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| Democrat Al Green censured over Trump speech disruption | Democrat Al Green censured over Trump speech disruption |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Watch: Democrat Al Green sings in protest as he is censured over Trump speech disruption | Watch: Democrat Al Green sings in protest as he is censured over Trump speech disruption |
| The US Congress has voted to censure Texas Democrat Al Green, who was ejected from the House chamber on Tuesday after disrupting President Donald Trump's address to the nation. | The US Congress has voted to censure Texas Democrat Al Green, who was ejected from the House chamber on Tuesday after disrupting President Donald Trump's address to the nation. |
| Ten Democrats sided with Republicans to punish Green for heckling and waving his cane at Trump during the president's joint session of Congress. | Ten Democrats sided with Republicans to punish Green for heckling and waving his cane at Trump during the president's joint session of Congress. |
| The resolution, which said Green's behaviour was "a breach of proper conduct", passed by 224 to 198 votes. | The resolution, which said Green's behaviour was "a breach of proper conduct", passed by 224 to 198 votes. |
| After the vote was held, the long-serving Democrat was ordered to stand in the well of the House chamber while the resolution was read aloud. | After the vote was held, the long-serving Democrat was ordered to stand in the well of the House chamber while the resolution was read aloud. |
| The culmination of the vote resulted in a shouting match between Republicans and Democrats in the chamber. | The culmination of the vote resulted in a shouting match between Republicans and Democrats in the chamber. |
| Green and fellow Democrats began singing "We Shall Overcome", which appeared to frustrate some Republicans on the floor. | Green and fellow Democrats began singing "We Shall Overcome", which appeared to frustrate some Republicans on the floor. |
| Republican Dan Meuser at one point told Democrat Ayanna Pressley, "Al was wrong," leading Pressley to respond: "your members do the same thing," according to The Hill. | Republican Dan Meuser at one point told Democrat Ayanna Pressley, "Al was wrong," leading Pressley to respond: "your members do the same thing," according to The Hill. |
| Pressley was likely referring to the headline-generating disruptions by Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert during Joe Biden's 2022 State of the Union speech. | |
| After the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson said "this is a really sad day for our institution", but also said it was "critically important" to "maintain the dignity of this place". | |
| "That was the first time that any member of congress had to be removed in the middle of a presidential address," Johnson, a Republican, said. | |
| The top Democrat in the House, Hakeem Jeffries, had a different view, saying the censure resolution was "not worth the piece of paper that it was written on". | |
| "Republicans are playing political and partisan games with their censure resolutions, because they are on the run" from issues like the economy, he said at a news conference on Thursday. | |
| He did not comment on Green's behaviour specifically and earlier in the week had encouraged lawmakers to have a "dignified" presence in the chamber. | |
| Before the vote, Green suggested in a social media post that his censure was expected and imminent. | |
| "During the 10:00 hour ET, Congressman Al Green will be censured this morning for standing up to President Trump," the 77-year-old wrote on X. | |
| Green's fellow Democrats had attempted to block the vote, with some arguing his decision to stand, wave his cane and heckle Trump was a legitimate act of protest. | |
| The measure was introduced by congressman Dan Newhouse, a Republican from Washington, who said the decision to call for Green to be censured was not an easy one. | The measure was introduced by congressman Dan Newhouse, a Republican from Washington, who said the decision to call for Green to be censured was not an easy one. |
| "We cannot ignore the wilful disruption intended to stop a proceeding," Newhouse said on Wednesday. "Without decorum, without respect, what do we got? What do we have, truly?" | "We cannot ignore the wilful disruption intended to stop a proceeding," Newhouse said on Wednesday. "Without decorum, without respect, what do we got? What do we have, truly?" |
| On Tuesday, just minutes into Trump's address, Green stood up and shouted: "Mr President, you don't have a mandate!" | On Tuesday, just minutes into Trump's address, Green stood up and shouted: "Mr President, you don't have a mandate!" |
| House Speaker Mike Johnson told Green to take his seat and "maintain decorum", but Green refused. Johnson then ordered his removal from the chamber. | House Speaker Mike Johnson told Green to take his seat and "maintain decorum", but Green refused. Johnson then ordered his removal from the chamber. |
| Green is a fierce critic of President Trump, and called for the impeachment of the president during his first term in office. | Green is a fierce critic of President Trump, and called for the impeachment of the president during his first term in office. |
| The 10 Democrats who voted to censure Green were members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, and included Rep Jim Himes from Connecticut. | |
| Himes told The Hill he supported the measure because he also voted to censure a Republican who heckled Barack Obama in 2009. | |
| "At the end of the day, I think we need to stand up for the things that we believe regardless of which party benefits or loses," Himes said. | |
| A censure is a formal statement of disapproval that requires a majority vote in the House to pass. It does not remove a member from Congress. | A censure is a formal statement of disapproval that requires a majority vote in the House to pass. It does not remove a member from Congress. |
| Censures are relatively rare occurrences, though in recent years they have become more common. | Censures are relatively rare occurrences, though in recent years they have become more common. |
| Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, was censured in 2023 for comments she made over the Israel-Gaza war. | Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, was censured in 2023 for comments she made over the Israel-Gaza war. |
| Also in 2023, now former Congressman Jamaal Bowman, was censured for falsely pulling a fire alarm while Congress was in session. | Also in 2023, now former Congressman Jamaal Bowman, was censured for falsely pulling a fire alarm while Congress was in session. |
| Twenty-eight members of the House have been censured in total. | Twenty-eight members of the House have been censured in total. |
| Watch: Congressman Al Green ejected from chamber after disrupting Trump speech | Watch: Congressman Al Green ejected from chamber after disrupting Trump speech |