House stenographer: God told me to do it

“He will not be mocked. He will not be mocked. Don't touch me. He will not be mocked,” the stenographer shouted as she was taken away by U.S. Capitol Police. “The greatest deception here is not 'one nation under God.' It never was. Had it been, it would not have been.”

She continued, “The Constitution would not have been written by Freemasons. They go against God.”

She went on, “You cannot serve two masters. Praise be to God, Lord Jesus Christ.”

Well, now we have an explanation about what motivated Dianne Reidy: God told her to do it.

Here's what Reidy “>Daily Beast on Reidy's trouble sleeping during the shutdown, on the family's Christian beliefs and on her husband's surprise at her outburst.

Reidy's voice is inaudible in the above video; so I'm going on reports of what she said. What I find so odd about the whole situation is the message. It's totally incoherent.

But beyond her saying that you can't serve God and something else, and that God must be praised, what meaning are we to ascribe to her message? And what might it have communicated to Congress?

Editor's Picks

Israel and the Internet Wars – A Professional Social Media Review

Marion Haberman

The Invisible Student: A Tale of Homelessness at UCLA and USC

Tabby Refael

What Ever Happened to the LA Times?

Dan Schnur

Who Are the Jews On Joe Biden’s Cabinet?

Ryan Torok

You’re Not a Bad Jewish Mom If Your Kid Wants Santa Claus to Come to Your House

Marion Haberman

No Labels: The Group Fighting for the Political Center

Larry Greenfield

Latest Articles

Shavuot: The Middle Child of Jewish Festivals

Roberta Rosenthal Kwall

Hollywood’s ‘Rushmore’ Celebrates ‘Seinfeld’

Steve Matoren

From Poisoned Wells to ‘Rape Dogs’: The Medieval Logic Behind Modern Anti-Israel Lies

Micha Danzig

Jewish Californians Gather in Sacramento to Turn Concern into Action

Ryan Torok

Rabbis of LA | Rabbi Aaron Wants to Bathe You in Sound

Ari L. Noonan

Rabbis of LA | How Rabbi Artson Fell in Love with God

Ari L. Noonan

Emhoff at Jewish California Summit; Israel’s Birthday; New AFTAU Hire; Repair the World

May 18, 2026

Notable people and events in the Jewish LA community.

Rachel Goldberg-Polin Speaks at L.A. Synagogues, Yom HaAtzmaut Program in Beverly Hills

May 18, 2026

Notable people and events in the Jewish LA community.

The Charles Bronfman Prize Announces CultivAid CEO Tomer Malchi as 2026 Laureate

May 18, 2026

The Israeli-American scientist is helping transform global agriculture through innovation and sustainability.

Israeli Colleges and Universities Support Reservist Students in a Difficult Time

May 18, 2026

“Our main role is to keep the students moving forward, even when the path is complex.” – Professor Yossi Rosenwaks

Antisemitism Un-Masked on Broadway

May 17, 2026

The play “Giant” and its urgent, timely message could not have come sooner—in part because it clashes with the antisemitism we see on the news. Today a dandy like Dahl is not the problem. What we are all witnessing now is low-class thuggery prowling city streets.

“Netflix is a Joke” Returns to LA with Jewish Acts Galore

May 16, 2026

The Book and the Sword

May 15, 2026

You must keep one foot in the sanctuary even while going out to war; and you must go out to war even when your heart yearns to remain in the sanctuary.

In the Desert – A poem for Parsha Bamidbar

May 14, 2026

What went so wrong in the desert?

A Bisl Torah — Your Time Capsule

May 14, 2026

If you created a time capsule representing who you are and what you stand for, what would be included?

Not Wandering in the Wilderness with Bewilderness

May 14, 2026

A Moment in Time: “Me Time”

May 14, 2026

Inaugural ‘Core Vital Voices Conference’ for Orthodox Women Who Provide End of Life Care

May 14, 2026

Chaplains are called to be present. We hold, we witness, we support others in accessing their spiritual resources, and we accompany. We honor the grief, loss, and love by seeing and hearing them when it is unbearable.

Print Issue: The Speech I Won’t Give at Georgetown Law | May 15, 2026

May 14, 2026

An outcry over my support for Israel in my Jewish Journal columns forced me to withdraw from my commencement address at Georgetown Law School. Here is the speech I was going to give.

Israel’s Noam Bettan Advances to Eurovision Grand Final

May 14, 2026

This is the fifth time that Israel has qualified for the Eurovision final in the past six years.

The Klezmatics Are Made for These Times

May 14, 2026

“We Were Made for These Times” is as inventive and joyous an album as I’ve heard in a long time. And the most proudly Jewish.

Motherhood, War and Media: WIZO Luncheon Reflects a Changing Reality Since Oct. 7, 2023

May 14, 2026

In a sold-out event at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, WIZO (Women’s International Zionist Organization) hosted its annual Mother’s Day Luncheon.

Brian Goldsmith’s Senate Bid Rooted in Fighting Antisemitism in California

May 14, 2026

He became the first senior adviser to Democratic Majority for Israel PAC, helping elect pro-Israel politicians to Congress and winning more than 80% of races.

AJU’s Ziegler School: Growth and Transformation

May 14, 2026

The challenge is how we can reinvent rabbinical training so that it’s not clinging to models that no longer work, is sustainable, and addresses the needs of today and tomorrow’s Jewish community.

A Guava Gourmet Cheesecake for Shavuot

May 14, 2026

Let’s just say, Shavuot gives us a wonderful, guilt-free excuse to indulge in this guava mango cheesecake!

Celebrate National Hamburger Month

May 14, 2026

While there may be limitations on how to enjoy burgers due to the laws of kashrut, it just means Jews have to get a little more creative.