No, says Representative Emanuel Cleaver, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, speaking about Bobby Rush’s removal from the House floor for wearing a hoodie. Rush was escorted out of the chamber for violating an apparent prohibition against hats but, according to Cleaver, representatives are often seen pushing the limits of the required proper business attire: “You see during late-night votes, people stand in the back with jeans and no jackets and no ties.” He added, “Whenever rules are not enforced, you create the opportunity for somebody to believe they have been singled out.” So, he plans to write a “friendly” letter to House Speaker John Boehner asking to come down on the dress code across the board. That way, everyone will always look nice, and no one will ever have to worry about the enforcement of obscure House rules for political purposes ever again.
