The first openly gay Republican member of the California Assembly was interrupted repeatedly by Democratic leaders on Monday, as lawmakers discussed a resolution to honor “Pride Month.”
Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Josh Lowenthal, a Democrat from Long Beach, interrupted Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio on three separate occasions to wish colleagues a happy birthday.
DeMaio was expressing disagreement with a resolution that, he said, could have simply reflected support for the LGBT community but instead included divisive and extreme language.
Lawmakers generally have five minutes of uninterrupted time on the Assembly floor to express their opinion about proposed legislation.
“What a missed opportunity,” he said. “That’s the best I can say about this resolution—a missed opportunity. The worst I can say about the resolution is that it’s inflammatory, it is dishonest, it is divisive, and it is a shame.”
DeMaio argued that the honorary resolution did not represent his constituents.
“We value, we respect, we affirm, our LGBTQ community members. That is a fact, notwithstanding some of the inflammatory rhetoric I’ve heard to the contrary,” he said.
DeMaio said he did not believe that the resolution affirmed the value of the LGBT community.
“This resolution ... goes much further than that, to endorse very controversial and extremist policy positions, which is very unique,” he said, referring to the bill’s text that supports students identifying as transgender to play on sports teams corresponding to their gender identity, rather than their sex.
As he was speaking, DeMaio was interrupted by Lowenthal, who asked the clerk to hold DeMaio’s time.
“Sorry, I have a very important announcement today,” the speaker said. “Mr. Juan Carrillo, I understand it’s your birthday today. Members, will you join me in wishing Mr. Carrillo a very happy birthday today, wishing you many happy returns, Mr. Carrillo. Enjoy your day.”
Carillo serves as a Democratic member for parts of Palmdale, Lake Los Angeles, Adelanto, and Victorville.
Lowenthal then allowed DeMaio to continue.
DeMaio thanked the speaker for holding his time and pointed out that the resolution undermined the integrity of female sports. He said that neither a majority of the LGBT community, nor of the California population in general, supports letting male students play on female sports teams, or vice versa.
“This resolution divides us when it should be uniting us,” he said.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, made headlines in March when he said on his podcast that he believes that allowing transgender-identifying male athletes to participate in girls’ sports is unfair.
As DeMaio continued to make his points, he was again interrupted.
“Mr. Demaio, just one moment, please. Just a moment,” Lowenthal said.
DeMaio can be heard asking if there is another birthday, as Lowenthal interrupts.
“Excuse me, Mr. DeMaio, just a moment,” Lowenthal said. He again asked the clerk to hold DeMaio’s time.
“Members, you'll have to forgive me,” he said.
“But, on Thursday last week, I forgot it was Damon Connolly’s birthday. Can you please join me in welcoming a very happy birthday for Mr. Damon Connolly.
“We love you. Mr. Connolly, we love you so much.”
Connolly is a Democratic member representing all of Marin County and parts of Sonoma County.
After his announcement, he once again let DeMaio continue.
“Look, all the interruptions don’t change the fact that this resolution lets down the LGBT community,” DeMaio said.
“We could have achieved a historic vote today.
“That doesn’t mean that we’re going to agree on laws like ending girls sports or taking away parents’ rights, or having a standard that a foster parent has to agree to a sex change operation.”
DeMaio called the issues “controversial positions that unfortunately are referenced and implied in this resolution.”
He was again interrupted.
“Mr. DeMaio, I’m going to have to interrupt you one more time, if you don’t mind, sir, if you wouldn’t mind waiting,” the speaker said before asking the clerk to hold DeMaio’s time.
“Members, I’m unsure if you’re aware, but tomorrow is Mr. Gipson’s birthday. Can you all join me in wishing Mr. Gipson a very, very happy birthday. Happy Birthday, Mr. Gipson. Happy birthday. We love you.”
Mike Gipson is a Democratic member representing parts of Orange County.
He then told DeMaio he had one minute and four seconds remaining, asked members for their decorum, and then asked DeMaio to continue.
“If anyone had any questions as to whether this is political theater and circus, all you had to do is watch the interruptions for birthdays, notwithstanding the fact that we celebrate your birthdays. But I think California voters of all stripes, Democrat, Republican, and in between, understand what I’m saying today is true,” DeMaio said.
“This is not about affirming the LGBTQ community. It’s about using them as a political pawn to divide us. When you had an opportunity to unite us, you chose division.”
“You’re out of order. Mr. DeMaio, you’re out of order,” the speaker said.
DeMaio paused before going on.
“We had an opportunity for a unanimous vote on a pride resolution, which would have been quite historic, quite remarkable, and yet this majority chose to take that civil rights achievement and set it aside,” he said. “I will be voting no on the contents of this resolution, not because I don’t support pride or my own community, but because I do not support division. I do not support dishonesty.”
DeMaio says the behavior on the floor was not atypical.
“It’s the way Sacramento Democrat politicians operate,” he told The Epoch Times on Wednesday, adding that they “repeatedly silence views that they don’t agree with.”
He says they had a chance to unify assembly members with the resolution.
“Instead, they played politics and they divided us, and they showed that they’re the real bullies,” he said.
The Epoch Times reached out to Lowenthal for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication.
