‘So Bored’: GOP Rep. Tweets He‘s ’Surfing the Internet’ During Internet Piracy Hearing
- Posted on December 16, 2011 at 9:33am by
Liz Klimas
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You may think a rousing debate over protection of intellectual property versus Internet censorship would be what caused a stir during yesterday’s Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) hearing by the House Judiciary Committee, which was set to vote on a revised bill.
And while that was the case, a bigger stir was caused by a tweet from a committee member who wasn’t exactly riveted but the subject matter. CNET has more:
The tweet in question came from Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), a pro-gun, anti-abortion conservative who wrote that: “We are debating the Stop Online Piracy Act and Shiela Jackson [sic] has so bored me that I’m killing time by surfing the Internet.”
That would be Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Texas Democrat who’s a notoriously combative member of Congress and was named the “meanest” by the Washingtonian magazine. She didn’t take kindly to being called boring.
Jackson Lee objected. And the hearing ground to a sudden halt.
Rep. King's tweet that brought discussion on SOPA to a halt.
CNET goes on to report Jackson Lee calling King’s tweet offensive, which is a House rules no-no. CNET goes on to report the exchange that happened from there:
Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.), the committee’s previous chairman and an old parliamentary hand, leaped to his Republican colleague’s defense, suggesting that the clerk delete the word “offensive” from the official record. Jackson Lee refused.
Rep. Lamar Smith, a SOPA-loving Texas Republican who’s the chairman of the committee, renewed that request. He had apparently concluded that unlike “boring,“ her use of the word ”offensive” violated House rules.
He asked Jackson Lee to formally withdraw her remark. She refused.
Smith tried again, saying that he was trying to “avoid making an official ruling” to the effect that Jackson Lee “impugned the integrity of a member of this committee.“ Would she ”consider having just that one word stricken from the record?”
CNET says Jackson Lee would only agree if King issued an apology. But there was one problem. King wasn’t even there to do so. With that, Jackson Lee went to the parliamentarian for procedure and decided upon striking that word and merely calling King’s tweet “impolitic and unkind,” according to CNET.
Rep. King's tweet from later in the day.
After this exchange, the committee did eventually get back to the topic at hand. In a separate article, CNET reports that after 12 hours of debate, support for SOPA was widespread among committee members:
The committee vote totals on the try-to-fix-SOPAamendments varied but revealed that two-thirds to three-quarters of the members of the Judiciary committee were staunch allies of the Motion Picture Association of America and the Recording Industry Association of America and would tolerate no changes.
“The bill is a good one and I look forward to reporting it out of committee,” said Rep. Bob Goodlatte, a Virginia Republican, a longtime copyright hawk, and founder of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus.
Debate will continue Friday on the bill that critics, including Google and Wikipedia, consider Internet censorship. Earlier this week, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt said SOPA would lead to “criminalization of the Internet” and compared it to censorship taking place in countries such as China. The committee is set to wrap-up and vote on the bill today.
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Comments (85)
TheDHndrsn
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 3:00pmThe irony in all of this is that the bill being discussed is nothing more than a back door toInterner censorship by the Executive branch. Once they pass this bill, how much of what King surfed would be deemed inappropriate by the White House?
Report Post »carnifex
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 4:18pmSheila Jackson Lee is so boring that until I read the article I just knew her as Sheila Jackson. Apparently by the time Lee came up, I had either changed channels or fallen asleep. In my defense I do have apnea.
Report Post »Anamah
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 1:28amOh gosh, she is so boring!!! because as the majority of Democrats they speak to impresse the public… non with the true reality or seeking a solution… no Democrats build their speeches to solve anything… they speak to manipulate audiences, describing as they need to confound people like theatrical illusionists they learn how to manage the public thinking. But some of them… only hypnotizes the most lucid mind in the room. This woman is lethally boring … as Wassermann Shultz.. and some others cataplasm there…
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 2:11pmAt first I thought how disgraceful, but then he said Shelia Jackson Lee and it all made sense. I’d would have fallen asleep.
Report Post »Marci
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 2:23pmWhat an idiot. Do these people think behaving the same way the Democrats do is going to garner them support? We need seriousness and commitment in Washington, not being cute on Twitter. I don’t disagree with him, but as an elected representative, he needs to act like an adult. Our country is going down the drain and this isn’t helping.
Report Post »db321
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 2:26pmI can only handle a few seconds of her myself.
