Copeland Vows to Stop Attending SEU Meetings
I must have hit a nerve with my post earlier. Charlie Copeland dropped me an email to fill me in on his stance after he spoke to Tyler Nixon.
I was unaware of the expiration of the SEU oversight board. I spoke with Tyler Nixon about it earlier today, and I will no longer attend oversight board meetings. If you check the debate on the Senate floor for SB 228 (which should be available from the Secretary of the Senate), I stated that the SEU should operate under FOIA and that I, as a member of the Oversight Board, would not vote on selecting the “winner” of the RFP being issued by the Energy Office. Obviously, this on-the-record comment was made before I was aware that the board had expired, but emphasizes the point that I have been consistently trying to get the SEU up and running on its own without inappropriate legislator influence.
I plan to contact the Secretary of the Senate next week to confirm Charlie’s assertion, but this is progress. I wonder if the SEU will ever make quorum again.
Tags: Charlie Copeland, Delaware, Energy and the Environment, Republicans
I have a call in to SEU member John Byrne to get his take on all of this.
Also…
I wonder if the SEU will ever make quorum again.
What SEU? It only exists in McDowell’s mind.
Does this mean that the real, underlying reason for McDowell’s opposition to Blue Water Wind just blew up?
You guys rock! I’m so proud! Keep it up.
you still aren’t going to be hotter than me. I don’t know what you are trying to prove with all this
DV, we love you but you were hired ‘from the neck down’. Please leave the brainwork to your other posters. And I will distract you from the prior criticism by closing with, “Dude, you are hot.”, thus causing you to completely forget the previous slight as you bask in perceived fan adoration.
“I was unaware of the expiration of the SEU oversight board.”
And Bill Lee told Loudell that he hadn’t studied enough on the BWW proposal to have a position on it. How long has it been going on & and hasn’t got a position?
Lee & Copeland. What a pair. What would be campaign moto for them?
Lee & Copeland
Not because they understand the problems.
But because they want the power.
Qs: Didn’t Sen. McDowell say that they continued to operate the SEU “on advice of counsel?” If Charlie Copeland says he was unaware that the Board’s authority (including that of McDowell and Byrne) had expired, then what is the real truth? What role – if any – did the lawyer play in disclosing the situation to the members of the Oversight Board?
How come the March and April 2008 minutes of the SEU Oversight Board haven’t been posted? Is it because they transacted business in violation of the law? Why are the December 2007 minutes missing from the SEU Oversight Board website?
Pat — It can’t be the lawyer’s fault. It HAS to be Copeland’s fault. If the attorney advised them that they were okay, it was up to Copeland to ignore the legal advice, go get his own law degree, read the relevant law and apply it.
Anything else would not compute here at DL.
Dave, as you see, I’ve got more Qs than As.
So should every member of the Senate at this point.
Here’s another:
What else was going on between July 2007 and Jan. 2007 that would have caused the SEU leadership to willfully ignore their required legal duties?
Hey – I gave Copeland a fair shake here. It is firmly in his court to live up to his words. We have a number of real differences with Charlie (and you for that matter), so we are not going to lay off of him or you.
And, I certainly don’t have a law degree and in an email and a phone call I knew that the SEU Oversight board hadn’t been reviewed.
The key question that I have is whether the SEU oversight board was advised by the lawyer that they may continue, or if only McDowell was provided that info. I may shoot out a few emails this weekend to find out.
“Hey – I gave Copeland a fair shake here. ”
You did, yes.
See, now you’re trying to get me in trouble with the boss…
Prove it….or something like that… Dana, how does this vicious hate-fest go? Damn. I’m just not mean enough.
You win.
“If the attorney advised them that they were okay, it was up to Copeland to ignore the legal advice, go get his own law degree, read the relevant law and apply it.”
Tell that to a Judge. Tell a Judge my lawyer say it was legal and see if it flies. Especially let a LAWMAKER give that defense.
Moron…
Besides, no law degree was needed. Any literate person can read an END DATE.
The only thing that is really going on here is that while some Repub are perfectly OK to see Dems give it to McDowell in the neck and the Repub doesn’t voice a peep in his defense, he gets all defensive when a Dem CONSISTENTLY gives it Copeland as well. Then it’s over the line & unfair.
