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Speaker Paul Ryan responded to Democrats shutting down the House with a protest to demand a vote on gun control by shutting off C-SPAN’s cameras and blacking out the sit-in.

The Huffington Post reported:

As another Democrat began to speak, the Republican lawmaker sitting in the chair gaveled the House into a temporary recess until noon. The House cut off the C-SPAN cameras that normally broadcast the floor. Later, when lawmakers reconvened, Democratic members still refused to budge, forming a circle in the well of the floor while chanting. Republicans were forced to gavel into recess once more.

The C-SPAN cameras are controlled by the office of the Speaker of the House.

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C-SPAN reminded viewers that they have no control over the cameras on the House floor:

C-SPAN has no control over the U.S. House TV cameras. — CSPAN (@cspan) June 22, 2016

Speaker Ryan responded to the Democratic protest demanding a vote on gun control legislation in the most undemocratic way possible. Ryan cut off the cameras so that the world could not see what House Democrats are doing. The cutting off of cameras is something that happens in authoritarian regimes. It should not happen in the United States of America.

Ryan pulled the move of a small, cowardly dictator. Speaker Ryan supports Donald Trump, because, at heart, they have so much in common. Paul Ryan had a chance to live up to his principled rhetoric, but when push came to shove, Speaker Ryan cut off the cameras and got on his knees for the NRA.

Republicans can black out the video, but they can’t hide from the demand of the American people for Congressional action on gun violence.