Search thousands of Speaker's rulings with AI-powered precision.
May 19, 1970
The Member is seeking an inquiry by the committee into an alleged threat to the freedom of the press. If such a far-reaching question were to be investigated by the House, it should be done by way...
The Speaker denied a question of privilege regarding a newspaper article, clarifying that it did not meet the high threshold for a breach and that the matter should be raised via a substantive motion.
February 22, 1968
The claim that the words "manufactured crisis" or "trickery" are in themselves libellous or slanderous cannot be accepted. "The fact that a statement is untrue does not necessarily form the basis...
The Speaker ruled that the terms 'manufactured crisis' and 'trickery' were not a prima facie breach of privilege as they were used generally and not as a personal attack.
October 18, 1967
In the first case, there is obviously a divergence of opinion "and the matter should be allowed to rest there for the time being". With respect to the second case, the alleged comments made about...
The Speaker denies a question of privilege, ruling that a disagreement and alleged comments were not libellous.
May 10, 1966
In order to constitute a breach of privilege, the libel must be based on matters arising from the actual transaction of the business of the House. Since this is not the case in this situation,...
The Speaker denied a question of privilege because the alleged libel did not relate to House business and was not raised at the earliest opportunity.