Chip Roy Voted ‘No’ on Rashida Tlaib Censure Resolution – Here’s Why

As RedState reported, on Wednesday evening, the House took up Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) resolution to censure Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) over her antisemitic rants and provoking of a protest (“insurrection” under J6 rules) at the Cannon Building in the U.S. Capitol Complex in the wake of the Israel-Hamas War. 

The resolution failed by a vote of 222 to 186, with 22 Republicans siding with Democrats to shoot it down. Understandably, many on the right were beyond aggravated over the seeming inability/unwillingness of Republicans to force Democrats to live by their own rules. As Bonchie observed:

Remember, censure is simply a formal condemnation of a member. It is not expulsion, though, Tlaib should be up for that as well. Yet, Republicans can’t even come together to do something that simple? What is even the point of the GOP? 
Sure, Republican politicians produce a lot of rhetoric. They say a lot of things that are supposed to make voters feel good, but when handed a lay-up, they still choose to pass the ball. Does anyone think a party that can’t do something as simple and justified as censuring Tlaib will turn around and hold the line on major spending issues?

Greene herself took to social media to call out the Republicans who voted the measure down.

List of feckless Republicans that voted WITH Democrats to table my censure resolution against Rashida Tlaib.

This is why Republicans NEVER do anything to stop the communists Democrats or ever hold anyone accountable!!

PATHETIC.

1/2 pic.twitter.com/J8cNqzdC6T

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) November 1, 2023

Some of the names on the list aren’t terribly surprising. One that stood out, however, was Chip Roy (R-TX), who is generally considered a rock-solid conservative and certainly not one to cut Tlaib or the Hamas Caucus slack over their odious stances. 

Following the vote, Roy issued a statement explaining the rationale behind his vote. 

(1/3)"Rep. Rashida Tlaib has repeatedly made outrageous remarks toward Israel and the Jewish people. Her conduct is unbecoming of a member of Congress and certainly worthy of condemnation – if not censure."

— Rep. Chip Roy Press Office (@RepChipRoy) November 2, 2023

(2/3)"However, tonight’s feckless resolution to censure Tlaib was deeply flawed and made legally and factually unverified claims, including the claim of leading an 'insurrection'."

— Rep. Chip Roy Press Office (@RepChipRoy) November 2, 2023

“Rep. Rashida Tlaib has repeatedly made outrageous remarks toward Israel and the Jewish people. Her conduct is unbecoming of a member of Congress and certainly worthy of condemnation – if not censure.
“However, tonight’s feckless resolution to censure Tlaib was deeply flawed and made legally and factually unverified claims, including the claim of leading an ‘insurrection’.
“I voted to table the resolution. In January 2021, the legal term insurrection was stretched and abused by many following the events at the Capitol.  We should not continue to perpetuate claims of ‘insurrection’ at the Capitol and we should not abuse the term now.” -Rep. Roy

This may ruffle some feathers, but I don’t necessarily disagree with Roy’s point here. Maybe it’s the legal training, but I believe that legal documents — even mere resolutions with no binding effect, but which nevertheless form part of the Congressional Record — should be precise. Short, sweet, to the point. And I do somewhat see the point of not ceding the language (and the definition of “insurrection”) to the Democrat narrative. 

That said, the true test of this stance — and that of any other members of Congress who voted against the measure due to its wording, not the underlying premise — would be to submit a more narrowly tailored measure with factual, non-argumentative language and see if that would pass. Though I suspect the House has bigger fish to fry at the moment.