Report By Teri Owens
May 17, 2012
News Alert
Friends:
Yesterday afternoon 10 of us went down to the state house to give testimony at the 3rd hearing on HJR 3 in the State Government and Elections Committee,
Before the hearing began we were notified that whereas HJR 3 was scheduled for a "potential vote," that was taken off the table.
The first proponent testimonial was via Skype by Nick Dranias a "constitutional scholar" from the Goldwater Institute. Mr. Dranius simply repeaterd the same errant assertions that were debunked in the JBS's reprint: Renewed Push for a Con-Con and NDRA: The New Push for a Con-Con. Committee Chairman do not usually allow testimony via Skype, so the fact that this was allowed speaks to their determination to get this resolution passed out of committee. It also opens the door for those of us who opposed the measure to arrange for witnesses who are unable to fly out here for testimony. We are working to get either former Oklahoma Senator Randy Brogdon or current Oklahoma Rep Charles Key to testify via Skype at the next hearing.
Seven of our members and supporters then testified. Two of them reserved their testimony for the next hearing. This served to allow us to hear the remainder of the proponent testimony and prepare to address their assertions.
After our opposition testimony, four college students from Dayton who are affiliated with the Young Republicans testified in support of the National Debt Relief Amendment. These students only spoke regarding the amendment itself and were unaware/uneducated on the method being used to promote this amendment. In speaking with one of them prior to the hearing it was clear that they did not even read the resolution because they didn't understand or even have knowledge of what a con-con was.
Yesterday afternoon 10 of us went down to the state house to give testimony at the 3rd hearing on HJR 3 in the State Government and Elections Committee,
Before the hearing began we were notified that whereas HJR 3 was scheduled for a "potential vote," that was taken off the table.
The first proponent testimonial was via Skype by Nick Dranias a "constitutional scholar" from the Goldwater Institute. Mr. Dranius simply repeaterd the same errant assertions that were debunked in the JBS's reprint: Renewed Push for a Con-Con and NDRA: The New Push for a Con-Con. Committee Chairman do not usually allow testimony via Skype, so the fact that this was allowed speaks to their determination to get this resolution passed out of committee. It also opens the door for those of us who opposed the measure to arrange for witnesses who are unable to fly out here for testimony. We are working to get either former Oklahoma Senator Randy Brogdon or current Oklahoma Rep Charles Key to testify via Skype at the next hearing.
Seven of our members and supporters then testified. Two of them reserved their testimony for the next hearing. This served to allow us to hear the remainder of the proponent testimony and prepare to address their assertions.
After our opposition testimony, four college students from Dayton who are affiliated with the Young Republicans testified in support of the National Debt Relief Amendment. These students only spoke regarding the amendment itself and were unaware/uneducated on the method being used to promote this amendment. In speaking with one of them prior to the hearing it was clear that they did not even read the resolution because they didn't understand or even have knowledge of what a con-con was.
Finally, former Senator Olafson from North Dakota was flown in a second time and permitted to speak last on the issue. Senator Olafson is the national spokesperson for Restoring Freedom, which is the organization promoting the NDRA.
We have been working on 4 key representatives that we believe we can influence to convince them to vote no on this issue in committee. We have a firm commitment from 2 of them and a soft commitment from a third to vote no. We just need three to vote no to defeat this resolution.
We anticipate the chairman will work quickly to hold another hearing on this and will be in touch as soon as we get word.
Meanwhile, to learn more about this issue or to prepare for testimony at the next hearing, a wealth of information is available at http://www.stoptheconcon.com. And as always, continue to call the members of the committee and encourage them to vote no.
We anticipate the chairman will work quickly to hold another hearing on this and will be in touch as soon as we get word.
Meanwhile, to learn more about this issue or to prepare for testimony at the next hearing, a wealth of information is available at http://www.stoptheconcon.com. And as always, continue to call the members of the committee and encourage them to vote no.
Teri Owens
This report was sent out from Teri Owens
Related article: Constitutional Convention Hearing in the OhioHouse on May 15th!
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