The House of Representatives held a hearing on the newspaper industry yesterday, which was probably a dumb thing. But even dumber were…the representatives. The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank reports,

The dominant sentiment of lawmakers was indifference; most of the 14 subcommittee members didn’t show up. The task of leading the hearing was left to Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), who chairs the relevant subcommittee but seemed not entirely prepared for the job. He twice misidentified the ranking Republican member and introduced a panel of witnesses by saying, “Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye. . . . Come forward and assume the position.” Johnson then directed reporters in the room to stand but assured them that “you will not have to assume the position.”

Curious.