FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 21, 2011

Respect Missing Down at State Capitol

House Democratic Leader Scott Inman (D-Del City) called out acting Speaker Rep. Don Armes (R-Faxon) on disrespect during session.

Yesterday, in the late hours of session, Rep. Inman asked a simple question that was met with unnecessary hostility and disrespect.

The author of a bill motioned to advance his bill--meaning putting an end to any further questions or debate on the bill.  Before that motion went up for a vote, Rep. Inman asked Rep. Armes, the acting speaker, for a point of information of how many members of the body had questions for the author in the queue. Rep. Armes first refused to answer the question and then asked, “you want to know an exact number?” When Rep. Inman answered affirmative, Rep. Armes responded “some,” and pressed on without answering the question.

Subsequently, Inman motioned to appeal the ruling of the speaker. In his argument, he said it was precedence of the acting speaker to answer how many members were waiting to ask a question. He argued the body should know how many other members have questions on a bill before voting to advance it with no further questions accepted.

“I don’t understand why!” Inman said.  “Outside of the I’ve got the power of knowledge, and I’m not going to give it to you, there’s no justification for it.”

Inman said he didn’t want to be debating something so trivial, but this has happened numerous times this session. He also said his inquiry was simple and to be denied an answer is insulting.

“I’m insulted when I get told no sir you can’t know as if I’m some sort of three year old, and my parent has told me I’m not going to tell you,” Inman said. “And when asked why, I get because I said so. I don’t follow that logic.”

Todd Goodman, Chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, said this sort of behavior by Rep. Armes is an abuse of power and completely unnecessary.

“I’m fairly certain the people of Oklahoma did not vote anybody into office to display such disrespect to colleagues, especially the leader of the Democratic caucus” Goodman said. “Just because you are in the majority party, does not mean you can ignore precedence in the House or treat another as inferior. Not giving a member a simple point of information just because you can is the opposite of the transparency in government the voters of Oklahoma have requested.”

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