It’s not often a state lawmaker harshly criticizes a fellow colleague publicly, but that’s what happened Monday morning when state Rep. Steve Harshman, R-Casper, called out fellow lawmaker Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette for labeling fellow lawmakers “lobbyists” in an op-ed Bear wrote in Cowboy State Daily last week.
Harshman, the longest serving member of the Wyoming House, chastised Bear for making remarks in his op-ed, in which he wrote, “There are some skilled lobbyists who have found their way to the House floor, and they even cast votes on bills!”
Harshman called the accusation “reprehensible” and said he believes all legislators make their votes out of consideration for what will best represent their constituents.
“The duly elected members of this House who bring bills and bring ideas and vote on hundreds of items a day, they don’t do it because they’re lobbyists for a group,” Harshman said. “For a fellow member to say that we are lobbyists for a vote or idea we have is reprehensible.”
Harshman said Bear’s comments impugned the motives of his fellow lawmakers and amounted to “a serious accusation.”
“Words matter,” he said.
But Harshman also admitted he’s made regrettable comments in the past as well. In 2021, Harshman made insulting remarks about then-Rep. Chuck Gray on a hot mic while attending the Legislature remotely.
There was no response to Harshman’s remarks on the House floor.
Harshman made his remarks towards the beginning of the morning session, invoking House Rule 9-2, which allows a lawmaker to explain a personal matter.
Harshman said he had considered filing a formal complaint over Bear’s piece and told Cowboy State Daily he still might.
Bear Responds
Bear’s comments were unusual to be made by a co-chairman of the Joint Appropriations Committee but they were rather par for the course for the way he and other members of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus conduct themselves in the public space, quick to call out legislators they believe aren’t behaving conservative enough.
Bear did not apologize for his remarks when reached by Cowboy State Daily shortly after Harshman spoke.
“My first thought is that he really doesn’t appreciate the First Amendment,” Bear said.
Bear also said he didn’t complain when Harshman and others accused Freedom Caucus members of getting marching orders from Washington, D.C., which he says is a lie. The Freedom Caucus is overseen by the D.C.-based State Freedom Caucus Network, but the local group asserts they make all their own decisions.
“I would have expected the chairman of the ‘good ole boy club’ to have thicker skin, but as he loses power in this body, I guess it’s harder and harder for him to keep his cool,” Bear said.
Background
Harshman is part of a coalition of more moderate Republican legislators who now find themselves in the minority compared to the Freedom Caucus members who hold a majority of seats in the House.
The former Speaker of the House, Harshman has spent significant amounts of time speaking at the microphone this session, with many of his speeches more akin to a history lesson rather than simple comments on a bill.
On Monday, he implored his fellow members to consider the many legislators who’ve served before them, their pictures dotting the walls of the Capitol.
“Behaviors like these damage the collegiality of this body and the respect for this institution, the entire state of Wyoming,” he said. “Here in Wyoming, we’re better than that.”
Harshman explained to Cowboy State Daily he finds it disappointing that national politics and its inherent divisiveness has pervaded the Wyoming Legislature and drags down what makes the institution special.
“It just hurts the people’s confidence in this process and demeans the institution and all the wonderful people that have served since statehood,” he said. “We’re better than that.”
He also mentioned how the Legislature is a citizen’s legislature and no one serves in the body as a full time job. When he first started in the Legislature 2003, Harshman left four children behind with his wife at home, the youngest of his kids 3-years old.
“They’re not driving down here because they’re lobbyists for a group, (they’re doing it) because they love this state,” Harshman said. “The last best citizen’s Legislature in the world. We’re not full-time salaried guys like there is in all these other states.”
Things remained testy on the House floor for a while after, when Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, called out Harshman for allegedly looking at her in a threatening way when opposing one of her motions. Harshman denied any ill-intent and the confrontation de-escalated from there.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
