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Boehner to Oppose Wilson Resolution

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) will vote against a rebuke of Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) for shouting, “You lie!— at President Barack Obama during the president’s joint address to Congress last week, he said in a statement Monday.

“Last Thursday, Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi [D-Calif.] said that she believed it was time to move on and discuss health care,— Boehner said. “I couldn’t agree more, and that’s why I plan to vote no on this resolution. Instead of pursuing this type of petty partisanship, we should be working together to lower costs and expand access to affordable, high-quality health coverage on behalf of the American people.—

Boehner’s comments come as Democratic leaders plan to move forward Tuesday with the motion of disapproval, which is a less serious punishment than a formal censure or reprimand.

Nonetheless, even motions of disapproval are rare, especially because Members who breach the House’s rules of decorum usually apologize quickly on the House floor.

In this case, however, Wilson has refused to heed the calls of Democratic leaders to formally apologize to his fellow House Members, contending that his mea culpa to the White House was sufficient. Since then, Wilson has appealed for campaign cash in a YouTube video, warning he will not be “muzzled— on the issue of health care for illegal immigrants. Wilson has become a hero to some on the right and a villain to the left. Both Wilson and his Democratic challenger, Rob Miller, have raised more than $1 million since the incident.

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