Posted by A legislator told me there had been a lot of talk this year about ethics legislation (proposed by Democrat Jeff McLaughlin – Guntersville, proposed by Republican Paul DeMarco – Homewood, proposed on illegal immigration, on double dipping, and so on) and not a lot has moved yet. While it is still too early to know how it will all shake out, the legislator believed there was a sense of urgency in the Senate on the bill to ban PAC-to-PAC transfers.
“A sense of urgency?” I asked.
Yes, there is some sense that the House may not pass the version that came out of Senate Committee, and that if the bill does not pass this year, the Senate will take the blame. You have [House Speaker] Seth Hammett over there saying that “the House passes this bill every year.” Look to see some of the amendments that were added in committee taken off on the Senate floor [to get a bill that the House may pass].
This is a good place to mention that a reader tracked down who was present for the unanimous vote that passed the amended bill to ban PAC-to-PAC transfers out of committee. The reader asked a reporter who had been on the scene what committee members were present for the vote (reported at 10-0). The reporter replied that Democrats Kim Benefield, Linda Coleman, Bobby Denton, Vivian Figures, Zeb Little, Larry Means, Wendell Mitchell, Myron Penn, and Jim Preuitt with Republican Harri Anne Smith accounted for the ten votes. I know that Larry Dixon and perhaps other Republicans on the committee missed the vote because they were busy with Rudy Giuliani’s welcome and/or arrival that morning. I appreciate the help!
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Press Releases
And then look for the press release out of Mitchell’s office touting his tough stance on pac to pact transfers. These guys are amazing.
[...] Danny at Doc’s Political Parlor says there’s a possibility that the Alabama Senate will remove at least some of the amendments its committee added to Rep. Jeff McLaughlin’s PAC-to-PAC transfer ban before voting to pass it. [Danny’s source in the legislature says] Yes, there is some sense that the House may not pass the version that came out of Senate Committee, and that if the bill does not pass this year, the Senate will take the blame. You have [House Speaker] Seth Hammett over there saying that “the House passes this bill every year.” Look to see some of the amendments that were added in committee taken off on the Senate floor [to get a bill that the House may pass]. [...]
Do I see pigs flying?!
LOL… Brian… too funny. We can dream! I am hoping that the legislator is right!