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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Goodness gracious. Someone has been taking the bible way too seriously.
Nothing is wrong with this poor woman whom I sympathize with. What she was subjected to for the past 16 days would drive anyone nuts. This is the effect the GOP have on poor people. They are a Godless bunch.
Instead of the stenographer, they should have hospitalized Ted Cruz and the Tea Party Congressmen who threatened the livelihood of a million federal employees and brought our nation to the brink of financial disaster. I'm sure there are plenty of Americans who would love to have access to that mic and tell the House what they really think. Anyone up for Open Mic Night?
The deception is being unmasked and the end is near. They are planning their final strategy and we are all in big trouble. We've let our country slip thorugh our fingers and the future generations will suffer now because of it.
"They're coming to take me away, ha ha!"
The deception is being unmasked and the end is near. They are planning their final strategy and we are all in big trouble. We've let our country slip through our fingers and the future generations will suffer now because of it.
She spoke the truth. What they did tells us they do not know.
She did not snap. After witnissing the rukus in the House, she was stating the truth. The fact is a house divided cannot stand. Give that woman a bonus, and release her from the hospital right now.
Whatevs. The Truth is Out There but don't be surprised if it ends up being pretty boring.
She'll be able to get a job elsewhere.
Good for her! We need to support anyone who is willing to take a respectful stand – whether we agree or not, for what they believe in.
Her third eye opened and she wanted to enlighten the people of the phukery going on in the house.
There's no telling when religion will make "seemingly" ordinary people snap and rant.
Finally, a sane and intelligent voice on the House floor.
Another wacko. That's what happen when you are around the GOP for too long.
Wow! There is hope in the House afterall. This stenographer makes more sense than the cronies that run the joint. She gets my vote! Praise be to Jesus Christ!
Biblical warning.
sheesh... they're all nut cases in that chamber.
Another Republican/Tea Party that went off the deep end.
She was the only sane one in the room.
Everyone in Congress has snapped, she just chose to do it more openly
That is a Grade A crack up! Off we go to the funny farm...
WHAT!! This IS NOT a Christian country? What about the Treaty of Tripoli?
Good warning. You cannot serve two masters. God should not be mocked. A house divided cannot stand. And Jesus does deserve praise.
Of course CNN wont air the crystal clear audio that came from this...
It is clear this woman snapped in her job. This woman needs some time in a mental institution. She lost her ability to do her job professionally, and should have known better than to do that. Maybe rest, therapy and medications will bring her back to her job, but I doubt it.