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The House of Representatives censured the late Roderick Butler, R-Tenn., in 1870 for taking a bribe for a military academy appointment.
The House also censured late Rep. Thomas Blanton, D-Texas, in 1921 for inserting a document into the Congressional Record which contained obscene language.
And late Rep. Gerry Studds, D-Mass., faced censure in 1983 for having sex with a 17-year-old page.
Those are three of the 28 Members ever censured by the House.
4 HOUSE REPUBLICANS VOTE WITH DEMS TO BLOCK RESOLUTION CENSURING ILHAN OMAR FOR CHARLIE KIRK COMMENTS
Rep. Ilhan Omar, with Rep. Rashida Tlaib at her side. (Renee Jones Schneider/Star Tribune via Getty Images)
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., did not become the 29th Member slapped with censure recently.
That’s probably because Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., was one of four Republicans who joined Democrats to block a censure of Omar. And in so doing, Mills may very well have prevented himself from becoming the 30th House Member to be censured.
Censure is the second-highest form of discipline in the House. It falls between a reprimand and expulsion. Censure is more than a regular foul in a soccer game. Kind of like a yellow card, which serves as a caution. But it’s not a red card, either, which triggers ejection.
That said, censure has become a “thing” in recent years on Capitol Hill. If the House were to ever consider censuring any Member, such an inquest would go behind closed doors with the Ethics Committee. An inquiry may take months.
No more. “Snap” censures are now fashionable in the House of Representatives.
Here’s how it works:
Someone thinks someone says a colleague says something outrageous. So they just prep a censure measure, go over the head of the Congressional leadership by making their resolution privileged (meaning the House must consider it within two days) and, if the House votes in favor of your gambit, that Member is censured.
Done.
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., crafted…
