We’ve heard from different sides of the divide — or one of the divides — that split S.C. Republicans on the subject of Speaker Harrell’s heavy-handed treatment of Nikki Haley and Nathan Ballentine. Now I see that Tim Kelly, who is no kind of Republican, has also weighed in on Nikki’s behalf:
There are probably about six things in life that I agree with Mark
Sanford on – and it would still take me about a day-and-a-half to
figure out what they are – but his efforts to introduce more
transparency and accountability into South Carolina government is
definitely at the top of that list. About the only argument I have
against his efforts to restructure government to give the governor
actual control over the executive branch is that we could end up with
Mark Sanford exercising that control….
So far, not a lot of votes out here in the real world for the Speaker on this…
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Strange how a bill/rule would “never see the light of day” (Jake Knotts and Bobby Harrell) is now at the forefront of both the House and Senate. Two junior legislators promote the bill/rule and get punished for it. Now McConnell, who was strong armed by Harrell, and Harrell have hijacked the rule in a twisted form. At least Harvey Peeler and Nikki Haley collaborated to bring a reasonable and just rule to the people.
Brad,
I was in Charleston this past weekend. This story was all over the newspaper both Saturday and sunday while I was there. The group I was there with was outraged and said this is everything that is wrong with our government. Now I come home and you and your news staff don’t write about it at all. We as citizens have to remind our public officials that we are watching. We can’t do that if we don’t know about this. This is why we don’t trust our government and the reason nothing will ever change if those that try and do good things get punished for doing so. A real shame.
which is why I feel compelled to post links from other papers…one because the State doesn’t write on stories and when they do they don’t tell whole truths or just part of the story.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2008/12/10/edi_503336.shtml
Lauren, I read the Post and Courier on line every day, just like I read The State. I didn’t think I was delusional, so I went backed and searched Nikki Haley today. There are 5 entries for 2008; 12-7, 12-5, 11-20, 10-09, and 09-25. All were about the recorded votes. I guess the 2 December stories count as “all over the newspaper”. I didn’t check the letters; there might be a million.
The State has been covering this story pretty heavily, because that’s where Mark sent Nikki to off-the-record, on-the-record complain about Harrell punishing her.
I believe in recording votes. But, all this righteous indignation, coming from a toady of the first SC governor I know of to set up all these PACs to raise secret money to secretly push his agenda (or line his pockets?), kind of rubs me the wrong way. It’s just a little too hypocritical.
I have been following this bill since the last one failed last year. Of course some do not want the public to know just how they voted and that is why it has been voted down before.
This is one of those bills that I will be following and contacting my representatives on. we should be able to see just how they are voting right here in South Carolina like they do in the US Congress.