The end of session is tough on everyone. But, it would appear that liberal Senate President Morgan Carroll is letting the pressure get to her. Yesterday, she started making up rules as she went along. First, H.B.14-1009, which would have changed the wildfire mitigation income tax deduction to the wildfire mitigation income tax credit, failed.
Two Democratic senators, Sens. Lois Tochtrop and Cheri Jahn voted no. That’s when things got…awkward. Carroll conferred with Boulder Sen. Rollie Heath and returned to her perch with an amendment to H.B. 14-1009 that would have laid over the bill until later in the day. Yes, the same bill that was just killed. Senate Minority Leader Bill Cadman called her out on this…odd…political maneuver. Just watch:
From the video:
Cadman: “Members, welcome to the Senate where there’s no settled questions. We’re asking that a bill be laid over, that we just killed, frankly. I would ask for a no vote. If you voted against 1009, you should not support this motion. This is not just procedural.”
Carroll: “Umm, this is a procedural question in the form of committee of the whole amendment 1. The question is the adoption of the committee of the whole amendment 1. Are there any no votes?”
Cadman: “Well, I guess in that sense all things here are procedural, that’s what we do. The reality of this is it would undo what we just did. I would ask for a no vote.”
Carroll again asks if there are any “no” votes and literally stops in the middle of counting to to whip her members into submission tears obedience voting the right way. While it’s tough to see her after she hustles off to the floor, her voice yelling at her members – we presume Jahn and Tochtrop – is unmistakeable. She can be heard saying, “This is a procedural vote.” Another member responds with “this is NOT a procedural vote” and then “this is unconstitutional”.
Not only was this maneuver not kosher, but Carroll’s conduct is more fitting of the President of Sweet Valley High Student Council than President of the Colorado State Senate.
OK, that's one I've never seen or even heard about before!