Ohio Senate debates slavery 2006 Ohio Senate debates slavery 2006 Republican leaders turned off the Statehouse microphones - and live video - on Democrats trying to criticize legislation last week. With the GOP holding the gavel and majority in both the Ohio House and Senate, it's their prerogative to guide floor debate. But Democrats argued that a free government should allow public discourse, even if it's messy and lasts all night. Wednesday evening, Senate President Bill Harris cut the sound shortly after Sen. Ray Miller, a black Democrat from Columbus, began debating the history of slavery with Sen. Jeff Jacobson, a white Republican from Dayton. The discussion stemmed from a bill designating Sept. 22 as "Emancipation Day.'' Jacobson took issue with Miller's remarks that Abraham Lincoln wanted to get the freed slaves out of the country by sending them to Monrovia, Liberia, and considered compensating slave owners. Miller invited Jacobson to his office library to read African-American accounts of that era. When Harris reminded Miller to stay on topic, Miller chided the Senate president for allowing Jacobson's "revisionist history'' while failing to permit Miller to air his view. Harris immediately gaveled a recess during which the debate continued off camera. The bill eventually passed, 33-0. On the Internet, the exchange can be found at www.legislature.state .oh.us for May 24, Segment #3, HB 393, start time 7:06 p.m. On Thursday, Harris told Statehouse reporters he had no regrets about halting the debate, that he was trying to maintain control. "The unique thing about any political body is different people have different political agendas,'' Harris said. "There are ways that we can move on. . . . Maybe this is a good learning experience for all of us.'' Tensions between Democrats and Republicans had been building all week. Tuesday, Republicans turned the mike off on two other top Democrats during debate about a bill to cap tax increases - Sen. Bob Hagan and Rep. Chris Redfern, the state Democratic Party chairman. Rep. Tyrone Yates, a Democrat from Evanston, managed to escape the censors, saying, "No matter how you slice it, it's still baloney.''

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