Most people are aware of the recent controversy in the Legislature about whether the governor missed a deadline on issuing vetoes. I believe the law is quite clear on the subject, but that discussion is for another day.

I write today to express my disappointment and dismay about a public attack made by the governor’s lawyer about the staff of the Revisor’s Office, criticizing them for being “partisan.”

Most people likely have never heard of the Office of the Revisor of Statutes. These dedicated public servants works in the Capitol basement, doing incredibly important work. Their most important job is assisting all 186 legislators in drafting, editing and amending bills, transforming often half-baked thoughts into statutory language. In my experience, they do so competently, without bias or prejudice, and in a totally nonpartisan way.

I have known many of these people for years and can honestly say I have no clue at all about their political affiliation or their most basic political views. That is as it should be. Under the direction of Suzanne Gresser, the office has earned and now enjoys the most sterling of reputations of being above the fray.

Recently, the Revisor’s Office did exactly what the law told them to — they chaptered “bills that the Legislature had finally passed” into law since the governor had not issued a timely veto with respect to them. They were simply doing their job as clearly set out in statute. For the governor’s lawyer to attack them for being “partisan” is false and uninformed. Such criticism is even more unfair because the lawyer well knows the Revisor’s Office cannot respond publicly to defend itself.

And, if people have a moment, they might consider sending the good people in the Revisor’s Office a note and thank them for their public service.

Sen. Roger J. Katz

R-Augusta


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