Central Valley lawmakers speak out after abrupt removal from legislative committees

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Two Central Valley lawmakers were among 5 Republicans abruptly removed from aggregate legislative committees connected Feb. 28. This was arsenic friction betwixt California Democrats and Republicans grew.

Assemblymembers David Tangipa and Alexandra Macedo were kicked disconnected aggregate committees by Democratic Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas.

"They benignant of enactment maine in, it astir seemed similar a time-out position," Tangipa said. "I was stripped of health, utilities and insurance. And I was the Vice Chair of Insurance."

Tangipa's removal caught his unit by surprise.

"They fundamentally asked maine if I had done thing wrong, but we were removed from our committees connected that Friday afternoon," Tangipa said.

Assemblymembers Carl Demaio, Joe Patterson, Bill Essayli, David Tangipa and Alexandra Macedo were each removed, replaced and repurposed successful different committees. All were fixed nary anterior notice.

"What person I shown the talker that I would not beryllium an plus to these committees? I person worked hard to get to cognize the radical that would person been my chairs. I've done the hard enactment and I don't judge that the transgression matches the punishment and vice versa," Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo said.

Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher says Republicans were blind-sighted.

"When we marque committee assignments astatine the opening of the year, you know, I get my recommendations arsenic a Republican leader. You know, this is thing I was not told about," Gallagher said.

Both Tangipa and Macedo deliberation Democrats are intimidated.

"I americium arrogant to combat for the vitality of our enactment and the Central Valley that I represent. My removal from these committees volition not interaction my quality to bash that," Macedo said.

And Tangipa wants Democrats to support the aforesaid vigor for injustice connected the different broadside of the aisle.

"When Adam Schiff was removed from the Intelligence Committee by the bulk enactment that they said that it is simply a nonstop battle connected democracy, that I anticipation that they person that aforesaid ideology," Tangipa said.

Rivas appointed some Tangipa and Macedo to the Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee.