Tennessee state Sen. Eric Stewart
Tennessee Congressman Scott DesJarlaisNASHVILLE – Democrat Eric Stewart charged today that U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., is showing “complete disregard” to farmers in the 4th Congressional District by refusing to debate him and instead presiding over a mostly empty U.S. House in a pro forma session in Washington, D.C.
And DesJarlais, who is from Jasper, Tenn., created a stir Friday during the pro forma session when he silenced two Democratic House members who wanted to complain about a “do-nothing Congress” and inaction on a major farm bill, The National Journal reported.
Presiding over the session, DesJarlais slammed his gavel, a sign to shut off the C-SPAN signal. That prompted protests from Democrats and shouts about the nation’s “fiscal cliff” and the farm bill, the publication reported.
Stewart charged in a news release that DesJarlais “betrayed” Tennessee farmers this spring by voting to cut $60 billion from the Department of Agriculture, showing he isn’t interested in agricultural issues.
He said DesJarlais went to Washington “because he doesn’t want to listen to the concerns from people in his district that are not happy about his votes to raise the Social Security retirement age to 70 and his votes against giving our military a pay raise.”