FOX5 and 11Alive are both reporting this evening they have learned Glenn Richardson is bouncing between the rather dramatic extremes of “emotional resignation” with regard to the mess he made for himself and being “fighting mad,” ready to defend himself.
Meanwhile, DuBose Porter waxes philosophic about the “culture of corruption” that pervades the General Assembly. It’s a phrase that you can expect to be ramped up more and more over the coming weeks. Even though, as has been noted in the comments, Porter seems to forget the past with Charles Walker and Tom Murphy (who were hardly paragons of honest, open government), the inescapable fact remains that Republicans are gearing up for an election cycle next year and the upcoming session of the General Assembly will be the last chance many will have to generate any favorable public opinion after several years of rather lackluster efforts.
But this situation isn’t just isolated to Speaker Richardson in the House. It is widely known over in the Senate of at least one person who has done pretty much the worst job in the world to keep his own “scandal” secret. As the rampant speculation continues, it is indeed comforting to learn from Erick that “adults are now paying attention and headed to a room to seek common ground and resolution before next year dawns.” That is what is needed here and the pandering to those who have brought shame upon themselves and their office cannot be tolerated for even another day.
Tonight, members of the majority caucus in the House need to do some soul searching and, if Richardson continues to waste time and avoid making the decision that is best for the party, decide if it is time to inform him of their intent to participate in the use of O.C.G.A. § 28-1-6.1 to start proceedings to remove him from his role as Speaker. Because if Richardson won’t leave, that doesn’t mean he has to stay.
“I think sometime in the next week, a decision will be made,” says state GOP chairman Sue Everhart concerning Richardson.
Next week is another delay that is unnecessary. Tomorrow morning is just right. And the “house cleaning” must start with Richardson.
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As a citizen who realizes that the legislature has important business to attend to this session, I’d like for him to do the teary resignation and get the heck out of the way. As an entertainment consumer, the fighting mad option has me making popcorn, waiting for the fireworks.
From what I know of his personality, I suspect if he tries the first option, half way through the speech it’ll turn into option two.
Didn’t Dubose Porter vote for Glenn Richardson to be Speaker of the House? Never one to miss an opportunity for publicity for his doomed gubernatorial quest, he gleefully joins the lynch mob.
I know the 2009 Speaker election was done by acclimation – meaning no records, and no way to prove either way whether or not a particular person “voted” for the Speaker.
I just started watching this year though, so I honestly can’t speak to prior Speaker elections.
Whenever a two-year session of the Georgia General Assembly commences, among the first items of business is to elect the House Speaker.
On January 12, 2009, the House Democratic Caucus made the unusual move of not offering a candidate to oppose the Republican nominee for Speaker of the Georgia House. House Democratic Leader (D – Dublin) took to the well and made a speech that in essence said, Democrats wanted to focus on solving the state’s problems instead of engaging in partisan bickering.
Once the House Minority Leader concluded his remarks, the entire body voted to elect Richardson Speaker of the House by acclamation as there were no other candidates in the running.
Long story short, by not providing a Democratic candidate for Speaker of the House, state Representative Porter –along with every other Democrat in the House– consented to two more years of Richardson as Speaker.
Dubose made a statement to the press that he voted for Richardson. I will try to find it in the media archives. One thing for sure about Dubose, he sure didn’t have any girlfriends.
I wouldn’t wanna.
Below is the January 12, 2009 press release from the House Communications Office announcing Glenn Richardson’s re-election to the House Speaker’s office:
House Minority Leader DuBose Porter (D – Dublin) and the rest of the Democratic Caucus bear as much responsibility for Richardson being Speaker as the Republicans that nominated him for a third two-year term.
So now can we agree that Dubose Porter is just another posturing politilical hypocrite?
Uh, yeah.
So much with the transparent suck-up letter from Joel McElhannon two weeks ago decrying anyone for thinking for themselves about this entire situation.
Any intelligent person could see at the time that, in that famous paraphrase, “Uh, Houston, we have a problem.”
But I guess we weren’t supposed to admit the obvious.
Is it OK now? Or shall we continue to suck up and say nothing?
Well said Pete.
Only a few days late. It’s easy to seem like a leader when you jump in front of a parade.
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