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Naifeh Could Have New Leadership Role

House Democrats Look To Lessen GOP Power

POSTED: 4:25 pm CST January 14, 2009
UPDATED: 12:07 am CST January 15, 2009

Democrats in the state House are designing a new plan to short-circuit the new Republican control of the Legislature.

Video: Dems May Create New Position For Naifeh

A day after Democrats managed to hand-pick a Republican and block the GOP's choice for House Speaker, Kent Williams, a Republican from east Tennessee, was elected Tuesday because he got the support of every Democrat, in addition to receiving his own vote.

The Democrats who elected Williams may undercut his authority by manipulating job titles.

On Thursday morning, Democrats are expected to introduce a resolution creating a new position called Speaker Emeritus.

The plan is to put former Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, a Democrat, in that newly created job.

"He's got a wealth of knowledge. There's nothing sinister in it. Nobody's reading anything into it. It's an honor to him," said Rep. Mike Turner, a Democrat from Old Hickory, Tenn.

While many Democrats said this is a symbolic gesture of support for a longtime public servant, many Republicans are suspicious.

"It almost looks like they're trying to give power back to Representative Jimmy Naifeh who once was speaker and take that back from Kent Williams. There are so many unanswered questions," said Rep. Glen Casada, a Republican from College Grove, Tenn.

While the wording is still being decided, Naifeh could in theory be given the power to run the House once again.

"That is my concern. We could de-facto be letting Jimmy Naifeh be Speaker of the House again," said Casada.

There's also the question of votes, and the ability to get work accomplished in the future. Will Democrats be able to get republican support? Will lawmakers break ranks from their party?

It appears that Naifeh has yet to move his belongings from his Speaker of the House office.

Just one day into his tenure as speaker, Williams is already facing challenges.

On Wednesday, a fellow lawmaker called for him to resign, but Williams shrugged off the suggestion and called the move silly.


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