The Democratic congressman who presided over a recent contentious debate on the House floor revealed in a Thursday interview with Martha MacCallum that he agreed with the House chaplain’s prayer to exorcise the congressional chamber.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, 74, of Missouri recalled the partisan bickering that led him to abandon the chair in a historic display of frustration Tuesday. Shouting had erupted on the floor as representatives argued over a resolution to condemn President Trump’s tweets that urged “‘Progressive’ Democratic Congresswomen” to “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”
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Asserting that lawmakers were unwilling to maintain decorum and “just want to fight,” Cleaver ultimately dropped his gavel and walked off the podium.
“[House Chaplain] Father Patrick and I sat together earlier the day of all of the chaos and confusion during the resolution concerning President Trump,” Cleaver remembered. “And he said to me — leaned over and said, ‘You know, I feel a presence in here, an evil presence.’ He said it’s not a Democrat or a Republican. He said there’s something else going on here. He said, ‘I’m going to have to pray tomorrow to ask God to cleanse this place.'”
During Thursday morning’s opening prayer, the Rev. Patrick Conroy, 68, invoked God’s help to dispel what he described as “darker spirits [that] seem to have been at play in the people’s House.” He specifically cast out spirits of discouragement, petty divisiveness, and sadness.
Cleaver, who is an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church and holds a Master of Divinity degree from St. Paul School of Theology, then referenced the sixth chapter of Ephesians in the New Testament, which teaches that mankind contends with invisible evil.
“It’s hard to argue with Father Patrick,” Cleaver continued. “Because there is a mess going on here, and the tragedy is that I think there are many Americans who think it’s OK.”
Apart from spiritual enemies, Cleaver expressed fear that foreign adversaries of the U.S. will take advantage of the inner turmoil roiling the nation.
