Wilson “Admonished” By Congress For Outburst
The U.S. House of Representatives voted Tuesday to “formally admonish” South Carolina Rep. Addison Graves “Joe” Wilson, who last week yelled “you lie” at President Barack Obama during a joint session of Congress.
In being “admonished,” Wilson avoided a more serious “censure,” although both methods of discipline amount to little more than a slap on the wrist. Wilson, for his part, could have avoided any discipline at all had he agreed to apologize to his colleagues on the floor of the House.
He declined to do so, citing his previous apologies to President Obama.
The 240-179 vote was mostly along party lines, although S.C. Rep. Bob Inglis joined a small handful of Republicans in voting in favor of the resolution, which merely stated that Wilson’s outburst was a “breach of decorum and degraded the proceedings of the joint session, to the discredit of the House.”
Which it was. Seriously, what’s the big deal passing something like this?
For more “You Lie” coverage and analysis, click here, here and here.
Anyway, we want to know what you think.
Should Congress have given Wilson a harsher punishment? Or should it have awarded him a medal?
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Comments
By 1 + 1 = 3 on September 15th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
He should be removed from the Armed Service Committee for his disrespect to the Commander-in-Chief before the world during a time of war.
By Lib on September 15th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
And Barney Frank voted against it. Time to move on…..
By rod on September 15th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Will Democrat Rep. Stark from California be reprimanded for stating, in the same chamber, that “Bush is sending our boys to Iraq to have their heads blown off for his amusement..”?
Will Pelosi be reprimanded for calling the CIA liars?
By Lib on September 15th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Correction – Frank was “present”
By Hal on September 15th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Joe is the man.
Would have been better if he had thrown the president a key chain while calling him a liar… throw it really really hard. As Obama stoops to pick up the key chain, Joe’s cards would come flutterng in…softly, gently.
Yea…that would have been better.
By Greg Gregory on September 15th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
I won’t weigh in on to censure / not to censure, or on Congressman Wilson’s voting record in Congress. I will only say that this outburst was out of character for the Joe Wilson I know. During the eight years I served with him in the SC Senate there was no member who was more of a gentleman to other senators than Joe Wilson. He always went out of his way to make new senators feel comfortable and show them the ropes, regardless of their party.
When engaged in debate he was always deferential – too much so on many occasions, I thought. I witnessed him endure savage questioning and remarks from other senators while defending his bills and never heard him make a caustic or negative remark, even in private. In addition, I believe I am correct to say that he served in the Senate without pay.
He made a mistake in decorum and he apoligized to the president for it. A person should be judged based on their total service to their fellow man and few can match Congressman Wilson in this regard.
By CNSYD on September 15th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
1 + 1 = 3, perhaps I missed it but the last this country declared war was in 1941. Did something just happen?
By Libb on September 15th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
“Formally admoninshed”–not enough in my opinion.
Looking forward to the real censure next Nov at the polls. A true statesman/patriot/warrior would have maintained control in that setting so as NOT to add to the heap of humiliation that’s been dumped on SC by its so-called leaders.
Addison G Wilson owes SC an apology,too
By Richard on September 15th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
I like Joe, but politics will have its way with him. It is usually what you don’t see or hear in the news, except here at FITS, that will bring the biggest challenges in his next campaign. He will be a target and will lose.
By Beyonce on September 15th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Did Kanye have any say in this matter?
By Strom's Daughter on September 15th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
What the world doesn’t know is that Joe Wilson and Strom Thurmond’s black daughter had a baby:
Kanye West.
By 1 + 1 = 3 on September 15th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
CNSYD
Absolutely right – our boys are dying every day in an undeclared war – bet that really makes their mothers feel better
By Brittancus on September 15th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
The bombardment of American fists at the doors of Congress must be heard, to make E-Verify a permanent illegal immigrant enforcement tool? It’s incredulous that we are winning small wars against our lawmakers beneficiaries–the special interest lobby. LEGISLATORS ARE FINALLY HEARING OUR ANGRY VOICES. Rep. Joe Wilson C-SC opened the eyes of millions of Americans, who are been left unaware of the cloaked–AMNESTY–committees that is going to rip the fabric of every voters life apart. I do not condone Rep.Joe Wilson (R-SC) outburst in the full Congress. But Rep. Wilson was–CORRECT! Unless there is some efficient mechanism to identify illegal immigrants applying for the government health care, such as revised E-Verify? They cannot be detected and delivered to ICE. Just indicating illegal immigrants wasn’t qualified in the wording is a waste of time, just like the billions spent on these people annually There’s also language in the senate bill that states that if one family member is an American citizen (anchor baby) then the entire household will be eligible for coverage. Any detail in the national media has been subdues or intentionally omitted, as with the crowds of Tea Party opponents. Sen. Harry Reid could be stretching his neck out for the headsman in his re-election campaign, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. They both have used their political influence in trying to overturn E-Verify. Pro-Illegal alien lawmakers could table it, under the “Sunset Provision” on September 30?
