Let the (Partisan) Games Begin?

There has been rumor floating around that Karen Minnis was going to move to make the long-standing, non-partisan Chief Clerk of the House (who is the ever important parliamentarian) an appointee of the Speaker. That rumor was confirmed by the Oregonian this morning. The current Chief Clerk, Ramona Kenady, has been in the position since 1985, working well with both Democrats and Republicans, and has been elected by the entire House at the beginning of each regular legislative session (as has, apparently, every other clerk of the Oregon House).

With this rule change, wouldn't it make it a lot harder for Kenady to dispense fair and impartial advice?

Discuss.

Jan. 08, 2005
Posted in open discussion.
  • Aaron (unverified)
    7:57 a.m.
    Jan 8, '05
    (Show?)

    OH let the fun begin in arena of politics here in Oregon. This lovely news, Sorenson challenging Teddy K., and what the type of crime is it when a murder of a pregnant woman. Yet these things had happened before the first official day of the session. Some say that the session will only be six months—I say it might be a long hot summer in Salem.

  •
    9:42 a.m.
    Jan 8, '05
    (Show?)

    Ah, the Tom DeLay style of running a legislative body.

  •
    12:12 p.m.
    Jan 8, '05
    (Show?)

    I joked awhile back the Minnis may attempt to institute a DeLay/Hastert style "majority of the majority" policy toward running the House. Now I'm wondering if that wasn't so crazy.

    Is someone keeping a record of Minnis's misdeeds? It might be a nice feature to run periodically. Say, after a GOP legislator calls the Dems the "party of division." Minnis's partisanism is straight from the DeLay school.

  •
    12:13 p.m.
    Jan 8, '05
    (Show?)

    Not really apropos to your topic, but here's Ann Coulter's recent column title: Liberals love America like O.J. loved Nicole. Somehow they seem related. Somehow.

  • LT (unverified)
    9:25 p.m.
    Jan 8, '05
    (Show?)

    Seems to me that one of the lessons of the 2004 election is the power of a few words repeated over and over and over and over.

    So for this situation those words should be Minnis Power Grab.

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