After finally breaking his silence on the flag yesterday, Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann opened up today on why he initially sent a potentially flag-changing resolution to the Constitution Committee instead of the Rules Committee.
“When [the resolution] first came to us, we spoke with some members of the Rules Committee, where I would typically have sent this, and they said it was dead on arrival,” he said.
Due to that affirmation, Hosemann decided to send it to the Constitution Committee, because he felt “it would get a fair shake there.”
“I sent it to the Constitution Committee, which is governed by a Republican chairman,” he explained. “The head of the Black Caucus was the vice chairman. I thought it would get a fair shake there between the two of them. They really reflected the Senate as a whole.”
Yes, the Constitution Committee is chaired by Chris Johnson and vice-chaired by Derrick Simmons, who actually introduced the original flag-changing resolution. However, the past has shown that pieces of legislature regarding the flag traditionally is referred to the Rules Committee.
Now that individuals, organizations, and businesses across not only the state but the country have publicly denounced the state flag, Hosemann has changed his mind and said that a resolution would be sent to the Rules Committee.
“When [the resolution] comes to us, we will probably go to Rules,” Hosemann said. “People in the Rules Committee that have told me that they would definitely not vote to bring it out have now told me that they would bring it out.”
Whether a decision is made during the few days remaining in the 2020 session or at the beginning of the 2021 session, the first-term Lieutenant Governor admitted “the flag is not going to make it.”
Both chambers have already gaveled in for the day.
