Politics

Pelosi Rejects the Michael Jackson Resolution

By Sunlight Foundation & Participatory Politics Foundation

As you can see by the comments on this post, there’s not a lot of public support, besides die-hard fans, for Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee’s [D, TX-18] resolution honoring the artistic and humanitarian works of Michael Jackson (H. Res. 600). Nevertheless, On Tuesday, Rep. Jackson-Lee took to the mic at Michael Jackson’s public memorial at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and promised to thundering applause that the House of Representatives would debate and vote on her resolution. But House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi [D, CA-8], who controls the House’s schedule, today said otherwise:

MTV News reports:

According to a transcript of her weekly press conference provided by her office, when asked at a news conference if she would support the resolution, Pelosi said, “Michael Jackson was a great, great performer … [there’s] lots of sadness there for many reasons.”

She went on to say there is plenty of “opportunity on the floor of the House to express their sympathy or their praise any time that they wish. I don’t think it’s necessary for us to have a resolution.” She added that a resolution would open up Jackson’s life to “contrary views that are not necessary at this time to be expressed in association with a resolution whose purpose is quite different,” seemingly referring to the more sordid elements of Jackson’s life, including two allegations of child molestation and allegations that he abused prescription medication.

Full post as published by Open Congress on July 10, 2009 (boomark / email).