Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legislative Ethics topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pennsylvania speaker recounts near‑physical confrontation on House floor
Summary
Pennsylvania Speaker McClintock said a debate on converting automatic guns escalated into a threatened physical altercation, deputies cleared the aisles, and she repeatedly used the gavel to restore order; she called the episode 'embarrassing' and said the clip went viral.
Speaker McClintock described an episode on the Pennsylvania House floor during debate over a measure related to converting automatic weapons, saying a member of the minority party "lurched at" a colleague and deputies had to clear the aisles to restore order. "I had to keep gaveling and keep gaveling," she said, adding that the scene was "ugly" and later played repeatedly online.
McClintock said she asked members why they had taken their seats and warned that conduct meriting crimes would result in arrest on the floor. She framed the incident as a breach of professional conduct and said viral circulation of the clip prompted many constituents to ask what had occurred. The account was given as the speaker's recollection; the session did not include additional corroborating materials or police action beyond statements that deputies intervened to clear the aisles.
McClintock also used the exchange to urge broader norms of leadership and civility in legislatures, telling attendees that leaders should host bipartisan breakfasts and work to reduce social-media toxicity that encourages escalation.
