Advocates for good government are rarely surprised by House Ways & Means Chairman Dan Cooper and Senate Finance Chairman Hugh Leatherman. They continually oppose responsible spending in our state budgets and have worked against Governor Sanford’s reform agenda on the Budget and Control Board.

But the pair reached a new low last week. A state budget crafted by only Cooper and Leatherman passed the SC House after legislators REFUSED to allow other legislators (led by Rep. Nikki Haley) and the public to review the budget for 24 hours. How’s that for transparency?

SC Club for Growth remains committed to shining a light in the darkest corners of state government. In keeping with our mission, here are the 93 House members who voted AGAINST transparency (click here to contact your House member):

Source: May 12, 2009 House Journal “Rep. HALEY moved to adjourn debate…”

Those voting AGAINST Rep. Haley’s motion:

Agnew
Allen
Allison
Anderson
Bales
Bannister
Barfield
Battle, Jr.
Bingham
Bowen
Bowers
Brady
Branham, Jr.
Brown, H.B.
Brown, R.L.
Cato
Chalk
Clemmons
Clyburn
Cobb-Hunter
Cole, Jr.
Cooper
Crawford
Daning
Delleney
Dillard
Edge
Erickson
Forrester
Funderburk
Gambrell
Gilliard
Govan, Jr.
Gullick
Hardwick
Harrell
Harrison
Hart
Harvin
Hearn
Herbkersman
Hiott
Hodges
Horne
Hosey
Howard
Hutto
Jefferson
Jennings, Jr.
Kelly
King
Kirsh
Knight
Limehouse
Littlejohn
Long
Lowe
Lucas
Mack III
McEachern
McLeod
Merrill
Miller
Mitchell, Jr.
Moss, Dennis
Moss, Steve
Neal, J.H.
Neal, J.M.
Neilson
Ott, Jr.
Owens
Parker
Parks
Pinson
Pitts, M.A.
Rutherford
Sandifer
Simrill
Skelton
Smith, G.M
Smith, J.E.
Smith, J.R.
Sottile
Spires
Stavrinakis
Umphlett
Weeks
Whipper
White
Whitmire
Williams
Willis
Young, A.D.

Thankfully, 22 legislators voted FOR accountability and transparency when they supported Rep. Haley’s motion.

Ballentine
Bedingfield
Brantley
Duncan
Frye
Gunn
Haley
Hamilton
Huggins
Kennedy
Millwood
Nanney
Pitts, Ted
Rice, Rex
Scott, Tim
Smith, G.R.
Stewart
Stringer
Thompson
Toole
Viers
Young, Tom