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| Chris Miller / The Associated PRess |
 Lawmakers address colleague's position: House Finance Co-Chairman Rep. Kevin Meyer, R-Anchorage, left, answers a question regarding the issue of whether Sen. John Cowdery, R-Anchorage, should step down because of his poor health Tuesday during the first majority press conference of the legislative session. Also featured is House Rules Committee Chairman Rep. John Coghill, R-North Pole. |
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Sen. John Cowdery, R-Anchorage, announced his resignation as chairman of the Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday during the governor's State of the State speech.
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Cowdery cited health reasons for his resignation. The Rules Committee controls which bills move to the Senate floor for action.
Cowdery is a member of the Senate Working Group, the bipartisan coalition that controls the Senate and has selected Sen. Lyda Green, R-Wasilla, as Senate president.
Cowdery has been hospitalized repeatedly recently and said his resignation of the chairmanship was due to his "recurrent health issues."
Cowdery has rebuffed calls for his resignation since VECO Corp. Vice President Rick Smith testified under oath that Cowdery was among legislators VECO, an oil field services company, had bribed.
After her speech, Palin called Cowdery's resignation "a healthy change."
She had not called on Cowdery to resign, she said, stating it is up to the Senate to police its own members.
The five-member Senate Republican Minority, led by Sen. Gene Therriault, R-North Pole, had called on Cowdery to resign as chairman of the Rules Committee.
Cowdery is not currently attending the session, but said he will continue to serve as a senator when he is able.
"When my health allows it, I will return to Juneau as quickly as possible so I can work on the issues that are important to the people of Senate District O," he said.
