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GOP U.S. House members blast Democratic sit-in as “political circus”

By J.D. Prose jprose@calkins.Com 2 min read
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U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus, R-12, Sewickley, called the sit-in by House Democrats to try and force votes on gun-control legislation a "fundraising scheme" on Thursday.

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Shuster

Republican U.S. House members from southwest Pennsylvania derided their Democratic colleagues’ much publicized sit-in to force action on gun control legislation as a “political circus” and “fundraising scheme.”

U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus, R-12, Sewickley, said the Orlando, Fla., massacre was a terrorist attack by a “radical jihadist” and the spotlight should be on President Barack Obama’s failure to address that threat.

“The last 24 hours saw the president’s supporters in Congress launch a 24-hour fundraising scheme that shows they are not interested in eradicating radical Islamic terrorism from this country,” Rothfus said in a statement.

Erin McClelland, Rothfus’ Democratic challenger, spent the sit-in posting messages to Twitter and Facebook targeting her opponent. On Thursday, after the House recessed for the July 4 break, she tweeted, “Has anyone seen our employee @KeithRothfus? He never showed up for work today.”

House Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-14, Forest Hills, occupied the House floor for 26 hours from Wednesday to Thursday to demand votes on gun-control legislation in the wake of the mass shooting at an Orlando gay nightclub that killed 49 people and wounded 53.

Calling the sit-in a “publicity stunt,” U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-18, Upper St. Clair Township, said he was “very frustrated and disappointed” over the Democratic maneuver.

Instead of taking over the House floor, the Democrats could have been working toward passing his mental health reform bill, Murphy said. “We could’ve been doing something that really made a difference,” he said.

After an attack such as the one in Orlando, Americans look to Congress “to have a strong and steady hand in addressing it.” Murphy questioned whether “fiery speeches” and blocking the House was the way for Democrats to handle the issue.

“I just don’t think that’s the way to do it,” Murphy said.

U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-9, Everett, Bedford County, also highlighted Democrats’ fundraising during “their political stunt, which would do nothing to stop radical Islam.”

Shuster also called the sit-in a “political circus at its worst” and charged that Democrats were shutting down “the people’s House” and trying to “take away Second Amendment and due process rights.”

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