Even lawmakers get caught up in Bengals

When the U.S. House voted this week on a resolution honoring Superbowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati’s two members of Congress – Steve Chabot and Jean Schmidt – refused to go along with it.

Citing what many Bengals fans think was a dirty hit on quarterback Carson Palmer, Chabot and Schmdit joined eight other lawmakers – mostly from Washington state, home of the Seattle Seahawks, who lost the Superbowl to the Steelers – in voting "present" instead of "yes."

"I kept picturing Carson Palmer writhing in pain on the ground and I just couldn’t bring myself to vote ‘yes,’" Chabot told the Enquirer.

Said Schmidt: "While I congratulate the Steelers on winning, as a die-hard Bengals fan, I voted with Carson Palmer in my heart. ... I very much look forward to seeing Carson back on the field and welcoming the Steelers back to town next year as World Champs."

Palmer was forced to have major surgery to repair two torn ligaments in his left knee after he was hit by Steelers defensive end Kim von Oelhoffen in last month’s playoff game in Cincinnati.

Chabot said he hopes the hit was an accident and explained that voting "present" was a more dignified way to oppose the resolution than voting "no."

"I didn’t want to be unsportsmanlike, but I did want to send a message on behalf of the Bengals fans," he said. "We’ll get them next year."

Said Schmidt: "This was a no-brainer. The folks back home are not very happy with the Steelers."

Rep. Mike Pence, a Republican from Indiana who is a big Indianapolis Colts fan also voted "present."

"I have my limits," Pence said.

The House resolution was sponsored by four Pennsylvania lawmakers – and Ohio Rep. Mike Oxley, a Republican from Findlay, the hometown of Steelers quarterback Ben Rothlisberger, who graduated from Miami University.

A similar resolution passed the Senate this week on a unanimous voice vote.