The House Republican caucus earlier this week held a closed-door meeting, shutting out a Tennessean reporter who was there to cover the caucus.
If that doesn't sound like a problem, remember how big the Republican caucus is these days. Republicans at the state legislature have achieved a supermajority, also known as a walkout-proof majority. That name comes from the fact that there are now so many Republicans in the legislature that the Democrats could walk out of the building and it wouldn't matter. There would still be enough legislators in the chamber for Republicans could go on making laws. In other words, a meeting of the Republican caucus is, effectively, a meeting of the legislative branch of Tennessee government.
In response to the closed-door meeting, the Capitol Press Corps — dwindling, but important, bunch that they are — sent a letter Rep. Ryan Williams, the newly elected chairman of the House GOP caucus. You can read the letter, written by press corps chairman and WPLN reporter Chas Sisk, below:
Dear Chairman Williams:
We would like to request a meeting, at your earliest opportunity, to discuss the circumstances under which the press are to be excluded from caucus functions. Past practice — especially since Republicans gained supermajority status — has been that meetings are open unless closed by caucus vote. If that is to change, we think it's important for both sides to understand the rules of the road going forward.
Although there is a perception that lawmakers have a blanket exception from state open meetings law, we believe there are clear reasons for the caucus to start from a presumption of openness. Article I, Section 19 of the Tennessee Constitution establishes a principle that every person shall be free "to examine the proceedings of the Legislature." And, Article II, Section 22 states the doors of legislature "shall be kept open" in most circumstances. Finally, over more than 200 years of Tennessee history, there have been very few cases of the legislature meeting in secret.
Our fundamental concern is that the Republican caucus, by virtue of its unprecedented size, could act as a de facto legislature, meeting and deliberating in private contrary to the spirit of openness exemplified in the Tennessee Constitution. And although courts have ruled groups of legislators can meet in private, they have never, to our knowledge, affirmed their right to form a quorum outside the public eye.
Congratulations on your election as chairman. We know you share our commitment to good and clean governance. We know you want transparency and to show Tennesseans that you're doing their business. We look forward to working with you, and we hope we can figure out a proper balance between your needs as a caucus and ours as Tennessee citizens.
Best, Chas Sisk, chairman Tennessee Capitol Press Corps
