[Updated:] Welcome! While you’re here, be sure and see what Bozo the Clown, Spongebob Squarepants and ol’ Barack Obama have in common.

[h/t: The Anchoress]

Dems turn out the lights but GOP won’t go home Part II — From Politico’s The Crypt:

Here are the latest updates on the continuing GOP protest on the House floor:

The House adjourned about three hours ago, but GOP lawmakers — outraged that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Democrats went home for five weeks without allowing a vote on offshore drilling — have refused to leave the floor. Even though C-SPAN can’t show you what’s going on (C-SPAN is prevented from showing what’s happening on the floor when the House is out of session), Republicans are holding an unprecedented session on the House floor. They have brought in dozens of their members, who are walking up and down the aisles making speeches. They have packed the floors and galleries with staffers. When Capitol Police tried to remove reporters from the gallery, Republicans stopped it from happening. The crowd has repeatedly broken out in chants of “Vote, vote, vote!” There are several dozen Cub Scouts sitting on the House floor in seats normally occupied by members.

Update: A GOP staffer just informed me that post-adjournment protests by the minority party are not unprecedented. The Democrats did it back in 1995, when the Republicans were in control. Democrats placed a big photo in the speaker’s chair of then-Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) wearing a diaper. Republicans note they are being more respectful this time.

Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), who was on a plane headed home, went back to the Capitol, walking on to the floor dragging his luggage. He got a standing ovation.

Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) called it a “new Boston Tea Party!”

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) said he was “not leaving until we call this Congress back into session and vote for energy independence.”

Rep. Tom Cole (Okla.), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said the dimly lit chamber is a “vision of the future by the Democrat Party: The lights are out, there’s no power, and the air conditioning is gonna go off soon.”

Keep checking in – this could get to be real good!

[Update:]

Evidently the party had to end when the Capital Police came in and escorted those representatives and visitors that hadn’t left out of the building right at 5PM. As one commentor at Hot Air puts it:

So, if the Capitol Police had strict orders to vacate the place, is this the police state that the libs said the GOP would bring? looks like Nancy done brought it.

[Update #2:] Michelle Malkin reports that Examiner editorial page editor Mark Tapscott is saying:

“Why aren’t all House GOPers on the floor? Here they have a golden media moment to frame the energy issue and capture the public’s attention in an unexpected way. We should be carrying kerosene lamps to them for lighting, getting video cameras to them and they should be demanding that Democrats come back.”

Also, looks like there are calls for Bush to convene a special session of Congress over the drilling issue. The Pres can’t make ‘em do anything while they are there, but he can interrupt their little 5 weeks of vacation (sheesh, even in France they don’t get that!) and make them come back to the D.C. Go get ‘em, “W”!

Technorati Tags: GOP protest on the House floor, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Kevin Brady, Rep. John Shadegg, Rep. Mike Pence, Rep. Tom Cole

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