The Craziest Things That Have Ever Happened on the Floor of Congress

It's kind of an unspoken truth that lobbyists control a good portion of the government. The legislative branch has been especially susceptible to their whims, but sometimes it's so blatant you can't help but be in awe. In the '90s, it seems John Boehner was literally handing out bribe checks from the tobacco lobby to fellow representatives, right on the floor of the House. When the New York Times investigated, Boehner's Chief of Staff said the money was a contribution from tobacco PACs. Boehner went on to become Speaker of the House.

Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner was passionately anti-slavery. As the tensions that led to the Civil War intensified, so did resistance to Sumner's position. After giving a volatile speech against Kansas joining the union as a slave state, Sumner called slavery a harlot and accused South Carolina Democrat Andrew Butler of being its pimp. Chuck was from Boston, what're you gonna do? That's how they roll.

Later the same day, South Carolina Representative Preston Brooks, in an effort to defend Butler's honor, beat the crap out of Sumner with his cane, knocking him unconscious. Brooks resigned shortly after, while Sumner served for another 18 years.

Shortly after the caning of Charles Sumner, in the lead up to the Civil War, tensions between northern and southern representatives worsened drastically. In this climate, a string of insults traded by Pennsylvania Representative Galusha Grow and Lawrence Branch of North Carolina erupted into a brawl. It was essentially a 19th century wrestling match on the floor. Representative Keitt hit the floor after one punch, Rep. John F. Potter (whose nick name was Bowie Knife) jumped into the brawl "striking right and left with vigor," and Congressman John Covade (R-PA) threatened to "brain" someone with a spittoon.

The fight eventually ended and tensions eased, that is, until it became the bloodiest war in American history.

Back in the early days of Congress, members had a bit of the British adventurous spirit. One of the most famous incidents of this era occurred in 1798, when Vermont Representative Matthew Lyon spit tobacco juice in Connecticut Representative Roger Griswold's face. Griswold, pissed, came at Lyon with his cane. Lyon grabbed a pair of fire tongs and the two had a quick duel before they were separated and expelled. What had the men so heated it came to spits and blows? Apparently, a debate concerning the diplomatic approach to France. C'est la vie.

For those who don't know, a filibuster occurs when a member of Congress attempts to postpone a vote by continuously speaking. As long as the member in question holds the floor, other members can't do anything but listen. The catch is, the person speaking can't stop to do anything, including eat or go to the bathroom, lest they yield the floor.

When Strom Thurmond (D- SC) saw the Civil Rights Act of 1957, he knew he had to filibuster the hell out of it, because he's a complete jerk (actually more a blatant racist). Good ol' Strom set the record for the Senate's longest filibuster, speaking for 24 hours and 18 minutes.

When he had to pee, Thurmond kept one foot on the Senate floor and pissed into a bucket held by an intern in the Senate cloakroom. Despite Strom's harebrained effort, the bill still passed. Thurmond was re-elected again and again until 2003.

They say you know you're doing something right when you make enemies. In politics, that's especially true. Well, Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton and Mississippi Senator Henry S. Foote hated each other, so at least one of them was doing something right.

When tensions over the Compromise of 1850 (which was all about drawing lines regarding which states were free or had slaves) reached a breaking point, Foote drew his pistol and pointed it at Benton, who screamed "Let him fire! Let the assassin fire!" Foote was wrestled to the floor and disarmed him. Talk about drama.