Know Your Firearm Fondlers: State Rep. John “Larry” Mitchell [UPDATE]: Larry Sees the Light

Filed in Delaware by on February 26, 2018

State Rep. John L. “Larry” Mitchell isn’t a major recipient of blood money — $100 in 2016, another $100 in 2017 from the Delaware Foundation for Legislative Action. The question is why he took any at all.

Democrat Larry Mitchell, you see, is an ex-New Castle County cop and current Chief of Security at DelTech, and most police chiefs endorse restrictions on firearms and ammunition that leave public safety officers outgunned. The Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association, the state branch of the NRA that doles out the DFLA blood money, does not.

Mitchell also holds a position key to the coming debate over banning assault weapons — he chairs the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, where any bill answering Gov. Carney’s call for a such a ban almost certainly will be assigned.

Mitchell generally keeps his head down in Dover. He can do so no longer. Not only does he need to give the money back, he must co-sponsor whatever assault weapon ban eventually is proposed.

To do any less would not only betray the citizens of Delaware, but the police and security staff he is employed to protect.

[UPDATE]: I was right, El Somnambulo. Rep. Mitchell did indeed do the right thing, donating those campaign contributions to the Parkland student’s March for Our Lives, set for March 24. Thank you Rep. Mitchell. Now will you please sponsor Gov. Carney’s call for a ban on high-powered, rapid-fire rifles?

 

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Previously profiled: State Sen. Anthony Delcollo

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  1. I think Jordyn Pusey may be aiming (figuratively) too low. Why not challenge this triple-dipping hack instead of the County Council hack?

  2. Alby says:

    Because county council members can hire an aide at an average of $97,000 a year. State reps can’t.

  3. I once interviewed for a staff position with County Council. It didn’t pay anything in the vicinity of that. Not sure where that figure came from. Might have to reapply…

  4. I’m just saying that the position I applied for, which was not a position with a particular council member, but for the council as a whole, was far below that. I’ve known several people who have worked directly with individual councilpersons, and the salaries are nowhere near that stratosphere.

    I am skeptical.

  5. Alby says:

    Whatevs on the salary. My point is that you get your own aide, which you don’t get in Dover.

    Let’s not get off the subject. This isn’t about Pusey.

  6. It COULD be. Let’s see how Larry handles the assault weapons ban bill.

  7. Alby says:

    Oh, I’m sure John “Larry” will do the right thing. Though you might want to look up how much he makes on each of those three paychecks. Might open the public’s eyes to learn they’re paying this guy a couple of hundred thousand a year to “protect” them.

  8. He’s got his cop pension. He’s got his Del-Tech salary which, of course, ensures that he carries Del-Tech’s water in Dover (Lonnie hired him and Bob Gilligan protected him), and his legislative salary. Once he retires or is defeated, he can live large off of three pensions, not counting Social Security.

    Which, of course, is not unlike every other cop who retires early and builds a second pension in the General Assembly while running interference for the cops at every turn. Many of whom get another job, like Pistol Pete did for awhile as ‘Chief Of Security’ for the Delaware State Fair.

    And I’m NOT sure that Larry will do the right thing.

  9. Alby says:

    Maybe we should build a database of what elected officials are really being paid by the public — adding up their public pensions, jobs, etc. People might be surprised to learn that many of their “part-time legislators” pull down in excess of $100,000 per annum of the public’s dime.

  10. I’ll betcha that Larry is closer to $150K.

  11. Alby says:

    Than 200? You’re on.

    What’s his legislative salary? He retired from NCCo a senior sergeant, doesn’t say how many years. His salary at DelTech should be public record.

  12. Yep. Keep in mind that his official legislative salary and his real legislative salary are two different things:

    http://delawareliberal.net//2011/09/25/more-thievery-from-the-delaware-general-assembly-at-your-expense/

    I wrote that piece in 2011. Betcha it went up since then. He’s also on the Bond Committee, and they get additional compensation, as do all the ‘money’ committees plus Sunset. We’re probably looking at $60 K minimum just from that. Which only reflects his legislative salary.

    I’ll try to dig up his Del-Tech salary tomorrow.

  13. Alby says:

    Yeah, I’m figuring mid-60s for the part-time job, guessing another $20K or so on the county pension. Am I off-base guessing the chief of campus security approaches $100K?

    I’m trying to find DelTech data and striking out. You know where to look?

  14. I know that the Controller General’s office maintains an accessible log of all state employee positions. Try the CG’s office.

  15. puck says:

    You ought to take the NRA tattoo off Mitchell’s forehead.

  16. john kowalko says:

    I realize that there is certain willingness to stereotype public servants and in some cases deservedly but I want to draw your attention to past efforts by Larry Mitchell to do the right thing in the public’s interest.

    It was not publicized extensively at the time but during the 147th GA (HB 58) Rep. Mitchell authored and prime sponsored a responsible piece of legislation to impact gun excesses. The bill got out of committee but was (inexcusably) never allowed to the floor. Larry and I discussed this at length and his interest and determination to bring the bill forward were thwarted by others. Rep. Mitchell is currently drafting a similarly intended piece of legislation, that I will co-sponsor, and I feel he deserves acknowledgement for his efforts.

    Rep. Kowalko

    My personal position (as expressed to any inquiring constituent) is —-

    I never have and never will taint myself with NRA money or endorsements

  17. jason330 says:

    Thanks. Good to know.

    And this…

    “The bill got out of committee but was (inexcusably) never allowed to the floor.”

    We need new leadership.