The SC Democratic Party is griping about this:
Columbia, SC — In a vote along party lines, House Republicans refused to take up an amendment that would allow a statewide Recall Bill to be taken up in the House today. The bill, sponsored by Reps. Boyd Brown, Todd Rutherford, Bakari Sellers, James Smith and Leon Stavrinakis, all Democrats, calls for a recall mechanism for all statewide office holders.
In the past weeks, since the Ken Ard scandal began, voters in South Carolina have been calling for recall legislation as a way to hold their elected officials accountable. Today, Lt. Governor Ard announced he would not step aside from his post, giving Democrats an even greater incentive to pass this bill onto the voters of South Carolina.
Rep. Boyd Brown, the author of the bill, release this quote about the legislation refusal.
“Ken Ard’s unwillingness to do what is right is a clear example as to why the people of South Carolina deserve a chance to recall elected officials. If he does not step aside, he should be removed from office. It’s apparent now, that South Carolina Republicans want to protect their own, while they continue their pattern of neglect towards the people of our state.”
The maneuver was blocked by Rep. Philip Lowe, a Republican of Florence, Ard’s hometown.
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For my part, I say “Hurrah for the House GOP,” assuming this report is accurate. Worst idea in a long time.
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Dick Harpootlian just put out the additional statement, “This bill would allow the voters to recall Ken Ard and any other statewide elected official when the fifteen percent of the voters ask for a recall election. It’s understandable that the Republicans want to protect one of their own, but they should put aside this purely partisan political cronyism and let the people speak.”
And it’s also perfectly understandable that a Democrat would want something like this, given that the Dems don’t hold a single statewide office.
The powerless see opportunity in chaos. And that’s what recall is.
Much ado about nothing. Same meaningless squabbling that we saw during all those inane, worthless restructuring debates. I’ll read the text when I’m ready to go to sleep.
To suggest this is the worst idea in a long time is ludicrious. How can this be worse than Sanford’s idea to reject federal stimulus money? I guess we all engage in a bit of hyperbole every once in a while.
I agree with your comment 100pct., Brad. They are not helping their cause at all. They are clearly opportunistic. Worst idea in a long time, is correct. Andrew
Who cares what Dick Harpootlian thinks… let’s see a raise of hands. Anyone, anyone??? Just what I thought.
OMG. The Democrats are playing hardball politics? How dare they behave like Republicans!
Write off Dick Harpootlian at your peril. He didn’t get where he is by being inconsequential.
And where is he? Does anyone care?
He’s… right there behind you! Look out, Steven!
No, wait. My mistake. It was just a shadow…
Even if he was, I doubt I’d care. I wish I knew what people found impressive about the guy.
He’s an impressive leader for a party that will never (under its current leadership) attain statewide power (I say this as a voter who is pained that SC elected its current governor, instead of the decent and competent guy). That is, he makes enough noise to keep them in the papers (such as we have any anymore). Without him, the SC Democratic Party would be getting less attention. For this purpose, I do suppose that having Harpootlian as chief party hack is a tad better than running Alvin Greene for office (a tad).
@Kathryn
“He didn’t get where he is by being inconsequential.”
No, he got there by being a lot of other things. Can you name any that are positive?
I think he’s one of those guys that people inside the Columbia bubble believe is powerful. Outside the bubble, he’s unknown.
Speaking as a Democrat, “effective”–he is effective, and to me, that is a good thing.
In SC, outside the Columbia “bubble,” there is plenty of ignorance. There are plenty of voters who elect the likes of Nikki Haley and Mark Sanford. I wish there were more people who thought like us on the inside, and perhaps Harpo can help that along. Perhaps not. I’m not prepared to cede absolute power to the party of Ken Ard!
Effective at what? Who has he got elected? What legislation has he got enacted?
He appears to be effective at taking money from Democrats and delivering very little for it.
Doug,
Just went to the Clemson “wiki” page for Dick Harpootlian.
“During his first year as Party Chairman, he orchestrated the Party’s successful election bids of United States Senator Fritz Hollings, Congressman Jim Clyburn and Governor James Hodges. Hodges, with Harpootlian’s help, became the first man in the history of South Carolina politics to unseat an incumbent Governor in his bid for re-election.”
Also, since he was never an executive or a legislator, he hasn’t been in a position to enact legislation, although if he helped Hodges get elected, I guess he is partly responsible for the Lottery.
I’m sure those outside Columbia appreciate being labeled as “ignorant”. From what I see, there’s more than plenty of those people within the “bubble”. Dick Harpootlian groupees for starters…
Stan Dubinskey is a college professor, he’s required to vote Democrat, per the faculty handbook.
First, there’s no “e” in “Dubinsky.” Second, I kind of doubt that you’re right on that. I really don’t know Stan’s politics, but based on the stuff he reads and sends out all the time via e-mail, he’s kind of across the board…
But then, he COULD be a Democrat. I don’t know. Stan?
Those who vote for Nikki Haley and Mark Sanford are either ignorant or worse. Columbians “inside the bubble” did not, on average, make such mistakes.
Really… are these the same voters who didn’t vote for Alvin Greene?
bud is really starting to rub off on you, as I’m reading the fact that if you’re a Republican, you’re ignorant… in your eyes.
@Steven, No you aren’t ignorant; you’re just the antichrist 🙂
@Karen, I’m just the antichrist in liberal Democrats eyes. And that really doesn’t appear to bother me much.