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Go away, you bother me

April 01, 2009

Things got a bit lively last night at the public hearing on the repeal of Iowa's deduction for federal income taxes. The gallery of the Iowa House of Representatives was full of repeal opponents. The Speaker, Pat Murphy, decided they were too rowdy and had state troopers clear the galleries. The Des Moines Register reports:

Legislative rules say that no protesting or advocating can be done in the House while the Legislature is in session.
House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen of Hiawatha contended that the hearing did not constitute an actual session and that the removal of the crowd reflected the desire of Murphy, not a strict adherence to the rules. Furthermore, he noted that most of the reactions came after speakers left the microphone and were not interruptions.

Murphy declared that it is a matter of respect for all speakers. He said he should have ordered the chambers cleared much sooner than he did because several of the speakers were booed.

Ed Failor, President of Iowans for Tax Relief, promptly broke Godwin's Law, Radio Iowa reports:

Ed Failor, Junior, president of Iowans for Tax Relief, came over to the House press bench to express his outrage. "The controlling party has lost touch with the taxpayers," Failor began. "...Pat Murphy has acted like a jack-booted Nazi."

Mr. Failor was promptly escorted to a concentration camp and gassed. Well, not really. As Godwin's Law is not part of the Rules of the House, the opponents of the tax increase still have hope.

Keeping in mind that you don't have to be a Nazi to be thin-skinned, Mr. Murphy seems to miss the point of a "public" hearing. Maybe he does his best work alone.