WashPost Story on Dem Rumble with Reps over Pension Bill

House Committee Approves $50 Billion Pension Bill
Measure Passes After Police Called to Break Up Democratic Protests



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11104-2003Jul18.html?nav=hptop_tb


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Committee Chairman Bill Thomas, R-Calif., summoned police because he thought the lone Democrat to remain in the room, Rep. Pete Stark of California, was speaking out of line, other Republicans on the panel said. He asked police to remove Democrats from the adjacent room, but later rescinded that request, the Republicans said.

Assistant to the Sergeant of Arms Donald Kellaher, called in to mediate, said that "clearly the police in this circumstance have no role or authority to intervene."

Democrats, who have long clashed with Thomas over what they say are his autocratic practices, said they would consider filing a complaint against Thomas and his staff for filing a false report of a disturbance.

But Rep. Jim McCrery, R-La., a committee member, said Democrats were even less considerate of minority rights when they were in power. The Democratic argument that Republicans are undemocratic has "been their story for a long time and they're sticking to it."

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