Democracy Has Prevailed.

February 15, 2012

More On Saccone's "The Year Of The Bible" Resolution

Remember this?

In late January, we blogged on local waterboard-endorsing, sharia-hating Republican legislator, Rick Saccone (R-Elizabeth) and his "Year of the Bible" resolution passed by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Well, some of those legislators want to take it back.
From WTAE:
A handful of Pennsylvania lawmakers who voted for a resolution proclaiming 2012 as "The Year of the Bible" issued an apology Monday claiming they were duped into supporting the measure, Harrisburg ABC station WHTM reported.

The lawmakers said they didn't know what was in House Resolution 535 when they voted for it, even though the very first sentence in the two-page document is, "Resolution declaring 2012 as the Year of the Bible in Pennsylvania."

House Resolution 535 was in a stack of resolutions labeled "non-controversial" by leaders. All came up for a vote as a group and were passed unanimously. But lawmakers now say they voted for it without realizing what was in it.
Dennis Owens of WHTM adds:
Rep Mark Cohen (D-Philadelphia) was among the lawmakers who stepped up to the microphone Monday for the public apology.

"I made a mistake in so voting," Cohen said. "Other members of the Legislature also made a mistake."

"I want to also say I also made a mistake," Rep. Babette Josephs (D-Philadelphia) said during her turn at the mic. "I apologize for it."
Of course, on KDKA last night, Robert Mangino's discussion (or at least the part that I heard) centered on the legislators who apologized rather than the theocrat who hid the "noncontroversial" resolution in a stack of other resolutions.

I was curious about that "stack of resolutions" - wat were the others?  Here's the list:
  • A Resolution declaring 2012 as the "Year of the Bible" in Pennsylvania
  • A Resolution designating the week of January 22 through 28, 2012, as "Nurse Anesthetists Week" in Pennsylvania.
  • A Resolution designating the month of January 2012 as "Financial Aid Awareness Month" and commending the work of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency and the Pennsylvania Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
  • A Resolution recognizing the month of January 2012 as "Cervical Cancer Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
  • A Resolution designating February 3, 2012, as "Wear Red for Women Day" in Pennsylvania.
  • A Resolution designating the week of January 29 through February 5, 2012, as "Catholic Schools Week" in Pennsylvania.
  • A Resolution honoring and celebrating the 100th anniversary of Mt. Lebanon in Allegheny County.
Seems obvious to me that grouping the "Year of the Bible" resolution with these other noncontroversial resolutions (well, maybe not "Catholic Schools Week".  But I'll let that one pass for now) was a deliberate attempt to hide it.

That should have been the story last night,  Not the legislators who should have read the resolution they voted on (though they should have, and they should apologize immediately for not doing so...oh wait - THEY HAVE).

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