WASHINGTON — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is set to join Republican lawmakers Wednesday as they continue their occupation of the recessed House of Representatives chamber to demand a vote on offshore drilling for oil and gas.

The former speaker from Georgia already has been leading an online petition drive favoring immediate opening of all "proven energy reserves" to exploration.

The current House Republican leadership announced Gingrich as a sort of guest star protester, as a couple of dozen GOP lawmakers Tuesday continued an occupation of the vacated House chamber which began Friday when the Democratic majority voted to adjourn until September. Since then, Republican lawmakers have been bringing tourists in to hear their daily arguments for voting on a "comprehensive" energy bill that includes drilling along the outer continental shelf.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has dismissed the protest as a "stunt."

The liberal group MoveOn.org staged a sparsely attended counter demonstration just off the Capitol Grounds Tuesday. "We need a real solution and not gimmicks," said one speaker of the Republican protests. She led the group of about two-dozen in a chant: "Two, four, six eight. Separation of oil and state."

The group had to contend with defenders of the Republicans, who held up signs and shouted, "Drill, drill, drill."

— Julia Malone