A federal judge has made a groundbreaking ruling which deals a major blow to former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. On December 23, 2022, the House of Representatives, led by Pelosi, passed a $1.7 trillion federal budget which was hailed as Pelosi’s “final major achievement” as speaker.
However, U.S. District Court Judge James Wesley Hendrix has now ruled that the passing of this budget was unconstitutional due to members of the House not being present for the vote.
Hendrix, who was appointed to his position by former President Donald Trump, stated that Pelosi violated the Constitution by allowing members to vote without physically being at the Capitol. This decision by Hendrix is a major blow to Pelosi, as at the time of the budget’s passing, it was almost three months behind schedule and was rushed through with only 225 out of 426 members in attendance.
Furthermore, Hendrix’s ruling only blocks two provisions of the budget from being enforced, one of which would have provided $20 million to fund services for illegal immigrants during their immigration removal proceedings. This specific provision of the budget was allowed to stand, as Hendrix ruled that Texas did not have standing to attack it.
However, Hendrix did side with Texas in blocking the enforcement of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which would have required employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant employees. He stated that the Department of Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission were not allowed to enforce this law against the state government of Texas.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton praised the ruling, stating that Pelosi had “abused proxy voting” under the guise of COVID-19 in order to pass this budget. He went on to say that this was a “stunning violation of the rule of law” and that he is “relieved” that the court upheld the Constitution.
In his 120-page opinion, Hendrix harshly criticized the proxy voting system, stating that it went against over 235 years of consistent practice and allowed a minority of members to pass legislation that affects the entire nation. He also pointed out that the Constitution’s Quorum Clause requires a majority of members to be present in order to pass legislation, and that the use of proxy voting allowed members who were indisputably absent to be counted in the quorum.
Hendrix’s ruling is a major victory for the Constitution and the rule of law. It reaffirms the importance of physical presence in Congress and ensures that the voices of all members are heard when passing crucial legislation. This serves as a lesson to politicians like Pelosi who attempt to circumvent the Constitution for their own agendas.
Pelosi’s “final major achievement” as Speaker of the House has been struck down by a federal judge, highlighting the importance of following the Constitution and upholding the principles of democracy. Pelosi’s actions have been deemed unconstitutional, proving that she is not above the law. This ruling serves as a reminder to all government officials that the Constitution is the backbone of our nation, and it must be obeyed and upheld at all times..