Press release from Sen. Larry George 6-8-07:
Senate Democrats Send Ethics Bill to “Black Hole”
Salem, OR — Senate Democrats used a partisan procedural move Friday morning to bury a popular ethics reform bill. In the height of hypocrisy, Democrats first unanimously adopted an amendment to House Joint Resolution 14A on the Senate floor that would independently fund the state ethics commission. Then, in an about face, Democrats voted on party lines to send the measure to Ways and Means where it awaits a tenuous future.
“It is unbelievable that we send a bill with no fiscal impact to Ways and Means,” said Larry George, (R-Sherwood). “The only reason is to kill a very popular ethics reform bill.”
Policy bills with no fiscal impact are never intended to go to Ways and Means. This session, Ways and Means is being used to kill all bills that the voters want and majority party Democrats don’t. The measure had no fiscal impact this budget cycle.
“The majority party is playing politics with the future of state ethics,” said George. “Today we had a chance to give our state ethics watchdog independent funding, but Democrats decided to play politics instead. This building gives a lot of lip-service to bi-partisanship, but an idea unanimously supported has to die because there is an “˜R’ behind the carrier’s name.”
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