No, Shelia Jackson Lee Didn’t Call For “Martial Law” In the Sense That You Understand It

I’ve seen several conservative bloggers, most recently Bryan Preston at The PJ Tatler and a blogger at the notoriously paranoid Fox Nation, pick up on recent comments on the House Floor by Democratic Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee in which she talks about “martial law.” Paranoia being what it is on the right, and the existence of something called Google apparently being too hard for some to grasp, the immediate image that sweeps into the mind of those inclined to believe the worst about their political opponents is of tanks in the streets and the military on every corner.

First, here are the comments in question:

It is not the truth to suggest that there are not enough voters, members of Congress, that would vote right now today to open this government. It’s something called a continuing resolution, but it’s a bill that you put on the floor that has been passed already by Republicans and Democrats in the United States Senate. This is not an idea of anyone over another person. Republican and Democratic Senators have already voted for this clean bill that we can vote on today.We have martial law. What that means and my colleagues know what it means. It’s that you can put a bill on in just minutes.”

In reality, Lee was referring to a certain procedure in the House Of Representatives that allows bills to be “rushed” to the House floor:

Under the martial law procedure, long-standing House rules that require at least one day between the unveiling of significant legislation and the House floor vote on that legislation — so that Members can learn what they are being asked to vote on — are swept away. Instead, under “martial law,” the Leadership can file legislation with tens or hundreds of pages of fine print and move immediately to debate and votes on it, before Members of Congress, the media, or the public have an opportunity to understand fully what provisions have been altered or inserted into the legislation behind closed doors.

This link comes up first when you do a search for “martial law house of representatives.” (without the quotes) But, apparently, it’s too hard for some people to do some basic research.

FILED UNDER: Congress, US Politics, , , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. CB says:

    The misquote will be processed, added to the checklist, and committed to memory.

    As long as the narrative is set, the truth is irrelevant.

  2. More lies and fear-mongering from the right? Impossible I say!

  3. C. Clavin says:

    arrrgh….
    you can hear JKB and Jenos and Florack now….
    It’s hard enough to explain to those knuckleheads what SHUT DOWN means.
    They’ll never get this nuance.

  4. beth says:

    @C. Clavin: It’ll just be added to the script: When this country becomes a one party country enforced by martial law….

  5. CB says:

    @beth:

    Oooh! I know this one!

  6. Jim R says:

    “the Leadership can file legislation with tens or hundreds of pages of fine print and move immediately to debate and votes on it, before Members of Congress, the media, or the public have an opportunity to understand fully what provisions have been altered or inserted into the legislation behind closed doors”

    I’ve got to say, this sounds very promising!

  7. reid says:

    Such a powerful display of outrage and ignorance; they will no doubt be hailed as heros.

  8. al-Ameda says:

    Martial Law? Kind of begs the question: Can Obama order that House Republicans be sent to internment camps in the near Roswell NM?

  9. Pinky says:

    You see that Preston linked back to this article in an update!

  10. Davebo says:

    @Pinky:

    Which almost unbelievably was even more lame than his initial idiotic post.

    They guy is consistent.

    Unless of course you believe congressmen haven’t had a chance to review the CR over the past 5 weeks or so.

  11. rachel says:

    @al-Ameda: Why? To get ready to send them back to their homeworld?

  12. Jenos Idanian #13 says:

    I missed this one, but in defense of those who didn’t, Sheila Jackson-Lee is an idiot, a moonbat, a conspiracy nut, and a perennial on the list of most corrupt politicians. So when she says something like this, it’s usually safe to assume she’s off her rocker again.

    However, there are those blind squirrel moments…

  13. Cindy says:

    So SJL did not say what everyone heard and understood, she really meant something different……..having dinner with the astronauts who walked on Mars, maybe they can explain it to me.