Report Post »beebacksoon
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 6:40pmHe just said what others were probably thinking as well. Good for him!
Report Post »babylonvi
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 1:41pmBoring is an overly kind description of the claptrap that flows from this person’s mouth. While watching c-span, I must mute the channel when she appears in order to preserve sanity. Is she trying for Debbie Wasserman-Test’s job? The intelligence and literacy level of her constituents must rival that of protozoans to keep returning her to congress year after year.
Report Post »RabidPatriot
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 2:20pmLee serves the 18th District in Texas which is horribly gerrymandered to include every low-income African American neighborhood in Houston while avoiding every other race and socioeconomic class of people. She only has to pander to people who share her race and are mostly dependent on the government for their livelihood. So I understand when King has a hard time listening to Lee pushing a bill that effects all of America when she represents a monolithic group which is not reflective of most of America.
Report Post »4-The-Truth
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 11:39amThe Marxist Hollywood Dems will probably use this censorship bill to shut down the Blaze, claiming it violates the copyrights of other news sources it quotes or links to. They would love to block theblaze.com and GBTV.com IP addresses. Very dangerous bill. Call your Representative and stop it now. Only takes 2 minutes here.
Report Post »http://americancensorship.org/?ak_proof=1
Brooke Lorren
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 4:39pmI’ll probably end up using my main sources of income as a result of this bill, as they’ll probably end up shutting down Yahoo! Voices, Squidoo, and HubPages too. I’ll still probably have my own personal domains and Zazzle, but I don’t make as much off of those. I won’t be the only person out of a lot of income from this either.
Report Post »WestTexasCountryBoy
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 11:26amBeing from Texas, I would like to apologize. She has a ‘special’ district so she gets a lot of entitlement votes. She is not the meanest, she is the most insane, you can see the ‘hate’ in her face. I believe she is the one that said the TEA party can go straight to hell, I get her and the wicked witch from the west, Maxine Waters mixed up, think they were separated at birth anyway. One of them called us ‘public enemy #1′ and the other told us to go straight to hell. People please WAKE UP! It is time for all of this insane nonsense to stop.
Report Post »whosafraidofspookydude1
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 11:42amtea party to hell Maxine Waters…..fine human being of sorts(sic)
Report Post »jado1981
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 2:11pmI couldn’t agree with you more. To hell with both Sheila Lee and Maxine Waters. I think she is just a joke on dc from the people of Texas. Now that we let the mongol loose in dc, it’s time to put her back in her cage.
Report Post »She is proof that the entitlement crowd can and does vote, but then again, we knew that from bo. It always make me think back to LBJ, after he formed the “great society”, he said, “We’ll have the n-word-ers voting democrat for the next 200 years.” Do I think he was targeting black people, no, but I do think he helped put a certain group of people into that entitlement mentality.
bpost58
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 11:21amSheila Jackson is a freaking Marxist.
She HATES America, HATES white people, HATES individual Liberty and HATES free thought.
Report Post »Welcome Black Carter
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 3:54pmFunny thing is she hates black people too. Look at some of the stories about the MANY people who have quit her because of her abusive manner.
Report Post »BeyondFedup
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 6:00pmShe hates herself, that is why she is so mean.
Report Post »Corwin of Amber
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 11:08amI think Rep. King should apologize for calling her boring. “I’m sorry I called you boring. I meant to say you were ignorant,” would be a fine example of such an apology. After all, it isn’t that boring a prospect to listen to Ms. Lee…only annoying. Maybe she’ll let fly with one of her gems, like the time she asked if the Mars Rover found the little flag the astronauts planted!
Report Post »FREDD The WILSON
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 1:19pmListening to her is only rivaled by having to look at her ..eck!
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:50amWe’re bored to Sheila.. bored of all you non lawmakers.. Listen people this is what the Democrats do best.. play on and surf the net… they don’t read any bills.. but they surf the web.. Vote em out! Then they can be real bored!
Report Post »Tony
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:35amSheilla jackson Lee, Queen Sheilla, is what keeps Houston humble. Whenever we Houstonians think we are on top of the world, Houston Texans now headed to the play offs, Queen Sheilla will open her mouth bringing ridicule and causing hearers to wonder what kind of city would reelect such a goof whose ignorance is only exceeded by her arrogance.
