Rather than let the Republicans do that, Pelosi unexpectedly turned off their microphones, ordered CPSAN cameras to shut down and dimmed the House’s lights. Rather than go home, a cabal of Republicans refused to leave and spoke to visiting tourists about gas prices from the darkened House floor.

Republican will continue their protest this week and possibly the month, although the House is technically closed.

Pelosi dismissed the Republican’s desire for a vote on drilling Sunday in an interview on ABC with George Stephanopoulos. He asked her “Why not give a straight up or down vote on drilling?”

Pelosi said drilling “was a decoy” and that Republicans were conducting “a war dance of the handmaidens of the oil companies.” She added “we have a planet to save” and insisted she would not allow a vote on offshore drilling. Against Stephanopoulos asked her “why can’t they have a vote?”

“They’ll have to use their imagination as to how they can get a vote,” she replied.