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DEL.ICIO.USICYMI: Anti-abortion measure, DOT vote were briefly on the same table
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just wanted to bring your attention to this story today by our AJC colleague Ben Smith:
A Georgia lawmaker demoted over an election for the state Department of Transportation board had talked beforehand with Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) about a deal to trade his vote for the House leader’s backing on anti-abortion legislation.
A Richardson aide on Wednesday confirmed that state Rep. Martin Scott (R-Rossville) and the speaker had discussed —- and dismissed —- the idea briefly a few hours before Scott and other lawmakers re-elected Mike Evans chairman of the state DOT board….
Clelia Davis, the speaker’s communications director, said Richardson never proposed such a deal, either in person or through a go-between.
“A House member … came to the speaker and suggested that some DOT board votes may be for sale if the speaker agreed to a floor vote on the Human Life Amendment,” Davis said in a prepared statement. “Speaker Richardson said absolutely not.”
Comments
By NEWSUSER
February 7, 2008 11:16 AM | Link to this
Speaker Glenn Richardson has pitted his “Speakership” against the pro-life lobby. It will be interesting to see who prevails.
“Fear is the foundation of most governments; but it is so sordid and brutal a passion, and renders men in whose breasts it predominates so stupid and miserable, that Americans will not be likely to approve of any political institution which is founded on it.” — John Adams
By Jerry
February 7, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this
Turns out the Speaker has higher principles than the self-proclaimed “Christian” anti-choice crowd.
By Paulding Voter
February 7, 2008 2:42 PM | Link to this
I proud of you Mr. Speaker!!
By tinhat
February 7, 2008 8:30 PM | Link to this
I ‘m with you on this one, Paulding Voter. I never thought I’d say it, but I’m proud of him, too.
By Concerned
February 8, 2008 8:54 AM | Link to this
Once again, the Speaker is demonstrating that he will stop at nothing for his own political agenda. Please read the entire story in the AJC. You will see that the Speaker sent an intermediary through GRTL in an effort to broker a deal. Then, when the deal was rejected, he simply denies that he ever did so and tries to make it look like the supporters of the HLA attempted to sell DOT votes. The speaker continues to dig himself of hole of deceit that he will soon be unable to get out of.
By Concerned
February 8, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this
And another thing, how can we trust the accusation of a speaker of the house who asked his members to cast a DOT board vote for a disgraced legistor who shakes down lobbyists for wedding gifts. Isn’t this also the same speaker who bribed Mike Evans with a $100,000 job if he would just drop out of the race. The people closest to him can’t trust him; why should we?