Slaughter gives top aide pink rose for birthday

House Rules Committee Chair Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) planned to present Rules Committee Republican Staff Director Hugh Halpern with a pink rose Tuesday evening during a committee meeting, in honor of the long-time staffer’s 40th birthday.

But just as Slaughter pulled out the rose Halpern stepped out of the room, so the committee chair had no choice but to present the gift to ranking minority member Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.) for safekeeping.

Dreier thought it best if Slaughter gave the bloom to Halpern herself, so he demurred, passing the thorny stemmed bud back around the table to Slaughter, who laughed and passed it back around to Dreier, who passed it back to…and well, you get the picture.

This lasted until the birthday boy returned to the room to receive his rose.

Reached for comment, Halpern said in an email, “Strangely, my 40th birthday was a like the others I’ve had over the last 20 years–sitting in a committee meeting late at night. It was really sweet of the Chairwoman, the Ranking Member, and the other Members to take time away from PAYGO to congratulate me.”

ITK wishes the highly dedicated Hugh Halpern a happy 40th.

–Christina Wilkie