Why any of you Dems think you should coddle his fake “offended” feelings is beyond me. He’s merely manipulating you into making Copeland criticism-free on this matter.
“Dana, how does this vicious hate-fest go?
I’m not sure I even understand this enough to get your point and give you an answer.
“I’m not sure I even understand this enough to get your point and give you an answer.”
Clearly you don’t.
My (admittedly) ignorant take on Copeland’s role in this is that he pushd for the release of a Senate document that contained what is now decried as Delmarva propaganda by its detractors. Hasn’t he pushed for the release of more documents?
What else has he done to incur this much ire? And please don’t give me all the ‘Stood idly by while…’ accusations. It would be impossible to be an effective legislator and publicly decry every action from your collegues you disagreed with.
Rick –
You better check with Dave about that. The “Stood idly by while…’ accusation” is the alpha and the omega of his case against Markell.
As for Copeland he did more than stand idly by. He voted for McDowell’s version of reality in the SEU and Blue Water cases.
“And please don’t give me all the ‘Stood idly by while…’ accusations. It would be impossible to be an effective legislator and publicly decry every action from your collegues you disagreed with.”
Note the word ‘every.’ Replace it with ‘any’ and you have my argument against Car-kell.
“Note the word ‘every.’ Replace it with ‘any’ and you have my argument against Car-kell.”
Maybe it’s time for me to whip out my recording of Al Mascitti asking Dave Burris if he condemns Nancy Wagner for getting her hubby a state job and ol’ Dave stood idly hemming & umming unable to do it. Not ANY word of condemnation. I guess that makes Dave part of it.
lol
Jason: Exactly. Markell was supposed to jump up and down and criticize the Minner administration — actions that would have destroyed any chance at effectiveness with fellow Democrats should he win the primary and general elections to become governor, which of course would be even tougher if he alienated that many people in his own party. But Copeland won’t stand up and criticize A DEMOCRAT while McDowell tries to destroy the BWW deal and set up a cushy sinecure for himself at the SEU.
It’s even shabbier than the normal double standard, and it shows that the Republicans, whatever else they may be, remain the party of corporate interests.
Copeland being so open about his support for Delmarva on the wind power issue is the big give away that he is not really interested in the Lt. Gov job.
You guys are all dancing around the DIP Party. D’OH.
“Markell was supposed to jump up and down and criticize the Minner administration — actions that would have destroyed any chance at effectiveness with fellow Democrats should he win the primary and general elections to become governor, which of course would be even tougher if he alienated that many people in his own party. But Copeland won’t stand up and criticize A DEMOCRAT while McDowell tries to destroy the BWW deal and set up a cushy sinecure for himself at the SEU.”
Copeland has criticized and stood up and jumped up and down many times on many issues.
Car-kell didn’t do it ONCE while they were statewide elected officials. Not ONE TIME. And now they’re BOTH talking about “change” as if they shouldn’t have discovered it 10 years ago.
Copeland wrote a letter last year demanding the Governor identify 10% cuts in the budget. Car-kell didn’t. You know, the former FINANCE Secretary and the frickin’ TREASURER. It was Copeland who stuck his neck out in that act of leadership.
Not the same, no matter how you try to spin it.
Not to mention, again, that Copeland called for the release of all financial documents from the Senate Energy Committee AND called for a vote on the resolution. Both of which are included in the “stand up to Democrats” category.
Bring it on, boys. Copeland’s got Car-kell beat across the board here.
“Maybe it’s time for me to whip out my recording of Al Mascitti asking Dave Burris if he condemns Nancy Wagner for getting her hubby a state job and ol’ Dave stood idly hemming & umming unable to do it. Not ANY word of condemnation. I guess that makes Dave part of it.”
I know you’re as dumb as a rock, but Dave Burris isn’t running for office, so Dave Burris can say or do whatever he chooses.
The fact that you record all of my radio appearances only adds to the stalker-ish freakiness of your obsession with me. Creepy.
The worse thing about Copeland is that he explicitly & unambiguously promised on WDEL that he would sign the petition to release SB4 and when it came down to the moment of doing it, he refused.
