by Philip Klein
| January 23, 2019 01:35 PM
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In the latest twist in the ongoing saga over the State of the Union, President Trump on Wednesday wrote that he planned to ignore House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's disinvitation and proceed with delivering his speech on Jan. 29 "on time, on schedule, and very importantly, on location!â€
So can Trump simply show up to the House of Representatives to deliver his speech? And if he does, can Pelosi just have security kick him out?
The answer is multi-layered.
Under the rules, declaring a formal joint session of Congress requires the agreement of both the House and Senate. Without Pelosi's consent, in other words, there can't be a joint session.
At the same time, however, as described by McClatchy, no rules would prevent Trump from entering the House chamber, or speaking on the House floor, whenever he wants. So he's perfectly within his powers to show up and deliver his speech.
That said, Pelosi, D-Calif., has other tools at her disposal to thwart Trump. She could shut off the lights, turn off the microphones, and also make sure that no cameras are allowed because the House won't be in session.
Both parties have done this to each other in the past.
In 2008, during her first term as speaker, Pelosi adjourned without allowing a vote Republicans wanted related to offshore drilling, shut off the lights, and cut off the microphones to block Republicans from complaining about it. Republicans refused to leave the floor and kept on talking anyway.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/trump-can-show-up-to-deliver-the-state-of-the-union-but-pelosi-could-shut-off-the-lights-and-keep-out-cameras
