Delaware Liberal

General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tues., May 16, 2017

Before we look at what’s happening today, we first must address what SHOULD happen today:

The House should censure Rep. Steve Smyk for his disgraceful behavior in inciting violence.

The demagogic ex-cop told a grave lie that has now taken over right-wing media, a lie that could well lead to violence.

Nancy Willing lays it all out in this excellent piece from her Delaware Way blog.  All I’m doing is boldfacing and underlining this utterly irresponsible rhetoric from this would-be demagogue:

The swirl of unfounded rumors reached a peak on Monday after state Rep. Steve Smyk, R-Milton, a retired 24-year-veteran of the State Police, told multiple news publications that Sealy Jr. during the standoff had been “yelling quotes from the Quran,” Islam’s holy book. Smyk told The News Journal that investigators were hiding from the public that piece of information. The account, he said, came from multiple officers who surrounded the Middletown house the morning of April 27. Many Delawareans shared the allegation and similar rumors on various social media sites.

“What I can tell you is that there are people that will immediately assume that the war cry of, the Muslim war cry of ‘Allahu Akbar’ may have been said, and I don’t know that to be true. I do know that he was a ‘budding jihadist’ and that being said, how long was he a practicing Muslim, I’m not aware of,” said Rep. Smyk. “We do know that, at the scene, during this standoff he was heard citing quotes from the Quran, what those quotes were I don’t know.”

Later on, Smyk was forced to roll back his claims:

“Rep. Smyk is a 24-year Delaware State Police veteran and based his comments on reports he received directly from officers that were at the scene of the standoff in Middletown nearly two weeks ago. On further reflection, Rep. Smyk realizes his conclusions were speculative and premature.The motivations for Burgon Sealy, Jr.’s killing of Delaware State Police Cpl. Stephen Ballard, as well as Mr. Sealy’s actions in the 18 hours that followed, remain unknown and under investigation.”

‘Speculative’. AKA  made-up.  Whether or not a cop friend of his told him this (and if they did, will there be any sanction on them?), or whether it was a product of his demagogic personality, his allegation was made up.  Needless to say, he can’t, nor does he have any desire to, unring the right-wing bell that is sounding like a clarion call to the Great Unwashed who want to believe what he said. In fact, that’s why he said it. Smyk, of course, is the crazed avenger seeking to push restoration of the death penalty and the overcharging of inmates through a supine General Assembly.  Mostly while using Stephen Ballard as the convenient martyr to push this crap through before anybody in Dover wakes up.

The incendiary charge he threw out there could well lead to violence. It indeed is the textbook definition of ‘shouting fire in a crowded theatre’.  The House should move to censure the Representative. Anybody wanna bet that they will do this?

Gee, I feel like I need the kind of shower that Kellyanne Conway claimed that she needed to take.

Perhaps a look at today’s House Agenda will calm me down.  Hey, we’ve got a couple of key bills being considered.

HS 1/HB 85 (K. Williams)  ‘eliminates the use of an enrollment preference for students living within a 5-mile radius of a charter school.’  The fact that Sen. Sokola and Rep. Jaques, who generally have been more supportive of charter schools than other D’s, are on the bill as sponsors is a good sign.

I also like HB 114 (B. Short),  which raises the minimum automobile bodily injury and property damage limits for the first time since 1983.  For all intents and purposes, current policies already reflect the changing economic circumstances, but this bill codifies the higher minimums.

It looks like finally, finally, Lumpy Carson’s Dover Mall bailout package will be considered by the Senate today. It will have next to no impact on the future of the Dover Mall, but will cost some somebodies $$’s.  Which leaves us a couple of important bills on today’s Senate AgendaSB 24 (Henry)  removes the ridiculous requirement that a shrink must sign off on applicant’s request for medical marijuana. Who ever thought that that was a good idea in the first place?

While I doubt that it will be considered today (it’s near the bottom of a fairly lengthy agenda), SB 65 (McDowell)  ‘makes it unprofessional conduct or a ground for discipline for individuals granted a certificate to practice medicine under Chapter 17 of Title 24 or licensed under Chapter 19 of Title 24 (regarding nurses), Chapter 30 of Title 24 (regarding mental health and chemical dependency professionals), Chapter 35 of Title 24 (regarding psychologists), and Chapter 39 of Title 24 (regarding clinical social work examiners) to engage in conversion therapy with a child or to refer a child to a practitioner in another jurisdiction to receive conversion therapy. This Act also prevents the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families from engaging in conversion therapy with a child or recommending that a child receive conversion therapy.

That’s right. The bill essentially outlaws the scam of conversion therapy in Delaware. Contact your senators and urge them to support this bill.

Following up on an item from last week, SB 68 (Ennis),  which failed to reach the 3/5ths threshold during last week’s vote, will again be brought up.  Sen. McBride, who switched his vote to no for parliamentary reasons, will move to restore the bill.  It could go directly to a roll call or could be laid on the table (which may or may not refer to something that former President Pro-Tem Tony DeLuca might or might not have done behind closed doors).

After Thursday’s session, the General Assembly recesses for two weeks.  What’s happening with the budget shortfall?  Looks like the corporate tax hike is a done deal. And nothing else is.  Gee, wonder if DEFAC is gonna produce some new ‘magic numbers’ for June…

I should be back tomorrow with a preview of this week’s committee meetings.  See ya’ then.

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