Senate Ethics Committee to Consider Punch

According to the Lt. Governor’s office, the Senate Ethics and Conduct Committee will meet tomorrow (Thursday) morning to organize so that they may sort through the aftermath of Sen. Charles Bishop (R – Arley) slugging Sen. Lowell Barron (D – Fyffe) on the floor of the Senate. Members of the committee are Senators Scott Beason (R – Gardendale), Kim Benefield (D – Woodland), Zeb Little (D – Cullman), Jim Preuitt (D – Talladega), and Bobby Singleton (D – Greensboro).

If the committee members were to vote on Barron’s complaint against Bishop strictly along the lines of their caucuses, then the committee would have the three votes necessary to warn Bishop but not four votes necessary for stronger action such as recommending expulsion. Democrat Jim Preuitt caucuses with Senate Republicans.

Bishop said, “”I expect to be reprimanded. I need to be. I did something we can’t tolerate on the Senate floor, but at the same time, I expect Lowell Barron to be reprimanded.”

The expectation here is that Barron will not be reprimanded especially since there has been no public corroboration for Bishop’s claim that Barron called him a name that prompted the punch.

Related Articles:

• Sanders' Open Letter Asks Bishop to Resign
• Senate Fight Talk
• Sen. Bishop "Coldcocks" Sen. Barron