Politics

Rep. Cleaver: ‘We Come Over Here Essentially And Murder A Day’

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Kerry Picket Political Reporter
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WASHINGTON — Missouri Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver said Tuesday night an entire legislative day was “murdered” over Donald Trump’s tweets.

Cleaver told reporters Tuesday night he became exasperated during the back and forth between Republicans and Democrats arguing about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s floor statements that described President Trump’s tweets related to four ultra-progressive freshmen Democrats as “racist.” (RELATED: Trump’s Tweets Against The ‘Squad’ Unify Democrats After Pelosi, Progressives Feud)

“Every member of this institution, Democratic and Republican, should join us to condemn the president’s racist tweets,” said Pelosi on the House floor.

Cleaver held the chair in the lower chamber when fireworks erupted between Republicans and Democrats, as Georgia Republican Rep. Doug Collins demanded that Pelosi’s words, which appeared to be intended to support a condemnation of Trump’s tweets, be stricken from the record.

“I was just going to give the gentle Speaker of the House, if she would like to rephrase that comment?” Collins asked after the Speaker finished her speech. This set off a debate that ended with Cleaver vacating the chair.

“I came in here to try to do this in a fair way. I kept warning both sides let’s not do this, hoping we could get through,” Cleaver said. “We don’t ever, ever, want to pass up an opportunity, it seems, to escalate. And that’s what this is. I dare anybody to look at any of the footage and see if there was any unfairness, but unfairness is not enough because we want to just fight.” (RELATED: House Vote Delayed After Pelosi Calls Trump Comments ‘Racist’ On Floor)

According to Cleaver he became frustrated with the escalation of the debate of the issue from both sides which led him to vacate the chair. House Majority Whip Steny Hoyer told reporters he had never seen that before, and the Maryland Democrat has served in the House since 1981.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, speaks during a bill enrollment ceremony for the Taxpayer First Act on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., U.S. on Friday, June 21, 2019. President?Donald Trump?said he called off retaliatory strikes on three Iranian sites following the downing of a U.S. Navy drone because the action would not have been “proportionate.” Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images

“If you look at the tape, Democrats would say something inappropriate, slap them on the wrist — Republicans — all the way through, but then, at the end, we’re almost getting out of here and then, all of a sudden, let’s take it further,” Cleaver said.

He continued, “Let’s make it the news of the day. I was frustrated that … this whole day we haven’t done anything for the American public. And at the center of this is just one man — all of this is based on one man’s words and what one man said. And we come over here essentially and murder a day.”

Ultimately, Hoyer ruled against Pelosi referencing a May 1984 precedent. According to the chamber’s rules members cannot “engage in personalities” or disparage the character or intent of whoever occupies the White House. This includes statements where lawmakers would refer to the president as racist or the president “having made a bigoted or racist statement.”

Pelosi’s statements almost match the rule in the resolution that members later voted on to condemn President Trump with tonight.

“The House of Representatives strongly condemns President Donald Trump’s racist comments,” the resolution text says.

Kerry Picket is a host on SiriusXM Patriot 125