Tea party stance gets Pence snubbed by legislature

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) ran into some trouble in his home state legislature yesterday.

Home for recess, Pence was making the rounds at the Capitol when Minority Leader Brian Bosma (R) asked Pence if he’d like to address the state House of Representatives.

Pence agreed, and Bosma asked House Speaker Pat Bauer (D) to recognize Pence. That’s when the trouble began.

“Leader Bosma took the Congressman down there and asked Speaker [Pat] Bauer for permission to introduce him, and the speaker said no,” said an aide to Pence.

It’s been a longstanding tradition for the legislature to recognize members of Indiana’s Congressional delegation. Rep. Barron Hill (D-Ind.) addressed the legislature earlier this month.

But this time, the Speaker wouldn’t have it.

“He just said, it’s not gonna happen,” said one Republican legislative aide.

Bauer’s office did not immediately return a request for comment. But the Speaker suggested to WTHR 13 in Indianapolis that Pence’s pro-tea party stance made him unwelcome.

“What if I wanted to walk into Congress one day and he had a rally attacking Congress and attacking members and oh, by the way, I would like to say a few words?” Bauer said.

Bosma wasn’t having it. He introduced Pence against the Speaker’s wishes.

“From where he was at the podium, [Bosma] just introduced him right on the spot,” said a legislative aide who was present at the time. “He said ‘ladies and gentlemen, I’ve been told I can’t introduce Mike Pence but I’m going to do it anyway.'” Pence received lengthy applause.

Though the Speaker claimed there wasn’t time for Pence to speak, the legislature recessed for over three hours that afternoon during the tea party protest outside the Capitol.

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