Florida lawmaker reprimanded over megaphone protest of new congressional map
Rep. Angie Nixon, a Jacksonville Democrat, was formally reprimanded by Florida’s House Rules and Ethics Committee for using a pink megaphone to disrupt a vote on new congressional maps, which Democrats argue were illegally gerrymandered. The committee ruled her actions violated House rules, though it stopped short of a full censure, while Nixon defended her protest as necessary to challenge the maps’ constitutionality and called the reprimand a betrayal of voters.
Rep. Angie Nixon, a Jacksonville Democrat, received a reprimand from Florida’s House Rules and Ethics Committee on Thursday for disrupting a vote on new congressional district maps last month. During the April 29 vote, Nixon used a pink megaphone—matching her bright pink outfit—to shout that the maps were “illegal” and “unconstitutional,” violating House rules prohibiting props and excessive disruptions on the floor. The committee’s reprimand, approved via voice vote, cited Nixon’s actions as a violation of legislative decorum and public confidence in the House’s integrity. It noted that while members have the right to debate, disruption is not justified by personal feelings. Nixon was not allowed to speak before the vote but issued a statement defending her protest, calling the maps a “slap in the face of voters” and vowing she would repeat the action with an even larger megaphone. Democrats oppose the new maps, warning they could cost the party up to four U.S. House seats due to partisan gerrymandering, which Florida’s constitution prohibits. Rep. Allison Tant and Rep. Marie Woodson, both Democrats, inadvertently voted in favor of the maps, with Woodson citing Nixon’s protest as the cause, stating she mistakenly believed it was a quorum call. House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell criticized the committee’s decision, arguing Nixon deserved due process under principles dating back to Magna Carta. Committee Chairman Rep. Sam Garrison, a Republican, defended the reprimand as a measured response, noting it fell short of a full censure. Nixon’s protest was not her first disruption over redistricting; she led a similar demonstration in 2022 when old districts were approved, though no formal discipline was issued then. The incident highlights tensions over Florida’s redistricting process, with Democrats accusing Republicans of manipulating district lines to favor their party. Nixon’s defiance and the committee’s response underscore broader debates about legislative conduct and the limits of protest within formal proceedings.
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