House Unites to Bar Dornan After Diatribe

WASHINGTON —  In an apparently unprecedented move, the House voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to temporarily banish former Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) from its chamber because of his inappropriate behavior the previous day.

The 289 lawmakers voting to bar Dornan from the Capitol sanctuary included 111 members of his own party, several of whom said the fiery conservative had simply gone too far when he called Rep. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) a liar and a coward, challenged his religious commitment, used language verging on obscenity and may have even suggested a fistfight.

Only 65 House members voted against the banishment--one Democrat, Ralph M. Hall of Texas, and 64 Republicans, 17 of them from California.

“I think people thought he just went way overboard,” Menendez said after the vote. “I think overboard meant overboard even for Bob Dornan.”

The surprising action--the House’s Republican majority had the option of tabling the proposal--came amid escalation of partisan antics over Dornan’s challenge to his defeat last fall by Democrat Loretta Sanchez in Orange County’s 46th Congressional District.

With a decision on the validity of the balloting in the district anticipated by a House committee as early as next week, many Democrats on Thursday sported orange “Free Loretta” ribbons on their lapels, signifying their support for Sanchez.

Most House members who are key players in the controversy over the November election--including Sanchez and Rep. William M. Thomas (R-Bakersfield), who chairs the panel handling the probe, did not cast ballots.

“This was not a vote about me, this was a vote about Bob Dornan,” Sanchez said afterward.

The resolution, which was crafted by Menendez in consultation with House Republican leaders, prohibits Dornan from returning to the House floor or adjacent rooms and hallways until the committee’s investigation is complete.

Dornan has charged that illegal voting by Latino noncitizens accounted for Sanchez’s 984-vote victory. If the committee decides his challenge should be brought before the full House, he will be allowed to be present during debate, a right afforded anyone who contests an election.

Dornan was in New York giving a speech Thursday night and could not be reached for comment on the House’s action.

Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Redlands) said the resolution was “an overreaction.”

Rep. David Dreier (R-San Dimas) added: “It is a terrible precedent to set to deny a former member of Congress access to the House floor.

But many Republicans, including House Majority Leader Dick Armey of Texas, disagreed. Some even joined in a lengthy standing ovation punctuated with hoots and whistles when Menendez presented the case for banishing Dornan.

Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) took the unusual step of presiding over the discussion himself, but did not cast a vote.

House parliamentarians said passage of such a resolution was unprecedented in their memory. The motion stemmed from a Wednesday morning face-off between Menendez and Dornan on the House floor.

According to interviews with both men, Dornan said he resented Menendez’s “anti-Catholic” way of discussing the electoral challenge, called him a liar, then accused him of being a coward when the Democrat walked away. Dornan also acknowledged using the term “f-ing,” but did not say the full obscene word.

Dornan later suggested that they move the conversation outside the chamber, which Menendez interpreted as a physical challenge.

“Mr. Dornan verbally assaulted me. He used profane language, accused me of religious bigotry, called my integrity into question [and] abused his privileges as a former member,” Menendez said during a half-hour discussion of his banishment motion. “It is an assault on the whole institution, not just one member. If we allow it to stand, the honor of the whole institution--not just one member--is lessened.”

Several Democrats made speeches supporting the historic resolution.

“This is the people’s house, this is no place for that sort of language and for that sort of behavior,” said Rosa L. DeLauro of Connecticut. “The American people have lost so much faith and confidence in this body--let us not give them another reason to lose any more.”

Rep. Gerald B.H. Solomon (R-N.Y.), chairman of the House Rules Committee, initially stood up for Dornan, praising him for his unflagging attacks on communism in the 1970s while Democrats, in Solomon’s words, were writing “Dear Commandante” letters.

“He is a great American,” Solomon said. “Dornan is Dornan. He would never do anything to be disrespectful to another member, purposefully. You all know that.”

But ultimately, Solomon did not vote on the banishment motion. And during the debate on it, he said: “I think Mr. Dornan should be removed from the chamber because his action, his behavior, was not that of a member of this Congress--or a former member--who respects all who serve in this body.”

Dornan long has been recognized as one of Washington’s most hotheaded figures, spewing provocative rhetoric at liberals, gays and lesbians, and anyone who has not served in the military.

In 1995, while still in office, he was banished from the House floor for a day for comments regarding President Clinton. And once he was caught yanking the tie of then-Rep. Tom Downey (D-N.Y.). Although many perceived this as bordering on assault, Dornan said the tie needed straightening.

“Bob Dornan is a lightning rod, one who engenders very strong feelings,” acknowledged Dreier. “The whole situation is very unfortunate.”