As a transparent excuse, he cited a 1978 case (I have a copy of it) which literally claimed that laws passed by the general assembly and signed into a law by a governor are not binding on the general assembly at the end of each session.
Now this finding is so preposterous that it has never served as a precedent for any other case. I can’t name the source, by an out-of-state legal scholar looked at it, declared it ridiculous and said that the best face that could be put on the ruling is that the Judge either was angling for reappointment or for Judges to get a raise. But the ruling itself as no legal merits whatsoever.
Then either because the man is an utter dunce or he wanted to add an element of ironic mockery to his fiction, he proposed a bill to be passed this year to include the GA under FOIA but which wouldn’t be effective until 1/1/09. In other words, under this phony standard that laws only apply to the GA per session (every 2 years) , his law if passed would have been literally be null & void on the first second when it was to become effective because 1/1/09 IS the beginning of a new 2-year legislative session.
Obviously, Copeland was pulling a fast one on all the people who have for years waited & waited for open govt in DE. And why? Because the DE GOP legislators (w/ some exceptions) don’t give a damn about any bi-partisan effort to actually give the people what they deserve. They merely want to run on open govt, but the Charlie Copleands of the GOP don’t have any more desire to see open govt in the GA than Thurman Adams does.
The difference between Adams & Copeland about it is that Adams doesn’t do much to disguise for his contempt for open govt but Copeland is hypocritical about it.
It would have been no skin off Copeland’s nose to sign the petition and encourage the other Dem Senators to do the same. Bloggers, the print news media in DE and local talk radio would have all stood up & cheered and said that SB-4 would have never passed w/o the Repubs. The evidence would have been unmistakable. The Repubs could have run on that.
But Copeland broke his promise. He deceived the people of this state. His an enemy of democracy in DE on the order of Thurman Adams.
Why would anyone want him 1 heartbeat away from being Gov. No one can trust a person who doesn’t keep his word, esp. about a matter so central to the public interest.
I think John Kowalko, the Delaware Liberal crew, the (formerly) FSP crew, and a whole bunch of the rest of us would welcome Jack and John’s public words and vigorous actions to stop Harris McDowell’s little furtive lawless free-for-all, bastardizing the SEU. And I mean more than a weakly-worded press release or other such window dressing.
Honestly, why does only Charlie Copeland, at least as a statewide candidate now, have to explain himself 6 ways from Sunday on how he will not go along with McDowell, while the two most (arguably) powerful elected statewide Democrats – McDowell’s political party mates – remain silent? These gents want to be Governor so they need to show a little bit of courage and leadership by stepping up with their Democratic party colleagues and shutting down this in-progress scam.
I am not looking to be partisan here, but we could use all the help we can get in fighting the ooze of McDowell’s sludge from clogging the goals of an SEU, or any other earnest efforts to revolutionize our energy infrastructure with clean energy technology.
We should be looking for consumers ultimately to be FREE from utilities and commoditized mass generation. Allowing them, through their typical legislative whore(s) and pimps, to worm their way into controlling/milking renewables through some back door is beyond disgusting and desperate, the work of truly regressive repressive little minds with their own agendas at heart.
Copeland is on board with shutting the SEU down as Harris McDowell’s fiefdom. Now let’s see where Jack and John come out….if at all.
How about you get on it, all you fellas and ladies of the blue stripe!
“I know you’re as dumb as a rock, but Dave Burris isn’t running for office, so Dave Burris can say or do whatever he chooses.
The fact that you record all of my radio appearances only adds to the stalker-ish freakiness of your obsession with me. Creepy.”
Only those who run for office can be hypocrites? Besides, we all know you intend to run for office some day.
But this obsession motif you got going is really quite ego-maniacal.
I keep an eye on you because you are the front line of the underbelly of the DE GOP. Whatever the vermin in your party is digesting for later use oozes out of you first.
I consider it the political equivalent of volunteering at the CDC.
I’ll just point out how you have now lapsed into discussing yourself in the 3rd person:
“I know you’re as dumb as a rock, but Dave Burris isn’t running for office, so Dave Burris can say or do whatever he chooses.”
Wow, you really are quite stuck on yourself.
