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Chicago Sun-Times: Sweet: Illinois Democrats key to House gun control sit-in

June 23, 2016
In the News

The follwing article was published on June 23, 2016. A link to the article can be found here.

By Lynn Sweet

WASHINGTON – Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., was one of the ringleaders behind the House Democratic sit-in on Wednesday, designed to pressure Republicans for votes on gun control measures, fueled unexpectedly by social media when House cameras were turned off.

“We can’t filibuster,” said Kelly, noting that House members, unlike Senators, are not allowed the use of the delay tactic. “So this is what we decided to do.”

The sit-in was the result of planning that started, Kelly told me, on Tuesday afternoon during a meeting in the office of Rep. Katherine Clark, D- Mass.

Post Orlando, they were looking for an act of defiance to force Republicans to call gun votes, Kelly said, and they settled on a sit-in. The details were firmed up a few hours later in another meeting with Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., a giant of the civil rights era who marched in Selma.

Kelly and Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., were among those in the well of the House at the start of the sit-in. Before it started they each delivered short speeches, deploring the gun violence plaguing Chicago as well as the massacre in Orlando — the largest in U.S. history with 49 victims.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told a group of reporters that the tactic was even better than a filibuster – because it didn’t depend on the stamina of one person.

“It will last as long as it needs to,” said Pelosi.

Kelly was in the inner circle plotting the very unusual “occupation” of the chamber because gun violence is her major issue.

The House Recording Studio provides the video feed, and the pictures stopped once the Republicans called a recess shortly after the sit-in started about 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time. C-SPAN, which depends on a video from the studio, was using a Periscope feed from the phone of Rep. Scott Peters D-Calif.

By the late afternoon, Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill. was telling the story of the sit-in through Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

As the day went on and the sit-in continued —technically the House was in recess, subject to the call of the chair — Rep. Tammy Duckworth’s staff prepared a shopping bag with protein bars and some snacks in case the demonstration lasted through the night. Duckworth took off her prosthetic leg in order to hop off her wheel-chair onto the floor to join her colleagues.

Also joining the protest was Mike Quigley, Luis Gutierrez, Bobby Rush, Bill Foster and Danny Davis. Sen. Dick Durbin was One of many Dem senators who came to the House to show support. Dan Lipinski said in a tweet he backed the sit-in.

The Democratic lawmakers were fed up with moments of silence after mass shootings – Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech, Columbia, S.C. to name just a few, plus other gun violence. The deaths never result in votes on gun related legislation, with the Orlando shootings only the latest example of House inaction.

Republicans control the House and Senate and, with rare exceptions, what gets called for a vote.

Democrats were pressuring GOP House leaders to lift the blockade on legislation to make it harder for suspected terrorists to buy guns and to broaden background checks. On Monday, GOP Senate leaders allowed votes on four gun measures and all failed to advance — with a supermajority of 60 votes needed.

In the House, vote counters have long gauged that some gun bills could gain bi-partisan support if called for a vote.

“I would hope that Speaker Ryan shows some willingness to negotiate,” Duckworth said. Ryan called the sit-in a “publicity stunt.”

Social media gave lawmakers immediate feed-back that people were paying attention.

“The fact that C-SPAN is showing it on Periscope shows a dramatic change,” Quigley said.

As for breaking House rules over the use of electronics on the House floor, said Quigley, “I don’t think anyone cares.”

Issues:Gun Violence Prevention