Lie of the Year. Perhaps of the Decade.
In a dog-bites-man story, the despicable House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst, aka ‘Pete’s Enforcer’, sought to essentially narc out someone who had the temerity to question the raises that D House leadership bestowed upon its staff. Longhurst did it by leaking an e-mail exchange and issuing a veiled threat to the constituent’s employer. This News-Journal story captures the essence of Longhurst as well as anything I’ve read.
Please read the story. You’ll see that Longhurst is first utterly disingenuous in somehow claiming that she HAD NO IDEA whether the e-mail in question reflected the official position of the University of Delaware. Her intent was clear: To get the employee in trouble, and to underline that the General Assembly, due to its infinite charity, provides funds to the University of Delaware and, gee, wouldn’t it be a shame if that relationship was threatened by this e-mail?
And, now, to the Lie of the Year. In Delaware, this is almost certainly the Lie of the Decade:
“I was just asking a question,” Longhurst said. “I’ve never bullied anybody. If that’s the perception, that’s the perception.”
“How is it intimidating?” she told The News Journal. “I just raised a question.”
‘Bully’ is not just something that Longhurst does, it is who she is. Other than her pets, she has bullied pretty much everybody on that staff. Not to mention other legislators. And citizens who have the nerve to challenge her. I speak from personal experience. In my case, she took personal delight in it. On my last day working for the House (I didn’t know it was to be my last day), she stormed in to my office, started ripping posters off the walls, told me I had twenty minutes to vacate my office, and thrust a letter in my face for me to sign claiming that I had resigned (if I had signed it, I would have been ineligible for unemployment). When I said that I didn’t know why I was being fired and I thought I had done a good job, her response was: “This will be a learning experience for you.” She was pretty much giddy that she had done this to me.
Tossed out during the worst recession in my memory without explanation. To this day, I still don’t know what went down.
Longhurst has repeated this kind of behavior with many other staff members, and with a lot of people who have the nerve to question her. Like this policy scientist who had the very noive to question these ridiculous raises while everyone else working for the states gets screwed.
The whole story of Pete & Val is that they govern through fear and intimidation. What used to be a wonderful collegial environment under speakers of both parties has now become a fearful environment.
And if the House Democratic Caucus allows them to remain as leaders, then it is on them as well.
What seems to be happening down Legislative Hall since Speaker Gilligan retired? He was an excellent leader whom everyone respected. He championed open government with Senator Peterson and it seems that place has become corrupt ever since he left. There is only one way to solve this and that is to vote out every incumbent next election. Calling on Speaker Gilligan to please run again and fix this mess. We will also be looking to find quality opponents against all current legislators. The recruiting has already started.
I am stunned by that story. So sorry you were subjected to that kind of bullying. What kind of a party would tolerate a person like Val as its leader?
Her smirky statement was an affront to the very concept of honesty. It was obviously intimidation. Our Dem “leadership” really is an embarrassment.
Hahahahaah @ Pulling posters of your wall. She probably fired you because your office looked like a dorm room? What were you 21? Was your office on Wesley’s campus? Posters of Led Zeppline and Bob Marley on your walls.
But you’re right El, that was probably the biggest lie of the year. Either that or she just doesn’t know she’s a bully.
P.S. Sorry for poking fun sir, but I couldn’t help it with the posters being pulled of the wall. Does that make me a bully though? hahaha
Another small time politician who believes (s)he is a Frank Underwoodian character. Longhurst represents like Bear, DE. & won her last general election 3,900 to 1,800. I propose that this tough-gal routine is masking an inferiority complex. The fact that anyone at all emailed her about anything should have been a real treat. She needs a bit of perspective and also to stop lying.
Bring back Bruce Reynolds.
She needs to go.
