Get over it.' No, we're not going to get over it. And we want verification from the world."Buyer then asked that Brown's words be "taken down," or stricken from the public record.
The presiding officer at the time, Mac Thornberry (D-TX), ruled that Brown's statements violated one of the standing rules of the House.
"Members should not accuse other members of committing a crime such as, quote, stealing, end quote, an election," Thornberry said.After Brown protested the chair's ruling, the House of Representatives voted to strike Brown's comments, 219-187.
As a part of that censure, Brown was not permitted to speak any more during the day's session.
Posted by mhking at July 16, 2004 08:21 AMIf "disenfranchised" voters weren't able to vote, then how did *she* get into Congress?
Posted by: Laurence Simon at July 16, 2004 09:48 AMEarlier this year, Brown said that Bush's camp was "a bunch of white men" and they all look alike to her.
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/022604/met_14923147.shtml
And she's also one of the representatives calling for UN observers in this year's presidential election:
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/tx30_johnson/EBJUnitedNationsMonitorPrezElections.html
Posted by: Tony at July 16, 2004 12:07 PMI didn't know that a representative could get their hand spanked and be told to shut up for a day.
Posted by: Douglas at July 19, 2004 05:05 AMchannel 4 news had coverage of that on monday night as part of a story about some 4000 Florida Blacks being denied their voting rights again.
Had an interview with a man whose name escapes me. He had been denied the right to vote in one or more elections years ago due to his criminal record, (receiving stolen goods) but had successfully appealed to the State legislature or the governor and had had his right to vote reinstated. He pointed out that he had voted in the last 4 presidential elections and some 90% of local ones yet this year he mysteriously got a letter saying he was a felon and could not vote in november. He pointed out that as 4 years ago he was just one of many.
Channel 4 published the list of blacks declared felons and barred from voting. They had to go to court to be allowed to do so. I counted 4 Ronnie baylors on that list. Same spelling and all.
Funny how this is happening for the second time in as many elections. Even more strange is that as 4 years ago the big chimp is running and surprise surprise this is happening again in the state that his brother just happens to be governor of. This would obviously have nothing to do with the fact that Bush's winning margin was 537 and that 60% of the blacks mentioned this time around are likely to vote democrat would it?
Good for that representative calling for UN monitoring. If this was happening in Zimbabwe you lot would be up in arms.
Posted by: Nick Saunders at July 21, 2004 10:45 AM