“Copeland wrote a letter last year demanding the Governor identify 10% cuts in the budget….It was Copeland who stuck his neck out in that act of leadership.”
This is what passes for leadership w/ the GOP, criticizing the governor in the opposite party. LOL
I think most Delawareans will recognize that politics as usual cannot be spun into “leadership.”
Denn’s win is looking easier & easier.
Face it man. You’re weird. You’re stalking me, and it’s really weird.
I agree Tyler. It had to be said and sadly, it isn’t likely to come from Jason Scott.
This is endemic of an extremely serious sickness in my party. I need the next DEM leadership to take a stand. Now.
Anyone recently seen that BWW submitted a bid to NJ in order to get 19 milion to developa windfarm… as opposed to a tax-payer billion-dolar-subsidy from DE… Hmm if they can do it in NJ without subsidy, but need subsidy in DE… something does not add up
“Then either because the man is an utter dunce or he wanted to add an element of ironic mockery to his fiction, he proposed a bill to be passed this year to include the GA under FOIA but which wouldn’t be effective until 1/1/09. In other words, under this phony standard that laws only apply to the GA per session (every 2 years) , his law if passed would have been literally be null & void on the first second when it was to become effective because 1/1/09 IS the beginning of a new 2-year legislative session.”
I know you’re dumb as a rock, but you’re not that dumb. You’re lying by omission by failing to note that there was a companion bill which created a constitutional amendment to enforce the FOIA provision.
Correction to my earlier post:
What else was going on between July 2007 and Jan. 2008 that would have caused the SEU leadership to willfully ignore their required legal duties?
“Copeland has criticized and stood up and jumped up and down many times on many issues.”
But not this one.
The oldest trick in the book, Dave, is to jump up and down when you know it won’t change the outcome. You know how Harris McDowell covered his ass with progressives for years? By introducing every good-government bill any good-government group brought him. They never went anywhere, of course, because Harris McDowell has all the juice of a brick, but they served their purpose — everybody knew Harris was for good government, so they never plumbed his claims of energy expertise, his relationship with Delmarva-Conectiv-Pepco, the nature of his “self-employment” as an “energy consultant,” none of it.
And so it is with Charlie Copeland. He told the administration to identify cuts last year. Big deal. They should have, and they shouldn’t have needed anyone to remind them. But it’s a fairly cheap gesture, because it’s no-lose — Charlie looks good whether they listen or not. How is that “sticking his neck out”? Complete BS. There was no risk at all. Same with his call for transparency — I’m glad he took that stand, but it’s a side issue, not the main event. Where’s his risk in it? None.
Finally, you know just as well as I do that neither Jack Markell nor John Carney, and certainly not Bill Lee, has the juice to make the Senate Dems do anything. Only the overwhelming majority the Democrat will rack up in November might impress those yokels enough to blast them out of their torpor.
Did you just use the word “torpor”?
It’s a whole new ball game now.
Copeland is in the minority. He’s done what he can do. Everything he tries to do gets shot down by the majority. But at least he’s out there, going on the record, TRYING to make some change. I’ll take that over silent enabling of the statewide elected D’s any day.
Adams and DeLuca act like they don’t give a damn about Carney. Adams, DeLuca and McDowell, the three horsemen of the Demo-calypse. Their own people are turning on them like rabid dogs. Compared with those three, Copeland’s a choir boy.
Juicy bricks, I love it!
We need to assail the full senate. We need to string them all up the same flagpole.
The two Del. bodies of assembly worked together to give themselves pay raises in 2004 by forgetting how to legislate.
Don’t give them any more slack. They do not deserve it. This is the year that the people expect them to stand up to that Incumbency stronghold and frickin juice up the bricks.
“You’re lying by omission by failing to note that there was a companion bill which created a constitutional amendment to enforce the FOIA provision.”
LOL! And you are lying through your teeth. The amendment is even necessary. Coepland wants to put off for 2 years what could be done this week in GA. He is stalling on FOIA because he doesn’t want it.
His amendment doesn’t absolve is idiocy of introducing a bill that would be null & void the moment it became effective. I always laugh out loud when I think about it.
