Monday, December 14, 2009

Lamb Says Death Penalty Split Revealing

Senate Majority Floor Leader Todd Lamb (R-Edmond) pointed to the call of Senator Constance Johnson today for the abolishment of the death penalty as clear evidence of one major difference between the two parties when it comes to public safety.
“The difference between Republicans and Democrats couldn’t be more stark on public safety issues, given the suggestion today by a Democrat State Senator that the state of Oklahoma abolish the death penalty,” Lamb said. “We see this severest of penalties as a real deterrent to capitol crimes in our state, and those on the other side of the aisle would prefer to weaken our laws and not hold these violent criminals responsible for their actions.”
“I can assure the citizens of Oklahoma that as long as we control the majority in the legislature, wild ideas like this will not become law,” Lamb continued. “The foremost job of your elected officials is to ensure the safety of all citizens, and we will not relinquish that role to those who would prefer to coddle criminals.”
Lamb is a former United States Secret Service Agent. He also served on the national Joint Terrorism Task Force, and, after the terrorists’ attacks, he was assigned to portions of the 9-11 investigation.
“I also want to reassure law enforcement officers who stand in the line-of-duty that Senate Republicans are ready to support them as well,” Lamb concluded.
Democratic Senator Kenneth Corn, like Lamb a candidate for lieutenant governor, scorned Lamb's statement about support of law enforcement: “Today, Republican legislative leaders like Sen. Todd Lamb are sitting at home in their easy chairs, getting ready for Christmas, collecting their state pay checks while men and women in law enforcement face being furloughed; while prisons are on the verge of being forced to release convicts early; and while prosecutors soon may not be able to bring criminals to justice because of the state’s financial collapse," Corn said. “For Todd Lamb or any Republican to claim today that they are supporting law enforcement is a joke. They are doing nothing while problems mount daily for lawmen at every level in Oklahoma.”

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