General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., March 29, 2011
So-o-o-o, do ya think they might have anything to discuss in Senate caucus meetings today?
Allow me to quote from Sen. George Howard Bunting in today’s News-Journal:
“Tuesday’s going to be a very interesting caucus,” said Sen. George Bunting, D-Bethany Beach.
(Memo to News-Journal reporter Chad Livengood: Please stick around Delaware for awhile. We need this kind of reportage. Could be a Pulitzer in your future, kid.)
Will anyone broach the subject of the Federal investigation into Tony DeLuca’s job at the Department of Labor? Uh, signs point to an emphatic Yes. If they don’t, maybe the Feds should expand their investigation to include other members of the Caucus. At least for nonfeasance.
If they don’t, Colin Bonini will not be to blame. This is on the Senate Democratic Caucus, senators who knew all about how Tony DeLuca got his job, know all about his disdain for open government, know about his other reckless behaviors, and yet voted him in as Pro-Tem. Should the Senate D’s fail to revisit the question of his fitness for office, they individually should and will be judged. This is not about waiting to see if DeLuca avoids any kind of sanction for his actions. “Technically not guilty” is not a sufficient standard to warrant a leadership position.
What then-Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, then-Secretary of Labor Tom Sharp, then-Chief of Staff Mark Brainard, and the Diminutive Despot himself, did was to conspiratorially carve out a special job enabling DeLuca to pocket over $68 grand in taxpayers money annually in addition to the $62 K he pockets as President Pro-Tem. They also used this opportunity to get back at Karen Peterson, who had defeated Tom Sharp’s hand-picked successor (Tim Sheldon), and who had dared to question the practices of Ruth Ann Minner herself. The one thing notably absent in this whole sordid scheme was even one scintilla of concern about the public interest, which all were sworn to protect. To prove that point, they also conspired to starve the anti-discrimination unit, which is charged with investigating and enforcing discrimination and civil rights claims. The irony of Sharp, who made his political bones by appealing to blue-collar white voters with a fierce anti-busing platform, appointing a construction trades labor guy, should not be lost on anybody. You want to find unions dedicated to continuing their ethnic legacies and to keeping minorities out of their apprenticeship programs? Look at the construction trades. No, this was one of the most cynical and shameful violations of the public trust that you could ever conjure up. Which is precisely what Sharp, Brainard, Minner and DeLuca set out to do.
None of the members of either caucus need any legal opinions to recognize this. The architects of this abomination are once again ‘unavailable for comment’. They don’t have to answer to anyone, until or unless they face legal hurdles. But, the members of both Senate caucuses do, unless they all plan to retire. It is time that they do the right thing, and depose Tony DeLuca from his position as President Pro Tempore. Absent that, they cannot justifiably claim to represent their constituents. They are rather in thrall to the rot of the Delaware Way, epitomized by the bully boy who pounds the gavel and screws minorities, all to the tune of $130K annually in taxpayer dollars.
I suppose I should interrupt this screed to provide a post-game wrap-up from last Thursday. Here it is. Other than this bill, which unanimously passed the House, and which raised concerns on my part, I found little or nothing of note. End of Wrap-Up.
Back to DeLuca. His Rose Mary Woods-like contortions to plausibly claim that federal dollars are not being used in his office have led to ineffectiveness and inertia in enforcement. Just like he, Sharp and Brainard intended. (BTW, will Sharp, Brainard and/or Minner ever be available for public comment again?) He’s screwed things up so bad at DOL that the Markell Administration has determined that it must act to protect those who have waited two years for justice. Good for them. They’re absolutely right. I can only hope that the Governor’s office is working behind the scenes to effect DeLuca’s removal from his Pro-Tem position.
I’m gonna make a prediction here. I predict that DeLuca steps down as Pro-Tem sometime soon, at least temporarily. However, that doesn’t mean that Sen. Michael Katz takes over the spot. I predict (*sigh*) that Patti Blevins ascends to the spot should it become open. An improvement, yes, ideal, no. Especially if she gets tired on June 30/July 1. Who knows what business might go unfinished? Maybe Katz, Peterson or Sokola move into leadership. That’d be a plus. To paraphrase Ronald Reagan:
“Senator Blevins, tear down that door!”
Not much on today’s House and Senate agendas.
Two notable events taking place later this week, however.
The Civil Unions legislation will be considered in the Senate Administrative Services/Elections Committee Wednesday at 2 p.m. Due to interest in the bill, the meeting will be held in the Senate Chamber. I will have a lot more on SB 30 and its prospects for passage tomorrow.
And, on Thursday, SB 17, Sen. Henry’s medical marijuana legislation, will be debated in the Senate. The Senate sponsors are Henry, Peterson, Marshall, Sorenson, and Venables(!). This shapes up to be a close vote. If you don’t see your senator’s name among the sponsors, please call them, and respectfully encourage them to support the bill. It really could make a difference.
Well, I’m off to do Al’s show, 1150-AM on your dial, 10 am today. We’ll be talking about all this and…Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico. How does that figure into the equation? Tune in and find out.
