# Zooey Zephyr banned from House floor -- is this legal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 28, 2023, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zooey-zephyr-banned-from-house-floor-is-this-legal/983315 "2023-04-28T15:25:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zooey-zephyr-banned-from-house-floor-is-this-legal/983315/41 "2023-05-03T16:08:34Z")
Could one of her constituents sue on her behalf? She was elected to be their voice. They no longer have a voice. First Amendment issue, or too much of a reach? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zooey-zephyr-banned-from-house-floor-is-this-legal/983315/42 "2023-05-03T16:10:40Z")
> [@Yodalicious](#): > > First Amendment issue, or too much of a reach? Even if the court agreed that they had standing, based on this ruling, it would still be a political question and thus be ignored by the court. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zooey-zephyr-banned-from-house-floor-is-this-legal/983315/43 "2023-05-03T16:43:40Z")
As I said before, courts have traditionally been stupidly deferential to the power of a legislative body to manage its own affairs and conduct its own parliamentary business, using the theory of Separation of Powers and the principle of Political Matter. It’s a weakness in what functions as an honor system, when the participants have no honor. The Republican party has weaponized this. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zooey-zephyr-banned-from-house-floor-is-this-legal/983315/44 "2023-05-03T17:27:57Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > As was the case in Tennessee recently, the Republicans seem clueless with respect to the optics of the whole thing. Is smacking down a Black trans person really worth all the bad press and motivation fuel for Liberal activism? Stupid fascists. These Republican legislators are getting rapturous applause from the conservative voters in their gerrymandered districts, which is all that matters to them. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zooey-zephyr-banned-from-house-floor-is-this-legal/983315/45 "2023-05-03T19:08:53Z")
If the correct 40% of Amerika wants an RW authoritarian dictatorship, it is completely lawful for them to erect one over the lawful objections of the other 60%. At least within the letter of the law if not the spirit. And once the courts are loaded with judges who know which of those two attitudes their bread is buttered on, there is nothing to stop this. Nothing. We may not like this reality, but it is the reality. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zooey-zephyr-banned-from-house-floor-is-this-legal/983315/46 "2023-05-03T19:57:37Z")
And it has already started: > **[Texas bill will give Republican official power to overturn elections](https://www.newsweek.com/texas-bill-will-give-republican-official-power-overturn-elections-1797955)** > > The parameters of the new bill specifically target Harris County, the largest county in Texas, over ballot shortages in 2022. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zooey-zephyr-banned-from-house-floor-is-this-legal/983315/47 "2023-05-03T21:13:16Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > And once the courts are loaded with judges who know which of those two attitudes their bread is buttered on, there is nothing to stop this. Nothing. True, but if the courts push this far enough, they could eventually lose their legitimacy (at least in the eyes of the 60% that disagree with their rulings). At that point what you’ve got is a constitutional crisis, and where things go from there is anyone’s guess. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2023, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zooey-zephyr-banned-from-house-floor-is-this-legal/983315/48 "2023-05-05T20:41:33Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > True, but if the courts push this far enough, they could eventually lose their legitimacy (at least in the eyes of the 60% that disagree with their rulings). At that point what you’ve got is a constitutional crisis, and where things go from there is anyone’s guess. I have a guess: revolution. We’re getting closer and closer. ---
**Author:** ![Kyomara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kyomara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyomara)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zooey-zephyr-banned-from-house-floor-is-this-legal/983315/49 "2023-05-17T18:04:18Z")
I didn’t say it was reasonable, only that it was the reason given. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zooey-zephyr-banned-from-house-floor-is-this-legal/983315.md?page=2)