- House Republicans walked out of session Friday afternoon as the lame duck session winds down.
- House Democrats continue to pass bills despite Republican support.
- Video shows a political expert from MSU giving reaction to the rare move.
House Republicans walked out of session Friday afternoon in the middle of the lame-duck session, a move one Michigan State University professor called 'unprecedented'.
Arnold Weinfeld said it was the first time he could remember seeing Republican or Democratic lawmakers walkout during voting.
Democrats currently control the House with a 56-54 majority.
"It's a bad look for the institution," Weinfeld said. "I want to say wow."
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Weinfeld says it's not new to see lawmakers disagree on the House or Senate floor. However, Weinfeld said, the scene that unfolded Friday afternoon was unexpected.
"Walking off the floor in protest the way House Republicans did today is something new,"
The November election saw our neighbors and the state voted for Republicans to take back the state house. It's now a race against time for Democrats to get their bills passed before Republicans are sworn in next month as the majority party.
"[Republicans will] have 58 seats so they'll be able to govern the House the way Democrats are governing the House right now," Weinfeld said.
The legislative session is expected to end next week and Weinfeld hopes that come January lawmakers can put their partisanship aside.
"We'll get past this," Weinfeld said.
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