House To Investigate Bruce Incident, GOP Condemns New Member's Actions: "It Is Not The House Of Bruce"

"This is the House of Representatives. It is not the House of Bruce"--said an angry House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker

The expected fallout from the Douglas Bruce saga begins (9NEWS has video of Romanoff and May discussing the Bruce incident):

House Speaker Andrew Romanoff and House Minority Leader Mike May this morning announced the creation of a special committee to investigate Rep. Doug Bruce's kicking of a Rocky Mountain News photographer on Monday.

Bruce this morning called his swift kick more of a "nudge or a tap" but said the House leaders are "entitled to have any committee about any incident that they want."

Romanoff told reporters that he has reviewed a tape of the incident, spoken with Bruce and conveyed his apology on behalf of the House to Rocky Editor, Publisher and President John Temple.

"This is a very troubling development, and I think it warrants further examination, and I think we're both looking forward to the recommendations of the committee before we proceed," Romanoff said.

As John Andrews says, "Deliver us, please, from such friends." Other GOP members felt the same:

"This is the House of Representatives. It is not the House of Bruce," said an angry House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker.

House leaders were seeking legal advice on how to investigate the kicking incident, perhaps by convening a panel.

"This won't go unanswered," May said, noting he didn't think chamber rules stated anything specific about kicking. "It's almost incomprehensible that this has happened on the House floor."

Finally, Colorado GOP Chairman Dick Wadhams also denounces Bruce's behavior that diminishes the GOP and his own fiscal reform record:

Having said all that, as the state chairman of Colorado Republicans I must strongly denounce the behavior of State Representative Douglas Bruce.

Representative Bruce’s reputation as a fiscal reformer was terribly tarnished by his refusal to be sworn in last week when the Colorado General Assembly opened because he wanted to guarantee he could potentially serve a full four terms.

House Speaker Andrew Romanoff was absolutely right in not according Representative Bruce the special consideration of being sworn in before the entire House of Representatives.

I am especially proud and appreciative of House Republican Leader Mike May for having the House Republican Caucus vote almost unanimously, 22 to 1, to declare the seat vacant if Representative Bruce refused to be sworn in yesterday. House Republican Leader May and the House Republican Caucus made Colorado Republicans proud with their leadership.

Representative Bruce was absolutely wrong in literally kicking a Rocky Mountain News photographer on the floor of the House. Representative Bruce does owe that photographer and the entire House of Representatives an apology.

Advice to Bruce--suck it up, be a man, and apologize for this crazy outburst.

Exit question--why does Bruce go crazy on the photographer while simultaneously being videotaped by CBS4's camera? If it is rude to be captured in photos while praying, why does filming catch a break?