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:53amI can understand King being bored.. but surfing the very net they are voting on is ridiculous.. you are their to work Mr. Kng not surf the web!!
Report Post »ShyLow
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 5:54pmYeah…tweet and look at porn on your own time…Vote the tweety birds out!!
Report Post »bill984
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:22ami am surprised he even stayed awake while she spoke.
Report Post »thegrassroots
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 11:02amI Am Surprised that TheBlaze hasn‘t reported BHO’s most recent attack against AZ’s Sheriff Joe! The info can be easily found on-line.
Already, this morning, I‘ve emailed BHO telling him to CALL OFF HIS THUGS and questioning why he hasn’t been impeached for ALL of his violations against America’s Constitution. I’ve also emailed my reps and others, including Bachmann and McConnell and Boehner and McCain, DEMANDING that they step up on behalf of Sheriff Joe and asking them WHY BHO Isn’t Being Impeached.
All of these elected ones are our employees, America. It Is Our Right and Our Privilege To Demand That They Follow Thru In Doing The Will Of We The American People or Get Fired!
I Am So Looking Forward To 2012, When BHO, Et Al, Will Be Bouncing Off Of WA-DC’s Curbs.
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 12:16pm@grassroots: I heard about Joe also, and was appalled. I havent been on the blaze much this week and I am very surprised that they havent covered the DOJ’s thuggery of his “mistreatment of illegals”. The radio report I heard stated that they (being DOJ) werent out to bring charges and jail time to Joe, but rather to encourage him to change the procedures and policies regarding his perceived mistreatment and rights violations inflicted upon illegal immigrants.
That should be translated as “We don’t have any case against you, so we’re going to intimidate and threaten you until you start patting these illegal immigrants on the head and let them carry on with whatever illegal activities they wish.”
Report Post »thegrassroots
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 4:16pm@ozchambers
I’ll be emailing support and encouragement to Joe. He‘s got to know that He’s America’s Sheriff. Even so, it will be good for him to hear and read that America Backs Him and NOT BHO.
Sheriff Joe won’t be doing any “patting,” which will leave the cowardly potus out on his own puny little limb that’s growing weaker by the second. BHO’s Scared Of Sheriff Joe, that‘s why BHO’s got his thug attack going on. Maybe it’s because, BHO IS an illegal and Joe will kick him out of the USA, should BHO wander into AZ. Happy Thought!
It would be best for the useless little potus to Shut-Up and Sit-Down until he’s either impeached or fired.
Why aren’t you covering this, TheBlaze?
Report Post »SheriS
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:21amAfter seeing the continued arrogance of Shelia Jackson Lee, I can’t imagaine anyone wanting to listen to her drone on and on which she is prone to do! All I know about this woman, is she is the biggest hypocite there is or ever could be. She is the one who would know everyone over trying to get to the aisle to shake President Bush’s hand and two minutes later rip him up and down. The woman is a “camera hog” and just plain disgusting! I gave the people of Texas more credit then they deserve since they keep reelecting this vile, disgusting woman. I would be tweeting as well to keep myself from falling asleep when this “witch” opens her mouth!
Report Post »vickib
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 11:20amThe only Texans that elected that WOMAAAAAN are the majority of her supporters who all happen to be in her district – convenient, right? John Culberson was also elected by Texans! Log onto MichaelBerry.com for more SJL highlights.
Report Post »408 CheyTac
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:21amHow about “this law is offensive”.
Crap, I can’t believe I am siding with that woman, but this is yet another time the repub party is giving a reach-around to big biz, at the expense of our freedom. Support those fools, and loose another liberty, good going, you deserve what you get.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 2:26pmSo you think it is okay that people steal your work and use it for free?
So if you spent your own money creating a movie or writing and recording a song, it is okay for me to download it without paying for it and then make copies for all my friends so they don’t have to pay for a legal copy either. Yeah, that sounds ethical.
I my not agree with all parts of the bill, but stealing is stealing. The Motion Picture and Music industry is entitled to protect their works.
The only thing I do agree with is Shelia Jackson Lee is offensive.
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:12amMy own congressman, lamar smith (disdain meant by no caps) helped author this despicable bill. I plan to support any conservative who challenges him.
Report Post »Texas Hills Patriot
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:11amI found Sheila Jackson Lee offensive when she was talking on her cell phone at a town hall meeting while being asked a question, disrespecting her constituents. She is truly an embarrassment to Texas.
