Perhaps the most amazing thing about the latest drama among Assembly Republicans is that Michele Fiore has nothing to do with it.
After a series of spirited (euphemism alert) caucus meetings during the last week, in which Victoria Seaman read a prepared statement during one and Ira Hansen suggested if she were a man he would have punched her, the situation esclated Thursday to separate statements from caucus leaders and Seaman, in which she demanded a public apology from Hansen and criticized her leaders' response.
You can't make this stuff up.
Because I believe history cannot live without these important documents recorded for posterity, I give you Seaman's prepared speech in the private meeting and the two news releases.
Seaman's prepared remarks
I understand that bills die, get killed, but what should never happen to a bill that
is supported unanimously by our own party, and is a good bill, is to get killed out
of a personal vendetta or spite by the Chair. That is what happened to AB 282 on
Friday. My bill was killed by the Chair because I walked out of a work session
meeting with our committee on Friday out of frustration that my voice was not
being heard and I was not given the opportunity by the Chair to speak on a
different bill.
It did not start there. My bill, AB 282, was months of long, hard work with two
constituents in my District; Attorney Michael Brooks and Real Estate expert Mark
Rowley. We have been working on a way to get lenders back into Nevada due to
numerous past bills, and legislation that stifled the recovery in Nevada.
AB282 was heard on Friday, April 3, 2015 in Judiciary, with Michael Brooks flying
up to Carson City and Mark Rowley testifying in Las Vegas. George Ross, among
others, testified in favor. When the bill did not come up for a vote, I asked my
Chair, Ira Hansen, why? He stated he wanted to amend it to get rid of the
Homeowners Mediation Program. I stated to him that I heard there was no
money to continue the program, therefore, I did not want to amend it for fear it
might not pass. He insisted and did the amendment. When it did not come up
for another work session, I again asked why? He stated that he heard there was
no money for the mediation, so he was taking his amendment out. He said he
wanted to amend another part of the bill, and I explained it would not solve the
problem we are encountering with lenders. This is my profession and my
expertise, real estate. Ira then stated he could just put the bill in the drawer. I
said nothing and left. When I saw him on the floor I stated to Ira, yes I know you
can kill my bill, but I did not want it amended anymore. AB282 is a good bill and
we had unanimous Republican support on the bill.
This past Friday was a contentious day and in a Commerce and Labor meeting,
one of my colleagues walked into the Republican meeting in the Chair’s office,
used foul language and fought with the Chair. While I do not condone this
behavior, I admire the fact that the Chair did not kill her bill because of a personal
vendetta or out of spite. He put her bill up for a vote in work session because it
was a good bill for the state of Nevada.
On Friday, when I stated I was leaving our Judiciary Republican work session
meeting in the Chair’s office, I was told by the Chair that if I left he would kill ALL
my bills. I left because after being threatened, belittled, and disrespected by the
Chair all week, I needed to take a break from that meeting in his office. Other
colleagues of this Committee have also walked out in previous meetings when
they were being bullied to vote for something. I stated to the Chair, Ira that I had
been threatened, extorted and bullied enough all week and was leaving the
meeting. I was called names by the Chair on my way out which was
unprofessional and out of line. I never used any foul language nor called anyone
names.
After cooling off, I went to the work session where Ira Hansen let Democrat bills
that were not even finished, out of committee. He was adjourning when my
colleagues asked about AB 282 and he stated he was not bringing it out for a work
session, which meant it would die.
I want to remind the Chair of Judiciary that I do not work for him nor am I an
employee of his. I work for the people of my district and even more important the
people of the state of Nevada. He has forgotten who he works for and has let his
privilege of chairing, cloud his ability to work for the people.
I stood by him when he was elected leader by us, I stood next to him in his
tragedies and considered him a friend. Unfortunately, his ego, power, and anger
allowed him to do something to all of us that is irrepressible.
I have decided after careful thought, that I will stay on in Judiciary but will not
attend meetings in the Chair’s office. After careful thought for the sake of this
caucus, I will not file an ethics complaint at this time. However, I will not hesitate
to do so if this inappropriate behavior from the Chair happens again.
Assembly GOP release
Assembly Leadership Responds To Recent News Stories
As anyone who has ever participated in a Nevada Legislative Session knows, the workload, stress, and
time pressure frays both nerves and emotions. Given how hard we have all worked to keep up an
unprecedented legislative pace, physical and emotion strain is to be expected. Sometimes emotions get the
better of us. But we cannot let these moments distract us from our jobs or our duties.
