Wilkins wants power to discipline lawmakers

House Speaker David Wilkins on Wednesday condemned a fight between two legislators and argued that he needs more power to discipline members.

The dead-serious speech silenced the House for more than five minutes and had members debating afterward whether the speaker should punish legislators and whether the House has a problem with race.

Last week, a legislator was hit in the face as he tried to intervene in a dispute between Rep. Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg, and Rep. Jim Harrison, R-Richland, over a bill designed to put more black judges on the bench.

Wilkins, a Greenville Republican, investigated and concluded that Govan was at fault. On Wednesday, he said he had asked Govan to apologize to the House and Govan had refused.

Wilkins said he had no option but to address the House from the floor to talk about the incident — a move he rarely takes.

“Never is there any excuse for a member of this body to mistreat, abuse or physically accost another member,” Wilkins said. “Ever. Period.”

Wilkins said he would decide today whether to remove Govan from the Judiciary Committee as punishment.

Govan declined to comment Wednesday and said he would respond later. He apologized to Harrison last week and both men said the matter was behind them.

The issue has created division within both the House and the Legislative Black Caucus. Some said Govan, who chairs the caucus, was acting on frustration felt by many Democrats and black legislators, who complain their bills don’t get the same attention as those filed by Republicans.

“It can be a pressure cooker,” said House Democratic leader James Smith of Columbia. “The environment here lends itself to making more intense those feelings and those conflicts.”

Race has divided the Republican-controlled House many times before, sometimes over issues that seem to have nothing to do with race.

Just last year, a frustrated Rep. Leon Howard, D-Richland, challenged Rep. John Graham Altman, R-Charleston, to step outside after Altman killed a bill requiring wrapped drinking straws in restaurants. Howard, a black Democrat, charged the white Republican’s desk, calling him a “racist b******.”

The conflict between Govan and Harrison happened after a subcommittee meeting in which a bill Govan sponsored had failed to go forward. A similar bill filed by Howard had passed.

“It has just gotten to a breaking point,” said Rep. John Scott, D-Richland. “We’re fortunate it has not occurred before this point.”

Other House members said Govan should have controlled his temper and that Wilkins was right to demand an apology.

“If you’re wrong, you should be man or woman enough to say so,” said Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg.

Wilkins said Govan’s race didn’t influence how he handled the incident. He said he understands that some members are frustrated, but he doesn’t think the House has a problem with racial conflicts.

“I would have done the same no matter what member was involved,” he said in an interview, adding that frustration does not excuse violence. “As speaker, if I didn’t act on this, if I turned a blind eye, I would be doing a terrible disservice.”

Scott and others said Govan wanted Harrison to apologize also. But Harrison said he had nothing to apologize for.

“I was sitting at my desk and was physically attacked,” he said.

Wilkins said he would propose a rules change sometime this spring or fall that would give the speaker more power to sanction members. That could include issuing a public or private reprimand or even suspending a member without pay. The full House would have to vote on a change.

Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Richland, opposes the idea, saying sanctions are up to the voters on Election Day.

“If they think his pay needs to be docked, they’ll vote that way.”

Reach Talhelm at (803) 771-8339 or jtalhelm@thestate.com