Congressman Delays Own Rescue Pending Quorum Call
Stranded atop a sinking plane, Tom Tiffany reportedly wanted the 911 line run through proper procedure before anyone got wet.
Rescue crews responding to a downed plane in a Wisconsin lake say the call for help was briefly held up while the passengers worked out whether enough people were present to formally request assistance.
According to an unnamed dispatcher, the congressman insisted that no rescue could be authorized without first confirming a quorum, and asked whether the pilot's vote counted as a second.
"We came together as one soggy quorum, divided on procedure," said a fictional aide reached by phone, before noting the meeting would need to be gaveled back in once everyone was dry.
By the time the motion to be rescued carried, both men had already swum most of the way to shore, at which point the dispatcher asked if the vote could simply be entered into the record as moot.
Neither man was seriously injured, though officials say the incident may prompt a subcommittee to review whether future lake landings require a second reading.