Guest Column: Accountability Is Not Control

I respect Rep. Mike Yin. He’s thoughtful, principled, and someone I’ve learned from during our time in the Wyoming Legislature. That’s why I take his recent column seriously.

But I also believe it contains mischaracterizations — both about specific legislation and about the values he invokes to criticize others.

Rep. Yin attributes several new laws to the Freedom Caucus, suggesting they reflect an agenda of control.

One example he seems to reference is Chloé’s Law, which passed in 2024. But that bill was enacted before the Freedom Caucus held a working majority in the House. It had broad support across the Republican conference.

Assigning it solely to one faction misrepresents the legislative process.

Judicial Reform Is Not a Power Grab

Rep. Yin argues that recent judicial reform proposals threaten the separation of powers. In reality, they aim to restore public accountability.

Wyoming’s judicial retention system is one of the least transparent in state government.

Judges are almost never removed — not necessarily because they’ve earned public trust, but because most voters lack information about their rulings. That’s not confidence in the courts — it’s disengagement.

If judges have the power to strike down laws passed by elected representatives, then voters deserve more tools to assess those judges’ records.

That’s not an attack on the courts — it’s an effort to ensure that every branch of government remains accountable to the people it serves.

Electing the Attorney General = More Democracy

Rep. Yin also opposes legislation to make the attorney general an elected position. I understand the instinct to preserve professionalism in that office.

But there’s an irony in hearing a Democrat argue that voters should have less say in selecting their top legal officer.

Currently, the attorney general is chosen solely by the governor — effectively removing the public from the process entirely.

In a state where Republican governors have long held that authority, Democrats now find themselves defending the concentration of power in the executive.

That isn’t democratic. Letting the people choose their Attorney General doesn’t politicize the office—it democratizes it.

Local Government Is Not Always Right

Rep. Yin describes Wyoming as having a “deeply rooted libertarian ethic.” I agree. And if that’s true, we must remember this: the most local government is the individual.

When local governments defy the will of individuals, it is the Legislature’s responsibility to step in.

That’s especially true in cases like Cheyenne’s ongoing annexation of county pockets. When municipalities forcibly annex property — and with it, voters who never elected their city council—against the residents’ will, it is fundamentally unjust.

If we value individual liberty, we must ensure that our laws do, too.

Disagreement with Respect

I share these thoughts not to attack Rep. Yin, but to offer a respectful response.

As Seneca wrote, “Even from an enemy a man may learn wisdom.” Mike is no enemy — he is a colleague.

And Wyoming is stronger when we hold every level of government — from the courthouse to the council chamber — accountable to the people.

That’s not control. That’s the essence of liberty.

Daniel Singh, House District 61, Vice Chairman- House Judiciary Committee