Vermont House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero) punished and publicly chastised a fellow Democrat who demanded a quorum vote Wednesday that forced dozens of lawmakers to rush to the Statehouse to pass emergency legislation related to COVID-19.
Johnson announced Thursday she had removed Rep. Cynthia Browning (D-Arlington) from her post on the powerful Ways and Means Committee. She replaced her with Rep. Emilie Kornheiser (D-Brattleboro).
Johnson noted that Wednesday’s plan to vote on a package of bills without a quorum had been approved by the House Rules Committee, had overwhelming support in the chamber, and was pursued as a way to keep lawmakers and their constituents safe.
“Yet one member unnecessarily required every other member to choose between their duty to Vermont and the health and safety of their communities, peers, and loved ones at home,” Johnson wrote in a searing letter to colleagues. “Being a legislator requires that we know the rules. True public service requires the wisdom to know when to use them. Yesterday’s quorum call was not wise.”
Just last month, Johnson praised Browning as someone with whom she doesn’t always agree but who has “honesty and integrity” and lets leadership know her concerns up front. She contrasted Browning with another representative, Linda Joy Sullivan (D-Dorset), whom she chastised for casting a surprise vote against overriding Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of a paid family leave bill. The bill, one of the House’s highest priorities, failed by one vote.
Johnson told Seven Days the vote was “not the first time that [Sullivan’s] gotten squirrelly.” Sullivan and Browning are friends, and Browning didn’t take kindly to the remark. The following day, she lambasted the speaker from the floor.
“It is important to note that I did not call members into the House yesterday — she did,” Browning said, after Johnson kicked her off the committee.
Browning called the bill flawed for its “circular reasoning” and argued that it wasn’t proper. She insisted House rules needed to be followed even during an emergency. She did not raise any objections about the actual practice of remote voting during a health emergency, just the way it was being approved.
“But if you start cutting corners on parliamentary procedures and Democratic processes in an emergency, you’ll very quickly find that you’ve thrown something overboard that you can’t get back,” Browning said.
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Here, here! Big ups to Speaker Johnson! 👍
Hope Browning’s electors see the light.
Ok so who called them back Johnson or Browning? Truth?
“But if you start cutting corners on parliamentary procedures and Democratic processes in an emergency, youll very quickly find that youve thrown something overboard that you cant get back, Browning said.
Heck yeah, absolutely!!
And shame on the speaker for immediately defaulting to shortcuts and ad libs when faced with a crisis. A crisis is not the time to start ad hoc governance.
Wisdom – principles that matter… Judgment – prioritizing those principles when you can’t have it all. No objection with Rep Browning’s wisdom, but in the context of the crisis we are deep into, serious questions about her judgment.
I’m disappointed by the lack of creativity shown by our legislature.
They could have used this as a coronavirus PR message. They could have met outside the statehouse on the lawn at an agreed upon time, spaced themselves out by 6 feet and efficiently conducted the people’s business during a crisis.
But they didn’t. They chose not to lead by example during a crisis. Instead, they grudgingly shuffled indoors to vote and then proceeded to bitch to anyone who would listen about having to follow their own rules.
Remember, the most dangerous thing your legislator did yesterday was to DRIVE to Montpelier and back. On our dime.
Seems a little vindictive to me. Our representative should be willing to be present and represent us not matter the times. They are supposed to be out leaders and the people that make our laws and guide us.
Great Politico piece on the effort at virtual voting in DC. Very relevant to our current situation in the Vermont Legislature.
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/202…
Both Browning and Johnson demonstrated lack of judgment here but, at the end of the day, what’s most important during a crisis is legislative output — not the ridiculousness of their squabbles. They’re human, and as flawed as any of us.
Thanks Mitzi, good call! We need wise judgement in these times, not grandstanding!
So much for Democracy….vindictive ousting by a person in power for holding on to one’s beliefs- hmmm.
Nice job Mitzi.
Brava Madame Speaker!
Rules are rules? Those making these claims seem to believe that legislative rules are divine commandments. Even if these rules WERE divinely inspired, which they obviously are not, in Judaism at least there are circumstances which permit devout practitioners to ignore rules, especially when matters of life and death are involved.
Moreover, such comments ignore the careful preparation that leadership and members undertook BEFORE reaching this point, as well as the fact that the new regime can be brought to a halt any time that a majority of members disapproves of what’s happening.
There is NO threat to democracy or transparency by conducting business remotely. Every legislator still has the right to be heard, to modify legislation, and to serve his or her constituents. NOTHING is being lost that comes close to the value of one human life. No “principle” can justify Ms. Browning’s egregious behavior.
Perhaps Both Browning and Sullivan can relocate to Kentucky and thus be surrounded by kindred spirits in the form of McConnell, Massie and Paul, what appears to constitute a permanent quorum of brazen ignorance and tomfoolery…
#votethemout!!!!!…#lockthemup!!!!!
Johnson was right. Browning forced Johnson to call them back when there was no need and it endangered their health/safety and ours as well. I think Johnson should have done it to Rep. Joy Sullivan too for her vote to deny us paid family/sick leave. She, too, should be pulled from her committee. Now look where we are because of it. Sullivan basically said with her vote that those of us under a certain social strata are worthless. Browning has said as much too with her move. I’m glad the Speaker finally did this.
The more I’ve thought about Ms. Browning’s argument that she followed her “principles,” the less sense it makes. Most citizens, but surely all legislators know that 2 well-founded principles often collide with one another. That’s precisely why none of our Constitutional rights is “unlimited.” The Supreme Court exists largely to resolve these very conflicts.
We have the right to speak our minds, based on the 1st Amendment principle of freedom of speech, but not the right to cry “fire” in a crowded theater, endangering the lives and liberties of others. Examples are easy to proliferate.
I mentioned Judaism in a previous comment, but on reflection, other religions encounter this as well. In Catholicism, for example, the clash between “Thou Shalt Not Kill” and the notion of self defense and justice resulted in an extensive elaboration of the doctrine of “just wars.”
Browning’s principle — which is frankly dubious on its face — clearly conflicted with the principle that obvious measures to protect public health and save lives should be implemented. She chose to ignore the latter, endangering her colleagues and, ultimately all Vermonters. Put bluntly, this is reckless endangerment.
Finally, just what IS Browning’s “principle” here? Prior to modern technology, being “present” for a quorum meant being physically present: there was no alternative. But now there is. How is a voting remotely any less democratic than voting in person? Should we count absentee ballots as only partial votes?
Browning told leadership ahead of time that she was not going to align with them. Once again, leadership gives the wrong, false message to the Speaker and the Speaker resorts to name calling and baby revenge. But then what would you expect from a Speaker who had cut a deal with the Governor last session and then reneged when she got yelled out by the Pro Temp. Get rid of this Speaker. The Senate had a physical quorum and the quorum at the House that was required and called by Rep. Browning was safely seated. This was drama created by the Speaker because she refused to tell the truth once again. She didn’t care about the Bill for the Covid19. She only wanted her total control over remote voting so she could eliminate the public. Pretending to have a quorum and hoping no one would find out to push through her resolution. This is who you would stand by? Kudos to Rep. Browning