O’Brien Bends the Rules for Political Advantage (Again)

State House Speaker Bill O’Brien has announced the House will meet on September 14 and October 12 to vote on a series of new bills that were introduced after the deadline for this year’s session.

House rules allow this when there is an “urgent or compelling need or events unforeseen prior to the filing deadline.” The looming $35 million cut in Medicaid reimbursement meets this requirement. Most of the other issues being addressed, like barring incremental payments to women who have children while receiving public assistance, clearly do not.

Kevin Landrigan (paywall) explains the politics:

1) It keeps the GOP base fired up: State Republicans appreciate there are early signs the political pendulum is beginning to swing back in favor of Democrats heading into 2012.

2) It keeps pressure on Gov. John Lynch: The one thing all of these issues have in common is House GOP leaders can use them to paint Lynch as a bad manager, feckless budget cutter or even a liberal in disguise.