Tom Cotton suggests ordering sergeant at arms to force Dems to vote on nominations

[mystery-ak]

Tom Cotton suggests ordering sergeant at arms to force Dems to vote on nominations
By Joseph Lawler (@josephlawler) • 1/31/17 1:54 PM


Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton on Tuesday suggested ordering the sergeant at arms to force Democrats to vote for President Trump's nominees at the committee level, ratcheting up the rhetoric after Democrats delayed the votes with a boycott Tuesday morning.

"I don't know how long they plan to do this," the Republican said from the Senate floor. "I don't know if they intend to abscond out of the District, if we're going to have to vote to have the sergeant at arms track them down, haul them to work to do their business."

more
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tom-cotton-suggests-ordering-sergeant-at-arms-to-force-dems-to-vote-on-nominations/article/2613490

[geronl]

Cotton polishing his storm trooper boots?

They have a right to vote Present or abstain.

[Suppressed]

Cotton polishing his storm trooper boots?

They have a right to vote Present or abstain.

Yes, though if they are there, then the can form quorum and be counted. They are trying to avoid allowing the GOP a majority, by getting out of DC.

[ABX]

I'm not comfortable with this at all. Abstaining is just as much a right as voting for or against. Remember, every strong arm precedent we set can and will be used against us.

[Bigun]

Cotton polishing his storm trooper boots?

They have a right to vote Present or abstain.

Yes they do!  But they also have a responsibility to attend!

[r9etb]

Cotton polishing his storm trooper boots?

They have a right to vote Present or abstain.

But they don't have the right to be absent specifically to prevent the Senate from doing business.  One of the jobs of the Sgt. At Arms is to ensure that doesn't happen.

Still, there's no doubt a much better way to put it than Cotton is reported to have done.

[Bigun]

I STRONGLY suspect there is yet more bogus headline writing in play here!

I very much doubt Senator Cotton ever said a word about making anyone vote!  He is right about making them attend their committee meetings!

[Bigun]

I'm not comfortable with this at all. Abstaining is just as much a right as voting for or against. Remember, every strong arm precedent we set can and will be used against us.

Absolutely they have the right to abstain but they also have a duty to attend committee meetings of those committees to which they are assigned!

[Norm Lenhart]

Lest we forget, the Dems pulled this at the state level a few years back. It is not stormtrooper to apply the law to them. Personally I's declare them a national security threat because of disrupting the country's business. Imagine if we were hit by a terror attack and the Dems were not to be found to vote on potential actions where needed?

Throw the full force of law at them.

[ABX]

But they don't have the right to be absent specifically to prevent the Senate from doing business.  One of the jobs of the Sgt. At Arms is to ensure that doesn't happen.

Still, there's no doubt a much better way to put it than Cotton is reported to have done.

As long as they are still using Robert's Rules, they can't force members to attend to get a quorum. They can call, they can request, they can beg, they can move on to other business, but they can't force attendance. (technically an organization that uses Robert's Rules can have separate rules to fine or censure members for non-attendance but they would have to then create rules around that (and thus the catch-22)).

[Bigun]

As long as they are still using Robert's Rules, they can't force members to attend to get a quorum. They can call, they can request, they can beg, they can move on to other business, but they can't force attendance. (technically an organization that uses Robert's Rules can have separate rules to fine or censure members for non-attendance but they would have to then create rules around that (and thus the catch-22)).

If the senate currently lacks such a rule (seriously doubt that and know for sure the house has one)  they can adopt one right now with a simple majority.

[r9etb]

As long as they are still using Robert's Rules, they can't force members to attend to get a quorum. They can call, they can request, they can beg, they can move on to other business, but they can't force attendance. (technically an organization that uses Robert's Rules can have separate rules to fine or censure members for non-attendance but they would have to then create rules around that (and thus the catch-22)).

Actually, that's not true.  Senate Rule VI (http://www.rules.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=RuleVI) states that:

1. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the Senators duly chosen and sworn.

2. No Senator shall absent himself from the service of the Senate without leave.

3. If, at any time during the daily sessions of the Senate, a question shall be raised by any Senator as to the presence of a quorum, the Presiding Officer shall forthwith direct the Secretary to call the roll and shall announce the result, and these proceedings shall be without debate.

4. Whenever upon such roll call it shall be ascertained that a quorum is not present, a majority of the Senators present may direct the Sergeant at Arms to request, and, when necessary, to compel the attendance of the absent Senators, which order shall be determined without debate; and pending its execution, and until a quorum shall be present, no debate nor motion, except to adjourn, or to recess pursuant to a previous order entered by unanimous consent, shall be in order.

