Legislature Schedules Phantom Hearing to Finish Off Article 8 Bill For Today
By MassNews Staff
April 12, 2005

       The Joint House/Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled a public hearing on the Article 8 removal of the Supreme Judicial Court judges, HB 652, late Friday and neglected to tell anyone including the bill’s sponsor Rep. Emile Goguen (D-Fitchburg).

The hearing will be held at 1 p.m., Today (Tuesday), April 12 in Room B-2.

       “It reminds me of the old saying about the tree which falls in the forest while no one is there,” said Sally Pawlick, president of  Massachusetts Citizens for Marriage.  “This is an underhanded way of saying a hearing was held.  It’s the hearing that will be held but no one will know about it.
       “Once again, we need to take to the barricades on Beacon Hill and ensure that no sleight- of-hand tricks are used by these dishonest politicians to save the hides of other dishonest politicians ie. the Supreme Judicial Court judges who ignored the law and trampled on our rights as citizens.”
       The Article 8 Alliance (www.article8.org) discovered late Friday that the hearing had been scheduled and alerted its members by phone and an urgent e-mail.  Article 8 made calls over the weekend to legislators and could not find a single one who had received notice of the hearing.
       One of the first calls was to Rep. Goguen’s office which was surprised to learn the news since they had not received the routine notice that legislators are required to receive about such hearings.
       “When it comes to votes in defense of traditional marriage, the legislative bureaucracy always singles these bills out for ‘special treatment’,” Mrs. Pawlick said.  “This is a highly suspicious tactic but not a surprise. With a few brave exceptions like Rep. Goguen,  Beacon Hill is owned and operated by the powerful homosexual lobby.”
       Outraged supporters of the recall contacted House Judiciary Committee Chairman Gene O’Flaherty (D-Chelsea) who had a strange explanation for the phantom hearing.
       One Somerville resident received a smart-alecky e-mail response from O’Flaherty (Gene.Oflaherty@state.ma.us):
       “Please take some time and study the rules,” Gene-O told the lowly citizen. “The Legislature must consider all constitutional matters by the end of April 2005. The public has been notified of the hearing. What is your suggested solution and how is this a surprise?”
       Apparently, O’Flaherty comes up short on his “studying”.   HR 652 is not a constitutional matter.   But he isn’t the only one who got it wrong.   The official website of the legislature lists it as “a Constitutional amendment.”
       “It’s just the usual mischief,” said one experienced observer.  “They (the lawmakers) are just as crooked as the judges.  Instead of black robes they wear cheap suits. The Massachusetts Resistance  reported on its blog (http://MassResistance.blogspot.com) over the weekend that Tuesday’s hearing is an attempt to sneak the hearing past the citizens.  The group also said homosexual activists were tipped off to the hearing before any legislator knew about it.