House Democrat hopes Christmas season warms 'Scrooges in the House'

President Obama hosted members of Congress at the White House for a Christmas party on Monday night, and one House Democrat tweeted that he hopes "the good cheer rubs off on a few scrooges in the House."

At @whitehouse congressional holiday reception. Hope the good cheer rubs off on a few scrooges in the House. Decorations are beautiful

— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) December 4, 2012

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) was tweeting from the White House's first reception of the season. Republican leaders including House Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) and Eric Cantor (Va.) also attended.

The annual tradition takes place this year amid fiscal-cliff talks, where Republicans and Democrats are facing off over allowing rates to rise on the "top 2 percent" of earners. No politics were scheduled for the holiday event, although Connolly's tweet mirrors Obama's recent rhetoric while urging Congress to act by passing the extension of current tax rates for everyone else. 

"Every family, everybody here, you'll see your taxes go up on Jan. 1. I'm assuming that doesn't sound too good to you. That's sort of like the lump of coal you get for Christmas," Obama said last week in Pennsylvania. “That's a Scrooge Christmas.” 

Reps. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) and Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) also tweeted about the event on Monday night, and Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) tweeted a photo of the gingerbread White House.

The incredible edible White House. Appropriately placed in the dining room. twitter.com/jahimes/status…

— Jim Himes (@jahimes) December 4, 2012

A 300-pound gingerbread model of the White House has become an Obama tradition, and was a conversation-starter with members of Congress at last year's party as well.

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