President Obama’s direction towards an unmentionable path to citizenship for all those who broke our law is abhorrent. After the controversial eruption in the Session of Congress, they surely must be aware that imposing immigration reform on the people could break them? Americans taxpayers are already supporting business welfare? Corporate entities want these destitute people here to exploit, but don’t want to pay for their health care, schooling or towards the massive numbers surviving in prison. They leave that to the fading middle class taxpayers who carry the tax burden? Over a decade has passed since illegal people started coming here in droves and with little or no laws, to blockade their arrival we are now talking over 20 million. Nor does it stop there? Owing to the clarion call of Amnesty ringing out in the slums and ghetto’s of foreign criminals, sick, elderly and those without means, from all over the world will descend on us. IT MEANS OVERPOPULATION?
Bad as it may be now, who is going to subsidize the new arrivals? Not the business cartels that’s for sure? Once again taxpayers will be heavily taxed to pay for the new shipment of poor, uneducated from every region. How can we expect to have any government public option for our own people, when our gates remain wide open for “Anchor Babies” and the illegal millions expecting a free handout? A nurse in a Nevada hospital indicated they have a row of beds of illegal immigrants on dialysis, which was costing weekly $18.000 dollars for each treatment. Tell me who pays for that? The US government pays a small portion; the rest is acquired from the hospital or taxpayer.
I want a single payer system for homeless veterans, seniors, single mothers with children and poor American families. But I refuse to pay for everybody who climbs, crawls under the fence or bluffs the Federal officer at shipping ports and airports of entry. It’s not our responsibility. DON’T WAIT! PESTER YOUR SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE TODAY AT 202-224-3121? Find true facts by GOOGLING NUMBERSUSA, JUDICIAL WATCH & IMMIGRATION COUNTERS
By rita on September 15th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
fits……….your vote was stupid & childish. Enough time & work has been spent and wasted on “demonishing” Joe Wilson by you & Congress. The healthcare bill & issues before Congress are far more important. You are just as bad as the liberal press for keeping things “stirred up”.
By confused on September 15th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
you know, i’m really feeling like the left missed their opportunity here. all they’ve done is martyred joe. he is now a holy f’ing hero to the far right, and much of the mid-right. yeah, he was an idiot and out of line (he said as much). barney frank expressed the opinion the entire democrat caucus should’ve expressed: the guy’s a moron, we’re not the moron police, move on. instead, they’ve created a cult of “you lie”ers and looked like political bullies who can’t rise above (as promised in the campaign by his excellency) partisanship.
man the democrats are terrible politicians. honestly, just frikking terrible.
By rod on September 15th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Meanwhile, Congressman Rangel, powerful Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, hasn’t paid taxes on over $1 million dollars of income and assets. Why no censure? O that’s right, he’s a good DEMOCRAT!…Talk about a disgrace!
Joe told the truth! Obama DID lie so let’s distract from Obama’s lie by making the messenger the villain! Saul Alinsky is beaming from below…
By Todd on September 15th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
So? Move on.
By dj on September 15th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Yo FITTS, I’m happy for you, and I’m gonna let you finish, but President Obama is one of the best liar’s of all time!!!
By OhNoNotAgain on September 15th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
The bill says illegals won’t get it. Obama only “lied” if you take this fact along with that possibility and mix it up with a lot of blah blah blah.
I saw on Facebook someone saying Joe Wilson showed “courage.”
And, akin to the comment above about his committee assignment, I think the men and women of our armed forces show courage every day. What Joe Wilson did, even if you agree with him, can’t be called courageous. He showed a lack of self-control.
I also like the comments purportedly from Greg Gregory, and I think they are true. But I also think that once Joe Wilson got to the U.S. House of Representatives, he was NOT the same guy who had served so mildly in the S.C. Senate. He accused another sitting U.S. Rep. of hating America because that congressman stated — accurately — that we had sold or given Saddam Hussein some of the chemicals that we were going into Iraq to get rid of.
http://www.klampert.vodpod.com/watch/2174673-rep-joe-wilson-r-of-s-carolina-was-the-you-lie-heckler-updated-x4
This guy in the U.S. House isn’t the same guy in the Senate that Greg Gregory served with.
By OhNoNotAgain on September 15th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
I wish we’d had more options.
