The twenty or so members pulling the media stunt are stating that the Democrats would rather go on vacation than talk lower gas prices by drilling.
From the Politco:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Democrats adjourned the House and turned off the lights and killed the microphones, but Republicans are still on the floor talking gas prices.Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and other GOP leaders opposed the motion to adjourn the House, arguing that Pelosi's refusal to schedule a vote allowing offshore drilling is hurting the American economy. They have refused to leave the floor after the adjournment motion passed at 11:23 a.m. and are busy bashing Pelosi and her fellow Democrats for leaving town for the August recess.
At one point, the lights went off in the House and the microphones were turned off in the chamber, meaning Republicans were talking in the dark. But as Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz..) was speaking, the lights went back on, and the microphones were turned on shortly afterward.
But C-SPAN, which has no control over the cameras in the chamber, has stopped broadcasting the House floor, meaning no one is witnessing this except the assembled Republicans, their aides, and one Democrat, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), who has now left.
To follow what the Republican bloggers are tweeting check: http://search.twitter.com/sear...
UPDATE 1 via RedState:
UPDATE at 3:22 EDT by Erick: From another insider:
I am sitting on the floor and the House floor and gallery is packed - members have gotten off of planes to come back. Mike Rogers from Michigan just spoke in shorts and short sleeve shirt. Went over how much money we send to enemies and how much weapons systems cost.
Update (1:27 pm CDT) Another email from a Hill insider:
"Floor is full of staff and visitors. All cheering.Members are even cancelling flights.
Chanting vote now."
Update 4@1:10pm CDT An email from a Hill insider says, "We're here for the haul. Blunt just called in to order pizza." Nice.
UPDATE 2: from the Sunlight Foundation Blog:
And as many can predict, the oil industry is very liberal in its contributions to the campaigns of congressmen who support their agenda. Let's start with the lawmakers who are mentioned as on the floor by press accounts and Rep. Culberson's tweets:Career Contributions from Oil & Gas Companies.
Brady, Kevin (R-TX) $369,797
Blunt, Roy (R-MO) $362,248
Culberson, John (R-TX) $301,961
Boehner, John (R-OH) $185,000
Shimkus, John (R-IL) $184,161
Pence, Mike (R-IN) $150,950
Poe, Ted (R-TX) $128,650
Shadegg, John (R-AZ) $119,495
Putnam, Adam H (R-FL) $70,300
Foxx, Virginia (R-NC) $47,100
Sali, William T (R-ID) $43,000
Price, Tom (R-GA) $24,500That's a lot of money on the floor of the House right now.
UPDATE 3
David All chimes in with ridiculousness:
At the request of Congressman @PeteHoekstra, I just called Speaker Pelosi and left a voicemail urging her to allow a vote on important energy legislation to help give America some relief at the pumps.Naturally, I recorded the call using YouTube's quick capture: