Bitter recriminations between House Democrats and Republicans ripped up their recent amity Thursday, with accusations flying that opponents had hit new lows of dishonor and political chicanery.

Their fight even spilled over and tarnished the memorial service for Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Calif.), the much-loved champion of peace, human rights and civility.

Ironically, this nadir arrived just days after a cheerful scene at the White House, where party leaders celebrated President Bush’s signing of a bipartisan economic stimulus package.

Democrats and Republicans accused each other of interrupting the Lantos service after a GOP motion to adjourn the House called lawmakers to a vote during the ceremony.

An aide to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) called the motion offered by Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) “incomprehensible” and “unjustifiable” and said it showed “disrespect” to Lantos. Later on, after Diaz-Balart invoked a rarely used point of privilege to halt chamber business and defend himself, Hoyer offered a mild apology.

“I regret the actions that precipitated this hour that you’re taking occurred,” said Hoyer.

But before tensions fell to a simmer, Republicans staged a walkout to protest a vote on a contempt resolution and called for a second vote to adjourn the chamber, and each side accused the other of playing politics with Lantos’s memorial service.  

Republicans introduced their first motion to adjourn during the service in hopes of derailing a resolution finding White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers in contempt of Congress for their refusal to cooperate with a House investigation. The probe is focused on charges that several U.S. attorneys were fired for political reasons.

Republicans were incensed that Democrats had arranged the rules in such a way that they limited debate on the contempt resolution and an accompanying measure empowering the House Judiciary Committee to file a civil suit against the Bush administration for failing to comply with subpoenas. They argued they had no choice but to introduce it during the service because Democrats had begun consideration of the contempt resolution during the service.

Diaz-Balart said he could not remember any other time in his eight-term career when the House had resumed business while a memorial service was taking place in the Capitol.

The House passed the contempt measure almost entirely along party lines. Only three Republicans voted for it: Reps. Ron Paul (Texas), Walter Jones (N.C.) and Wayne Gilchrest (Md.). Rep. Henry Cuellar (Texas) was the only Democrat to vote against it.