Full Version: Idaho Dems Walk Out
Via release
Newly elected Democrats stood up and left their desks empty on the floor of the House chamber during Friday's organizational session, a show of unity against a patently unfair and mean-spirited move by Republicans who refused to recognize Democratic electoral gains.
According to custom and tradition, legislative committees are assigned to lawmakers based on their partisan percentages. This year, Democrats gained six seats in the House, an increase of 8.57 percent, for a total of 19 representatives out of a 70-member House.
But the Republican leadership, lead by newly-elected Speaker Lawerence Denney, decided that wasn't enough to merit another seat on the budget committee. By law, the Speaker may determine the makeup of the committees; but past precedent has allowed each party a fair representation on committees.
Not this year, and not with this new leadership.
“This is a breach of trust,” House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet told the House in brief remarks protesting the Republican move. “We won our seats, you won your seats. ... It is political. It is mean-spirited.”
Democrats then stood and walked out of the House chamber en masse. Republicans sat in their seats and stared, dumbfounded at the courage of the Democratic Caucus.
House Assistant Minority Leader George Sayler, D-Coeur d’Alene, said: “If this continues, it’s going to be a very tough session and a very contentious one, and I’m very disappointed that they chose to go this route. I guess it’s a reflection of the political agenda of the new leadership,” as reported in the online blog "Eye on Boise" by Idaho Spokesman-Review reporter Betsy Russell.
House Republican Speaker Lawerence Denney then broke another tradition by continuing the organizing session without a single Democrat on the floor.
Jaquet said Democrats will continue to fight for the seat on the budget committee using procedural tactics.
"The Republicans are disenfranchising the voters when they refuse to recognize our election wins," Jaquet said. "We worked hard to win these seats, and we will fight hard to get the respect and representation we deserve."
Newly elected Democrats stood up and left their desks empty on the floor of the House chamber during Friday's organizational session, a show of unity against a patently unfair and mean-spirited move by Republicans who refused to recognize Democratic electoral gains.
According to custom and tradition, legislative committees are assigned to lawmakers based on their partisan percentages. This year, Democrats gained six seats in the House, an increase of 8.57 percent, for a total of 19 representatives out of a 70-member House.
But the Republican leadership, lead by newly-elected Speaker Lawerence Denney, decided that wasn't enough to merit another seat on the budget committee. By law, the Speaker may determine the makeup of the committees; but past precedent has allowed each party a fair representation on committees.
Not this year, and not with this new leadership.
“This is a breach of trust,” House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet told the House in brief remarks protesting the Republican move. “We won our seats, you won your seats. ... It is political. It is mean-spirited.”
Democrats then stood and walked out of the House chamber en masse. Republicans sat in their seats and stared, dumbfounded at the courage of the Democratic Caucus.
House Assistant Minority Leader George Sayler, D-Coeur d’Alene, said: “If this continues, it’s going to be a very tough session and a very contentious one, and I’m very disappointed that they chose to go this route. I guess it’s a reflection of the political agenda of the new leadership,” as reported in the online blog "Eye on Boise" by Idaho Spokesman-Review reporter Betsy Russell.
House Republican Speaker Lawerence Denney then broke another tradition by continuing the organizing session without a single Democrat on the floor.
Jaquet said Democrats will continue to fight for the seat on the budget committee using procedural tactics.
"The Republicans are disenfranchising the voters when they refuse to recognize our election wins," Jaquet said. "We worked hard to win these seats, and we will fight hard to get the respect and representation we deserve."
QUOTE
Democrats then stood and walked out of the House chamber en masse. Republicans sat in their seats and stared, dumbfounded at the courage of the Democratic Caucus.
Thank you, Howard Dean, for FUNDING such RED STATES as Idaho. Without your support, this never would have been possible.
Not even remotely possible.
50 States.
A brilliant strategy.
Not even remotely possible.
50 States.
A brilliant strategy.
QUOTE(jeffmoskin @ Dec 12 2006, 11:16 PM)
Thank you, Howard Dean, for FUNDING such RED STATES as Idaho. Without your support, this never would have been possible.
Not even remotely possible.
50 States.
A brilliant strategy.
Not even remotely possible.
50 States.
A brilliant strategy.
I completely agree. Well said.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.