In a dramatic turn at the Capitol Building on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Bong County District #3 Representative Marvin Cole apologized to the Speaker and colleagues for sitting in the Speaker’s chair before Tuesday’s session, and for remarks that violate the House’s rules.
Appearing before the Committee on Rules, Orders and Administration, the lawmaker, known for his outspoken nature, appeared calm and remorseful. Cole told the committee that his action was not intended as disrespect to Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon or the institution.
“Honorable colleagues, I appear before you today with a sober heart,” Cole began, according to committee notes reviewed by our reporter. “My decision to sit in the Speaker’s seat on Tuesday before the start of session was not intended as an act of disrespect toward Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon or toward this honorable institution. I now understand how my action and the comments I made were perceived. For that, I apologize to the Speaker, to this Committee, and to the entire House of Representatives.”
The man who, less than 24 hours earlier, had startled the entire House by taking the Speaker’s chair and gavel, sat before the same institution pleading for mercy. His offenses include occupying Speaker Koon’s seat and uttering comments deemed a breach of the House’s rules of decorum.
The penalty being floated by some lawmakers is a two-month payless suspension. Cole’s bid to escape that sanction now rests on whether his apology and the Committee’s Thursday report will persuade a divided Plenary.
Under Rule 24 of the House Standing Rules, “No member shall occupy the seat of the Speaker except when duly presiding, nor shall any member make utterances that bring the dignity of the House into disrepute.” The combination of the physical act and the verbal remarks triggered immediate backlash when the session began.
The apology came as the committee, chaired by Rep. James Kolleh, concluded its investigation. Kolleh said the probe follows Tuesday’s plenary directive and the House’s standing rules on decorum and order.
The committee is expected to submit findings and recommendations to Plenary on Thursday. Lawmakers will then decide whether to accept Cole’s apology or impose sanctions. Speaker Koon has not issued a public statement on the apology. Plenary’s decision will set the tone for enforcement of decorum rules in the Thursday session.
