ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, January 30, 1996 TAG: 9601300097
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
Partisan sparks flew in an unusually personal exchange Monday between two Roanoke Valley lawmakers, House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton, and Del. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem.
The heated exchange began when Griffith took the floor to speak in favor of a GOP plan to require parties to have proportional representation on House committees. Republicans complain that even though their numbers nearly equal Democrats, they have only four of 22 seats on the powerful Appropriations Committee.
Cranwell defended the Democrats' traditional prerogative, saying that locking the House into a formula could deprive some regions of a voice on certain committees.
A few minutes later, Griffith rose to speak in favor of the GOP plan. Before he could say more than a few words, Cranwell jumped to his feet and fired a question: How could Griffith speak in favor of "fairness" now when last fall he told The Roanoke Times that Republicans likely would strip Cranwell of his committee assignments if they took control of the House?
"That is not an exact quote," Griffith replied, "but it is very, very close."
Griffith explained that the article in question also quoted him as being in favor of rules that would require proportional committee assignments, so that neither side could deny the other adequate representation.
The current system, he said, is a matter of "might makes right rather than right makes might."
Cranwell and Griffith continued to snipe, until House Speaker Thomas Moss, D-Norfolk, had to remind them that House rules forbid making personal attacks.
"Let's sit down and stop this rhetoric," Moss scolded.
Griffith continued his speech, his voice rising to a shout and his arms flaying. He replied to an earlier Cranwell plea for a return to the days of the early 1970s, when partisanship was subdued.
Griffith noted that partisanship was not an issue when Cranwell first arrived in the House, because there were so few Republicans that Democrats could ignore them. Griffith said that Republicans deserve a voice that is equal to their 47-member caucus in the 100-seat chamber.
"The time of one party dictating everything because they have a few more seats should come to an end," Griffith said.
The House defeated the GOP committee plan on a largely party-line vote.
After the tally, Cranwell ventured across the chamber to Griffith's seat. The two men exchanged smiles, and Cranwell slapped Griffith on the arm.
They later said there were no hard feelings.
"I got excited," Griffith said, "because I don't know how you get past the issue that it's just wrong."
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) Cranwell, Griffith. KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1996by CNB