On Monday of this week, I stood in the back of the State Senate Chambers and watched, in somewhat stunned disbelief, as I watched the leadership election for President Pro-Tem of the Chamber — not happen. Ultra-left-wing Democrat Darrell Steinberg’s name was placed into nomination by some of his Democrat colleagues, as he should have been as he is the elected leader of State Senate Democrats…
But not one Republican legislator rose to place into nomination the name of Bob Dutton, the Senate Republican Leader, into nomination. On the contrary, not only was Steinberg the only name placed into nomination, but he was elected on a unanimous voice-vote of the entire Senate. Not an objection was sounded by any of the Republicans in the Chamber. So, effectively, the first vote this session by Republicans was to put their stamp of approval on Darrell Steinberg (the five new freshman Republicans can put that in their inaugural newsletters).
This didn’t just happen in the Senate by the way, I am told that over in the Assembly, John Perez was re-elected Speaker on a voice vote as well, with not one GOPer asking to have a vote of "no" recorded.
There is a tradition in both legislative chambers where whichever candidate the Democrats put forward for Speaker or President Pro-Tem are unanimously elected to the Assembly and State Senate’s top spot, respectively, in a voice vote. I suppose this is some sort of "congeniality of the house" maneuver since the outcome of a potential election between a Democrat and a Republican candidate for Speaker or President is preordained due to the large majority of liberals in both chambers.
This practice is just wrong, and it shouldn’t be taking place.
The Senate and Assembly is an elected body with recorded votes. It is based on these votes that the people can judge their elected officials. It should be very clear to the "viewing audience at home" whom their legislators first choice would be to lead their house..
In the United States Congress, each conference — Republican and Democrat — has placed into nomination for the top spot their respective leader. Early last year that was Nancy Pelosi for the Democrats and John Boehner for the Republicans. Each made a speech about their vision for the nation, and then a recorded vote was taken. Guess what? Pelosi won. Boehner congratulated her, and that was that.
Republicans in the legislature are allowed to have PRIDE and Monday’s way of handling things represented an unfortunate step backwards. Last year, in the Assembly, Republicans did, in fact, put up their leader at the time, Sam Blakeslee, to be leaderThere should be some speeches made, and a recorded vote taken. Then Blakeslee congratulated the new Speaker, John Perez. Instead of making this the new tradition for Republicans, everything went back to the way it was before.
The current process is not a good one, and it is disrespectful to the rights of the minority party to put forward its own candidate for the top position the Senate and the Assembly
No one should be offended or take offense at a process that allows the minority party have dignity, and to also be on record supporting their own leader for Speaker.
It wasn’t that long ago, in 1998, that a former candidate for State Senate (and currently an elected Senator) was viciously attacked in mail piece in a contested GOP primary — one of the attacks was on this candidate’s votes for the liberal Democrat Speaker.
I will end this brief commentary with a short video (which is somewhat painful to watch, but underscores how a vote for the legislative leader of a chamber should be conducted).