Recently, the media reported on a verbal altercation between Assemblywoman Seaman and Assemblyman
Hansen during a private caucus meeting.
While Assembly Republican Leadership normally does not publicly comment on what takes place in
caucus meetings, we make the rare exception now. Neither we nor any members of our caucus condone
threatening language—intended or otherwise—at any time or in any place.
We are resolving the matter internally, and we will continue to work together to pass good law. We are
proud of our legislative achievements so far, and we do not intend to let up until the last moment of the
last day of the session.
Seaman release
Response to GOP Caucus Leadership’s Failure to Satisfactorily
Resolve Threatening Language Incident with Assemblyman Hansen
Earlier this week I was involved in a heated dispute with Assembly Judiciary Chairman Ira Hansen over
his decision - purely for personal, not public policy reasons – to kill a bill (AB282) I submitted for much-
needed reform in the Homeowner’s Bill of Rights.
During the course of a testy exchange, Chairman Hansen remarked that if I was a man he’d punch me in
the face. Of course, if he was a man he would have already apologized for the inappropriate use of such
threatening language. He hasn’t.
The leadership of the Republican Assembly Caucus released to the media on Thursday afternoon a
statement related to this incident without, as agreed, providing it to me for review in advance.
Unfortunately, that statement is insufficient and unacceptable.
Blaming Chairman Hansen’s actions on “workload, stress and time pressure,” as well as “physical and
emotional strain,” is inaccurate. This was the culmination of a pattern of autocratic committee
management throughout this session and a demonstration of power to show me “who’s the boss.”
I took this matter, privately, to caucus leaders who, rather than addressing the problem head-on,
released a statement essentially sweeping it under the rug by claiming they were “resolving the matter
internally.” If only that was true.
Frankly, nothing short of a public apology from Chairman Hansen for using such threatening and
inappropriate language is acceptable. And under the circumstances I ask our caucus leaders to right this
wrong by finding a way to bring my bill to the floor of the Assembly for consideration. Then we can put
this matter behind us and “continue to work together to pass good law.”
Perhaps the most amazing thing about the latest drama among Assembly Republicans is that Michele Fiore has nothing to do with it.
After a series of spirited (euphemism alert) caucus meetings during the last week, in which Victoria Seaman read a prepared statement during one and Ira Hansen suggested if she were a man he would have punched her, the situation esclated Thursday to separate statements from caucus leaders and Seaman, in which she demanded a public apology from Hansen and criticized her leaders' response.
You can't make this stuff up.
Because I believe history cannot live without these important documents recorded for posterity, I give you Seaman's prepared speech in the private meeting and the two news releases.
Seaman's prepared remarks
I understand that bills die, get killed, but what should never happen to a bill that
is supported unanimously by our own party, and is a good bill, is to get killed out
of a personal vendetta or spite by the Chair. That is what happened to AB 282 on
Friday. My bill was killed by the Chair because I walked out of a work session
meeting with our committee on Friday out of frustration that my voice was not
being heard and I was not given the opportunity by the Chair to speak on a
different bill.
It did not start there. My bill, AB 282, was months of long, hard work with two
constituents in my District; Attorney Michael Brooks and Real Estate expert Mark
Rowley. We have been working on a way to get lenders back into Nevada due to
numerous past bills, and legislation that stifled the recovery in Nevada.
AB282 was heard on Friday, April 3, 2015 in Judiciary, with Michael Brooks flying
up to Carson City and Mark Rowley testifying in Las Vegas. George Ross, among
others, testified in favor. When the bill did not come up for a vote, I asked my
Chair, Ira Hansen, why? He stated he wanted to amend it to get rid of the
Homeowners Mediation Program. I stated to him that I heard there was no
money to continue the program, therefore, I did not want to amend it for fear it
might not pass. He insisted and did the amendment. When it did not come up
for another work session, I again asked why? He stated that he heard there was
no money for the mediation, so he was taking his amendment out. He said he
wanted to amend another part of the bill, and I explained it would not solve the
problem we are encountering with lenders. This is my profession and my
expertise, real estate. Ira then stated he could just put the bill in the drawer. I
said nothing and left. When I saw him on the floor I stated to Ira, yes I know you
can kill my bill, but I did not want it amended anymore. AB282 is a good bill and
we had unanimous Republican support on the bill.
