Lewis Moore To Steele: Comments 'Polarizing'

Lewis Moore

A third Republican House member, Lewis Moore of Arcadia, has joined the controversy over House Speaker-elect Kris Steele's remarks about the GOP agenda for next year.

Moore said that while he supports Steele, he wants him to refrain from public comments until the agenda is set at a December 7th GOP Caucus meeting.

Moore said it "is the role of the entire House GOP Caucus, not just the speaker, to determine the agenda."

Steele's comments, reported in The Oklahoman, prompted criticism from arch-conservatives Randy Terrill of Moore and Jason Murphey of Guthrie. They said it appears Steele does not want conservative social issues to be presented to legislators next year and Moore expressed a similar concern.

“Rightly or wrongly, Steele’s recent statements have conservative House members deeply concerned that the Speaker intends to force an agenda that is not in line with the majority of the House Republican’s point of view, especially since the majority of us want a smaller, less intrusive government," Moore said. "Steele’s comments are not consistent with the promises we Republican’s have made to our constituents.

“Whether intentional or not, Speaker-elect Steele’s public statements have been polarizing and risk fracturing the House caucus. I am therefor calling on the Speaker to refrain from commenting on the House’s agenda until after the caucus has had time to discuss it at the December 7th caucus meeting,” he added.

Read Mike McCarville's analysis of this controversy: http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/2010/11/whos-picking-this-fightand-why.html.  

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