House Stenographer Has Outburst During Debt Vote
In a bizarre end to the House vote to reopen the federal government late Wednesday night, a stenographer was escorted off the House floor after yelling into a microphone about God, Freemasons and a divided government, aides and members said.
CSPAN Video: "During House vote a stenographer, seated in House well, goes to microphone on dais, yells, and is removed from the floor."
The stenographer was chanting "God Bless America" and ranting about freemasons, according to reports.
"Fox News identified the stenographer as Dianne Reidy, who went to the Speaker's Chair while the vote was in progress and began yelling about God and the government. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., banged the gavel to restore order several times, but did not deter Reidy, who screamed "You cannot serve two masters" as she was removed from the floor. Moments later, Reidy was heard to say that America was not one nation under God because Freemasons wrote the Constitution as Capitol police officers put her into an elevator."
She has a point there.
The AP reports:
"Lawmakers said she was yelling about the House being divided and the devil. Texas Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro said she had a crazed look on her face."
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) said the stenographer is a well-known and liked figure in the House.
“I think there’s a lot of sympathy, because something clearly happened there,” Connolly said.
Politico reports that a spokesman for the U.S. Capitol Police said in an e-mail early Thursday that Reidy was transported to a local hospital to be evaluated.