House GOP Blasts Dems Politicizing Pledge of Allegiance

Republicans, who now make up the majority of the House Judiciary Committee, engaged in a battle of words with Democrats on Wednesday over the Pledge to Allegiance. Democrats attempted to politicize this issue.

Matt Gaetz, Florida GOP Rep., proposed an amendment to allow “inspirational constituents to share and lead in the Pledge of Allegiance,” Two years earlier, Gaetz attempted to pass an amendment but it was stopped by the Democrats in the committee.

Jerrold Nadler, ranking member New York Democrat Rep., argued that the House had already opened its meetings with a recitation the Pledge. “I don’t know why we should pledge allegiance twice in the same day to show how patriotic we are.”

“I’m not seeing Mr. Nadler on the floor when the Pledge is done; most members are not present there, so it’s not accurate to say we do the Pledge every day or participate every day,” Mike Johnson (R.-LA) snapped. “It may be offered, but we’re not there for it. This is the work of the Judiciary Committee; this is the committee that has charge of the Constitution, the fundamental freedoms, defending the very freedoms that the flag represents. It’s a bit absurd to suggest we couldn’t take 30 seconds at the beginning of this important work to do what should be done by all Americans. … I wish we had done this two years ago.”

Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) attempted to politicize the issue, citing January 6 and then offering an amendment to that amendment. “Provided, however, the Pledge shall not be led by an individual who supported an insurrection against the government of the United States in any way.”

Gaetz responded. “My concern would be if your definition of an insurrection is objecting to electors, then there would be many Democrats on the committee that wouldn’t be eligible to lead the Pledge … the last Republican to get sworn in absent Democratic objectors was George Herbert Walker Bush.”

Johnson addressed Cicilline’s cynical amendment then directly, declaring “I think it’s unfortunate that on the very first day, the adoption of the Rules package, by overly politicizing something that should not be politicized. You and I both know whether you want to acknowledge it here or not, this is about politics; this is a completely superfluous amendment; you’re making it political to try to make a point, and we get it. … I don’t think there’s any insurrectionist who’s going to show up to offer the Pledge and if they would they would not be recognized and so this completely unnecessary.”

He cited North Carolina Democrat Deborah Ross, citing a SCOTUS ruling that allowed schoolchildren to eschew the Pledge. He reminded the committee that SCOTUS had previously permitted the recitation of a prayer prior to public meetings.

“We didn’t amend the rules to amend that, but gosh, I wish I’d have thought of it,” Johnson stated. “Maybe we should amend the rules to begin with a prayer as well. That would really offend some of our friends on the other side. They have made the effort in the last couple of years to remove ‘under God’ from the witness oath here that has been a tradition of the United States Congress for as long as anyone can remember. In fact, in our subcommittee, the subcommittee on the Constitution, the chair in the last Congress, Mr. Cohen … actually prohibited the swearing in of witnesses because I demanded as ranking member that they also say, ‘so help me God’ at the end of their oath.”

“And so, it just goes to show you that there’s a strong contrast here between the two sides,” He went on. “It’s unfortunate, it’s sad, we wish it weren’t so but there are two different parties represented here, two different philosophies, two completely different worldviews, and it’s on display here on the very first day, in the very first moment of the Judiciary Committee in the 118th Congress.”

Cicilline’s amendment was defeated. Despite the carping from Democrats, Gaetz’s amendment was passed unanimously.