ShareThisOKLAHOMA CITY - A freshman Republican lawmaker has owned up to removing the portrait of President Barack Obama that hangs in the Oklahoma House chamber, saying he did so "to bring levity to what was otherwise a very contentious day."
What it did, though, was cause even more contention.
"Why are you guys making such a big deal about something that was just a joke?" asked state Rep. Lewis Moore in a telephone interview. "It was totally to kind of ease the pressure off of what was otherwise kind of a really nasty day. It wasn't meant in any harm whatsoever."
Moore, of Arcadia, said he switched the Democratic president's portrait with the portrait of Gov. Brad Henry last Thursday, the deadline for House-generated measures to be advanced to the Senate and before a measure critical of Obama's health care reform efforts came up on the floor.
"I moved the pictures," Moore said in a statement Tuesday, which he said was requested by House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa. "I apologize if my intent was misinterpreted."
Rep. Mike Shelton, D-Oklahoma City, who brought up the portrait switching as he debated against a measure that would let Oklahomans decide whether to opt out of any proposed federal health care reform plan, said he wasn't moved by Moore's statement.
"It just seemed a half-hearted attempt, more of an intentional swipe at the president rather than just humbling himself saying he's sorry and he messed up," Shelton said. "He decided he wanted to take a political stand once again in his apology."
Shelton said Moore should apologize from the House floor.
"It's a sign of disrespect that has never been seen in the House of Representatives to my knowledge," Shelton said.
Moore, elected in 2008, said he did not apologize for his position "against federal health care and against the liberal policies coming from the Obama administration, which was the sole motivation for moving the picture. I absolutely respect the office of the president, but disagree vehemently with our current president's policies."
Shelton, a member of the House black caucus, said he is not sure that Moore was the only one to have moved the president's portrait. The portrait had been swapped with Henry's portrait for several days earlier this session, he said, and he has asked House Speaker Chris Benge investigate.
Rep. Scott Inman, D-Del City, the designated Democratic leader for the 2011 session, also said Moore should apologize from the House floor and that Benge should make available security camera footage that should show any portrait swapping.
"This type of childish behavior has no place in the Oklahoma House of Representatives," Inman said. "It's our position that Rep. Moore needs to apologize from the same location in which his actions occurred."
Shelton said Thursday a House Republican had moved Obama's portrait because it appeared in the background when the lawmaker spoke during Internet broadcasts of House sessions. This is the first year action in the House chamber is being shown on the Internet.
Moore said he apologized to Shelton on Thursday after the health care measure, House Joint Resolution 1054, passed.
"I sat down with him and talked to him and said, 'Hey, I did not mean for that to be ugly by any stretch,'" Moore said.
After the incident, the House speaker ordered that each portrait be secured to the back wall in the House chamber. They have been bolted to the wall.
Benge said he feels the incident is over.
"I have stated this is a matter we will handle internally, and it has been handled," he said. "There has been no conspiracy or criminal activity committed. The pictures have been permanently affixed to the House chamber walls and I have made it abundantly clear that members are not to touch any photos or art in the chamber."
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
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