[Sanguine]

I'm not comfortable with this at all. Abstaining is just as much a right as voting for or against. Remember, every strong arm precedent we set can and will be used against us.

Of course they do.  But, they've got to show up.  That's part of the job.

[Bigun]

Apparently each committee can have it's own set of rules:

Rules of Procedure United States
Senate Committee on the Judiciary
 I. MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE

1. Meetings of the Committee may be called by the Chairman as he may deem necessary on three days' notice of the date, time, place and subject matter of the meeting, or in the alternative with the consent of the Ranking Minority Member, or pursuant to the provision of the Standing Rules of the Senate, as amended.

2. Unless a different date and time are set by the Chairman pursuant to (1) of this section, Committee meetings shall be held beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Thursdays the Senate is in session, which shall be the regular meeting day for the transaction of business.

3. At the request of any member, or by action of the Chairman, a bill, matter, or nomination on the agenda of the Committee may be held over until the next meeting of the Committee or for one week, whichever occurs later.

II. HEARINGS OF THE COMMITTEE

1. The Committee shall provide a public announcement of the date, time, place and subject matter of any hearing to be conducted by the Committee or any Subcommittee at least seven calendar days prior to the commencement of that hearing, unless the Chairman with the consent of the Ranking Minority Member determines that good cause exists to begin such hearing at an earlier date. Witnesses shall provide a written statement of their testimony and curriculum vitae to the Committee at least 24 hours preceding the hearings in as many copies as the Chairman of the Committee or Subcommittee prescribes.

2. In the event 14 calendar days' notice of a hearing has been made, witnesses appearing before the Committee, including any witness representing a Government agency, must file with the Committee at least 48 hours preceding appearance written statements of their testimony and curriculum vitae in as many copies as the Chairman of the Committee or Subcommittee prescribes.

3. In the event a witness fails timely to file the written statement in accordance with this rule, the Chairman may permit the witness to testify, or deny the witness the privilege of testifying before the Committee, or permit the witness to testify in response to questions from Senators without the benefit of giving an opening statement.

III. QUORUMS

1. Seven Members of the Committee, actually present, shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of discussing business. Nine Members of the Committee, including at least two Members of the minority, shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of transacting business. No bill, matter, or nomination shall be ordered reported from the Committee, however, unless a majority of the Committee is actually present at the time such action is taken and a majority of those present support the action taken.

2. For the purpose of taking down sworn testimony, a quorum of the Committee and each Subcommittee thereof, now or hereafter appointed, shall consist of one Senator.

IV. BRINGING A MATTER TO A VOTE

The Chairman shall entertain a non-debatable motion to bring a matter before the Committee to a vote. If there is objection to bring the matter to a vote without further debate, a roll call vote of the Committee shall be taken, and debate shall be terminated if the motion to bring the matter to a vote without further debate passes with eleven votes in the affirmative, one of which must be cast by the minority.

V. AMENDMENTS

1. Provided at least seven calendars days' notice of the agenda is given, and the text of the proposed bill or resolution has been made available at least seven calendar days in advance, it shall not be in order for the Committee to consider any amendment in the first degree proposed to any measure under consideration by the Committee unless such amendment has been delivered to the office of the Committee and circulated via e-mail to each of the offices by at least 5:00 p.m. the day prior to the scheduled start of the meeting.

2. It shall be in order, without prior notice, for a Member to offer a motion to strike a single section of any bill, resolution, or amendment under consideration.

3. The time limit imposed on the filing of amendments shall apply to no more than three bills identified by the Chairman and included on the Committee's legislative agenda.

4. This section of the rule may be waived by agreement of the Chairman and the Ranking Minority Member.

VI. PROXY VOTING

When a recorded vote is taken in the Committee on any bill, resolution, amendment, or any other question, a quorum being present, Members who are unable to attend the meeting may submit votes by proxy, in writing or by telephone, or through personal instructions. A proxy must be specific with respect to the matters it addresses.

VII. SUBCOMMITTEES

1. Any Member of the Committee may sit with any Subcommittee during its hearings or any other meeting, but shall not have the authority to vote on any matter before the Subcommittee unless a Member of such Subcommittee.

2. Subcommittees shall be considered de novo whenever there is a change in the Subcommittee chairmanship and seniority on the particular Subcommittee shall not necessarily apply.