I don’t know that he deserves worse. Don’t know if they Demos should have given him this much attention. He obviously doesn’t deserve a medal either.
By old bike dude on September 15th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Bailiff, whack his pee pee!
Joe was on WTMA today. What a spineless weasel even hiding behind his son. Said such conduct wasn’t the real Joe Wilson because “I was born in Roper Hospital”. No shit Sherlock. Well hell that clears everything up for me. Joe Wilson attributes his gentlemanly behavior on being born at Roper Hospital. You just can’t make this kind of gayness up folks.
Joe says he had a “town hall moment”. Well what the hell does that say about the town hall screamers?
Put Joe up there with Markie Mark, Kayne, and Mizzzz Williams as 4 good reasons to insure the reproductive choices of women.
Say goodbye Joe.
By laine on September 15th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Speaking of gayness, old bike dude, even Barney the “Basher” Frank took the “high road” and didn’t vote for censure against Joey Wilson. That says something.
By McFailure on September 16th, 2009 at 12:38 am
so Barrett makes a video supporting Wilson yet does not show up to vote in support of him.
Seems like he will fail the people of SC in their time of need as well.
Oh wait….he did that already last October/November when he alone opened the floodgates of federal spending….
By Strom's Daughter on September 16th, 2009 at 1:36 am
I just saw Joe’s wife in a video.
Funny, I would have thought Joe opposed same-sex marriages.
By Mike on September 16th, 2009 at 4:14 am
Much ado about nothing- from both sides.
By Interloper on September 16th, 2009 at 6:19 am
Seems to me that Joe Wilson has plenty of characteristics of someone who is racist: mentored by segregationists, a member of a hate group, lead proponent of keeping the Confederate flag on capitol grounds, abusive treatment of Strom Thurmond’s black daughter, antipathy toward Jim Clyburn, a seemingly all-white staff, contemptuous remarks about the President before he freaked out during the speech, etc.
I also see the behavior of someone who knows he is an underachiever in the way Wilson responds to people who have outperformed him, particularly President Obama.
As for Greg Gregory’s silly comment above, it doesn’t prove a darn thing that Wilson got along reasonably well with a group of other conservative white men who are practically mirror images of himself. The issue is how he treats people who are not.
By ethel krabitz on September 16th, 2009 at 6:33 am
this is a far cry from what the citizens of the United States should be debating. how ridiculous. it’s over. move on.
By Toyota Kawaski on September 16th, 2009 at 8:27 am
where can i find the list of (R) who voted for this?
By Crooner on September 16th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Troubling to me is the acceptance of the anger from the right in the political debate. I saw footage of DeMint on CNN exorting the crowd (angry white mob)in DC last Saturday and referring to them as “true patriots.” How long before one of these right-wingnuts thinks assassination is an appropriate patriotic act?
I watched in wonder of our greatness as a country when the Presidency was peacefully passed from party to party last January. In very few other places on earth is this possible. Destroying what makes America America? It’s not Obama.
By Amy on September 16th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Even if one does not agree with the President, the outburst was so disrespectful, so the rebuke was a good decision.
By scooter on September 16th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Joe WIlson has been a jerk. His motives are only known to him. But, he had no business saying anything during the speech. How funny, that a man who is widely known for doing nothing, finally does something-albeit wrong and rude! Sanford, Wilson, DeMint, oh how they bring shame to our state.
By BB on September 16th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
I know Joe Wilson very well and the comment that he made was a complete shock for me that it came from him. I know people that don’t know him are saying he is such a bad person but really that was totally out of character for him and then when Mrs Roxanne (his wife) went to say that it was out of character too she was telling the truth and not trying to “cover” anything up. It was wrong of him to yell out like that and he shouldnt have but he did apologize to the president who is the only one that he needs to apologize to bc it was between him and the president. If i yelled at my boss i wouldnt go apologize to all of my other employees…. i mean come on. get over it. and always with the allegations of Joe being a racist is out of control. That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard. I have known him since I was little and I went to school with his son and Jimmy Carter saying that he is a racist is COMPLETELY wrong! You can ask any black person that knows him and his family and they could say that he wasn’t a racist! It is absolutely the most ridiculous thing i have EVER heard!
By Soft Sigh From Hell on September 16th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
“I saw footage of DeMint . . . exorting the crowd (angry white mob)in DC last Saturday and referring to them as ‘true patriots.’”
A perfect rendition of identical acts and wording in the later 1930s and 1940-41 against FDR, and for much the same reasons. Father Coughlin, the Christian Mobilizers, America First. At least we haven’t had the attempted putsch as in the early 30s.