Reelection fight ahead, Porter flies solo

By Lisa Mascaro (contact)

Friday, Feb. 15, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Washington — Republican Rep. Jon Porter emerged Thursday once again as a man without a party.

As House Republicans staged a walkout to protest Democrats’ refusal to renew President Bush’s controversial wiretapping program, Porter stayed behind on the House floor. He said he could not support the stunt.

But inside the chamber, he was unable to support the Democratic agenda either. There, Democrats were passing a contempt citation for two White House officials who have dodged subpoenas over their role in the political firing of eight U.S. attorneys, including Nevada’s Daniel Bogden.

As the showdown played out — Republicans complaining that Democrats were wasting time on the contempt citations instead of passing the wiretapping bill — Porter emerged in a lonely position.

When the final vote tally came up, Porter was the sole congressman to cast a noncommittal vote: “present.”

The scene was another example of Porter distancing himself from the party of Bush as he prepares for what is expected to be another bruising re-election battle this fall. Registered Democrats have overtaken Republicans in his district.

The former Boulder City mayor was dinged in the 2006 election for being too close to the president. But last year he became one of the first Republicans to call for the resignation of the Attorney General Alberto Gonzales over Bogden’s firing. Porter went on to snub Bush’s veto of a popular health care program for working-class children by voting with Democrats in their override attempt, and he supported extra spending for various federal departments that the president opposed. When Republicans staged as similar walkout last fall over an impeachment vote, Porter refused to go along.

Thursday, Porter would not join his colleagues walking out. He agreed with their message that the wiretapping bill should take precedent over the contempt citations, he did not think vacating the chamber was the answer.

“His constituents expect him to be on the floor,” said Porter spokesman Matt Leffingwell.

At the same time, Porter did not join Democrats in voting for the contempt citations. House Democrats want to continue investigating the firing of Bogden and the other U.S. attorneys, and the action will allow the their lawyers to go after White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers in civil courts.

Porter thinks the issues have been “thoroughly debated,” and “the fundamental problem at the Justice Department was Gonzales — he needed to go,” Leffingwell said.

The congressman’s efforts now are better spent protecting constituents from terrorist threats that might be intercepted by the wiretapping program, Leffingwell said. “We should move forward.”

Even if it means sitting alone.

Nevada Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley voted yes on the contempt citations. Republican Rep. Dean Heller did not vote. His office did not return calls to say whether he was on the job Thursday when Republicans walked out.