Pi**ing match in Senate committee over Obama and campaign finance
by Dara Kam | March 12th, 2009Democrats and Republicans got into a heated verbal brawl this morning over a public campaign finance bill in the Senate Transportation and Economic Development Committee.Some GOP senators railed against President Barack Obama’s reversal about taking public money to finance his campaign, just stopping short of calling the president a liar and refusing to refer to him as “president,” instead calling him “Sen. Obama” or “Candidate Obama.”
Democratic Sens. Chris Smith and Tony Hill grew fidgety as the anti-Obama rhetoric escalated but spilled over after Republican Ronda Storms refused to let the matter drop.
“I understand that some are uncomfortable with Candidate Obama’s faiilure to keep his word and those of us who did not support him calling attention to that,” Storms, R-Brandon, said. “I can completely understand they don’t want to talk about the messiah having a flaw but the messiah has a flaw.”
That pushed Smith, who previously tried to limit discussion on the proposed constitutional amendment (SJR 566) by asking for a vote, over the edge.
Smith said he was concerned that the debate was about federal campaign laws and not the state laws included in the bill.
“Don’t pi** on me and tell me it’s raining. I know what you were doing and I called you on it,” said Smith, whose district includes part of Palm Beach County.
That earned him a reprimand from committee chairman Mike Fasano.
“I think you’re way out of line,” Fasano, R-New Port Richey rebuked the Ft. Lauderdale freshman who formerly served in the House. “I would suggest you think twice about making a statement like that again in this committee. It is not called for,. It is out of order. It is outrageous.”
Before the meeting ended, Smith apologized and promised to clean up his act in the future.
“Mr. Chairman, I apologize for my colorful use of language,” Smith said. “Take it as my first strike in the Senate.”
Fasano accepted his apology.
Tags: Barack Obama, elections, presidential campaign, State Senate
Where's the money? Use The Post's interactive database of who wants and who's getting federal dollars.
Use these interactive graphics to find and contact Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast legislators.
Sentenced to die for crimes judged heinous and cruel, inmates await execution in a 9 feet by 6 feet cell.
March 13th, 2009 at 10:50 am
The only thing Rethuglicans are angry about is that Obama won. Now all they can do is be disrespectful to the man who IS their president, whether they voted for him or not. None of the Rethuglican actions are even remotely beneficial to the people of Florida. And the people are paying attention.
March 15th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
[...] Storms seemed incapable of keeping the debate focused on Florida law and Florida circumstances. Sen. Storms earned a reprimand from the Committee Chair after refusing to refer to Barack Obama as “President,” instead consistently referring [...]
April 17th, 2009 at 10:11 am
[...] Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, in a heated exchange about President Obama during a Senate Transportation and Economic Development [...]
December 31st, 2009 at 4:03 am
Each moment of a happy lover’s hour is worth an age of dull and common life.