(Columbia-AP) -- House Speaker David Wilkins removed Orangeburg Representative Jerry Govan from the Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
This comes a week after Govan had a heated exchange with another representative that nearly came to blows.
Last week, Govan went to House Judiciary Chairman Jim Harrison's office after a bill didn't get out of a subcommittee. Govan chairs the Legislative Black Caucus and was pushing a bill to help elect
more black judges.
Harrison has said Govan grabbed him during the exchange and others had to separate them.
Wilkins says the incident can't be tolerated. Govan will now serve on the Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee.
Govan says his lawyer has advised him not to speak on the matter. But he and other Black Caucus members say the larger issue is that blacks are frustrated by a lack of respect in the House. |
