Some Sudden Changes This Morning: Mike Lange, Mark Simonich

by: Matt Singer

Tue May 15, 2007 at 11:18:44 AM MST

• Rep. Mike Lange was just knocked out of leadership. Ostensibly this was done because of his outburst on YouTube, but the timing seems off for that to be the reason. Might this have more to do with the fact that Mike Lange had a hell of a tongue, but also ultimately cut a deal with the Gov.? This looks like the Republicans trying to punish moderation again to me. This strange 'graf in the story sums it up:

  But others said the profanity-laced tirade from Lange was too much to overcome. It was obvious in recent weeks that House Speaker Scott Sales was not on the same page with Lange.

  A lot of these same legislators defended the "profanity-laced tirade." The second sentence of the paragraph is a completely different reason for making the move. I'd like to see the roll call for that particular vote.


• Mark Simonich left the Secretary of State's office in a hurry. I've heard a lot of chatter from folks wondering what the story is here. For the record, I have no clue. Off the record, I have no clue. But a resignation effective the day it was made in order to "pursue other opportunities" is downright strange. We'll see what happens here.