Democrat Al Green censured over Trump speech disruption

BBC News

06-03-2025

US Congress has voted to censure Texas Democrat Al Green, who was ejected from the House chamber on Tuesday after disrupting President Donald Trump's address to the nation.Green, a long-serving member of the Democratic party, was punished for heckling and waving his cane at Trump during the president's joint session of Congress.The resolution, which said Green's behaviour was "a breach of proper conduct", passed by 224 to 198 votes. Ten Democrats voted to censure Green.After the vote was held, Green was ordered to stand in the well of the House chamber while the resolution was read out loud.
The culmination of the vote resulted in a shouting match between Republicans and Democrats in the chamber.Green and fellow Democrats began singing "We Shall Overcome," which appeared to frustrate some Republicans on the floor, leading to a shouting match. Republican Dan Meuser at one point told Democrat Ayanna Pressley, "Al was wrong," leading Pressley to respond: "your members do the same thing," according to The Hill.Ahead of the vote, Green suggested in a social media post his censure was expected and imminent. "During the 10:00 hour ET, Congressman Al Green will be censured this morning for standing up to President Trump," Green wrote on X.Green's fellow Democrats had attempted to block the vote to censure the 77-year-old, with some arguing his decision to stand, wave his cane and heckle Trump was a legitimate act of protest.The measure was introduced by Congressman Dan Newhouse, a Republican from Washington, who said the decision to call for Green to be censured was not an easy one. "We cannot ignore the wilful disruption intended to stop a proceeding," Newhouse said Wednesday. "Without decorum, without respect, what do we got? What do we have, truly?"On Tuesday, just minutes into Trump's address, Green stood up and shouted, "Mr President, you don't have a mandate!" referring to Medicaid cuts.House Speaker Mike Johnson told Green to take his seat and "maintain decorum," but Green refused. Johnson then ordered his removal from the chamber.Green is a fierce critic of President Trump, and called for the impeachment of the president during his first term in office.A censure is a formal statement of disapproval that requires a majority vote in the House to pass. It does not remove a member from Congress. Censures are relatively rare occurrences, though in recent years they have become more common. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, was censured in 2023 for comments she made over the Israel-Gaza war.Also in 2023, now former Congressman Jamaal Bowman, was censured for falsely pulling a fire alarm while Congress was in session.Twenty-eight members of the House have been censured in total.