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Torres’ accusatory speeches draw fire
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Posted on Apr 17 2008
Senate President Pete P. Reyes has slammed a lawmaker for his stinging speeches on the House floor.
Reyes said Wednesday that he was disappointed in the tone and content of some of the recent floor speeches delivered by Rep. Stanley T. Torres.
The House member’s recent speeches have been mostly accusatory.
“It is not in my place to criticize how the House conducts its business, but rest assured statements such as yours would not be permitted to stand in the Senate. I have every faith that, were I somehow fail to act, my colleagues would have made appropriate motions to strike the offensive language and rebuke the offending speaker,” Reyes said in a letter to Torres.
Due mainly to Torres’ floor speeches, a legislative initiative has been introduced in the House of Representatives to remove a law protecting lawmakers from being sued for their remarks during legislative proceedings.
Reyes, who is backing the initiative, said the intent is not to silence critics of wrongdoing, but to prevent lawmakers from slandering people.
“If we cannot act and speak with honor and dignity on our own, then perhaps the courts should be able to force a sense of decorum on us,” Reyes added.
Rep. Victor Hocog introduced the initiative following a debate in the House over the appointment of Kimberlyn King-Hinds to the Public Utilities Commission. During that debate, Torres accused King-Hinds of lying to the Legislature about her qualifications and affiliations.
Prior to this incident, Torres delivered speeches containing personal attacks against former Public Safety Commissioner Rebecca Warfield, Attorney General Matthew Gregory, and Assistant Attorney General Mike Nisperos, among others.
Torres has said the initiative was “plain stupidity.” He argues that the legislative immunity was put in place “not just to promote candor, [but also] to protect those who would raise uncomfortable questions about government appointments, bring up embarrassing facts about government misdeeds, point out misfeasance by government employees, or simply to challenge the status quo.”
