On Thursday, Rep. Sean Maloney’s amendment to protect the LGBT community from workplace discrimination was doomed for the second time in two weeks. The first time it failed to pass, Democrats chanted “Shame! Shame!” on the House floor. Maloney tried again, this time tacking the measure onto an energy and water spending bill. A few Republicans changed their minds and voted for the amendment, securing its passage. Yet, the bill it was attached to failed.
After this second attempt, it was a conservative representative who shamed his colleagues for voting for the measure.
Rep. Rick Allen, a Georgia freshman, launched the GOP's regular policy meeting in the Capitol basement by reading a Bible passage condemning homosexuality and suggesting that supporters of the LGBT provision, which passed the House the night before, were defying Christian tenets, attendees said.
Allen’s bold move was not received well by his fellow Republicans, some of whom were visibly offended and stormed off.
"It was f---ing ridiculous," said one GOP lawmaker, who was in the room and supported the LGBT provision.
A GOP leadership aide offered a similar verdict.
"A lot of members were clearly uncomfortable and upset," the aide said.
Allen is not the only conservative speaking out against the Maloney amendment, however. The Family Research Council sounded off against the measure in a Thursday statement, calling it a “vehicle to elevate sexual orientation and gender identity over faith-based hiring protections.”
I’m sure this isn’t the last we’ve seen of this loud and controversial Capitol Hill debate.