Members of the minority party left the meeting to go to the committee library to discuss the bill, leaving Rep. Pete Stark of California behind to keep an eye on committee Republicans.
Things quickly heated up in the committee hearing room when, according to a transcript, Stark insulted Thomas and challenged another member who had told him to shut up, calling him a "little wimp" and a "fruitcake."
Stark left the room and the Republicans passed the bill on a voice vote. Meanwhile, Capitol police appeared in the library and told Democrats that they had been called to clear them from the room. Police made no effort to physically remove them, but Democrats were outraged.
"Where does one member get the authority to call the cops on another member?" said Rep. Jerry Kleczka, a Wisconsin Democrat who sits on the committee.
RIDING ROUGHSHOD
The fight then moved to the floor of the House of Representatives when Democrats asked that the committee's approval of the pension bill be invalidated, saying Republicans had ridden roughshod over proper procedures. House Republicans successfully blocked the effort.
"I never thought as a member of Congress I would be threatened by arrest while sitting in the library of the Ways and Means Committee ... It is unreal, it is unthinkable," said Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat and former civil rights protester.
Republicans insisted the police were called not to evict Democrats, but because Stark had threatened Colorado Republican Scott McInnis.
"We were within moments ... of a physical engagement and I considered that threat serious," McInnis told the House. "I fully intended to defend myself."
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