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Fall City lawmaker objects
to censorship of minority party’s opinions
Rep. Glenn Anderson,
R-Fall City, today objected to the extra scrutiny placed on House
Republicans’ opinions on the Democrats’ budget announced last Tuesday.
“This is a clear and dangerous abuse of power,” said Anderson. “It’s the
majority party’s political agenda to censor the minority party’s
disagreements about the House Democrats’ budgeting. Their budget is the
largest spending increase in the history of the state but we can’t talk
about it?”
Anderson said the dust-up started over the House Republicans’
terminology to describe the House Democrats’ budget. The terms are
prohibited from being included in this release, he said.
“Imposing limits on speech that is used to describe a budget that is a
matter of public debate and scrutiny is a gross abuse of everyone’s
First Amendment freedoms and disenfranchises every citizen,” said
Anderson.
He said that he might expect this type of totalitarian iron fist from
the former Soviet Union, but that in America the freedom to disagree and
hold our individual opinions is the cornerstone of our democracy.
“When a minority legislator’s comments are officially censored by the
majority party using the power of our governing institutions, due to
disagreement on policy and spending priorities, it dishonors the
sacrifices of the millions who have sacrificed for our freedoms in order
to protect them. It is an embarrassing disgrace and a dangerous
precedent,” said Anderson. “It begs the question – what are they hiding
that they don’t want the public to know?”
The House budget is scheduled to be voted on today, with any differences
between Senate and House versions of the budgets worked out before the
session adjourns on March 9.
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For more information, contact:
Bobbi Cussins, Public
Information Officer - (360) 786-7252
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