Report Post »Bonnieblue2A
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:16amDouble standards are a requirement for membership into the CBC. The people of Texas need to fire Jackson-Lee ASAP.
Report Post »Tony
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:45amMost Texans, including Democrats, would like to see her fired. But apparently she has become the chief “villiage idiot” of a Congressional district carefully drawn to give a majority to like minded. The Houston Chronical editorial board is so far left, so idiotic, so corrupt and sold out, that it endorsed Jackson Lee in the last election with a straight face.
Report Post »elosogrande
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:11amThe Congress itself has become offensive.
Vote them all out!
Report Post »Judy72204
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 11:59amTotally agree…
Report Post »Bonnieblue2A
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:07amGenerally I like much of what Rep. King has to say however perhaps if he is bored by Ms. Jackson he should actually read every word in the legislation before him instead of surfing the net? A self-indulged child can be expected to surf the net durning work. A member of Congress should be better disciplined.
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:06amThis isn’t about internet piracy. It’s about shutting down the Alternative Media like Alex Jones and quelling dissenting speech and government criticism, which they have no control over on the internet.
They have no control over information on the internet so they want total control so they can propagandize and silence everyone simultaneously.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:01amI have a better idea: how about Republicans stop apologizing? Because every time you apologize you are taken over to their cause. That’s why Democrats rarely ever apologize, because they are smart enough to know their own strategy. It’s the same strategy as to why Americans have to calculate their own taxes even.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:03amOh, oh, there’s no where I can go.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:06amIt’s amazing how America is just constantly moving left, and when I say left I actually mean into a entire different set of left/right politics.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 9:56amsjl………………..a true monkey’s b.utt
Report Post »lovenfl3
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:00amShelia Jackson Lee would drive me nuts if I had to sit and listen to her on a daily basis. Good for Steve King. SJL is one of those liberals who want to define everything for all Americans. Just like in this video about defining fairness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdTJR_OYnNg
Report Post »turkey13
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 10:18amAs I started reading this article I got mad until I saw who was speaking and I am a Democrat. Myself and my wife – 3 sons and 3 daughter in-law voted for obama. All of us have seen the light – my sons construction company is doing a booming business. The problem is Government intervention and rules. My sons will turn away business before hiring new employees at $18.00 and hour rather than the current rate of $12.00. My sons have had to change their rules that were fair. Now a new employee has to be there 6 months rater than 1. They had new employees that would use the 6 sick days and then quit in the 2nd month.
Report Post »lynnissmart
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 9:55amI personally like Rick Perry’s idea to make the Congress part time, cutting their pay, and having them live among the people they serve!!!! Anyway, who pays attention to SJL……talk about offensive!
Report Post »BadgerBenson
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 9:50amI‘ll echo what’s already been said. When I saw the headline I thought, “Great who’s wasting our tax dollars at work.” But in this case, I cut Congressman King some slack. Which…I should get back to work myself.
Report Post »randy
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 9:47amI’d have to agree with Steve King, not only is that liberal progress radical commie democrat boring, she offends me!
Report Post »nobull14
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 9:46amThis is what we pay these boobs in Washington for ? Its really a sad day for are country!!!!
Report Post »demint.disciple
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 9:56amARE ???? lmao it’s OUR .. Don’t worry about who gets paid doing whatever… Pick up a book and learn something , because spelling the word “are ” for the meaning of “our” is not even close to being called a typo…
Report Post »chips1
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 7:17pmI guess if their only interested in electing boobs, they got two huge ones!!!
Report Post »copatriots
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 9:42amI would normally take offense at any member of Congress “surfing the web” on the taxpayer dime and time. But I honestly don’t know how anyone can stomach listening to SJL on a daily basis. That woman belongs in an institution for the mentally ill. I swear the Dems find the most ignorant and/or immoral people they can find just to taunt the rest of us.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 9:38amListening to Lee is not Boring; It is PUNISHMENT!
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 9:42am“Jackson Lee calling King’s tweet offensive”
Ah, the ever so repeated mantra of the modern age. A word usually meant to stop dissent or anti-establishment ideas from being expressed.
Why people continue to engage in this, I understand. It’s a powerful thing, and everybody wants to shut up their opponents, so they profer their bleeding wrists and scream “j’accuse!” and everybody falls silent. Bunch of wimps.
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on December 16, 2011 at 9:43amThank you.
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