To paraphrase Larry King, “Look up ‘political hack’ in the Delaware Political Dictionary, and you’ll find a picture of John Viola.”
How big a hack? Let’s just start with the fact that he is serving illegally and simultaneously in two different state jobs. That’s right, he has taken the same career path as ‘Tiny Tony’ DeLuca. For those who have forgotten why this career path is unconstitutional, this brilliant piece of prose will remind you. The Bottom Line:
First, the Cliff’s Notes Version. The Delaware Supreme Court issued an opinion holding that a public officer of the state may either serve in a position that makes the laws, or a position that enforces the laws. You can’t do both. Tony DeLuca does both, and he can’t do that.
In the same opinion, the Supreme Court held that, when one accepts the second position that violates the separation of powers, they will have effectively resigned their first position. In other words, Tony DeLuca effectively resigned his Senatorial office when he took a job enforcing labor law. Except he didn’t.
Jack Markell and Beau Biden knew it. They didn’t do anything.
Well, guess what? Not only does John Viola hold two similar positions simultaneously, his ‘boss’ at his so-called labor law enforcement job is…Tiny Tony DeLuca. Call him Tiny Tony’s Dumber, Less Ambitious, Brother. Don’t take my word for it. This is directly from Viola’s own legislative profile:
Occupation:
Labor Law Enforcement Officer.
That is illegal and unconstitutional, according to the Delaware Supreme Court. If they weren’t previously aware of it, John Carney and Matt Denn are now. Is there nobody in authority in Delaware who will put an end to this blatant disregard for the law? If not, it’s up to the voters and to the Democrats in that district. In fairness to Viola, his defense might be that he really doesn’t do anything at either job, but I somehow doubt that that defense will fly. This nonentity has been eating for two at the public trough for at least a decade now. Time to make him pay for his own slop. BTW, don’t look for the House to look into this. Viola is, wait for it, Vice Chair of the House Ethics Committee. A role for which he is well-suited. Never fear, John’s got your back.
Viola is also one of the least distinguished legislators in a body with more than its fair share of undistinguished legislators. Pete and Val put him into leadership as a sop to labor. While there were several legislators with labor ties, Pete and Val wanted to ensure that the least competent labor ally be put in that position. As we learned this June, they were too smart by half. Now they want to dump him. While he should be dumped from leadership, the real blame lies with Pete and Val, who wanted a nonentity in that position. They got one.
The district, which at one time was a swing district previously represented by R Rich Davis, is now overwhelmingly D. Registration figures: 9227 D; 2854 R; 3988 I. The district is tucked in just east of Newark and just north of Bear. Old Baltimore Pike runs through the length of the district. It is not generally a district you would expect to be represented by a hack. It doesn’t have to be. A reform-minded D challenger can defeat this ethical black hole. Let’s hope someone steps up and does it.