From the Delaware State News, which just might have a worthy successor to Matt Bittle:
House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach; Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst, D-Bear; and Majority Whip Larry Mitchell, D-Elsmere, also issued a joint statement Monday, in which the House leaders were supportive of the decisions outlined in Rep. Brady’s letter, noting that they come after “several very frank conversations with him these past few days.”
“We know that it cannot absolve his actions, but we hope it is a first step toward healing and addressing this situation,” the statement read.
“We want to be clear about something we have heard from residents this past week: As a duly elected official, only Rep. Brady can make a decision about his political future. House leadership cannot unilaterally take action,” it added.
That’s not true, however.
According to The Associated Press, Rep. Schwartzkopf, Rep. Longhurst and Rep. Mitchell are members of the House Ethics Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Longhurst and includes Republican Minority Leader Danny Short of Seaford and Minority Whip Tim Dukes of Laurel. House rules authorize the committee to investigate complaints that a lawmaker has violated the rules of legislative conduct.
Among the rules of legislative conduct: “A member shall not engage in conduct which the House determines (i) brings the House into disrepute or (ii) reflects adversely on the member’s fitness to hold legislative office.”
Committee rules state that any House member, including any member of the committee, can file a complaint. If a majority of the committee decides that the complaint has been proven, the committee can then, again by majority vote, recommend that the House take “appropriate action,” up to and including expulsion of the offending lawmaker.
No, I’m not gonna bother referencing the Rethugs’ calls for Brady to resign. Sen. David Lawson, to cite just one example, has repeatedly and publicly uttered offensive slurs towards ethnic and religious groups. So has Richard Collins. As always, R outrage is selective and manufactured.
Bottom line is this: ‘…any House member, including any member of the committee, can file a complaint.’ The Kop Kabal has made it clear it won’t be them. The Rethugs aren’t likely to do it as it could well lead to complaints against Steve Smyk and Richard Collins. Otherwise, they would have already filed one against Andria Bennett.
This silent ‘Delaware Way’ agreement is why complaints rarely get filed, and why Ethics Committee members get 6-figure salaries from the Police Athletic League. Filing such a complaint against Brady would also be a strike against the Delaware Way. But it wouldn’t be unprecedented. The Republican leadership decided that John Atkins had disgraced the institution, and they had him kicked out. You would have to think that some D’s with consciences would call out Brady’s behavior.
Who, if anybody, will have the guts?
Oh. Just one more thing: If you were one of the people from Brady’s district who called Peter and Val to ask why they haven’t taken action, it’s official: They lied to you. You, uh, might want to call them back.