An historic hearing will be conducted on Tuesday to determine whether House Democrats in August 2007 violated parliamentary procedure in defeating a motion to deny illegal aliens welfare benefits.
Readers likely remember the brouhaha this disgraceful display created at the time (video embedded right).
With high-ranking Democrats such as Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Michael McNulty (D-N.Y.) scheduled to testify, one has to wonder whether this unprecedented event, especially in a critical election year, will get much coverage from media doing everything in their power to take back the White House.
As reported Monday by Jed Babbin of Human Events (emphasis added):
According to a “notice of hearing” obtained by HUMAN EVENTS, and as explained to us by House sources, Hoyer – along with Cong. Michael McNulty (D-NY) – will be the first members to testify in such a hearing in the history of the Congress.
Members often testify in behalf of bills they introduce or in behalf of presidential nominees they favor (or against those they oppose). But it is only in the rarest occasion do they face potentially hostile questions, in ethics committee hearings. Tuesday’s hearing before the “Select Committee to Investigate the Voting Irregularities of August 2, 2007” will be the first time in the history of the House that members of Congress have faced such an inquiry and been subjected to questioning by members of the opposing party.
As I reported last October Republicans reacted with outrage at the maneuvers apparently pulled by Hoyer, acting as House leader and McNulty, who was presiding over House proceedings at the time. Republicans had made a motion to deny illegal aliens welfare benefits. When McNulty gaveled the vote to a close, the Republicans had won 214-213. Then, apparently at Hoyer’s direction, the vote was reopened so that Speaker Pelosi could vote, producing a tie that defeated the Republican motion.
As one would imagine, if the Republicans controlled Congress when this happened, and were being investigated for possible wrongdoing now, this hearing likely would have been discussed all weekend, with a segment on Sunday's "60 Minutes," and be attended by every press outlet with hourly updates.
Of course, depending on the outcome, the broadcast network evening news programs likely would have led with this story on Tuesday.
Somehow it seems highly unlikely tomorrow's hearing will get that much attention unless the Democrats are cleared. Why might that be?
