Another State Representative is facing the wrath of the Speaker:
[T]he Gainesville Times is reporting this morning that state Rep. Doug Collins (R-Gainesville) has been stripped of his Health and Human Services subcommittee chairmanship for the same reason.
“This is something I knew could possibly happen if I voted for Mike Evans,” Collins told the Times. “It’s very frustrating, but I felt the need to vote my conscience and my constituency. I made those decision based on what I felt was best for this community.”
You know, the Speaker has spent a lot of political capital since the end of the 2007 session and at every turn his has failed miserably. Everything from Gena Abraham to the so-called “GREAT plan” (GlennTax) to the re-election of these two GDOT members.
I’m just wondering when the rebellion will happen. This year? Or when it comes time to elect the Speaker next year.
[UPDATE – 4:15pm] Thanks to a commenter for the article, Insider Advantage notes that two more members have been purged by Glenn Richardson. The latest victims are Martin Scott and John Meadows.
[UPDATE – 5:14pm] I have another name, but I’m holding off on posting it.
[UPDATE – 5:59pm] It is also worth pointing out that every member that has been punished at this point is a member of the conservative caucus, the 216 Group.
Beatings will continue until morale improves.
I’m having a little difficulty searching past threads trying to find Rep. Ehrhart’s reasoning on why the vote to oust DOT board members was warranted.
I do remember the general sense was that the Board was elected by the reps and senators, and the board had to be accountable to those who elected them.
Now, the vote didn’t turn out the way the house leadership wanted, and those who voted what they believed was in the best interest of those who elected them are being canned.
Care to explain the change of heart, Rep Ehrhart?
I hope Rep Graves runs for Speaker. He and Doug will have my support in anything they do.
P.S. Ban GOcrazyPeach!!!!!
Richardson is a bastard.
There’s no nicer way to put it.
This whole thing is stupid, petty, un-Republican, and bad for the state.
I don’t know Tom Graves, but Doug Collins is a nice guy who is trying to represent his constituents. He doesn’t deserve this crap.
Shame on you, Glenn.
This is insane…can someone here set up a PAC with the sole purpose of supporting these guys that voted against Richardson on the DOT issue – b/c I’m sure he’ll try to recruit someone to run against them and get his lobbyist friends to pump in tons of money to their campaigns. Keeping these guys in the House is our best way to get rid of the dicktator (sp is just as I intended) that’s helping ruin our legislature, as it will only take 15 +/- of them joining with enough Dems to get a different GOP member into the Speaker’s Chair.
This is beyond embarrassing. We didn’t put these guys in the majority to pull this kind of crap.
I agree Buzz. Tom Graves is the Jeff Flake of the General Assembly. The is one of the true conservatives who are right on both social and fiscal issues.
The Speaker is a petty little tyrant who needs to go.
Three More House Members Feel The Lash For Bucking The Speaker On DOT Election
By Dick Pettys
InsiderAdvantage Georgia
(2/4/08) Three more House members have been stripped of important committee assignments for voting contrary to Speaker Glenn Richardson’s wishes in the race last Friday for the 9th District DOT seat, won by incumbent Mike Evans. Richardson was supporting challenger and former state Rep. Stacey Reece.
Besides Tom Graves, who we learned Friday had been fired as a House “Hawk” and told to vacate his Capitol office in favor of the less-posh digs at the Coverdell Legislative Office Building across the street:
* John Meadows was removed as vice chairman of Natural Resources & Environment and as secretary of the Insurance Committee.
* Doug Collins was removed as chairman of the children’s health issues subcommittee of Health and Human Services.
* Martin Scott was given the heave-ho as co-chairman of the income tax subcommittee of Ways & Means and as secretary of Ways and Means.
We’ve also learned of some other positions that Graves has lost, besides his slot as a House “hawk.” He’s no longer chairman of the state highway subcommittee of Transportation. He’s no longer chairman of the education subcommittee of Children and Youth. He’s no longer chairman of the general health subcommittee of Health and Human Services. And he’s no longer chairman of the tax reform subcommittee under Ways and Means.
Clelia Davis, the Speaker’s spokeswoman, said Richardson made the decisions “and the House leadership fully supports them.”
