Rep. Keith Ellison voted "present" Tuesday on a resolution to re-affirm "In God We Trust" as the country's motto as a protest against the Republican-led resolution.
The Minnesota Democrat was one of two House members to abstain from a vote on the resolution, which passed overwhelmingly 396-9. Every other Minnesota House member voted for the bill except Rep. Michele Bachmann, who did not vote.
"This seems to me a massive distraction, Republicans basically trying to tell Americans to be more religious when Americans have their own religion under control," Ellison said. "They don't need our help with that. What they do need our help with is getting this economy cracking again."
Republican Rep. Randy Forbes of Virginia, the bill's sponsor, invoked President Obama in his rationale for the resolution. "Unfortunately, there are a number of public officials who forget what the national motto is, whether intentionally or unintentionally," Forbes said during Tuesday's floor debate. "Almost a year ago, the president in making a speech across the world said that our national motto was 'E pluribus unum.'"
Obama went after House Republicans for the resolution in a speech Wednesday. "In the House of Representatives, what have you guys been debating?" Obama said. "[House Speaker] John [Boehner], you've been debating a commemorative coin for baseball? You had legislation reaffirming that 'In God We Trust' is our motto? That's not putting people back to work."
Ellison said he disagreed with the need for a public re-affirmation because the motto was not threatened. "If they want to pray, fine," Ellison said. "I mean I do. But I do it in privacy of my own office. I don't try to get on public display."
While most Democrats voted for the bill, Ellison said some did so despite opposing the GOP's tactics. "There's a lot of people who thought it was absolute nonsense, but who just didn't want to get caught or be represented as being against trusting God," Ellison said.
