Democrats Strip Griffith of Committee Assignments
Patricia Murphy
Capitol Hill Bureau Chief
Posted:
12/23/09
Rep. Parker Griffith of Alabama announced yesterday that he has switched from Democrat to Republican. House Democrats announced today that Parker is as good as gone.
On the floor of the House of Representatives, a clerk read from letters between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the chairmen of the House Transportation Committee, the House Small Business Committee, and the House Science and Technology Committee. Pelosi told the chairmen that in keeping with House rules, Griffith has been stripped of his committee memberships.
Pelosi's move isn't about retribution as much as standard operating proceedure. Committee slots are assigned in the House based on party, and since Parker left his party, he no longer occupies its seats in the committees.
The Congressman won't be left with nothing to do for long. The Republican Leader, John Boehner, warmly welcomed him to his new party, calling him a "dedicated public servant" whose leadership is welcome among House Republcans.
Video of the House clerk is below, courtesy of C-SPAN.
On the floor of the House of Representatives, a clerk read from letters between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the chairmen of the House Transportation Committee, the House Small Business Committee, and the House Science and Technology Committee. Pelosi told the chairmen that in keeping with House rules, Griffith has been stripped of his committee memberships.
Pelosi's move isn't about retribution as much as standard operating proceedure. Committee slots are assigned in the House based on party, and since Parker left his party, he no longer occupies its seats in the committees.
The Congressman won't be left with nothing to do for long. The Republican Leader, John Boehner, warmly welcomed him to his new party, calling him a "dedicated public servant" whose leadership is welcome among House Republcans.
Video of the House clerk is below, courtesy of C-SPAN.