Congressional Dissing: "Nitwits" Okay, "Hypocrite" Not

Photograph of Rep. Joe Wilson by Melina Mara (Washington Post/AP)

Upstate Congressional member Louise Slaughter just reminded her fellow members about what goes for conduct at the House of Representatives, in the wake of the Rep. Joe Wilson "you lie" moment. According to Politico's Glenn Thrush, "Especially useful: The section on how to properly insult the executive branch in the in the chamber. 'Disgrace" and "nitwits' -- okay. 'Liar' or 'sexual misconduct' -- ixnay."

Under section 370 of the House Rules and Manual it has been held that a Member could:

• refer to the government as “something hated, something oppressive.”
• refer to the President as “using legislative or judicial pork.”
• refer to a Presidential message as a “disgrace to the country.”
• refer to unnamed officials as “our half-baked nitwits handling foreign affairs.”

Likewise, it has been held that a member could not:
• call the President a “liar.”
• call the President a “hypocrite.”
• describe the President’s veto of a bill as “cowardly.”
• charge that the President has been “intellectually dishonest.”
• refer to the President as “giving aid and comfort to the enemy.”
• refer to alleged “sexual misconduct on the President’s part.”

Beltway nerds can read up on the details here.

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By Jen Chung in News on September 15, 2009 4:27 PM

Comments [rss]

interlard

I dare anyone to accuse the previous President of intellectual anything.

Dan Dickinson

"Judicial pork"? Is that when the Supreme Court rules in favor of itself?

jaycjay

Hypocritical nitwits.

Mr Mel

Wilson's comment was aimed at a black man elected president. There is a segment of the population that will never fully accept Barack Obama.

eyekantspel

I understand the need for proper conduct on the floor, but the idea of trying to parse out which words and phrases are permitted and which are not is ludicrous.

Jen S

I still don't believe it's serious. I mean, seriously??

eyekantspel

quit playing the race card, nitwit.

Mr Mel

Do you think he was right to shout out what he did? Do you think he would have shouted it at a real liar, like 41? The guy is a first class bigot and he proved it to the whole country. You're the nitwit.