In a recent development, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to kill a resolution aimed at censuring progressive Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan. The resolution, introduced by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, sought to censure Tlaib for her comments and actions related to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The vote to table the resolution saw a final count of 222 in favor of killing the motion and 186 against, with nearly two dozen Republicans voting alongside all House Democrats. Democrats applauded briefly when the resolution failed.
Tlaib had been the target of the censure, which is a formal punishment within the House, due to her association with and statements concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict. In retaliation, a resolution aimed at censuring Greene was also introduced, this time by Representative Becca Balint, a Democrat from Vermont. However, just before voting began, Balint chose to withdraw her resolution.
In response to the failed resolution to censure Tlaib, Balint released a statement, acknowledging that the decision to withdraw her own resolution was influenced by doubts about garnering enough votes from “moderate” Republicans. She expressed gratitude to the 23 Republicans who voted against Greene’s resolution, viewing this as a positive development for addressing pressing issues facing Americans.
Greene’s resolution had attributed a protest last month, where Gaza cease-fire demonstrators took over the Cannon House Office building, to Tlaib, consistently referring to it as an “insurrection.” After the vote, Greene expressed her disappointment, labeling the 23 Republicans who voted to table her resolution as “feckless.”
A broad spectrum of GOP members voted to table the resolution, with explanations varying from concerns about the resolution’s accuracy to broader considerations of free speech and the use of the term “insurrection.” Some members, like Representative Chip Roy of Texas and Representative Harriet Hageman of West Virginia, voted to table the resolution, deeming it “feckless.”
In the aftermath of the vote, Representative Tim Walberg of Michigan stressed the importance of upholding First Amendment rights for all Americans, regardless of their political beliefs, while also denouncing Tlaib’s rhetoric about Israel.
List of feckless Republicans that voted WITH Democrats to table my censure resolution against Rashida Tlaib.
This is why Republicans NEVER do anything to stop the communists Democrats or ever hold anyone accountable!!
PATHETIC.
1/2 pic.twitter.com/J8cNqzdC6T
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) November 1, 2023
“Jihad squad” member Rashida Tlaib screams at me, and then her staff after I confront her on her support for Hamas. Censure is a start but it isn’t enough! How have we gotten to a place in our country where we allow people to represent our government who are actively working… pic.twitter.com/OpUKYG5P0b
— Ben Bergquam – Real America’s Voice (RAV-TV) News (@BenBergquam) October 26, 2023
