Pete Schwartzkopf Must Resign as Speaker
Pete Schwartzkopf has politicized Delaware’s police and elevated them to a branch of government, co-equal to the legislature. NOBODY ever FUCKING VOTED FOR THIS!
News Journal yesterday:
But the top-ranking Democrat, who voiced support for the Black Caucus’ proposed reforms at a Wednesday press conference, warned during the interview that proposed regulations such as body cameras aren’t going to become laws without police approval. “A legislator writing a policy is not going to get the approval of the law enforcement officers, I’m going to tell you that right now,” Schwartzkopf said.
Pete Schwartzkopf must resign and ALL Democrats MUST renounce this utter bullshit. All street actions should now include demands for Pete Schwartzkopf’s removal.
The obvious rejoinder is that legislators write policy and law enforcement officers follow it, not the other way around.
Schwartzkopf’s misconception is the natural result of pretending it’s fine and dandy to have a state legislature that is one-tenth ex-cops. Not even states in the Deep South turn over this much power to law enforcement — and Delaware voters have done it willingly.
After reading details from the Speakers interview to wit: “A legislator writing a policy is not going to get the approval of the law enforcement officers, I’m going to tell you that right now,” Schwartzkopf said. (But the top-ranking Democrat, who voiced support for the Black Caucus’ proposed reforms at a Wednesday press conference, warned during the interview that proposed regulations such as body cameras aren’t going to become laws without police approval.) I am forced to conclude that our highest ranking caucus leader is willing to concede our legislative authority to the police union and other special interests and that is totally unacceptable.
Additionally the statements made by police union President Fred Calhoun show a lack of understanding and empathy for the breadth and scope of this situation and no remorse for the victims of police overreactions. The belligerence of the police in dealing with the peaceful protesters in Dover including the detention of the Dover Post reporter adds to the sense of urgency in releasing this letter now.
Voters and political powers in the 14th RD bear ALL the responsibility for what their “monster” has become. Principles of constitutional democracy elude Pete and all his followers in the Rehoboth environs.
When I moved to Delaware in 1974 I was shocked by how political the police were, the state police in particular, nothing has changed in that respect. Swartzkopf now suggests no police approval means there will be no law, that’s an outrageous claim to make. Shows a Trump like contempt for the rule of law and the states constitution.
So, the Speaker is elected by the entire House, the Majority/Minority Leaders/Whips are elected by the respective caucuses. You will recall that both Schwartzkopf and McBride forced early caucuses BEFORE Return Day for the express purpose of preventing opposition to galvanize in Georgetown.
I remember that, I think, Thurman Adams threatened to have his downstate D’s join with the R’s to install him in leadership one time.
It’s conceivable, but unlikely, that Schwartzkopf could do something similar were there a leadership contest. Unlikely, b/c the D advantage over the R’s is much greater than it was in the Senate.
He’s really outed himself as cop first, speaker a distant second, with this. He is not fit to be Speaker. There MUST be a challenge to the entire leadership team after the election. The pervasive police influence must be extinguished.
Go back to 30 year careers before retirement.