Two Wisconsin House Members Voted with Opposite Party On Wilson Spanking

The House symbolically spanked Rep. Joe Wilson (R-Old Dixie) yesterday.  The Hill reported:

House members formally scolded a defiant Rep. Joe Wilson on Tuesday evening for his "You lie!" outburst after he refused Democratic demands that he apologize on the House floor.

The House passed a "resolution of disapproval," considered the mildest form of punishment for a member, by a 240-179 vote that fell largely along partisan lines. Seven Republicans voted to rebuke Wilson, while 12 Democrats voted against the measure.

The actual roll-call vote had two interesting party outliers from Wisconsin: Rep. Tom Petri (R- Fond du Lac) voted "yes" with most of the Democrats, and Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) voted "no" with most of the Republicans.

Rep. Petri is senior enough and frequently is independently thoughtful enough to defy his party on some issues, particularly on one that is entirely without real consequence.

Rep. Moore, on the other hand, almost never votes with the Republicans against her party, and as an early and strong Obama supporter, was no doubt outraged at Wilson. So what was up with her vote?

Most of the other Democrats voting "no" were of the "blue dog" variety, with the exception of Moore and Dennis Kucinich.  Maybe they both wanted Wilson defenestrated (look it up).

(hat tip: MyDD)

- Barry Orton

Comments

[Ben Masel]

I'm guessing Moore's vote reflects the Republican State Senate effort to censure her and Tim Carpenter in the 2003 microphone kerfluffle.

[anon]

This certainly will stop our Presidents from lying to us all.

[tom Krajewski]

I am thinking that Petri was offended by Wilson. Wilson brought shame on Petri's house.

I think that Gwen Moore believes in freedom of speech. She has employed it more than once and believes others should also have the right.