• The House voted 215-207 to table a GOP-led resolution to censure Rep. LaMonica McIver over federal charges.
• Democrats unanimously opposed the censure, joined by five Republicans, while two GOP lawmakers voted present.
• McIver, facing trial in November, called the effort a partisan attempt to silence her voice in Congress.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — The House narrowly voted to table a resolution targeting LaMonica McIver, a New Jersey Democrat facing federal charges, in a move that underscored both partisan rancor and intraparty hesitation. By a tally of 215-207, the chamber declined to proceed with a GOP-backed censure effort that would have removed McIver from her post on a committee overseeing immigration and national security.

A Divisive Floor Scene

The resolution, sponsored by Clay Higgins of Louisiana, accused McIver of assaulting and obstructing federal immigration officers during a congressional visit to a Newark detention facility. As the measure was read aloud, tempers flared. Some Democrats shouted “liar” and “shame,” while Republicans began filing out of the chamber before the vote was complete. The Democratic caucus erupted in cheers once the final tally was announced, with hugs exchanged across the aisle.

The sharp divide reflected both party loyalty and questions over whether Congress should intervene while McIver’s trial, scheduled for November, remains unresolved.

McIver’s Defiance

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After the vote, McIver struck a tone of defiance on social media.

“The censure attempt against me has failed. Rightfully so. It was a baseless, partisan effort to shut me up,” she wrote. “I was not elected to play political games—I was elected to serve. I won’t back down. Not now. Not ever.”

The remarks cemented her strategy of framing the resolution as a political attack rather than a reflection of the pending indictment.

Allegations and Evidence

The resolution recounted federal prosecutors’ claims that McIver physically confronted Homeland Security Investigations officials by slamming her forearm into an officer and forcibly grabbing him during the Newark visit. It cited body camera and video evidence said to corroborate the allegations. McIver has pleaded not guilty and maintains her actions were lawful oversight in her capacity as a legislator.

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Republican critics, however, expressed dismay at the vote’s outcome. Byron Donalds of Florida voiced frustration: “We have a member of Congress who assaulted an ICE officer. I don’t even know what we’re doing anymore.” Donalds also admitted he was unsure why several Republicans broke ranks to side with Democrats in tabling the motion.

Retaliation Politics

In a sign of escalating tit-for-tat measures, Democrats moved ahead of the McIver vote with a censure resolution aimed at Cory Mills, a Florida Republican accused by a former beauty pageant titleholder of threatening to release intimate images after a failed relationship. While the allegations remain contested, the resolution signaled Democrats’ intent to mirror Republican efforts and underscore the political risks of weaponizing censure.

Broader Implications

The episode reflects the growing use of censure as a partisan instrument rather than a rare disciplinary measure reserved for extraordinary misconduct. For Republicans, the vote exposed fractures over strategy, as some members appeared reluctant to discipline a colleague before a legal verdict. For Democrats, the outcome not only shielded McIver but also showcased a united front at a moment of vulnerability for their party.

The rejection of the McIver censure resolution leaves both her political fate and legal standing to the courts. But the spectacle highlighted how discipline in Congress is increasingly wielded as a political weapon, raising questions about whether future censures will carry real weight—or simply further deepen partisan divides.

Is censure becoming just another tool in Washington’s partisan wars, stripped of its historic moral force?

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