During the organizational part of the legislative session earlier this month, Senate Democrats said Mr. Williams enlisted them in an effort to gain numerical parity between the House and Senate on the committees. Senate Democrats said they balked when Mr. Williams upped the ante and insisted they go along with a plan to install Republican Senate chairmen on all the committees. When they refused, Mr. Williams arbitrarily assigned the 18 Democratic senators to committees and took away one of their slots on the key Appropriations and Revenue Committee. The committees' influence comes from focusing attention on a contract, project or regulation. That translates into political clout.
Democrats acknowledge the po tential for political mischief.
Rep. Brent Yonts, D-Greenville, said the committees already fulfill the legislative intent of keeping an eye on executive branch activity. Rep. Woody Allen, R-Morgantown, the Republican whip in the House and member of the regulations committee, said Republican control would further good government interests. A two-party system creates competition. Rep. John Arnold of Sturgis, the chairman of the regulations committee, had a slightly different take but agreed that Republican control would make a difference. I think it would be more chaos, more gridlock.