Editorial: Legislator's demotion highlights backroom deal, potential conflicts of interest
Thursday, April 22, 2021 -- Service in the General Assembly - or any other elective office - is a public trust. It is not a secret society where deals that benefit those public servants are cut outside of the public view. More and more the closed party caucuses are the forums where the REAL debates over policy and legislation occur. Public sessions are choreographed displays that too often disguise the true intent and issues at hand.
Posted — UpdatedBefore the bill received final House approval, it was amended to allow those receiving unemployment benefits to deduct up to $10,200 from their income taxes – about 17 weeks of typical payments and similar to a special federal COVID-19 deduction for 2020. There is no limit on the deductions for the PPP loans – which under certain circumstances are forgivable from repayment.
Moore and his deputies defended their behavior ousting Howard from her leadership post, saying a deal had been cut in a closed-door meeting of Republicans to move the bill. "Several weeks ago, the North Carolina Republican House Legislative Caucus overwhelmingly voted to move forward on House Bill 334. ... Over the proceeding weeks, against the will of the caucus, Rep. Julia Howard, in her role as one of four Senior House Finance Chairs did not move the bill," said a statement from Moore, House Speaker Pro Tem Sarah Stevens, R-Surry County and House Majority Leader John Bell, R-Wayne County.
Here's the rub. The House Republican Caucus has NO official standing (same goes for the Democrats’ caucus). It does not meet in public. There are no publicly available recorded votes. Nothing done or said in those secret sessions is open to the scrutiny of the people legislators represent, the voters who put them into office or the news reporters who can shine light onto what they say and do.
Now Howard’s constituents have had their representative knocked down and on the outs with the leadership. All executed in back room deals.
Howard was right for raising her concerns. Her only fault is that she didn’t do it more prominently, in detail, in an open and public forum and on the record.
Service in the General Assembly – or any other elective office – is a public trust. It is not a secret society where deals that benefit those public servants are cut outside of the public view. More and more the closed party caucuses are the forums where the REAL debates over policy and legislation occur. Public sessions are choreographed displays that too often disguise the true intent and issues at hand.
Before this bill leaves the General Assembly EVERY legislator should disclose, in detail, if they or their businesses have PPP loans, how much and, ANY benefit they might gain if it becomes law. Legislation should be debated in the appropriate forums of open committee meetings and public chamber sessions.
North Carolinians have a right to know this information so they can judge for themselves – not simply from an opinion issued by legislative employee – if their legislators have conflicts and whether their actions are in the public interest. Citizens have a right to be a part of ALL discussions on legislation.
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