House Democrats Strike Back Against Anti-LGBT Republicans

Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer has released a video comparing GOP leadership to the Star Wars evil empire, after leaders pressured seven Republican members of Congress to change their votes on pro-LGBT legislation after all the votes were cast.

The longtime civil servant took to the House floor Thursday to complain about the voting procedure on an amendment, introduced by out Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York. His amendment was a response to the defense authorization bill that passed Wednesday, which included a "religious exemption" provision overturning President Obama's 2014 executive order, effectively allowing federal contractors to discriminate against LGBT workers on religious grounds.

Several Republicans had joined Democrats in supporting the amendment, which sought to protect LGBT workers. But then seven members of Congress changed their votes, after the clock had run out, altering the final tally to 212-213. Without their support, Maloney's pro-LGBT amendment failed.

According to Hoyer, the seven Republicans who changed their votes were Reps. Jeff Denham, Darrell Issa, Bruce Poliquin, David Valadao, Greg Walden, Mimi Walters, and David Young.

Here's how Hoyer's office portrays that event, in a video dubbed "The Republican Empire Strikes Back to Allow Discrimination Against LGBT."