The Creation Of The Office Of Speaker Emeritus

[Tim Nunan]

http://politics.nashvillepost.com/2009/ ... ces-wives/

On Thursday morning, Democrats are expected to introduce a resolution creating a new position called Speaker Emeritus.

The plan is to put former Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, a Democrat, in that newly created job.

“He’s got a wealth of knowledge. There’s nothing sinister it. Nobody’s reading anything into it. It’s an honor to him,” said Rep. Mike Turner, a Democrat from Old Hickory.

While many Democrats said this is a symbolic gesture of support for a longtime public servant, many Republicans are suspicious.

“It almost looks like they’re trying to give power back to Representative Jimmy Naifeh who once was speaker and take that back from Kent Williams. There are so many unanswered questions,” said Rep. Glen Casada, a Republican from Franklin.

While the wording is still being decided, Naifeh could in theory be given the power to run the House once again.

“That is my concern. We could de-facto be letting Jimmy Naifeh be Speaker of the House again,” said Casada.

There’s also the question of votes, and the ability to get work accomplished in the future. Will Democrats be able to get republican support? Will lawmakers break ranks from their party?

It appears that Naifeh has yet to move his belongings from his Speaker of the House office.