Darned Good Questions Department

I haven't followed the ins and outs of SB966, also known as the he Free Flow of Information Act or the Shield Law, which was killed on a point of order last night. (Vince has all the background if you're interested.) There's something to why it was killed, however, as Karen Brooks demonstrates.

It was being carried by one of the House's mainstay conservative Rs, Rep. Corbin Van Arsdale, from a neighboring district, who votes the same way she does 99 percent of the time.

So, I'm not sure what problem she had with him that she wanted to kill a bill that was extra important to him. If the Riddler had issues with Rep. Too Cool for School or his bill, she didn't tell him a thing. Her strike came out of the blue.

[...]

Since she didn't tell Corbin why she didn't like it, and she only asked one question from the back mic, that's all we've got to go on.

"Corbin, are you aware that our district attorney, Chuck Rosenthal, is very opposed to this bill?"

Then ka-blam. She gets all Talton on him.

Here's a question: Is the Riddler aware that the DAs opposed Jessica's Law? I believe she might have been.

Here's another question: Is she aware of why the DAs opposed Jessica's Law? Because they say it would make it harder for them to win cases/close crimes/etc. Same reason they oppose the shield bill. Both bills. Same reason.

Third and final question: Why are the DAs right about journalists but wrong about abused children?

.... Yeah, I don't have an answer for that one, either. I'll let you know if I figure it out.

Emphasis in the original. In case you're unclear, the House sponsor of "Jessica's Law" was, of course, Debbie Riddle. Like I said, darned good questions.

UPDATE: Chron story is here. Geez, a comma?

Posted by Charles Kuffner on May 22, 2007 to That's our Lege