WASHINGTON — The western Wisconsin representative in Congress, Derrick Van Orden, erupted in an expletive-laden attack at teen-age Senate pages who had gathered in the Capitol rotunda for a class pictures before home for the summer Congressional recess. Van Orden had stumbled across the group by himself late at night while wandering the Capitol. He called the pages lazy and demanded they leave. One of the ages made notes of the episode, quoting Van Orden:
“Wake the fuck up, you little shits. What the fuck are you all doing? Get the fuck out of here. You are defiling the space, you pieces of shit. Who the fuck are you? I don’t give a fuck who you are, get out. You jackasses, get out.”
Based on the page’s recorded account, the Washington newsletter Punchbowl broke the story on the encounter. Separately another newsletter, The Hill, used the page’s recording for a story. Soon the episode was the buzz of Washington — and also in VanOrden’s home district. The district, WI-3, is largely bucolic but includes Eau Claire, LaCrosse and some St. Paul exurbs. Suddenly there was talk that Van Orden had been partying loudly with his staff and boozing in his office in the Longworth Office Building, which is connected to the Capitol by an underground tram. The night was also the last of the July session before the House break for a summer recess.
Van Orden. Elected 2022 from western Wisconsin as an enthusiastic Trump Republican.
Page profile
When Vzn Orden showed up, the pages were indeed on the floor, posing for giggly and silly memory photos to take home. Pages, mostly 16 or 17, are runners for senators. They are posted in the Senate chamber during sessions to carry messages and run errands. They are appointed by senators from their home states. They’re known as a clean-cut group. On duty they wear jackets and ties. Being chosen as a page is considered an honor, even as a gateway to a possible political career.