Majority – Democrats sound-off about committee assignments
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That’s better than some other Yellow Dogs, who were closest to McCoy and made the backbone of the old Democratic majority. The following longtime Democrats received neither a chair or vice chair: Cecil Brown, Bennett Malone, Bobby Moak, Tommy Reynolds, and Johnny Stringer. Holland also didn’t seem happy that he and former Appropriations Chair Johnny Stringer were moved from that committee to Ways and Means, one of the two money slots that were guaranteed because of seniority.
As a group, the Black Caucus did much better than the old RWDs with eight chairs and 15 vice chairs. The following received chairmanships: Earle Banks- Enrolled Bills, Ed Blackmon- Municipalities, Angela Cockerham- Energy, Chuck Espy- Investigative, George Flaggs- Corrections, Joe Gardner- Ethics, John Hines- Youth and Family Affairs, and Robert Johnson- Transportation. Hines was very pleased with his assignment. “I am humbled to be given such a large responsibility at a time when issues of youth and family are at an all-time high in importance,” he told the Clarion-Ledger.
The main Black Caucus member who has publicly expressed his displeasure was Tyrone Ellis. Ellis served as Majority Leader under McCoy, and feels that may have had something to do with his new assignments. “The former majority leader of the House…You have to punish him,” he said.
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Sun Herald
1/21/12
Magnolia Tribune
