The news that Pete Schwartzkopf has been fired from his job as Head of Security at the Delaware State Fair is proof that the perpetrators of the Delaware Way are running scared. When you’re scared, you make mistakes. And this was a doozie.
The Beast Who Slumbers is not so sleep-deprived that he doesn’t know retaliation when he sees it. The Delaware State Fair (paging Uncle Thurm…) and Harrington Raceway basically figured they had Schwartzkopf by the (UI, is this term acceptable?) cojones, and, when Schwartzkopf exercised some independence, they had the cojones to fire him, although not the cojones to comment. For those who may be offended by his use of the term ‘cojones’, ‘bulo points out that his Jewish friends tell him that ‘cojones’ and ‘chutzpah’ are synonyms, and are both delicious when fried in ‘schmaltz’.
This case demonstrates the moral and ethical bankruptcy at the heart of the Delaware Way. Although he is nowhere near the worst offender in this regard (essentially a casual and seasonal job), Schwartzkopf did work for an employer who could exercise some degree of influence on him. To his credit, he ultimately did not allow them to force their interests on him. Rather, he chose to do what he considers best for the state. Such courage is rare and way too infrequent. No need to wonder if Tony DeLuca would’ve done the same if Tom Sharp called him into his office at the Department of Labor. For fear of tipping his hand on future articles, El Somnambulo will not bring out the entire grocery list just yet.
The (as the Rugrats would call them) poopetrators of the Delaware Way realize that ‘business as usual’ is under attack. The state simply cannot afford to turn a blind eye (even when the auditor does) when it comes to straightening out this fiscal mess. ‘Bulo believes that this just may be the beginning of their last stand.
And firing the House Majority Leader from a casual and seasonal job does not mark an auspicious beginning.