Martha Roby to Bright: Your Vote for Nancy Pelosi is Anything But “Ceremonial”

(MONTGOMERY, AL) – This morning in the Montgomery Advertiser, Bobby Bright complained about a recent TV advertisement that highlighted one of the first votes he cast in Congress, for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker, saying the ad overplays the importance of the Speaker’s role which he called “largely ceremonial.”

In addition to being second in line of succession to the Presidency following the Vice President, the Speaker of the House sets the agenda for the majority party, and leads “the appointment process for the chairs of the various committees and subcommittees in the House, including conference committees which negotiate final versions of legislation.”

“The vote for Speaker of the House is the single most important vote a member of Congress can make,” said Martha Roby, Republican nominee for Alabama’s Second Congressional District. “If Bobby Bright believes otherwise, he is sorely mistaken. His vote for Nancy Pelosi has allowed her to set an agenda that has exploded the deficit with wasteful spending, stifles job creation with new regulations and taxes, and expands government.”

“Bobby Bright had a choice on January 6, 2009. His choice – Nancy Pelosi – has set this country down a path we can’t afford,” said Roby. “Bobby Bright needs to live with his choice, and we ought to hold him accountable for his choice.”

“The only way we can change Washington is by changing the leadership,” said Roby. “Only then can we start to get our economy back on track, rein in wasteful Washington spending, and make Congress more transparent and accountable. I can make the pledge that I will never vote for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker. That’s a pledge my opponent can’t make.”

In her “largely ceremonial” position, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been described as “one of the most powerful Speakers in history.” Former politicians to serve as Speaker include such powerful luminaries as Tip O’Neil, Sam Rayburn, and Thomas Brackett Reed, who was referred to by some as “Czar Reed.”

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BACKGROUND

In an interview yesterday, Bobby Bright claimed his vote for Nancy Pelosi is not important because it’s “largely ceremonial:”

“Bright said the ad overplays the importance of the speaker's role, which he called ‘largely ceremonial.’” (“Attack ads targeting Roby, Bright,” by Bob Johnson, AP, 9/14/10)

On the official government website of the Speaker of the House, the Speakers’ role is defined as follows:

“As specified in the rules and customs of the House, responsibilities of the Speaker include:

Calling the House to order.
Administering the oath of office to House Members.
Presiding over debate, recognizing Members to speak on the floor, and preserving order; or delegating that power to another Member of Congress.
Setting the legislative agenda.
Leading the appointment process for the chairs of the various committees and subcommittees in the House, including conference committees which negotiate final versions of legislation.

The Speaker is also second in the line of succession to the presidency after the Vice President under the Presidential Succession Act of 1947.” (www.speaker.gov, Accessed 9/14/10)

One of Bobby Bright’s first votes in Congress was to elect Nancy Pelosi Speaker. (Bright “Pelosi,” Roll Call 2, Question: Election of the Speaker, http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll002.xml)

Bright later called his vote for Nancy Pelosi “a no brainer” because she had supported him in his 2008 campaign:

“Bright, the former mayor of Montgomery, said the vote was a ‘no-brainer.’ Democratic leadership, including Pelosi, helped support his congressional campaign, he said.” (“Bright Learning ropes in Washington,” by Amy Dominello, The Dothan Eagle, 1/10/09)

Since 2008, Bright has received over $25,000 in campaign contributions from Nancy Pelosi. (www.fec.gov)

Bright has voted with Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat Leadership 71% of the time. (Washington Post Database, http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/B001264/)

Nancy Pelosi has been referred to as “one of the most powerful Speakers in history:”

“Pelosi will be regarded as one of the most powerful Speakers in history, but her reign is in serious jeopardy.” (“Player of the Week: Nancy Pelosi,” by The Hill Editors, The Hill, 9/14/10)

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