I can’t wait for Denn to eat him alive in the debates and on the radio and in the press on this matter. Just think what can be done w/ it:
Doesn’t Delaware really deserve someone one heartbeat away from being Governor who knows how to write a law?
I saw Denn in the courtroom at Family Court before he was anybody known throughout the state. He was accorded huge respect by other lawyers and Judges. It was obvious why. He always did his homework, always had all the bases covered, always thought 2-3 moves in advance, and always made mincemeat of opposing counsel’s arguments.
Don’t believe me? Ask Ferris Wharton. Her was around then.
In the debates, Copeland’s smooth veneer will melt in the noonday brightness of Denn’s incising logic and pointed and inescapable questions. By the time Denn is done w/ Copeland, all that will be left is a puddle of wax on the floor.
“You’re stalking me, and it’s really weird.”
So I’m stalking you. LOL.
And Dems or Protackians or both are setting fires for political purposes.
And Markell & Carney are part of some back room, secret deal to let Delmarva Power have its way and BWW is out.
And everyone in the General Assembly believes you are the most important lobbyisyt in the building and the most important unelected player in Delaware Politics.
And union post office workers trashed J. Christian’s mail because they were afraid she might actually get into the 40 percentile during the special election.
And unions threatened Rep. Walls just to mess w/ Dave Burris’ amendments against prevailing wage.
I’m sure that a person as important as you, Dave Burris, a person w/ your Rasputin-like ability to divine anti-Republican plots, etc.–I’m sure that a person of your eminence has dozens of stalkers watching you all the time.
Why, if the truth be told, everyone (stalkers or not) really wants to keep their eye on the magnificent Dave Burris. He is their first thought each morning and their last thought at night. And whenever someone decides on a course of action they reflexively say to themselves, “What would Dave Burris the Wise do?” (especially liars).
Allow me to suggest one candidate for your repertoire of kooky ideas, one that I would be tempted to believe if you ever espouse it: namely, you frequently channel Lee Atwater.
Be sure to pass on my regards to Elvis.
[Denn] was accorded huge respect by other lawyers and Judges. It was obvious why. He always did his homework, always had all the bases covered, always thought 2-3 moves in advance, and always made mincemeat of opposing counsel’s arguments
*
A wise person would know to leave Denn’s court room work out of this. When he was Minner’s attorney he happily carried her water.
People might be inclined to say that Denn protected the cancer causers http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:CYfZM-pomAsJ:www.greendel.org/item.xhtml%3Fname%3Dnewsletter_0031+denn+green+delaware+minner+pollution&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us
2001:
Green Delaware testified to the House of Representatives Health Committee on the setting up of yet another cancer investigation, the umpteenth since 1949. Perhaps 6 reports on Delaware’s cancer problem have been published by state-controlled bodies in the last ten years. Our cancer death rate remains high, with no real change in sight.
Why? The interests controlling all these “studies” are (1) the “cancer industry.” made up of medical care providers, drug companies, and non-profits like the American Cancer Society, all living off cancer, and (2) the petro-chemical industry, which seeks to minimize the contributions of its emissions and its products.
As long as these special interests write the reports, they will “blame the victim,” attributing our cancer problem on self-inflicted factors such as diet and smoking, while minimizing environmental factors. They will seek more funding for themselves. We told the committee that if it wanted different and more useful recommendations it should set up a different sort of group. “Garbage in, garbage out.”
Those opposing our comments included Reps. John Viola and Arthur Scott, and Gov. Minner’s lawyer Matt Denn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Or worse, people might say that Denn was indirectly responsible for Delawareans contracting cancer:
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:y8qToNDpPe4J:www.greendel.org/item.xhtml%3Fname%3Dalert_0214b+denn+green+delaware+minner+pollution&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us
This is a bill with many loopholes, and in some respects is a step backwards. Apparently it was negotiated with representatives of the chemical industry with little input from environmental interests…Administration/chemical industry bill
At the April 9th hearing we stated that per SB 60, “serious harm to the environment” requires physical injury to persons. Mr. Matt Denn, Governor Minner’s legal counsel, disagreed, saying that physical injury is not required. To resolve this one only has to read the bill at lines 64-67:
“(e) The term “serious harm to the environment” shall mean damage to the air, water, or soil which has or will, beyond a reasonable doubt, cause serious physical injury to any persons working at the facility in question or persons within a 50 mile radius of the facility in question.”
