House Speaker Louise Stutes today reduced the political minority membership of the Joint Legislative Council. She removed Republican Rep. Kevin McCabe and put Democrat Rep. Neal Foster in his place.
There was no reason given, but observers say Stutes had earlier believed that as a freshman, McCabe would be a weak member for the Republicans. Instead, he has proven to do his homework, come to meetings prepared, asked good questions, and voted his conscience during an emergency meeting that was hastily called for last Thursday.
Stutes also removed herself from the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, and removed Democrat Rep. Harriet Drummond from the Tribal Affairs Committee. She put Republican Rep. Laddie Shaw, a veteran, on the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.
Stutes removed herself from the joint Armed Services Committee, and plugged Democrat Rep. Chris Tuck into that slot.
Legislative Council is still dominated by Republicans, since all the seats in the Senate but one was assigned to a member of the Republican Majority.
