Republicans Bring Back Smoke-Filled Rooms on Capitol Hill
- Members of Congress are permitted to smoke in their offices
- First effort to reduce smoking in Capitol was in 1871
Congressmen Howard Coble smokes in his office in Washington DC in 1997.
Photographer: Douglas Graham/CQ-Roll Call, Inc./Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
There’s a lot of history repeating itself in Congress this year — the House is in GOP hands, Democrats control the White House and Senate and there’s an inescapable stench of tobacco smoke in the Capitol’s hallways.
The smoke evokes memories of the old guard of Republican House leadership. Former House Speaker John Boehner smoked so many cigarettes that new carpets, a fresh coat of paint and an ozone machine were required when Paul Ryan took over his office.