House Rejects Effort to Censure LaMonica McIver

The House has rejected a resolution to censure Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver and remove her from a committee that oversees immigration and national security as she faces federal charges stemming from a visit to an immigration detention facility. The House voted 215-207 to table the measure on Wednesday, a sign that some were uncomfortable moving forward with censure while McIver's case is still pending in the courts, the AP reports. A trial in the New Jersey lawmaker's case has been scheduled for November.

Democratic lawmakers unanimously voted to table the resolution, which was sponsored by Republican Rep. Clay Higgins. Five Republicans joined them and two others voted present. As the resolution was being read, some Democrats were incensed. "Liar," some shouted. "Shame," yelled one Democratic lawmaker. Many Republicans streamed out of the chamber before the vote concluded. Democrats cheered and hugged at the final tally's reading.

• "The censure attempt against me has failed. Rightfully so. It was a baseless, partisan effort to shut me up," McIver wrote on social media after the vote. "I was not elected to play political games—I was elected to serve. I won't back down. Not now. Not ever."

• Republicans sought to punish McIver for a confrontation with federal law enforcement during a congressional visit to a new immigration detention facility in Newark. McIver has pleaded not guilty to federal charges accusing her of assaulting and interfering with immigration officers outside the facility.
• The censure resolution recounted how McIver is alleged to have interfered with Homeland Security Investigations officials' ability to arrest an unauthorized visitor. It said she is alleged to have slammed her forearm into the body and forcibly grabbed an HSI officer. The resolution also said body camera and other video evidence supported the allegations made in the federal indictment.
• Some Republicans expressed dismay with the outcome of the vote. "We have a member of Congress who assaulted an ICE officer. I don't even know what we're doing anymore," said Rep. Byron Donalds. He said he did not know why some Republicans broke ranks to back the motion to table the censure resolution.
• Democrats retaliated just hours before the McIver vote with a censure resolution of their own against Republican Rep. Cory Mills, who has been accused by a beauty pageant titleholder of threatening to release intimate videos and private images of her after she ended their romantic relationship.