A thin Reed of an excuse
Exactly at 2 p.m. on May 10, the House of Representatives convened, starting a new legislative day, with upstate Rep. Tom Reed sitting in the front row of a mostly empty chamber. After the chaplain’s prayer, Pledge of Allegiance and Senate message began the one-minute speeches. Reed was up seventh, right after a tribute to the centennial of Northern Michigan’s F.O. Barden & Son Lumber in Boyne City. “For what purpose does the gentleman from New York seek recognition?” Speaker pro tempore Ritchie Torres, the Bronxite manning the gavel, asked Reed. “I seek unanimous consent to address the House for one minute,” responded Reed. “Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute.” It was 2:15.
Republican Reed then resigned, “Mr. Speaker, after almost12yearsinCongress,todayismylastday,”recounting the honor of serving, thanking his colleagues, family and constituents. He concluded: “I humbly bid farewell and submit my resignation as a Member of the House. I wish you all Godspeed,” as he departed amid handshakes and hugs. Four other one-minute speeches followed.
Late that night, after a day of lawmaking and renaming 10 Post Offices, Speaker pro tempore Torres said, “The chair lays before the House the communications:” whereas the clerk read Reed’s resignation letter: “The Honorable, the Speaker, House of Representatives: Madam, I hereby submit my resignation, effective this day, May 10, 2022, as United States Representative of the 23rd District of the State of New York. Enclosed please find a copy of the letter I have submitted to New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul. Sincerely, Tom Reed.” It was 11:08:10 p.m., according to the Office of the Clerk, which notes May 10 as Reed’s final day.
The proceedings were live on C-SPAN and fully documented in the House Journal and Congressional Record, yet Hochul claims that Reed didn’t quit until he wrote to New York’s Department of State weeks later. The fiction was needed so Hochul could make the special election coincide with scheduled primaries, due to a terrible law severely constraining special election timing. Fix this law.