Statehouse Nuggets, Death Penalty Edition

by: Jay Lassiter

Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 02:02:20 PM EST

*Update* 4pm Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow: Let's keep the death penalty because "monsters" are "mean." 

*Update* 3:45p.  On and on it goes.  Back and forth.  Nice that most arguments are heartfelt and thoughtful.  Now if only they could wrap it us since no one is adding anything new to the debate at this point.  Thankfully I was just paid a visit from the Snickers fairy.  Packed with peanuts, it can satisfy the hunger of even the crankiest of liberal bloggers.

*Update 7* 3:15p Sen-elect O'Toole just rose to offer a sound and thoughtful perspective.  I don't agree with his point, but at least he doesn't feel the need to make it personal.  People of good conscience can disagree.  Can we live with that?

*Update 6*Assemblyman Carroll  is quoting Antonin Scalia, chapter and verse to hammer home that liberals are crazy.  Note to Carroll: if you come across as crazy chracterizing others as crazy, then the argument is lost.  Just a thought.

OMG OMG!! Did Carroll just quote Lord of the Rings?  From Scalia to Froddo and back .  Wow. Well, at least the dude has some range!

Update 5 GOP Asm. Dave Wolfe just stepped up to prove that you can make a honest well meaning argument without sounding panic alarms all over the place.  He shared an anecdote: recently at a cafe, we polled 10 constituents.  Four were against- , four were pro-, and two others didn't know.

*Update 4* Bateman is being grilled by the death penalty fetishists in his party.  Assemblyman Merck is leading the charge.  To hear him talk, you might judge him a bit of a douchbag fear mongerer.

*Update 3*GOP Assemblyman Bateman is the bill's co-sponsor.  Bateman: "When I joined this body 14 years ago, I never dreamed I would rise to make this pitch."

He is telling the story of a constituent (and crime victim) who was the catalyst of his change of heart on this issue.  Like many of us, he used to feel differenty on this topic.  But "we have an opportunity to day to chart a new course."

*Update 2* 2:35pm: Assemblyman Caraballo opens.  This is his bill and his legacy.

*Update 1* It's 2:30p and we are finally underway.  The first order of business: Senator -elect Bill Baroni's motion to remember "fellow Hamiltonian" Dr. David Rebovich who passed away recently.  It was a nice gesture that also managed to dial back the intensity in the room.  Clearly Rebovich is still much beloved under this roof. 

The Death Penalty repeal is the big item on the docket today, but the most exquisite tension in Trenton centers around the Family Leave battle.

At this writing (1:45p) the Assembly is sitting for official portraits prior to votes.

I dare say that the Assembly Dems are squeezing a lot in today with votes and pix.  All this after a long afternoon in caucus where family leave was the main course.

As soon as I know, ya'll know.