House Appropriations Chairman Dave Obey (D-Wis.) said Friday he canceled meetings with a New Orleans delegation because a Louisiana lawmaker had defied party leadership on a procedural vote the night before.

And he’s warning others who do the same thing that they’ll get the same treatment.

“I announced yesterday in caucus that anybody who wants to routinely vote against the leadership on procedural grounds, don’t ask me to see their visiting firemen when they’re in town.”

Obey said a story in Friday’s edition of The Hill, based on reports from sources and Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-La.), incorrectly stated which vote led to his canceling of a meeting with the New Orleans delegation. Obey said he was upset with Melancon’s Tuesday night vote against a procedural motion on a House ethics bill.

Obey eventually did hold the meeting.

Since winning back the House, Democrats have struggled with how to enforce party discipline on procedural votes. Republicans have flummoxed them with tactics called “motions to recommit” that kill or amend priority Democratic bills. Usually, such tactics force Democrats from conservative districts to take tough votes on issues like gun rights or national security.

Obey’s declaration might put fear in the hearts of some members of the Democratic caucus over defying leadership on procedural votes, because a meeting with the appropriations chairman is important to constituents when they’re visiting from a local congressman’s home district.

The lack of discipline was evident Tuesday night when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) nearly lost a procedural vote needed to get to the final vote on the plan to create an independent ethics office.

She won it 207-206, but only after holding the vote open for more than 10 minutes to convince several members to change their votes. Melancon was one of 18 Democrats who voted against the leadership on the procedural vote, called “ordering the previous question.” The ethics legislation itself passed 229-182 after surviving the procedural vote.

The Democratic tactics drew cries of hypocrisy from Republicans, who noted that Democrats pledged to end the practice of holding votes open to secure victories, which had been common when Republicans ran the chamber.

Obey said he did not care how members voted on the ethics measure itself, nor did he care how members voted on a privileged resolution by House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) seeking an investigation of leadership’s conduct rounding up votes for the Tuesday night procedural vote.

Melancon was the only Democrat who supported Boehner’s motion, and he said he supported it mistakenly. Obey said he talked to Melancon on the floor Wednesday. He said Melancon thought Obey was angry about the vote in favor of Boehner’s resolution, but he’s not.

“People can vote however they want on ethics,” Obey said. “But there are minimal dues we pay in this place. You get your seat from your district. You get your committee assignment from your party.”