John: Good thought I will be reaching out to him in the next few days…..Gilligan, Reynolds….anymore suggestions……
This. As a lifelong mainstream Democrat, and a state employee, it disgusts me that in identifying myself as such I am associated with such disingenuous thugs, that this is what the leadership of my party’s caucus considers acceptable behavior. Well enough. Next time they come looking for money they can go pound sand. Next time they need someone to knock on doors or make phone calls, they can forget it. Instead I’m going to go take a good hard look at whoever runs against these shitsticks regardless of party affiliation. They’re the one’s who will get the benefit of my time and money.
My thoughts exactly Anon. Not one more penny to the party, only to decent candidates and those who primary those “thugs.”
I hate that some people want to paint every legislator with the same brush because they don’t all deserve to be even closely associated with the likes of Pete and Val.
There is no denying that this duo needs to be dealt with and it’s the task of the voters in their districts to disarm them. In the meantime, it’s at least the responsibility of their colleagues in the House to de-throne them and recall their crowns. Readers here need to contact their own representatives and insist that they support ousting these tyrants from leadership.
An endorsement of either of these two by any sitting representative will be the first clue on who else needs to end their political career. But, for God’s sake, don’t punish those elected leaders with the balls to put everything on the line by speaking out against this abuse of power.
SSDD: I am not punishing anyone down there I was just stating that place has become corrupt since Speaker Gilligan has left. And yes I am calling for all the current legislators down there to be voted out. These same legislators voted for the current leaders not once, but two times. That makes them responsible for the Party Leadership THEY installed !
I’ll deal with individual candidates who will receive my support as they prove/d themselves worthy. But screw the party. It’s bad enough that that soulless turd Markell has been screwing over the vast majority of state workers the last eight years under the democratic banner. But he’s been doing so with the willing assistance of stains on humanity like ‘Pete & Val,’ who apparently constitute the majority of both houses since both houses have done nothing substantive to prevent said screwing. So good for those who speak up, especially those six who refused to be quiet when the idiots on the rest of the ship burned the lifeboats. Those folks ave my respect and support. But talk don’t mean nothing if that’s all you do. Don’t want to be tar and feathered with these asshats? Do something, including and in addition to talking, like getting rid of this so-called ‘leadership’ running the show. Until then the state party can get bent.
I think we agree that the General Assembly is a better place with Bob Gilligan. That also would mean there would be no Kim Williams. Which I can also live with. So finally, this blog and Rodel agree on something. This is compromise at it’s best. Let’s get this Gilligan / Williams primary going.
It’s not fair to blame the entire caucus. Remember, Val and Pete were as good as gone from leadership back in 2012…until Dennis E. Williams reneged on the pledge he now claims he never made. He double-crossed the reformers in the Caucus and enabled the Despotic Duo to win reelection. Pete and Val retaliated against the reformers in every way imaginable.
BTW, the Rethugs kicked away a potential campaign issue here. Instead of making political hay on this, they instead went to Pete and Val and demanded that THEIR people get the huge raises as well. Raises that were made retroactive to when the D’s got them. Fiscally responsible my butt.
Oh, and Gilligan ain’t coming back and we can’t afford to lose Kim Williams. She’s one of the very few with guts.
Agree 1000% on Kim
John Kowalko
Not all legislators need to go. Kim Williams, John Kowalko, Et al. are the ones who need to stay.
I think the leadership needs to go in order to preserve the caucus. Sneaky Pete & Vindictive Val have already tied a millstone around the necks of caucus members by secretly giving huge raises to staff. Any R will use it as a campaign issue.
I keep hearing there’s lots more stuff to follow–including perhaps some MORE secret ‘bonuses’ that will roil things even further.
If the caucus does not force them to leave, then perhaps they all have a political death wish. Except…politicians do NOT have political death wishes. The ride is about to get a lot more bumpy. I, for one, will enjoy it.
Has anyone seen what she just posted on to Facebook?
https://m.facebook.com/groups/258117247647290?view=permalink&id=785727214886288&ref=m_notif¬if_t=group_activity&actorid=1796285647#!/story.php?story_fbid=10206575471298530&id=1623940661