Jones' Statement on Speaker Stepping Down

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. issued the following statement today in reaction to the Speaker announcing his resignation.

The Speaker had a very difficult decision, both personally and professionally and I believe he has made the right choice. We are facing extremely difficult challenges in this state and to have the distractions created by the questions surrounding Speaker DiMasi were not helpful. The Speaker’s departure is a key step in moving forward on the issues we face as a Commonwealth.

It should not however be lost on anyone that this is the third Speaker in a row who has had to leave due, at least in part, to questions surrounding conduct in office. While certain ethics and rules reform are necessary, it is equally clear that these situations are a product of one-party domination in the Legislature.