Lawmaker lobs profanities at fellow Republicans
GEORGE F. LEE / MARCH 6, 2014
Representative Bob McDermott rallied around the students of Campbell High School at the State Capitol rotunda for their efforts to help bring air conditioning to their campus.
An angry state Rep. Bob McDermott confronted some of his fellow Republicans in a rare outburst of profanity on the state House floor Monday, demanding that his colleagues “do your (expletive) job.”
The incident began after McDermott (R, Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point) took the floor during a discussion of the state budget to complain that a request by Gov. David Ige for $30 million for a new Leeward Oahu high school had been trimmed to $15 million in the latest budget draft.
McDermott said Campbell High School is now unacceptably crowded with an enrollment that has reached 3,102 students, and reducing the amount of money budgeted for a new high school will delay the badly needed project. At the same time, money was inserted into the budget for a new high school on Maui, where Department of Education projections show the student population is declining, he said.
As McDermott was speaking, he exhausted his allotted time for floor remarks, and had to briefly stop speaking when none of his Republican colleagues acted quickly enough to surrender their allotted speaking time so McDermott could continue.
McDermott then walked around some desks to confront his fellow party members, loudly telling a colleague to “start acting like a (expletive) Republican.” In comments after the floor session, McDermott elaborated that he also told his colleagues to “do your (expletive) job.”
After a brief recess, House Speaker Joe Souki resumed the session and asked members “to respect each other and maintain decorum.” Other members of the Republican caucus volunteered their time to allow McDermott to complete his remarks.
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McDermott said after the session that his fellow Republicans should have been ready to volunteer their speaking time, but they hesitated because they did not want to upset Souki.
The leadership of the seven-member Republican caucus has gotten “cozy” with the Democrats, and “they’ve abandoned the role of loyal opposition, which is a very important role,” McDermott said.
House Minority Leader Beth Fukumoto Chang said McDermott and others in the caucus have a “fundamental disagreement” over the best way to represent their districts.
“I don’t feel like being collaborative is being a bad Republican,” said Fukumoto Chang (R, Mililani-Mililani Mauka-Waipio Acres). “I said it in my opening day remarks, I think the public is demanding that we be constructive and offer solutions and not just criticize each other, and that’s what I’ve tried to do. That’s the leadership style that I’ve chosen to take, and it sounds like some members of my caucus feel that that’s not appropriate for a Republican, but I disagree.”
47 responses to “Lawmaker lobs profanities at fellow Republicans”
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Poor McDermott throws a temper tantrum. Good role model for kids.
Kids should learn to stand up for what’s right and not just lay down for the status quo.
Kids need to learn how to effectively make their needs known and met. Temper tantrums don’t do that. Parents who enable their children to throw temper tantrums and give them what the want due to temper tantrums, just teach their children ineffective behavior and create “monsters” as adults. Maybe if McDermott wasn’t such an arrogant prick, his fellow Republicans would have allotted their speaking to him in the first place.
and swearing at someone is standing up for what’s right? Is the local GOP party going the way of the Trump-ites?
And kids should learn how to work together and be effective.
There are ways to get what McDermott wants. Screaming at your own party is not the way.
The bigger story was buried by SA – The budget for a new school was cut in half so the speaker can have those same funds diverted to his district for an un-needed school. Time fo unko Joe Fudd retire already!!! Nuff of his BS “I’m the big man hea” attitude.
He has been totally ineffective for his district and is a weird, extreme ideologue. That said, Souki pulled weight by getting the money or his district. Old man Souki has da power and the Republicans do not. Go win more elections then!
Is a legislator a role model for kids? It’s not like kids are on the floor each day of the session. I thought role models for kids are those who actually work with kids each day since the kids see and hear everything that is said and done.
McDermott has a point, Campbell high school is in desperate need and Souki is directing our limited state resources to his home island where the need is not urgent or immediate. It’s just not right. This is type of corruption 50 years of one party rule brings to the state.
“At the same time, money was inserted into the budget for a new high school on Maui, where Department of Education projections show the student population is declining, he said.”
Of course it is only a coincidence that House Speaker Souki is from Maui and Maui needs the money, not school, more than Oahu.
Oahu historically with the largest population (taxpayers) has for decades been suboptimized by the Neighbor Islands.
McDermott should not have chosen the speaker to attack. Nor should he have abused his fellow Republicans. Can he really call him self a politician?
Who wants to call themselves a “politician?”
He certainly can’t effectively advocate for his constituents when he alienates himself from everyone in the House including his own fellow Republicans. Maybe his temper tantrums make him feel lie a “big shot” and it certainly gets him lots of media attention to stroke his weak ego, but doe these tantrums and his sex obsessed arrogant behavior actually enable him to do what he was elected to do, serve his district? No.
Trump’s bullying tactics seem to work for him. Can’t say if it did work for though McDermott? Antagonize others for sure!
what a big baby
Government is supposed to be collaborative compromise. Good for Chang. However it does seem that the Leeward Oahu school should be supported. Maybe make A&B pay for their water grab. Ha, ha, oh, yea, I forgot who’s in charge…
“collaborative compromise” = thieving career politicians doing business as usual. We need more Trump-like intervention to rock the boat. Bravo McDermott.
