Democrat Delegate Has Mic Cut After Throwing Tantrum During Speaker Vote

U.S. Virgin Islands Delegate Stacey Plaskett voiced strong objections on Friday regarding the nonvoting status of the Virgin Islands and other U.S. territories, sparking mixed reactions when she asserted that the United States has a “colonies problem” during remarks delivered on the House floor.

The incident occurred after Plaskett, a Democrat, stood up following the first roll call vote to raise what she referred to as a parliamentary inquiry, according to Fox News.

Plaskett questioned the House clerk, asking why delegates from territories such as the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia were barred from voting in the election for House Speaker, despite being fully aware of the established rules.

She emphasized that these delegates represent around four million Americans, including what she described as “the largest per capita of veterans in this country.”

As Republican members of the House shouted “order!” in the background, the House clerk responded by explaining that delegates-elect and resident commissioners-elect do not have the authority to participate in the vote for House Speaker.

“Representatives-elect are the only individuals qualified to vote in the election of a speaker, as provided in Section 36 of the House Rules and Manual,” clarified the clerk.

Plaskett’s frustration was evident in her impassioned response: “This body, and this nation, has a territories and a colonies problem,” she stated, prompting some Democrats to rise in a standing ovation, while Republicans jeered.

“What was supposed to be temporary has now effectively become permanent,” she continued. “We must do something about this problem.”

Shortly after, her microphone appeared to be cut off, seemingly to put an end to her remarks, Fox News reported.

WATCH:

Plaskett has been serving as the non-voting delegate for the U.S. Virgin Islands since 2015, during which time the House has elected seven different speakers.

The United States oversees five key inhabited territories—Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands—in addition to the District of Columbia, which is a federal district rather than a state. While residents of these territories are U.S. citizens, except in American Samoa where they are U.S. nationals, they lack full voting representation in Congress.

Each territory and the District of Columbia elects a non-voting delegate or resident commissioner to the House of Representatives. Although these delegates can introduce bills, participate in debates, and serve on committees, they are prohibited from voting on the final passage of legislation or key decisions like the election of the Speaker.

Before Friday’s vote, President-elect Donald Trump expressed his full support for Johnson’s reelection as House Speaker.

“Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Following his victory in the 2024 presidential election, Trump posted, “We are the Party of COMMON SENSE, a primary reason that we WON, in a landslide, the magnificent and historic Presidential Election of 2024. ALL SEVEN SWING STATES, 312 ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES, AND THE POPULAR VOTE BY MILLIONS OF VOTERS (Despite large scale voter fraud taking place in numerous states, including California, where votes are ridiculously still being counted, or under review!), ALL WON WITH EASE, CALM, & PROFESSIONALISM.”

He continued, “Republicans are being praised for having run a ‘legendary’ campaign! Democrats are being excoriated for their effort, having wasted 2.5 Billion Dollars, much of it unaccounted for, with some being used to illegally buy endorsements ($11,000,000 to Beyoncé, who never even sang a song, $2,000,000 to Oprah for doing next to nothing, and even $500,000 to Reverend AL, a professional con man and instigator, who agreed to ‘interview’ their ‘star spangled’ candidates, Kamala and Joe). We ran a flawless campaign, having spent FAR LESS, with lots of money left over.”