Adamantaimai
July 18th, 2008, 03:32 AM
source (http://www.sj-r.com/news/x1346885680/House-Republicans-accuse-Democrat-of-spreading-racial-hatred)
Three Republican state representatives accused a Democratic colleague of spreading “racial hatred” during a committee meeting Wednesday and demanded that the speaker of the House investigate the incident.
“That type of racial hatred that was displayed in committee went out with the ’70s, and I respectfully request that you review the transcript,” Rep. Jim Sacia, R-Pecatonica, said on the House floor.
The target of his complaint, Rep. Monique Davis, D-Chicago, denied saying anything improper.
A recording of the hearing shows that while Davis alleged that some lawmakers want to keep crime rates up so that prisons stay full, the racial content was minimal.
She argued that her fellow African-American legislators must fight hard for legislation to help former criminals go straight.
“To me, that’s bringing race into a debate,” said Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Greenville. “I maintain my position: She brought race into the debate and should be chastised.”
While legislators often gripe at one another, publicly accusing a fellow lawmaker of racist behavior is almost unheard of, and asking for an official review is rare.
Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, said the speaker’s office will “work to comply with the request” for a review. He would not elaborate.
The dispute arose when a committee debated legislation setting up a loan program to help ex-convicts start businesses.
Davis said some of the measure’s opponents “don’t want to stop crime” because they have prisons in their districts and want to keep the facilities full.
She said their attitude is, “We’ve got to have those prisons. They’ve got to come down here from Chicago and we’ve got to keep them filled because that’s how we get work. ... We no longer have farms. We don’t raise cows and pigs. We keep prisons.”
Although Davis later denied mentioning race at all, the recording shows she told the measure’s sponsor that black lawmakers must do more to help people avoid a life of crime.
“What you’re fighting, and what African-Americans down here have to fight harder, is to stop this continued recidivism because opportunities are denied,” she said.
The critics of the loan legislation are white, as are many lawmakers with prisons in their districts.
Stephens originally charged that Davis had said some lawmakers want to keep prisons filled with “black people from Chicago.”
Even after the recording of the hearing showed that Davis had not specified black people, Stephens said she had still crossed the line.
Sacia also maintained that Davis’ comments were “highly racist.”
Rep. Dennis Reboletti, R-Elmhurst, was the third lawmaker to rise on the House floor and condemn Davis. He accused her of “race-baiting.”
Rep. LaShawn Ford, a black Chicago Democrat who sponsored the legislation that sparked the dispute, said he didn’t consider Davis’ comments racist or offensive.
Does anyone see any racism whatsoever in Davis' comments? I don't. Not to mention that she's absolutely correct.
Three Republican state representatives accused a Democratic colleague of spreading “racial hatred” during a committee meeting Wednesday and demanded that the speaker of the House investigate the incident.
“That type of racial hatred that was displayed in committee went out with the ’70s, and I respectfully request that you review the transcript,” Rep. Jim Sacia, R-Pecatonica, said on the House floor.
The target of his complaint, Rep. Monique Davis, D-Chicago, denied saying anything improper.
A recording of the hearing shows that while Davis alleged that some lawmakers want to keep crime rates up so that prisons stay full, the racial content was minimal.
She argued that her fellow African-American legislators must fight hard for legislation to help former criminals go straight.
“To me, that’s bringing race into a debate,” said Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Greenville. “I maintain my position: She brought race into the debate and should be chastised.”
While legislators often gripe at one another, publicly accusing a fellow lawmaker of racist behavior is almost unheard of, and asking for an official review is rare.
Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, said the speaker’s office will “work to comply with the request” for a review. He would not elaborate.
The dispute arose when a committee debated legislation setting up a loan program to help ex-convicts start businesses.
Davis said some of the measure’s opponents “don’t want to stop crime” because they have prisons in their districts and want to keep the facilities full.
She said their attitude is, “We’ve got to have those prisons. They’ve got to come down here from Chicago and we’ve got to keep them filled because that’s how we get work. ... We no longer have farms. We don’t raise cows and pigs. We keep prisons.”
Although Davis later denied mentioning race at all, the recording shows she told the measure’s sponsor that black lawmakers must do more to help people avoid a life of crime.
“What you’re fighting, and what African-Americans down here have to fight harder, is to stop this continued recidivism because opportunities are denied,” she said.
The critics of the loan legislation are white, as are many lawmakers with prisons in their districts.
Stephens originally charged that Davis had said some lawmakers want to keep prisons filled with “black people from Chicago.”
Even after the recording of the hearing showed that Davis had not specified black people, Stephens said she had still crossed the line.
Sacia also maintained that Davis’ comments were “highly racist.”
Rep. Dennis Reboletti, R-Elmhurst, was the third lawmaker to rise on the House floor and condemn Davis. He accused her of “race-baiting.”
Rep. LaShawn Ford, a black Chicago Democrat who sponsored the legislation that sparked the dispute, said he didn’t consider Davis’ comments racist or offensive.
Does anyone see any racism whatsoever in Davis' comments? I don't. Not to mention that she's absolutely correct.