Recognizing a stunt, Porter snubs GOP on impeachment

Lisa Mascaro, Sun Washington Bureau

Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007 | 7:02 a.m.

As an unexpected impeachment drama took over the House floor Tuesday, Republican Rep. Jon Porter of Nevada was doing his best not to get involved.

It all started shortly after lunch, when Democratic presidential contender Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio stunned Washington by calling up his resolution to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney.

Official Washington has no patience for the impeachment debate, believing efforts to oust the president or the vice president are a divisive sideshow to the more important issues Democrats are dealing with. Even though polls show as many as one in three Americans favor impeachment, Democrats have been avoiding the issue all year.

But as Kucinich has watched Cheney saber-rattle over possible war with Iran, he felt compelled to push his resolution into the spotlight. With a little-used procedural move, he busted through the day's official agenda to force a vote.

Democratic leaders rushed in to stop him - and prevent the internecine warfare that would erupt if their party were forced to cast votes on such a red-hot issue .

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer interjected a vote to table the resolution - which was what most everyone wanted . The votes were lining up to do just that.

Then the shenanigans began. Republicans started switching their votes. One by one, instead of voting to table the bill, Republicans were voting against killing it. Imagine the snickering.

It was a sly maneuver: Republicans were essentially helping Kucinich push the issue forward, forcing the Democrats into a battle they have been trying all year to avoid.

The vote tally that had been running 2- to- 1 to table the resolution had reversed to 2- to- 1 to keep it alive. Nearly 100 Republicans switched their votes.

But not Porter.

The Nevada Republican was clearly being encouraged by the Republican leadership to go with his party and change his vote.

But Porter held his ground. In the end, he was among only two dozen Republicans who voted to table the resolution.

"The congressman believed that both sides were playing political games," said Porter spokesman Matt Leffingwell. "This was not an appropriate time to bring a resolution forward to impeach the vice president."

The Republicans won that afternoon battle, but failed to force Democrats into an uncomfortable impeachment vote. Democratic leadership muscled its own caucus into parking the Kucinich bill in a committee.