Harrison gets boot from state committee

Politics was cited as the cause when state Reps. Joe Harrison (R-Napoleonville) and Cameron Henry (R-Metairie) were removed from the House Appropriations Committee on Friday.

Harrison said comments that appeared to be in opposition to House Speaker Chuck Kleckley (R-Lake Charles) and Gov. Bobby Jindal’s agenda were behind the move.

“I guess I asked the wrong question,” Harrison said. “The speaker was very short [and] said I didn’t vote right.”

Harrison said when he was originally assigned to Appropriations, he told Kleckley he would be voting in the best interest of his constituents. Harrison said Kleckley had promised to appoint him to the Appropriations committee with an assurance he would not be removed even if their opinions differed.

“I’ve never been subjective to the strong-arming threats that I have by the [Jindal] administration,” Harrison said.

The issue that sealed the legislator’s removal from committee was related to his support of the Office of Group Benefits. The OGB manages insurance benefits for state employees.

Harrison said he questioned a privatization contract offered to Blue Cross Blue Shield for OGB administrators, and was viewed as a threat to Jindal’s desires.

“[My removal] happened when I asked a question about a [$1,000 a month for 10 year] contract [for Blue Cross Blue Shield] that [the Appropriations Committee] didn’t include [for budgeting]. They are going to put 177 people out of work [if the proposal is accepted] … [but] if you want run a solid health program in Louisiana you should look at the OGB. … [Jindal and Kleckley] want to cut the areas operating in the black like the OGB and [Leonard J.] Chabert Medical Center.”

Harrison said he supports fiscal reform, but not at the expense of agencies that are supporting themselves and providing a public service. He accused the governor and house speaker of being “fiscal hawks” who are not taking into consideration what is working and are willing to sacrifice services to advance their own interests.

“I hate to see anyone in this delegation lose such an important seat, but the speaker has the authority to rearrange legislators as he sees fit,” state Rep. Gordon Dove (R-Houma) said. “I guess he wants to replace Joe with another legislator. When [Kleckley] gets someone he thinks he can’t work with he switches them. I’ve seen [speakers] switch [committee members] before. It doesn’t happen a lot, but it does happen.”

The Louisiana House of Representatives Appropriations Committee is a standing body that exists on a basically permanent basis from legislative session to session. The committee’s task is to refine legislative bills that fall under its subject matter, including finance and budgets.

Dove said even with Harrison removed from Appropriations, the Tri-parish delegation holds significant influence in accomplishing tasks important to the region.

“We have a very good relationship with the governor and the speaker of the House,” Dove said. “It does not hurt our position.”

Henry said in a press release that his having called out Kleckley and Jindal led to his removal as vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee.

“It is the job of legislators, particularly those serving in leadership roles, to ask the difficult questions necessary to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently and wisely” Henry said. “I have been at odds with the speaker and the administration over fiscal issues for the last several years, asking questions about the constitutionality of the state budget; use of one-time and contingency money, fund sweeps and disastrous mid-year budget cuts that impact healthcare systems like LSU, as well as higher education. This action by the speaker and the governor demonstrates that they are afraid of having legislators do the job they were elected to do. The people of Louisiana are suffering as a result”

Henry said his falling out with Kleckley, like Harrison’s, was also rooted in the OGB contract along with other fiscal differences of opinion.

“It’s sad that happens,” Harrison said. “It is all about the administration. They don’t want you asking questions. They want full authority.”

Harrison said he is taking a wait-and-see approach at the moment rather than thinking in terms of protesting his removal. “One of my friends in the Legislature asked me what Kleckley is going to say when he is asked about me being the hardest working legislator in the House. I said, ‘I don’t know.’”

Kleckley could not be reached by telephone for comment, however Jindal issued a news release in which he called the House speaker “fair-minded and [a] proven leader.”

Some committee assignments are made by election among legislators and others are appointment by the House speaker. The speaker holds power to rescind appointments and the governor is often present as an influence among legislative leadership.

After being cut from Appropriations, Harrison was reassigned to the House Commerce Committee.

This was not the first time Harrison was removed from a decision-making body. In June he was replaced by Dove on the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board.

Additional House committee changes include state Reps.:

Bryan Adams (R-Gretna) moved from Ways and Means to Appropriations

Stuart Bishop (R-Lafayette) appointed vice chairman of Natural Resources and Environment

Simone Champagne (R-Earth) appointed vice chairwoman of Appropriations

Ray Garofalo (R-Chalmette) moved from Health and Welfare to Natural Resources and Environment

Lance Harris (R-Alexandria) appointed as interim Appropriations member

Marcus Hunter (D-Monroe) moved from Civil Law and Procedure to Commerce

Katrina Jackson (D-Monroe) appointed as interim Appropriations member and interim House and Governmental Affairs member

Nancy Landry (R-Lafayette) appointed Vice Chairwoman of Civil Law and Procedure

Jim Morris (R-Oil City) resigned from Labor and Industrial Relations

Cliff Richardson (R-Baton Rouge) resigned from Transportation, Highways and Public Works; Natural Resources and Environment; and Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs

Alan Seabaugh (R-Shreveport) moved from vice chairman of Civil Law and Procedure to member of Appropriations.

Rep. Joe Harrison