3. Except for matters retained at the full Committee, matters shall be referred to the appropriate Subcommittee or Subcommittees by the Chairman, except as agreed by a majority vote of the Committee or by the agreement of the Chairman and the Ranking Minority Member.

4. Provided all members of the Subcommittee consent, a bill or other matter may be polled out of the Subcommittee. In order to be polled out of a Subcommittee, a majority of the members of the Subcommittee who vote must vote in favor of reporting the bill or matter to the Committee.

VIII. ATTENDANCE RULES

1. Official attendance at all Committee business meetings of the Committee shall be kept by the Committee Clerk. Official attendance at all Subcommittee business meetings shall be kept by the Subcommittee Clerk.

2. Official attendance at all hearings shall be kept, provided that Senators are notified by the Committee Chairman and Ranking Minority Member, in the case of Committee hearings, and by the Subcommittee Chairman and Ranking Minority Member, in the case of Subcommittee Hearings, 48 hours in advance of the hearing that attendance will be taken; otherwise, no attendance will be taken. Attendance at all hearings is encouraged.

However I doubt that these committee rules can be allowed to overrule the general rules of the Senate.

[montanajoe]

I'm not comfortable with this at all. Abstaining is just as much a right as voting for or against. Remember, every strong arm precedent we set can and will be used against us.

Politicians are only interested in getting reelected they could care less with precedent...

[XenaLee]

Tom Cotton suggests ordering sergeant at arms to force Dems to vote on nominations
By Joseph Lawler (@josephlawler) • 1/31/17 1:54 PM


Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton on Tuesday suggested ordering the sergeant at arms to force Democrats to vote for President Trump's nominees at the committee level, ratcheting up the rhetoric after Democrats delayed the votes with a boycott Tuesday morning.

"I don't know how long they plan to do this," the Republican said from the Senate floor. "I don't know if they intend to abscond out of the District, if we're going to have to vote to have the sergeant at arms track them down, haul them to work to do their business."

more
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tom-cotton-suggests-ordering-sergeant-at-arms-to-force-dems-to-vote-on-nominations/article/2613490

I don't think that is necessary.   Trump could and should hold a press conference and let the US public know that the rats are obstructing (the usual when it's a Republican president) and refusing to do their freaking jobs.  The public pressure should be enough to whip the morons back in line.  If not, declare a recess and appoint them as recess appointments in the interim.

Screw the DemocRats, IOW.

[RetBobbyMI]

I'm not comfortable with this at all. Abstaining is just as much a right as voting for or against. Remember, every strong arm precedent we set can and will be used against us.

But who is being stupid here.  If they don't do the people's business, then they shouldn't be paid.

[Bigun]

Former Texas Senator Phil Gramm once said "People will be hunting democrats with dogs..."  If they keep acting as they currently are he may yet be proven right!

[Norm Lenhart]

Former Texas Senator Phil Gramm once said "People will be hunting democrats with dogs..."  If they keep acting as they currently are he may yet be proven right!

At some point, the Dems will do something like this that ends up getting a lot of people killed. Sure the press will run cover, however I don't think it will save them. The law of averages pretty much says that eventually they will step in it big and when they do, I hope I'm alive to see them get the justice they earned.

[Fantom]

Heh, no rule that the vote has to take place in the designated committee room.

Have the Repubs on committee surround the petulant dems in front of whatever camera they are posturing in front of. Declare a quorum and vote.

Imagine the optics of that. 

[r9etb]

Heh, no rule that the vote has to take place in the designated committee room.

Have the Repubs on committee surround the petulant dems in front of whatever camera they are posturing in front of. Declare a quorum and vote.

Imagine the optics of that. 

Sneaky and brilliant.

[Bigun]

Heh, no rule that the vote has to take place in the designated committee room.

Have the Repubs on committee surround the petulant dems in front of whatever camera they are posturing in front of. Declare a quorum and vote.

Imagine the optics of that. 

I love it but cannot  imagine it happening with this bunch.

[Fantom]

Sneaky and brilliant.

To beat the Bug... you have to think like the Bug.

[Fantom]

I love it but cannot  imagine it happening with this bunch.

True that... course maybe a trick from the PD. One where they offer low level perps a scam prize if they show up and claim it.

Trump could call for a meeting with needed Democrat Senators to "discuss" their issues. Feign contrite, of course, and while he has them there... oh look who happens to show up.....

[r9etb]

To beat the Bug... you have to think like the Bug.

Ohhh, to be a windshield....