Colorado House Votes 62-1 To Censure Bruce

**Update: "Representative Bruce, you're not Jimmy Stewart, this is not a 1939 movie. This is today. Your actions were wrong"--Rep. Al White (R-Hayden)

"I categorically state I did not violate the order and decorum of the House"--Douglas Bruce, who issued a statement (pdf) following today's censure vote

Douglas Bruce, appropriately kicked to the curb by his peers:

The Colorado House voted 62-1 today to censure Rep. Douglas Bruce for kicking a Rocky photographer on the House floor last week.

Bruce stood on the side of the chamber, not in the well as could have been required, as the censure was read aloud this morning.

The censure rebuked him for violating the House decorum and "ordinary standards of decency," by using physical force against Javier Manzano as the photographer crouched before the standing Bruce during the ceremonial morning prayer.

It was the first censure in the 131-year history of the Colorado legislature.

"We need to lead by example," said Rep. Steve King, R-Grand Junction, co-chair of the committee that recommended censure.

"Violence can not be tolerated in this house."

Bruce was unfazed by his colleagues' decision and remained defiant:

Bruce remained unrepentant, blaming Manzano for provoking his "nudge" by refusing to heed the lawmaker's demand not to photograph him during the prayer.

"This resolution is the real overreaction to the nudge of a unruly photographer ... who broke his promise that he would not interrupt my participation in the prayer."

According to Bruce, first it was a "tap", now just a "nudge".

Exit question: what will Bruce do for an encore?

Doug Bruce Draws Censure Recommendation, Criticizes Denver Media As Too "Aggressive"

Boo hoo:

Rep. Douglas Bruce (R-Colorado Springs) tells YOUR SHOW he does not believe he should be censured for an altercation between him and a Rocky Mountain News photographer last Monday.

A committee of his House colleagues is recommending the new state representative face a penalty never before issued in the legislature's 131-year history as well as requiring him to apologize to his peers for violating the decorum of the House of Representatives.

The committee made its recommendation on Friday afternoon after hearing from the photographer involved and Bruce. The photographer, Javier Manzano, said he was kicked by the representative during the House's morning prayer while Bruce described it as a "tap" with the bottom of his shoe that came after two previous requests not to take his picture. The longtime anti-tax advocate does not believe he did anything wrong.

"I don't think (the photographers) should have disrupted the public proceeding with their noise and their flashing and taking pictures of somebody praying who politely twice asked them not to do so," Bruce said in response to a viewer's question on the program. "I tapped him with the bottom of my shoe because he was seated in front of me. I didn't haul off and kick anybody. It never happened. I tapped him with the bottom of my shoe to say, 'Look, I asked you twice, the prayer is ongoing, please stop.' I don't consider that to be an assault, an act of violence, a crime.

"Apparently around here, they're setting up a rule that you can never touch anybody, so OK, I won't touch anybody."

Bruce told viewers the media in Denver are "much more aggressive and much less courteous" than the media he's used to dealing with in Colorado Springs. He called them "paparazzi" and said he'd only received three messages from his district in Colorado Springs about the event. Two were supportive of him and he said one was not.

Did Bruce forget that in most circumstances outside of consenting touch or self-defense, touching/hitting/kicking etc. is generally considered to be inappropriate, if not a prosecutable offense--especially in this day and age?

You can watch Bruce answer some questions from Adam Schrager on YourShow.