Stenographer snaps, rants on House floor
Updated: 2:06 p.m. ET, 10/17/2013
Washington (CNN) – Amid all the chaos of the last-minute deal in Washington, there was an unusual moment on the House floor moments after the bill passed.
A House stenographer and well-known employee calmly took to a microphone and began screaming.
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"Do not be deceived. God shall not be mocked. A House divided cannot stand," she said, according to a House GOP aide. After a few seconds, she was escorted out by the Sergeant-at-Arms, but an audio recording by Todd Zwillich of Public Radio International captured the rest of her rant.
"He will not be mocked, He will not be mocked, (don't touch me) He will not be mocked. The greatest deception here, is that this is not one nation under God. It never was. Had it been... it would not have been... No. it would not have been... the Constitution would not have been written by Free Masons... and go against God. You cannot serve two masters. You cannot serve two masters. Praise be to God, Lord Jesus Christ."
House members and aides were surprised and unsettled by the scene.
"I don't know, she just snapped," said a GOP aide.
CNN's Dana Bash spoke with several staffers who knew the woman well.
"She’s a well-known person, she’s a perfectly nice person, a good colleague, somebody who’s respectable and dependable, and this is very surprising to everybody who works with her," Bash reported on air.
"The Sergeant in Arms didn’t try to stop her because she works there and that’s where she’s situated," Rep. Peter King, R-New York, told Jake Tapper. "And she actually went up behind the podium where the president speaks from. They thought she was going to hand something to the speaker, and then they realized."
Officer Shennell S. Antrobus of Capitol Police told CNN she wasn’t arrested or charged and was transported to a local area hospital by DC Fire for further evaluation.
In terms of an ongoing investigation or further action about the stenographer, Antrobus said no such action will be taken.
"There is nothing more, from our end, that we are going to do," Antrobus said.
–CNN’s Deirdre Walsh, Steve Brusk, Dan Merica and Conor Finnegan contributed to this report.
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just another example why church and state should always be separate. amen....
gee, some normal person snapped after being bullied by B.O. for 5 years and ALL politician for all their lives? What do these people think we are? Is it so hard to believe if they don't behave, more or ALL will snap. Their word games can't hold back the tide of the people's will like twigs can't hold the flood. BEHAVE and remember the ultimate cost of your corruption will be your soul. vengeance isn't ours, but we take comfort in that it's coming for those who bully the people for their own good no matter how they justify it.
That was the power of God's Holy Spirit and its not acknowlege in that arena. But she's an ambassodore for the Lord! You're gonna see more representatives Jesus taking a stance around the beltway which is uncommon but we're at that time!
She was just expressing the feelings of the American People!!
The events taking place in the pit of vipers called the House of Representatives is enough to make anyone snap. I feel bad for this lady and her family, if she has any.
But Bachman does essentially the same thing and nobody bats an eye.
Hope they took her straight to the looney bin, which is where she belongs.
I was just discussing this with my wife last night before hearing about this. The House/Senate/Congress support staff must be at wits end listening the constant bickering. I wonder how many hours of sleep she's had in the past fortnight.
This is just how I knew the beginning of the end days would begin, or end . . .
GOPer goes off the deep end?! You don't say!
We all get overwhelmed by life sometimes. I hope she can work through this and resume her job as normal, assuming that;s what she wants.
I can't blame her, working for these people, I think I would lose it too!
Change 'God' to 'Allah' and it would be something you hear in the middle east. How are we not becoming a radicalized theocracy?
Another psychotic religious fanatic? Say it ain't so! BTW, someone needs to clue this woman in. The ONLY "master" Congress is supposed to be serving is the American People. Fictional storybook characters don't even enter into it, yet she claims they're in charge! Yikes. No wonder Congress can't get anything done!
When I watch the news and get too emotional frustrated with politics, I can shut the TV off. This stenographer's words might not represnt what all American's feel, but I believe her level of frustration reflects a lot of America. They are bringing her for a mental evaluation, but I don't think she needs one. She might be the only sane one in the room. I don't think most of the politicians realize the level of frustration the American's are feeling.
More whack jobs in our government. Religous nutjobs go away.
It's no wonder she snapped. Look at the clowns she has to work with.
Kudos to having the courage to rant on the house floor. Epic fail for using the golden opportunity to perpetuate religious myths.
If I had to listen and write down everything those idiots said, I'd snap too!
Two sandwiches short of a picnic.
Give me that old time religion! More proof of religion's power to destabilize the mind.
I think the GOP has their next presidential candidate.
The Tea Party's final words on the debt ceiling debate!
She spoke the Truth. More power to her!
At least she didn't start shouting "I'm cuckoo for cocoa puffs", although there seems to be a screw loose somewhere.