The wheels are coming off
House Committee erupts into partisan maelstrom
“A committee deliberation exploded into a near-brawl in the House of Representatives on Friday, as epithets and insults like “wimp” and “fruitcake” filled the air and Capitol police were summoned to the scene.
At the center of the extraordinary maelstrom were two Californians, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas (R-Bakersfield), a conservative who does not suffer political opponents lightly, and Rep. Pete Stark (D-Hayward), who is regarded as a liberal firebrand with a short fuse.” <Is this a great state, or what!>