At the Lewiston Tribune this morning, editorialist Marty Trillhaase gives House Speaker Lawerence Denney jeers in his weekly Cheers & Jeers column for waiting until Rep. Phil Hart gave him permission to remove Hart from the House Rev & Tax committee. Trillhaase chronicles Hart's problems with the IRS, Idaho Tax Commission, theft of timber from school endowment land to build his house, and mentions that the artful tax dodger is back in court to fight the $53,000 he owes the state. He then mentions that none of this or even Rep. Eric Anderson's demand for another ethics hearing could force Denney to do something about Hart. Denney only acted after Hart asked to be removed from the committee. Trillhaase concludes: "Long ago, any speaker worth his office would have condemned Hart for what he is - a timber-stealing tax cheat. He'd strip Hart of all committee assignments. And he'd be the one launching an ethics probe instead of relying on the conscience of other lawmakers. Not this speaker." Marty's Cheers & Jeers column here.

Question: Do you think Lawerence Denney is an effective House Speaker?