SC

SC Senate Rejects Transparency Rule

GLENN McCONNELL, NIKKI SETZLER SLAM THE DOOR ON NEEDED ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE In a disappointingly ironic display of contempt for citizens and taxpayers, the South Carolina Senate rejected an effort this week to amend its rules to require greater transparency at the committee and subcommittee levels. In other words the hearings…

GLENN McCONNELL, NIKKI SETZLER SLAM THE DOOR ON NEEDED ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE

In a disappointingly ironic display of contempt for citizens and taxpayers, the South Carolina Senate rejected an effort this week to amend its rules to require greater transparency at the committee and subcommittee levels.

In other words the hearings that ultimately determine the fate of key legislation – and key expenditures – will remain cloaked in secrecy.

What made this defeat so ironic?  The amendment that would have forced recorded, roll call votes at the committee and subcommittee levels was defeated via an unrecorded voice vote.  In other words the “Republican-controlled” Senate dealt this blow to transparency in secret.

Glenn McConnell: Working Against Transparency.

An effort to force an “on-the-record” vote was made by S.C. Senators Lee Bright (R-Spartanburg) and Tom Davis (R-Beaufort), but S.C. Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell issued a hasty ruling that blocked their effort before most people in the chamber realized what was happening.

Sources in the S.C. Senate tell FITS that at least five Senators – Bright, Davis, and newcomers Katrina Shealy, Paul Thurmond and Tom Young – all raised their hands in an effort to force an “on-the-record” vote in the moments following McConnell’s ruling.  Unfortunately, S.C. Sen. Nikki Setzler (D-Lexington) convinced McConnell not to permit a vote – arguing that his original ruling should stand.

This is ridiculous …

Didn’t lawmakers make a big deal about passing “on the record” voting?  Why, then, are they now casting unrecorded votes in an effort to preserve the secrecy of their committee decisions?

For shame …

For those of you unfamiliar with how the S.C. General Assembly “works,” deliberations of the floor of both the S.C. House and State Senate are carefully choreographed in advance – right down to the last intentionally obfuscating procedural twist.  The real drama occurs at the committee and subcommittee levels, where lobbyists representing various special interests drive the debate and force votes that are invariably not in the taxpayers’ best interests.

Forcing those committee and subcommittee votes on the record would have been a major coup for transparency supporters – unfortunately with the exception of Bright, Davis, Shealy, Thurmond and Young, it appears that every “Republican” in the chamber sat on their hands when it came time to stand up and be counted.

Also there’s no statewide leadership on this issue as S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley (who campaigned on the issue two years ago) long ago lost all credibility when it comes to pushing these reforms.

Two years ago, “transparency” was all the rage in state government.  Now – with the exception of a handful of elected officials (like State Treasurer Curtis Loftis, for example) – it has clearly become nothing but another fad on the ash heap of real reform.  As a result, South Carolina ranks dead last in the nation in terms of the openness of its government.

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11 comments

jimlewis,owb December 14, 2012 at 10:45 am

And there are still people out there doubting that Weenie and the Gypsy Queen can’t make a deal to send her to Washington.

Reply
junior justice December 14, 2012 at 10:53 am

Vote them in and then out – turn them over like pancakes. Or run for office yourself (but not me – I can be too annoying and cranky at times).

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Eli December 14, 2012 at 10:58 am

Gag me with an entire place setting!

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Philip Branton December 14, 2012 at 12:16 pm

Dear Jim DeMINT……….

How many serving in the statehouse would you suggest to resign after this…!?

…Heritage Members want to know..???

Reply
Bill December 14, 2012 at 12:29 pm

Republican-controlled” Senate dealt this blow to transparency in secret. Well: Duhhhhhhhhh!!!

Reply
? December 14, 2012 at 1:09 pm

This is a great write up. It’s a classic example of Will’s insider knowledge that the average joe that hasn’t sullied himself in politics doesn’t know.

The idea these bozos get together before public hearings to make sure everyone’s playing nice and nothing inconvenient gets said is a pretty good indicator of how ridiculous the whole concept of “good governance” really is.

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Dark Ninja December 14, 2012 at 5:13 pm

Time to kick some ass!

Reply
Joe the Plumber December 14, 2012 at 6:17 pm

McConnell continues to control the entire machinery of state government from his new perch as Lt. Governor, as secretive and corrupt as ever.

And to think that recent posts here recommended him to replace U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint.

South Carolinians have worked hard to make the state “45th most corrupt” in the nation (see http://www.stateintegrity.org), and by tolerating McConnell, maybe, just maybe, we’ll go down a few notches in the next few years.

Yes, he’s a genius.

An evil genius.

Reply
pluffmudder December 14, 2012 at 8:20 pm

Why are they even in session?

Reply
Dave Jones December 14, 2012 at 11:34 pm

Post-term prison sentences for felonies and malfeasance WHILE “serving the people” sounds like justice to me.

Reply
insider December 15, 2012 at 3:20 pm

Keep hearing that Setzler is involved with some huge land/property scandal in Lexington.

Reply

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