Jeff McMahan Impeachment Committee Ponders Whether Future Meetings Will Be Open Or Closed
The special House committee looking into possible impeachment proceedings against state Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan is assessing today whether its initital meetings should be closed to the public as was its first meeting.
Meetings four years ago to discuss the impeachment of then-Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher were open to the public, but those involved in the McMahan probe seemed unaware of that.
"Our counsel was that we needed to have those meetings behind closed doors,” Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, told The Oklahoman's Michael McNutt.
Benge later issued a statement that the eight-member committee still is collecting information about the Fisher proceedings and will determine "if this is an apples to apples comparison to the task at hand.”
"We want to make this as public as possible,” Benge told McNutt. "We're in the process of trying to find out what the precedent has been and what those legal barriers are if there are any to allowing public access."
If the investigating committee recommends removal, the full House will vote on articles of impeachment, which, if approved, will then move to the Senate for a trial.
The impeachment committee met briefly Thursday and talked about organizational matters, such as whether to hire an outside attorney, Duncan said. The committee has not set another meeting date, said Duncan, one of three attorneys on the eight-member committee.
The committee will look at whether McMahan violated his oath of office and the responsibilities he swore to uphold as an elected official. It is expected to investigate the federal charges filed against McMahan. Another issue could be McMahan's absence from the state job.
Meetings four years ago to discuss the impeachment of then-Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher were open to the public, but those involved in the McMahan probe seemed unaware of that.
"Our counsel was that we needed to have those meetings behind closed doors,” Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, told The Oklahoman's Michael McNutt.
Rep. Rex Duncan, a former prosecutor and co-chairman of the McMahan impeachment committee, said the nature of the committee's work would seem to be closed. "Of course an investigation would be closed,” said Duncan, who was not in office when the Fisher committee met. "No decision's been made,” said Duncan, R-Sand Springs.
Benge later issued a statement that the eight-member committee still is collecting information about the Fisher proceedings and will determine "if this is an apples to apples comparison to the task at hand.”
"We want to make this as public as possible,” Benge told McNutt. "We're in the process of trying to find out what the precedent has been and what those legal barriers are if there are any to allowing public access."
If the investigating committee recommends removal, the full House will vote on articles of impeachment, which, if approved, will then move to the Senate for a trial.
The impeachment committee met briefly Thursday and talked about organizational matters, such as whether to hire an outside attorney, Duncan said. The committee has not set another meeting date, said Duncan, one of three attorneys on the eight-member committee.
The committee will look at whether McMahan violated his oath of office and the responsibilities he swore to uphold as an elected official. It is expected to investigate the federal charges filed against McMahan. Another issue could be McMahan's absence from the state job.
Labels: House Impeachment Probe, Jeff McMahan
posted by Mike McCarville @ 9:01 AM
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