Tags: Delaware General Assembly; Sen. Tony DeLuca; Medical Marijuana; Civil Unions; Truth Or Consequences, N. M.; Steve Tanzer; El Somnambulo:
Sen Blevins was complicit in getting DeLuca elected to that post even after the first NJ expose. She’s hardly a good pick for the top spot. Sokola, Bunting or Katz would be at the top of my list. They set themselves apart from the pac when they didn’t vote for DeLuca in the first place. Normally I would include Peterson in that list but I think it could be viewed by detractors that she’s the one behind the investigation into this Deluca investigation and, in the end, it wouldn’t play well. Besides, whatever role Peterson may or may not have in bringing this to light would’ve been done to put an end to the injustice to taxpayers and not to gain power or status.
I’m with anon re: Karen.
I think she puts the people first.
I’m damn glad she’s my Senator.
As an aside, I can testify to the Skilled Trades being reluctant to open their BOOKS to minorities.
It took a COURT ORDER for my union after a long running law suit that cost a couple of million to the rank and file.
If we get Blevins we’ll be miles ahead of where we are now, believe me.
ES, I listened to part of the time you were on Al’s show. You did a great job. You have a good voice for radio.
Who’s the REAL Gov. of Delaware? Markell or DeLuca? Given his arrogant and cronyistic rule, I’d have to say DeLuca!
Father John says: he who enables a tyrant, is no better than his brother who is the tyrant.
Anon, I’m not lobbying for Blevins, just think it’s more likely that she would ascend to the post rather than have someone from the opposing faction win. I could be wrong, and I wouldn’t mind being wrong.
And, as Nancy has written, for all her faults, Blevins would be an upgrade over DeLuca.
Thanks, Dana. I’ve got an even better FACE for radio.
Father John, I think that Markell’s taking action to restore positions that DeLuca either cut or allowed to disappear via attrition is an important development. It may even be an important development politically. Governors understandably do not seek to cross legislative leaders for fear that their agendas get ‘slow-walked’, as Al Mascitti would say.
However, I can’t help but think that the Governor is seeking to finesse an end to the DeLuca reign. After all, he and all legislative D’s are up for reelection next year. Do any of them really want to have DeLuca waved in the face of Delaware voters as the symbol of a corrupt Democratic Party? I think not. And Markell is technically DeLuca’s boss. There are a lot of interesting strands yet to be woven. Starting today.
Hey, Padre, have the decency to attribute the quote to it’s rightful author.You can’t just change an article and make it yours, you deceitful turned collar son-of-a-bitch.
Here’s one specifically for you, from William S. Burroughs:”Silence is only frightening to people who are compulsively verbalizing”.
skippertee: What a brilliant reply. I am a forever fan.
El Som…didn’t think you were promoting Blevins for the top slot at all. I’m just saying I agree with FrJohn when he says ‘he who enables a tyrant is no better than his brother who is a tyrant.
If Blevins were to get the prize, NOTHING would change except the name on the pro tem’s door. He’d still be pulling her strings.
There was a time when Blevins was an effective legislator but she slipped over to the dark side after her failed pro tem bid. She’s in the go-along-to-get-along category. The Legislature is comprised of the three kinds of people: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wondered what happened. Like it or not, Peterson, Katz, Bunting, and Sokola make things happen, Blevins and McDowell watch things happen
and all the rest (except Tony) wonder what happened. There’s a brand new category for Tony…..one who wishes this never happened (to him).
The Dems have a real opportunity here to do something good. They can put a cork in the bottle of ‘Politics as Usual’ and open a brand new flavor of ‘Good Government at Work’. We have no way of knowing if it will taste any better but I’m ready to give it a try. If we’re just going to shake the bottle and re-shuffled the same players we may as well turn the keys over to the Republicans next year.
Amend the Delaware Constitution. No other public jobs for public officials, unless they resign from the General Assembly.
Huh? attribution? Not sure what you’re talking about. I’m merely pointing out and paraphrasing a centuries-old and eons-old maxim. In fact, I was not even referring to Markell.
I’m merely pointing out that from the U.S. supporting dictators over time (by giving foreign aid and other support) to the group of employees who allow an intimidating, serial sex harrasser co-worker to continue their reign of terror by not speaking up against said offender.
It’s a universal ethics and morals code. If a person knowingly assists a person who continues to harm others directly or indirectly, with or without passsion, that that type of behavior is suspect.
And generally, the perpetrator has some sort of power to interfere with or exact retribution against another who may be compelled to stand up and blow the provervial whistle.
And now, you take four paragraphs, to cut a fart.
Pub, there’s a big problem with amending the Constitution. It takes two votes of the General Assembly and most of its members probably believe that there’s something in the constitution that makes it unconstitutional for them to vote to eliminate their jobs.
El Som:
Celia is stealing your stuff:
Ronald Reagan would have known what to make of it.
Mr. DeLuca, tear down this door!
http://www.delawaregrapevine.com/4-11fracturedquotes.asp
Plagiarizers of her ilk must be stopped!
Not sure if that reflects poorly on her, or me.