Word of Collins’ removal was circulated earlier told by the Gainesville Times. He told the newspaper, “This is something I knew could possibly happen if I voted for Mike Evans. It’s very frustrating, but I felt the need to vote my conscience and my constituency. I made those decisions based on what I felt was best for this community.”
Clelia Davis, the Speaker’s spokeswoman, said Richardson made the decisions “and the House leadership fully supports them.”
(or else all will face the same guillotine)
What about the 15 people who voted for RAYBON ANDERSON? At least one of them had to be a Republican House Rep, right?
Hey, Buzz. You’re mentioned in the IA article:
Buzz can be cloned, he was on the CNN debate, and now he is mentioned in IA?
He can’t be stopped.
“[UPDATE] Thanks to a commenter, two more members have been purged by Glenn Richardson. The latest victims are Martin Scott and John Meadows.”
A commenter got two more chairman stripped of their assignments? Good going Buzz.
Haha. Sorry. I’ll clarify that.
I know this is an old picture, but here is Glenn Richardson’s 5th Grade Class after he became Class President:
http://www.crotonblog.com/archives/upload/2007/05/american-school-children-bellamy-salute.jpg
Wow…
I hope the Speaker isn’t building his own person Buzz Brockway in his basement. An Evil Buzz running around might cause me some problems.
Are you implying that you are not evil right now?
As Doug Collins’ constituent, I support his vote.
Well rugby, one man’s evil is another man’s……I’m not really sure where this is headed.
So, Mike Evans won with 13 votes. Assuming all 7 Senators supported him (it’s possible that 1 may not have though), that leaves 6 House members voting for him. Of these 6, we know Graves, Collins, Scott and Meadows.
Wonder who the other 2 are? I’d LOVE to know – b/c if my Rep didn’t vote for Evans, that’ll be one thing I consider when going to the ballot box next time. I bet my Rep didn’t though…he’s a Committee Chairman – probably didn’t want to risk that precious little chair by pissing off the head stooge in charge.
Jason Pye,
Douchebag, that was the best you could do? How intelligent. And you allowed that you aren’t voting for any of the candidates? Somehow I took you for a Romney man. You know a money makes the man kinda guy. Oh and of course not to pee on your cheerios, TaxHike Mike as you like to refer to Mr. Huckabee didn’t hold a candle to the tax hikes and government service cost Mr. Romney plagued the LIBERAL citizens of Massachusetts with. Not to mention that he oversaw the boondoggle of the “Big Dig”, the single biggest rip-off of the American taxpayer.
Now Glenn Richardson wants to be King, but unlike Mitt, he is using power not money. True Liberty will only be achieved when government is removed from running our lives. Your venom would be better spewed on supporting real people who will make real change. Talk is cheap.
First of all, why can’t you choose a name and stick to it? You’ve posted under at least three or four different names here. You’ve moved from the point of someone with a hard on for Huckabee to a troll to a spammer.
Secondly, I am not here to defend Romney. I didn’t vote for him. My two goal is to see economic populism defeated and for Huckabee to lose. What I know about Mike Huckabee is that he was and is a big government, tax-and-spend liberal that pimps his faith to earn political support.
Thirdly, if you know anything about me, you’d know that I have done nothing but harass Glenn Richardson for the last two sessions.
Lastly, get on topic or get the hell of the blog.
Jason,
Change his sign-on to “onedumbassamerican”. That’ll show him!
The 206 Group – how many Republicans does that group have in it? Seems like a REALLY good start to getting rid of Glenn, to me!
The group is named after the room number where they used to meet…room 216.
What way did Ron “Impeach Casey Cagle” Forester vote?
Tom Graves and Doug Collins are good men and while they may have lost their corner office with a window – in the long run they’ll come out ahead.
My friends tell me that Ron Chickwannabeahawk Forester voted against Evans. If for no other reason to piss off Lt Gov Cagle.
DoubleDawg3- What county do you live in? The 2 other votes were my old friend Jenkins and Hamilton.
I agree with Burdell!
This needs to stop. It appears that there is no room in the Republican Party for conservatives, only people who say they are, but are just interested in growing government and gaining more power for themselves.
2006 was just forshadowing of what is yet to come.
Tea Party is sad to see its membership grow, and yet, vindicated not to be alone.
TP,
Pass the war paint and fake eagle feathers.