This past Friday was a contentious day and in a Commerce and Labor meeting,
one of my colleagues walked into the Republican meeting in the Chair’s office,
used foul language and fought with the Chair. While I do not condone this
behavior, I admire the fact that the Chair did not kill her bill because of a personal
vendetta or out of spite. He put her bill up for a vote in work session because it
was a good bill for the state of Nevada.
On Friday, when I stated I was leaving our Judiciary Republican work session
meeting in the Chair’s office, I was told by the Chair that if I left he would kill ALL
my bills. I left because after being threatened, belittled, and disrespected by the
Chair all week, I needed to take a break from that meeting in his office. Other
colleagues of this Committee have also walked out in previous meetings when
they were being bullied to vote for something. I stated to the Chair, Ira that I had
been threatened, extorted and bullied enough all week and was leaving the
meeting. I was called names by the Chair on my way out which was
unprofessional and out of line. I never used any foul language nor called anyone
names.
After cooling off, I went to the work session where Ira Hansen let Democrat bills
that were not even finished, out of committee. He was adjourning when my
colleagues asked about AB 282 and he stated he was not bringing it out for a work
session, which meant it would die.
I want to remind the Chair of Judiciary that I do not work for him nor am I an
employee of his. I work for the people of my district and even more important the
people of the state of Nevada. He has forgotten who he works for and has let his
privilege of chairing, cloud his ability to work for the people.
I stood by him when he was elected leader by us, I stood next to him in his
tragedies and considered him a friend. Unfortunately, his ego, power, and anger
allowed him to do something to all of us that is irrepressible.
I have decided after careful thought, that I will stay on in Judiciary but will not
attend meetings in the Chair’s office. After careful thought for the sake of this
caucus, I will not file an ethics complaint at this time. However, I will not hesitate
to do so if this inappropriate behavior from the Chair happens again.
Assembly GOP release
Assembly Leadership Responds To Recent News Stories
As anyone who has ever participated in a Nevada Legislative Session knows, the workload, stress, and
time pressure frays both nerves and emotions. Given how hard we have all worked to keep up an
unprecedented legislative pace, physical and emotion strain is to be expected. Sometimes emotions get the
better of us. But we cannot let these moments distract us from our jobs or our duties.
Recently, the media reported on a verbal altercation between Assemblywoman Seaman and Assemblyman
Hansen during a private caucus meeting.
While Assembly Republican Leadership normally does not publicly comment on what takes place in
caucus meetings, we make the rare exception now. Neither we nor any members of our caucus condone
threatening language—intended or otherwise—at any time or in any place.
We are resolving the matter internally, and we will continue to work together to pass good law. We are
proud of our legislative achievements so far, and we do not intend to let up until the last moment of the
last day of the session.
Seaman release
Response to GOP Caucus Leadership’s Failure to Satisfactorily
Resolve Threatening Language Incident with Assemblyman Hansen
Earlier this week I was involved in a heated dispute with Assembly Judiciary Chairman Ira Hansen over
his decision - purely for personal, not public policy reasons – to kill a bill (AB282) I submitted for much-
needed reform in the Homeowner’s Bill of Rights.
During the course of a testy exchange, Chairman Hansen remarked that if I was a man he’d punch me in
the face. Of course, if he was a man he would have already apologized for the inappropriate use of such
threatening language. He hasn’t.
The leadership of the Republican Assembly Caucus released to the media on Thursday afternoon a
statement related to this incident without, as agreed, providing it to me for review in advance.
Unfortunately, that statement is insufficient and unacceptable.
Blaming Chairman Hansen’s actions on “workload, stress and time pressure,” as well as “physical and
emotional strain,” is inaccurate. This was the culmination of a pattern of autocratic committee
management throughout this session and a demonstration of power to show me “who’s the boss.”
I took this matter, privately, to caucus leaders who, rather than addressing the problem head-on,
released a statement essentially sweeping it under the rug by claiming they were “resolving the matter
internally.” If only that was true.
Frankly, nothing short of a public apology from Chairman Hansen for using such threatening and
inappropriate language is acceptable. And under the circumstances I ask our caucus leaders to right this
wrong by finding a way to bring my bill to the floor of the Assembly for consideration. Then we can put
this matter behind us and “continue to work together to pass good law.”
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