I say that Denn has some ‘splainin’ to do.
“And Dems or Protackians or both are setting fires for political purposes.
Never claimed that. Never insinuated that. No matter how many times you repeat it, it’s still not true.
“And Markell & Carney are part of some back room, secret deal to let Delmarva Power have its way and BWW is out.
Did BWW get approved and I missed it?
“And everyone in the General Assembly believes you are the most important lobbyisyt in the building and the most important unelected player in Delaware Politics.
I never claimed this or even got anywhere in the vicinity of claiming this.
“And union post office workers trashed J. Christian’s mail because they were afraid she might actually get into the 40 percentile during the special election.
Yes, I believe they did. Or maybe six TRAYS of mail just get left out every week.
“And unions threatened Rep. Walls just to mess w/ Dave Burris’ amendments against prevailing wage. ”
Yes, that’s what I was told, and I believe it. You don’t, simply because Walls and the two gentlemen in question said it didn’t happen, as if there would be no repercussions if it was revealed to be true.
STOP STALKING ME.
“I saw Denn in the courtroom at Family Court before he was anybody known throughout the state. He was accorded huge respect by other lawyers and Judges. It was obvious why. He always did his homework, always had all the bases covered, always thought 2-3 moves in advance, and always made mincemeat of opposing counsel’s arguments”
It will suck then, when he loses.
And maybe if you kiss Denn’s butt enough, he’ll give you a job. Should I forward this to him, so he knows what a good boy you’re being?
Yes, Denn carried a lot of administration water when his job was Administration Water Carrier. But how is a pro-business, anti-environmental stance going to hurt him against a pro-business Republican?
I was not thinking of Denn vs Copeland so much as Denn the person. He has done a great job as Insurance Commissioner but he did a lot of damage on the way up the ladder.
I don’t think that he should be bestowed any much more than he deserves. If he gets into the executive office and follows the people who are currently in power in Dover, then we are screwed once again.
If we can make this enough of an issue and concern, when and if he gets where he wants to be, perhaps he will remain more committed to the public and less to the special interests he so gladly served not that long ago.
Question Authority All The Time.
The DEMs are going to get what they want in our state and that is a potentially dangerous place for the average Joe and certainly an expensive one. The DEMs have been selling us out and a good bit more of the bill is coming [just after this election is sewn up], mark my words.
Copeland and Spence have a lot of splaining to do. I speak about the “Charcoal Pit” meeting with the judo/expert Tommie Little and their idea of how to deal with young children in Delaware. A “Homeland Security School”, talk about using the german words, the naziesque wording makes me cringe. Little’s plans to expand ethanol went down the tubes…and now he wants to teach our young children demolition, judo, and other militaristic traits. Little’s little book should be making its way around Delaware, and when it does he will be exposed as a buffoon!
My question is why did Charlie Copeland and Spence attended such a meeting and who else was at that meeting, furthering the insanity of Tom Littles views of the world…which border on stupidity. The last thing we need in Delaware is a “homeland security school”, we will be the laughing stock of the civilized world. Is this the only idea these republicans could come up with to deal with poverty, lack of proper education and the real problems young people in this State face every day? Give me a break? Copeland and Spence need to distance themselves from Little, and both need to read the book Little wrote which will show his personal tendency towards pure lunacy.
“And maybe if you kiss Denn’s butt enough, he’ll give you a job.”
Lt. Gov’s have a lot jobs to pass out? LOL. What maybe 2 positions.
I already know what position you’ll get in a Lee administration. You would be Delaware’s next State Fire Marshall:
http://delawarewatch.blogspot.com/2008/05/i-sure-hope-charlie-copeland-didnt-own.html
See ya, nutcase.
“And maybe if you kiss Denn’s butt enough, he’ll give you a job.”
How many positions can a Lt. give out Maybe 2
And we know what position you’d get in a Lee Administration. Dave Burris Delaware’s next State Fire Marshall:
http://delawarewatch.blogspot.com/2008/05/i-sure-hope-charlie-copeland-didnt-own.html