Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) was enraged after his Republican colleagues defeated his amendment to uphold President Obama’s executive order that prohibits workplace discrimination against the LGBT community. Because seven Republicans decided to change their minds, his measure, which was tagged on to a spending bill, was defeated by a vote of 213-212.
Democrats let the GOP know how upset they were, chanting “Shame! Shame!” on the House floor after the vote.
Politico said the scene was one of “chaos.”
Maloney, who is the first openly gay New York congressman, used some lofty language to describe how he felt.
"The members who switched are going to hold a very special place in American history as the people who didn't have the guts to stand up and support the will of the House," he said after the vote. "They literally snatched discrimination out of the jaws of equality."
The GOP, however, argue they were acting to defend employers' religious freedom and rejected the insinuation that they are a party of discrimination.
"There are some people who are emotional ... that's beyond the pale. They can say whatever they want to but that's beyond the pale," said Rep. Bill Flores, R-Texas, asked about Democrats saying Republicans were a party of hate. "This country has a First Amendment that protects religious liberties, and that's all we were doing is protecting that."
Now we know this is an issue that can cause the U.S. House of Representatives to mirror the raucous House of Commons.
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