And what does McDermott actually accomplish besides blow hot air? I bet he would be way more effective at getting those funds for the school in his district by behaving like a mature adult. Bottom line is like it or not, the Hawaii House and Senate are controlled by the Democrats. If a member of the Republican minority refuses to collaborate with the Democrats in power, then he or she is absolutely useless and advocating for his or her district. No bills can be passed without the Hawaii House Dems approval. Like or or not, that is the reality.
This is why so many people are voting for Trump – We’re sick and tired of the same old politics in this state and at least McDermott is passionate enough in his belief for the new shcool that he’ll
go after fellow republicans to get his message across.
Treating people poorly and using obscene language does not engender support or confidence in one’s maturity, professionalism, or capability to get the job done – anywhere (local or federal).
That’s why you should never vote for a republican to represent your district. Slon district always gets short end. After Gabbard switched, his district won with more money in budget for Makakilo and Kapolei. McDermott needs to be votted out for several reason. His district is getting shorted.
McDermott was out of line, but Campbell HS needs the appropriation to pay for much-needed improvements. Students shouldn’t be punished because the guy representing them is disliked by the other members of the House. Republicans are looking to have Rep. Chang as the minority leader.
What happened to the last minority leader….Aaron? Oh yeah, he “collaborated” so much that he ended up switching parties. If you vote with the democrats and carry their water you might as well drop the other shoe. McDermott has a point…if you don’t have some core principles what are you doing there?
McDermott is the point. Even members of his own party can’t work with him.
Fire McDermott. He disrespects the homeless as well as his fellow Republicans. Does he have any friends?
Red Herring of the Day. What does the homeless have to do with anything? McDermott’s fighting for school facilities for the kids in his district instead of laying down while the money is carved up by political cronies on Maui where it is not needed nearly as much as West Oahu.
I wish Rep McDermott was able to direct the same sentiments to his R colleagues in the US Senate!
Another tantrum by a self-important twit, and I’m not even talking about Donald Trump. Yeah, do your job, Bob, and STFU.
Rep McDermott is stirring up the pot just like Donald Trump. Hopefully he will have as much success as Donald Trump. Free speech is a wonderful thing. Appears only the democrats don’t like it. Speak loud and clear.
Free speech is a wonderful thing. And when you use it in a respectful manner, you often get the attention that is needed and perhaps you are able to make changes. Free speech just to be crass and a bully is a protected right, but it’s not going to get you much respect. Do you really think Donald Trump is having success? Sure, he’s stirring up the pot, but he’s not doing it in a way that will unite this country, nor build on the respect that most countries have of our President at this moment. And yes, MOST countries DO respect our President.
It’s clear Trump is the most popular republican in the country by far. I would say that’s being pretty successful.
People have a right to free speech but that doesn’t mean that others are required to listen to it. And when he is ignored, no one is violating his rights. They are just ignoring his assholism.
someone give him a snickers bar.
Ha!
Perfect candidate for a heart attack.
We should only be so lucky
He’s right based on the population projections, BUT this is not how you go about it.
Go to the press. Make your case. Use the media to shame the House Speaker and the Finance chair and vice chair. Don’t attack those who aren’t head of the finance committee. If he’s going to attack a Republican, it should be Gene Ward or Feki Pouha who are on the finance committee, but even then, both has virtually no say over the capital improvement aspect of the budget.
Not privy to the finer details on the dynamics of what resulted in this situation, but I would not be surprised that some who claim to be Republicans and in reality Republicans In Name Only (RINO’s) and thus not coordinating a united front…thus frustrating. However, got to temper this frustration with the understanding that there will be times that a “disagreement” amongst your party can occur as well as “agreement” with those across the isles. This is called a “compromise” which some may consider a profanity…but not so. Regardless, proper decorum has got to be maintained and managed by the Chair / Speaker or you’ll end up with sheer chaos…just saying.
There is no place for profanity………….be professional and don’t lose your cool.
Actually Mr. McDermott’s lines should be made into a sticker and placed at all of the legislator’s chairs. Regardless of party.
buggah get “trump fever”…. he drinking da Kool-Aid too!
Perhaps Mr. McDermott should not act like a (expletive) adolescent and start behaving like an intelligent adult professional.
That would be a major leap, considering he is only a GOP! Dud!
IT IS TRUMP MADNESS!!!!!!!!
If crowding is the issue at Campbell High School, couldn’t some of the students be given district exemptions and be allowed to enroll at nearby Waipahu High School or Kapolei High School?
Thanks, Representative McDermott, for advocating for Oahu’s needy schools!!
It’s just unfortunate that he was forced to use strong language to try to shake his fellow Republicans out of their Souki-ingratiating spineless stupor; so they might do the right thing. And Shame on House Speaker Souki for his selfish district hoarding! But when you think about it… inserting money where it’s NOT needed (and, NOT using Federal funds given free to us) is often par-for-the-course with our akamai lawmakers…