On the ground

Yesterday, Scott Murphy was sworn in as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the 20th Congressional District of New York.

Yay!

All sorts of folks were tickled about the way matters turned out (although we knew they would!). House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer released a statement for the press:

“I am thrilled to welcome our two newest members – Congressmen Mike Quigley and Scott Murphy. Both gentlemen come to Washington with extensive experience on the key issues confronting this Congress, and will be valued contributors as we work to get the economy back on track and address other important priorities. …

“I am also pleased to welcome Congressman Scott Murphy. With a background in both the private and public sectors, Mr. Murphy has a deep understanding of the impact the economic recession has had on workers and businesses, and will be a strong asset in Congress’s continuing efforts to create jobs and grow the economy.

“These challenging times call for leaders who are up to the task of working hard and getting the job done. I am confident Congressmen Murphy and Quigley will meet that challenge, and I look forward to working with them on real solutions to move this country forward.”

Very much more to the point, our very own Chairwoman, Cindy Lockrow-Schimmerling, was on hand to hobnob with the muckety-mucks as an acknowledged muckety-muck herself. After giving herself the pleasure of inspecting Congressman Murphy’s door plaque to make sure it was worded correctly, she attended the post-swearing in reception — where Vice President Biden was congratulating the new Congressman and playfully terrorizing small children.

* Phraseology loosely based on Lolcats.