Sali plans ‘announcement’

Former Congressman Bill Sali, who resurfaced at the Statehouse today wearing a suit, proposing wide-ranging amendments to a child-immunization registry bill, and rapidly chewing gum, has an “announcement” scheduled for 11:30 in the Statehouse rotunda on this final day of the filing period for the 2010 elections. Sali said in an e-mail that he “will make an announcement today and answer media questions;” asked what kind of announcement, he said, “show up.”

Oddly, the e-mail suggests that Sali will speak for 12-1/2 hours: “The announcement will begin at 11:30 AM. Statement and questions should conclude by 12:00 AM.” 12:01 a.m. would be a minute after midnight. Technically, neither noon nor midnight is a.m. or p.m. (ante- or post meridiem), but any digital clock will tell you that when the clock flips to noon, it’s 12 p.m.

Reminiscent of his years in the Statehouse as a legislator, Sali was scolded by the acting committee chair in House Health & Welfare today, who at the time was Rep. Janice McGeachin, R-Idaho Falls, for arguing rather than answering a committee member’s question.