Thread: Chanting activists ejected from House hearing room

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Chanting activists ejected from House hearing room
Feb 14, 2006, 10:16 AM EST
Dozens of activists were ejected Monday from a state House hearing room where they had gone to speak out against legislation aimed at toughening enforcement of immigration laws.


Members of Arizona Interfaith Network, a liberally oriented coalition that lobbies for funding for social services and on other topics, went to a hearing room where a Committee on Federal Mandates and Property Rights meeting was under way.

Many of the same activists had gone to a Feb. 6 meeting of the same committee but weren't called on to testify about pending immigration-related legislation, said Tom Donovan, an Arizona Interfaith leader.

"The lack of public participation that we've seen so far is remarkable," Donovan said later. "We're not getting our hearing."

During the meeting, Donovan rose to comment on the immigration legislation.

Donovan was ruled out of order by the chairman, Republican Rep. Chuck Gray of Mesa. The activists started chanting to be heard, and Gray ordered House security personnel to remove the activists.

"Security, take this gentleman out as well," Gray said at one point after most of the activists had left the room.

After the activists left, Gray said it was within his power as chairman to decide what testimony his committee would hear and that it was essential to keep order in public proceedings. "I understand what it means to have mob rule," Gray said, citing his background as a former police officer.

The committee then resumed hearing testimony on a measure regulating auto dealers and brokers.

After leaving the House hearing room, the Arizona Interfaith members delivered letters to the offices of House Speaker Jim Weiers and Senate President Ken Bennett to ask that the immigration legislation be reconsidered.

Kicked them out! GOOD

This made my day!!!!!!!!!!!! I would love to see more of these whiny bleeding heart pro illegal groups kicked out of meetings and hearings!

Pro illegal alien activists being unrulely? NNNNNOOOOOO!!!!!

Pro illegal alien activists being unrulely? NNNNNOOOOOO!!!!!