Republican lawmakers have been buzzing about Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.’s (D-Ill.) recent floor antics.
During the last few weeks’ appropriations votes, he stood at the Democrats’ desk, jumping up and down, giving the thumbs — way — up sign, yelling to members how they should vote on amendments and, at times, talking excitedly into his Bluetooth earpiece — against House floor rules.
Is he pining for leadership? Is he on the whip team? Is he standing in for Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.)? And just whom is he speaking to by phone? Outside groups, the Speaker’s office, the whip’s floor director?
“He was on the floor last night at the Democrat desk yelling his head off,” one GOP aide said. “It’s a very peculiar tactic to whip votes ... especially by someone that [the Speaker] didn’t put on the Dem whip team.”
Jackson freely admitted he’s not a member of the exclusive whip team and said he doesn’t want to be. According to him, he’s a volunteer, a whip without portfolio. As a concerned member of the caucus who sits on three appropriations subcommittees, he took it upon himself to assist the whip team during several recent votes on spending bills. He assumed the role after witnessing some confused Democrats voting against majority-supported bills after voting no on a long run of Republican amendments by anti-spending conservatives such as Reps. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.).
More than a dozen Democrats mistakenly helped vote down a recent Democratic amendment to the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development spending bill sponsored by Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), Jackson said. The bill went down by a slim margin, 207–220.
“We’re losing some substantive Democratic amendments because we are not getting our message out — [those managing the bills] are not being loud enough for our members to hear,” Jackson said. “I’m just echoing what they’re saying, but communicating it in a loud enough way so people can know what to do.”
Jackson’s allies argue he has provided a much-needed harder edge to Clyburn’s lower-key style.
“There’s been a few of us who have gone to the whip to see if he would be willing to make this permanent — to create a new position,” Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) said. “We could use a jackhammer or a floor leader. But [Jackson] isn’t interested.”
Clyburn said he has tried to recruit the Jackson to the whip team, but the kinetic 30-something hasn’t bitten because if he accepted the offer, he would be forced to raise more money for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Jackson said he shunned the extra fundraising duties because he already has little evening time with his young family, including a 3-year-old daughter.
Many members of the whip team are expected to reel in at least $250,000 for the DCCC to support reelection efforts.
Clyburn has increased pressure on his assistant whips by donating $600,000 to the DCCC this year, the most of any other member including Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and top committee chairmen.
“There are these enhanced and increased DCCC dues requirements so I have refused to accept a title,” Jackson said. “If offered, I will not serve.”
Jackson said he gets annoyed at the time it takes some members to reach the floor to vote, especially during the late hours the House has been keeping lately. He said he has missed only two votes during his 13 years as a member, and for short, successive votes, it shouldn’t be take members longer than two minutes.
“Those two minutes are your time,” he said. “After two minutes, it’s my daughter’s time.”
To prove he is not working against the whip team, Jackson grabbed Clyburn from the Speaker’s lobby.
“You don’t have a problem with anything I’m doing, do you?” he asked.
Clyburn responded with a big grin.
“He’s very helpful,” Clyburn said of Jackson. “I was about to give him a formal role, but he wouldn’t take it.”
At one point, Jackson had to call out Clyburn’s name, along with a number of other Democratic members, because he had yet to vote and the clock was ticking.
“Eventually the Republicans will end up doing the same thing,” Cleaver said. “Once they see that we have fewer mistakes and fewer people missing votes.”
In many ways, it’s a matter of efficiency, Cleaver said. Whip staffers usually cluster around a computer during votes and monitor who’s voted and who hasn’t. When they realize who’s missing, they run out to the Speaker’s lobby or the balcony to find the members. Jackson has started to keep track of the missing members and bellows out their names with his best “preacher’s voice.” Members have an incentive to pay attention because they don’t want their name called.
“He’s a lawyer, which helps him digest the legislation, and then he is sure of himself to the point where he commands attention and respect,” Cleaver said. “It’s a great new development.”
What about talking on the phone while on the House floor?
According to House rules, “A person may not smoke or use a wireless telephone or personal computer on the floor of the House. The Sergeant-at-Arms is charged with the strict enforcement of this clause.”
Jackson’s chief of staff, Kenneth Edmonds, was a bit cagey when asked about the apparent violation of House rules.
“He keeps that earpiece on his ear all the time,” Edmonds said. “Even when he’s receiving a call, he tries to abide by House rules and leave the chamber.”
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