Representative Santana Removed from Democratic Caucus

As Representative Harvey Santana (D-Detroit) and Representative Tim Greimel (D-Auburn Hills) continue their disagreement over the House Appropriations Committee Minority Vice Chair position, Representative Santana proclaimed that he had officially been escorted out of the House Democratic Caucus. When asked if Representative Santana is currently a member of the caucus, Representative Greimel had no comment.

Since the situation involving House Speaker Kevin Cotter (R-Mt. Pleasant) selecting a different Minority Vice Chair for the House Appropriations Committee other than Democratic Leader Representative Greimel’s pick Representative Brandon Dillon (D-Grand Rapids), the House Democrats and House Republicans have seen a growing divide. Representative Santana is the Democrat that House Republicans want to work with, and this dismissal from the Democratic Caucus furthered that. He credits the caucus for making him the most powerful Democrat in the House because of this.

Representative Santana reportedly met with Minority Floor Leader Sam Singh to discuss the matter. Representative Santana suggested that Mr. Dillon is a superior candidate and planned on internally allowing him to be the ranking Democrat, however he wanted to handle the association with the Republicans. Excluding him from caucus was unreasonable, in Mr. Santana’s opinion, and Representative Robert Kosowski’s (D-Westland) request that Representative Santana leave was not justified. Representative Kosowski commented that there was a vote in the Democratic caucus that Representative Santana was not allowed in the caucus group while the Democrats were meeting as long as Representative Greimel and he were still at odds. Representative Santana was aware of this, but attended anyway which resulted in his dismissal.

Communication is crucial in the House and the Democrats want to run everything through Representative Tim Greimel. Representative Kosowski stated that he doesn’t believe Representative Santana will be removed permanently.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, February 6, 2015 10:03 AM
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