In 2007, I headed a team of minority lawmakers against the removal of Speaker Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr.. We argued that there was no due process and that our colleagues were heavily influenced by powerful invincible hands. The majority lawmakers moved to the Unity Conference Center in Virginia, while we (supporters of Speaker Snowe) conducted business at the Pavillion in Monrovia. Every time we met, our NUMBER plummeted while the majority grew stronger.
By Rufus Neufville, former Representative
What was even more interesting is that the Chief Clerk and other employees at the Capitol started taking instructions from the majority while Snowe was still Speaker. One day we went to the Pavillion and could not find the Speaker Chair and Table. One security told us that the Sergeant took the Chair to the majority at the Unity Conference Center.
At this point we had no choice but to run to the Honorable Supreme Court. We won the case. The Court opined that it had no authority to impose a leadership on another branch of government. However, A Speaker or any other member of the legislature cannot be removed without due process of law.
The 11th Edition of the Black’s Law Dictionary defines due process as “the conduct of legal proceedings according to established rules and principles for the protection and enforcement of private rights, including notice and the right to a fair hearing before a tribunal with the power to decide the case”. Many Scholars have argued that the standard for due process of law at the Legislature or other administrative agencies may be lower.
We won the case in Court. We also won the case on all the popular radio stations. But we could not win the case with majority of our colleagues. We did not have the NUMBERS. The legitimacy is in the NUMBERS. The power to make laws is in the NUMBERS. To conduct the business of the legislature you need to have quorum; and quorum is a function of the NUMBERS.
And so, one early morning we met at a hotel with Speaker Snowe. We had breakfast and sang the song, AMAZING GRACE HOW SWEET THAT SOUNDS… I WAS BLIND BUT NOW I SEE.
Representative Edwin Juah and I told Snowe that the 18 lawmakers were exhausted because we could not get the NUMBERS. Speaker Snowe resigned the following day and we joined the majority at the Unity Conference Center.
Key Point:
In Legislative politics, the side with more lawmakers will win at the end. The only way Speaker HonCllr J Fonati Koffa can hold that office is to keep a majority. This whole game will end with mathematical calculations.
