Zinn Paulness/Legends

"What are we waiting for?"

- Zinn Paulness, in response to a cry to vote on a bill in the Senate

Zinn Paulness was a male Human senator who served the Galactic Senate during the Clone Wars in around 21 BBY. He was in the Republic Executive Building when Cad Bane and his posse of bounty hunters raided it and took hostages.

Biography
Zinn Paulness was a senator who served the Galactic Republic Senate during the Clone Wars. He was present during the bounty hunter Cad Bane's raid on the Senate when he and other senators were having a discussion on the Enhanced Privacy Invasion Bill before a Senate meeting. He was held as a hostage under laser-activated bombs, so that Bane could reason with Supreme Chancellor Palpatine for the release of Ziro Desilijic Tiure.

However, Bane went back on his word, and once the Chancellor released Ziro, Bane detonated the bombs regardless. Despite this, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker was able to get Paulness and the other senators out of the hall, cutting a hole in the floor with his lightsaber before the charges went off.

Later on, the Senate called an emergency session to debate the cost of the war. When fellow Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo suggested that the Republic negotiate with the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and was later present during the vote to negotiate with the Separatists. Sadly the vote was stopped due to power failure from a bombing of the Coruscant power generator. Due to this attack, the Senate passed the bill to deregulate the banks so the Republic could increase clone production and rejected the Separatist peace initiative. Zinn even raised his voice to question why were they waiting to vote on the deregulation.

Zinn was also present when a new bill was proposed by Senator Halle Burtoni for an additional five million clone troopers (funded by the Banking Clan). In the end Senator Padmé Amidala's speech swayed the votes and the bill was turned down after an applause by many of his colleagues and Zinn himself.

Behind the scenes
Zinn Paulness's character was based on a design of an Alderaanian aide in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. He was given his first speaking role in the third season episode "Heroes on Both Sides," but although Stephen Stanton was credited as "Senator" in the episode, and though Paulness was the only unspecified role, his voice actor was not properly credited. In the following episode, "Pursuit of Peace," his speaking role was credited to Jason Spisak.