It’s actually very embarrassing to admit that you knew they’d fill seats with a friendly audience, but you and your colleagues chose not to show up and do anything useful.
It sounds like you guys just didn’t want risk being in pictures in future history books. It’s all optics.
Just so we’re clear, Netanyahu has lost so many people that he is addressing just a fraction of Congress.
When this happens, they fill the seats with non-members, like what they do at award ceremonies, in order to project the appearance of full attendance and support.