House Dem: Fines won’t stop me from speaking about gun violence

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) took to social media Monday to rail against a proposed rules change in the House. 

House Republicans have proposed fining members, including Swalwell, for holding a June sit-in to push for action on gun control legislation.

In two tweets Monday, Swalwell wrote that leadership can “fine me” and other Democrats “all the way into bankruptcy for #gunviolence sit-in, but we will always speak for victims.” 

.@HouseGOP wants to fine me, @RepBetoORourke & @RepScottPeters for filming #gunviolence sit-in. I’ll always stand w/ victims. Bring.It.On.

— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) December 26, 2016

Dear @HouseGOP, you can fine me & @HouseDemocrats all the way into bankruptcy for #gunviolence sit-in, but we will always speak for victims.

— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) December 26, 2016

Fox News’s Chad Pergram tweeted Monday that Republicans have proposed fining members who used their phones on the floor to broadcast the protest, in violation of House rules.

Democrats used live-streaming apps to broadcast their action after C-SPAN’s cameras, controlled by the chamber, were turned off. Republicans argued that they would not air the protest because the House was not in session at the time. 

In response to gun sit-in, House GOPers propose fining lawmakers for unauthorized use of video in House chamber & referral to Ethics Cmte

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 26, 2016

Democrats could be fined $500 each, Pergram noted, and would be referred to the Ethics Committee. The proposed rule change would also prevent members from blocking the well of the House, as Democrats did over the summer.

The full House would have to approve the changes when the new session of Congress begins in January.

GOPers propose sanctioning mbrs w/$500 fine for 1st offense & $2,500 for additional offenses of breaking internal video/picture rules

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 26, 2016

Proposed Hse rules change would bar mbrs from blocking well of the House as Democrats did with their June gun sit-in.

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 26, 2016