House Action Targets Leaks, Gerhart And Associates; Morgan Decries ‘Vicious’ Attacks
Al Gerhart
Rep. Randy Terrill
The Oklahoman’s Michael McNutt reveals today that the House may soon have a code of ethics that is aimed at stopping the kind of inside information the controversial Al Gerhart has been writing about.
Gerhart, leader of the Sooner Tea Party and known as an ally of Rep. Randy Terrill, uses inside information about House members to denigrate them, and House Speaker Kris Steele.
Reports McNutt: As emails are being circulated that include name-calling and accusations against House members, the House Ethics Committee gave tentative approval Wednesday to an ethics code that would punish members who distribute false material.
The emails are being sent from people outside the state Capitol. But the emails, mostly critical of House Speaker Kris Steele and other GOP House leaders, often contain nuggets that only House members would know.
In a linked development, Rep. Danny Morgan, Praque Democrat who has been a House leader, decried the vitriol, telling The Oklahoman he “is discouraged by a growing cutthroat attitude in the House of Representatives. I’m concerned that we have to be very diligent that Oklahoma does not end up looking like the United States Congress where compromise is a negative word and where you cannot have respect for the other side. If they’re registered the other way or they’re on the other side, they’re the enemy — I just can’t believe that that should be the attitude.”
Some of the nastiness has come from members, he said, but emails calling House members inappropriate or vulgar names and trying to stoke divisions are being circulated by people outside the Capitol.
“I believe in the free expression of your discontent with your government,” Morgan said. “But I also think you can go too far. And when it becomes vicious and malicious, you’ve crossed the line. I’ve seen some emails with things directed toward members that just are appalling to me.”
For examples of Gerhart’s vitriol, go to http://ymlp.com/archive_gmuyesygjgu.php.
Short URL: http://mccarvillereport.com/?p=1293
Posted by mikes1voice
on Jan 19 2012. Filed under General, Legislature, Politics.
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