If, as Wal-mart officials maintain, Jack Thompson's Florida lawsuit wasn't what motivated the retail giant to block Bully pre-orders from its website last week, what is?

One answer may lie in June 14th's contentious House subcommittee hearing during which chair Cliff Stearns (R-FL) grilled several video game industry executives including Wal-mart's Gary Severson. Here's what Rep. Stearns had to say to Wal-mart during that hearing:

"I'll start with the questioning. I went, Mr. Severson, I went to the Wal-mart website, where you sell Grand Theft Auto and it's rated "M" there on the the website... (the website said) by ordering this item you are certifying that you are 17 years of age. If you agree to the above terms click 'I agree.' If you click, 'I agree,' you can get this pretty easily."

Stearns next launches into a somewhat confused explanation of last year's Hot Coffee scandal:
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Last week, GP was first with the news that Congressman Cliff Stearns (R-FL) had proposed HR 5912, the so-called "Truth in Video Game Rating Act."

Gamasutra and other sites are now reporting that ESA boss Doug Lowenstein has responded by way of an official statement.

"We share Chairman Stearns' commitment to the continued effectiveness and accuracy of the ESRB's ratings system," Lowenstein said. "However, as introduced, we do not believe his legislation will serve consumers and parents."
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Readers of GamePolitics will not soon forget the contentious June 14th video game hearing of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection. The ESRB and its president, Patricia Vance, came under heavy fire during the proceedings. Ultimately, several members of Congress would be lampooned by Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show, for clueless comments made during the videotaped session.

Now, Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL, seen at left) has formalized his issues with the ESRB by introducing HR 5912, the so-called "Truth in Video Game Rating Act."
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Capitol Hill is very much interested in video games these days.

Wednesday's hearing before the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection was both lengthy and contentious. Subcommittee Chair Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and colleagues were not kind to game industry witnesses, especially ESRB President Patricia Vance.

GP does not quarrel with the ability of Congress to hold hearings on the video game issue.

We just think they grilled the wrong people.

With 99% of political attention in relation to video games directed at the Grand Theft Auto series in general and the Hot Coffee scandal in particular, Congress should have skipped intermediaries like Doug Lowenstein and Patricia Vance and posed their questions directly to the people who run Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games.
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Need more on yesterday's contentious video game hearing before the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection?

GamePolitics has more!

If you enjoy a pointed cross-examination, check out this GP-created MP3 of ESRB boss Patricia Vance's testimony, Harvard researcher Kim Thompson's testimony, and Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Cliff Stearns' questioning of Vance (22 megs, 24 minutes).

ESRB president Patricia Vance's written testimony is available here.

FTC Commissioner Lydia Parnes' written testimony is here.

A NIMF press release on Dr. David Walsh's testimony is available here.

Want to talk about it? You can discuss this story via the "comments" feature (click below), or in the new GamePolitics Forums...

The issue of video game violence is once again under scrutiny on Capitol Hill.

Today at 2:00 P.M. the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection will convene a hearing on "Violent and Explicit Video Games: Informing Parents and Protecting Children."

The proceedings will be chaired by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL, seen at left).

"In response to controversy over violent or sexual situations in video games, the industry established a self-regulatory organization to apply ratings and provide advertising guidelines," Stearns said in a statement on his website.

"Yet in one instance, the game 'Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas' had hidden content with scenes of explicit sex. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission found that video games labeled 'Mature' routinely were marketed to children under 17. Our goal is to ensure that parents have information on the content of their children's games and that these children are protected from inappropriate content and marketing."
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