From The Associated Press, 5/26/07:
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-texas-legislature,0,2715124.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines
Texas House Speaker Refuses to Cede Post
By APRIL CASTRO and LIZ AUSTIN PETERSON
Associated Press Writers
AUSTIN, Texas --
With his political career in jeopardy, powerful state House Speaker
Tom Craddick charged through a rebellion that lasted into early
Saturday, refusing to give up his leadership post.
By the time the House adjourned shortly before 1:30 a.m., Craddick had
beaten back his opponents, lawmakers who tried to overtake the
speaker's podium were physically restrained and the House
parliamentarian resigned.
Democrats and Republicans alike complain that Craddick, a Republican,
has ruled with an iron fist.
They say his win-at-all-cost style often forces them to vote against
the interests of their own districts.
Craddick's third two-year term does not expire until the next
legislative session convenes in January 2009, but discontent in the
chamber is fueling a plot to force him out before the session ends
Monday.
In the last week, four Republicans, including Rep. Fred Hill, have
filed their candidacies to be speaker if Craddick is ousted.
Capping a week of simmering discord, Hill made a request Friday night
that would allow the 150-member chamber to vote to oust Craddick.
Craddick refused to recognize Hill to make the motion.
Hill then asked to allow the House to vote to appeal the decision.
"The speaker's discretion to recognize a member on a motion on any
matter is unappealable," Craddick responded.
The House melted down when Craddick announced a two-hour break to
escape pointed questions about his leadership.
The House broke out in a cacophony of boos as lawmakers swept to the
front of the chamber and Craddick, often called the most powerful man
in state government, hustled back to his office suite.
Democrats trying to overtake the speaker's podium were physically
restrained by House sergeants-at-arms as they tried to grab the
microphone.
"It is clearly an abuse of power and of office," Republican Rep. Todd
Smith of Bedford said later.
Denise Davis, the House parliamentarian, resigned over the incident,
according to a statement from Craddick.
His spokeswoman later confirmed that assistant parliamentarian
Christopher Griesel had resigned as well.
After the session reconvened, Craddick threw up a roadblock to his
opponents when he told a Democrat that an effort to unseat him would
be impossible under the House rules.
To oust Craddick before his term is up, a lawmaker must make a
parliamentary maneuver known as a motion to vacate, and a majority of
the House must vote in favor of it.
It's called a privileged motion, and a lawmaker must be recognized by
the speaker before he or she may speak to the House to make such a
motion.
The issue Friday night was whether Craddick was obligated to allow
lawmakers to speak if they wanted to.
________________________________________________
It's called "Madness"
Harry
.
|
