Ron Williams On Double Dippers

Filed in Delaware by on June 16, 2011

Ron Williams wrote an interesting column yesterday about legislative pay and the so-called “double dippers.” Here’s an interesting nugget from that story, the AG’s office determined that it was perfectly legal by the state laws that legislators could be paid for not showing up to committee meetings.

“We conclude that the relevant statute does not authorize the legislator’s state job pay to be docked under your scenario” if they don’t attend a committee meeting, Biden wrote to Wynne.

Legislators can receive several thousand dollars in extra pay depending on the type of committee they serve on. “There is no … provision when a legislator is absent from legislative business,” the opinion said. (Now we know why Sen. Colin R.J.M.A.B.C.D. Bonini, R-Dover South, is so often absent from committees.)

“As a result, each legislator in this situation has the discretion to double-dip without the consequences set forth in the policy,” Biden ruled.

This should change. I think this is something that all proponents of good government should get behind, regardless of party or ideology. It shouldn’t be too difficult to propose a legislative fix that requires legislators to document their hours spent on legislative business – especially attendance to caucus meetings, committee meetings and legislative sessions.

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Comments (16)

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  1. cassandra m says:

    You know, this business of a lack of (or perceived lack of) ethical conduct by the GA seems to be getting more urgent. It is just looking like the GA (with some assists from the AG) is working hard at dodging the kind of accountability and ethics rules that might help the people they represent to have some trust in what they are doing.

    If I were the person in charge of the state’s Democrats, I’d be thinking about this pretty seriously. Trust in lawmakers is pretty vital and I suspect that if the GOP in this state get to make any comeback at all in the next few years, Democrats will be able to point at their lack of seriousness about improving ethics and accountability as the beginning of the end. Because this is about taking care of your own house.

  2. SussexAnon says:

    I agree with Cassandra, the bigger point is ethical conduct in general by the GA. Not just double dipping, but not recusing themselves from votes, etc.

  3. anon says:

    SussexAnon – What specific ethical conduct problems can you cite, aside from DeLuca and Booth?

  4. puck says:

    Read the headline as “Ron Williams On Double Diapers.”

    gotta get glasses

  5. mediawatch says:

    The problem with these guys is that their rationalizations are so laughable. They’re afraid to pass legislation that would grandfather themselves out of prohibitions on double dipping for legislators elected in the future.
    And we hear lame explanations like “what if I want to be a substitute teacher?” or “what if I want to become an adjunct professor and teach college classes part time?”
    Hello?
    Catholic schools and private schools need substitute teachers too. And, as happy as Lonnie George might be to put you on the payroll, you’ve got options other than Del Tech. Give Jack Varsalona a call; there are plenty of public sector retirees enjoying second careers at Wilmington University.
    And … if you take a second job in the private sector, those nosy media types are far less likely to be asking about your timesheets.

  6. SussexAnon says:

    I think DeLuca and Booth are enough, don’t you? For these two alone, legislation should be passed. The Delaware Way is alive and well and Booths job is proof positive. I wish I could get a job created out of thin air with unknown salary, benefits and unclear job description.

    There was also conflict of intrest with Ruth Briggs King’s job.

    Not to mention all the conflict of intrest problems with Sussex County Council. Wilson voting on manufactured homes, Cole (and Dukes) voting on Real estate issues.

  7. George Washington says:

    Mr. Ron Paul for 2012.

    Regan said, “What to ask is am I better off now than 4 years ago. Is food cheaper now than 4 years ago? Are taxes lower now than 4 years ago? Is the job situation better than it was 4 years ago?”

    With Ron Paul’s 2012, You, it, and they would be.
    Constitutionally, legislatively, and morally, Ron Paul has no equal. His 22 year voting record speaks for itself.
    As Mr. Regan said, “You ain’t seen nothin yet!”
    Ron Paul for 2012 Republican Nomination and President

  8. political wizzard says:

    It’s funny that your handle is George Washington since we would be back in those days if Mr. Paul were to be elected. I can’t remember the theme song to Giligans Island right now but I believe it would be fitting with a President Paul.

  9. Aoine says:

    @GW – if you knew your ass from a hole in the wall it would be Senator or Congessman or Gov Ron Paul – grow the fuck up and know the basics before you start espostulating, dickhead…

    on the other hand, ‘diapers’ is right, because they r both full of shit.

    at least`a ‘cooling off period”

    but……….oh well

  10. jason330 says:

    You seem to be replying to a comment bot.

    all of these search results have the same exact text as that comment.

  11. delbert says:

    This ridiculous graft in state government has gone on for years. In the old days many were low paying jobs so it didn’t make much difference. The old Highway Commission was the source of a lot of it. Many of the first state DelDot workers were well connected farmers, believe it or not. But now that the pay scales and benefits in many of the state sectors has gotten ridiculous, it just irks to see these bastards continue to feed at the trough. But you’ve not seen the last of it, nor will you.

  12. Truth Teller says:

    Aoine is correct on the diaper thing let us not forget Senator Vitter of La. paid the ladies of the evening to change his What a sicko

  13. SussexAnon says:

    GW wrote:

    Regan said, “What to ask is am I better off now than 4 years ago.(no I am not, thanks to Republican’ts driving us off a cliff) Is food cheaper now than 4 years ago? (no, its not. But its a free market, costs are bound to go up, right Ron Paul?) Are taxes lower now than 4 years ago? (Actually, yes, they are. You have to go back to th 50’s to find a lower tax burden than right now) Is the job situation better than it was 4 years ago? (nope, it isn’t. And Ron Paul cant do anything about that. He’s a free marketeer.)

    Yeah, Ron Pauls 22 yr voting record of putting earmarks in for his constituants then voting no just to remain pure to his “libertarian” credo is laughable.

    Its ironic to use Regan to prop up Ron Paul. Regan was a tax raiser, deficit ballooner, cut n runner, foreign interventionalist, who negotiated with terrorists. Thats not Libertarian street cred, thats Republican’t cred. Nothing small gov’t and liberty for all in that.

    Its also worth pointing out that George Washington believed in tarrifs and taxes. Google “Whiskey Rebellion”. At least Washington wanted to PAY for the war he waged.

  14. jason330 says:

    You have been duped SussexAnon. The “George Washington” comment is the creation of a Ron Paul campaign astro-turf campaign.

  15. GOP nightmare says:

    There was only one GOP person in the last few years who supported an IG and a nepotism policy and no state shenanigans in hiring legislators. You guess who.

  16. anon says:

    With a nom de plume like “GOP nightmare,” you must be a footwear cousin of Mikey P. Hi, routerboy.