Speaker Pete ‘Unavailable For Comment’ Watch: Day 7
I don’t think it’s funny no more:
Well, I think it’s still funny. The House can’t do anything without him. And he’s holed up somewhere. The D Caucus can’t unilaterally get rid of him since the Speaker is elected by the entire House. I don’t think the House rules envisioned this scenario. I mean, would you? Ordinarily, I would feel sympathetic towards someone who may be having emotional or mental challenges. But not an unreconstructed bully who foisted both McGuiness and John Atkins on us.
Still no word from Pete. Kathy’s playing hardball, you know, legislators’ kids having gotten work, just like her daughter. Uh, did any of them get paid for days worked while attending college in Virginia on days they supposedly were working? I don’t think so.
Good piece in the Journal today by Xerxes Wilson.
Some fair use excerpts:
The only route that does not involve Carney is impeachment and the Delaware Constitution prescribes that such proceedings, which would be unprecedented in Delaware, begin in the Delaware House. However, notably absent from any statement calling for McGuiness’ ouster is Schwartzkopf, who holds significant sway over actions taken or not taken by the House.
McGuiness and the speaker have aided each other politically through the years. McGuiness served as Schwartzkopf’s campaign treasurer several times. Schwartzkopf did not return a phone call seeking comment for this story. Attempts to reach him through a spokesman were also unsuccessful.
House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst, who could hold some sway in the situation and who endorsed McGuiness’ run for the auditor’s office, has called for McGuiness to resign or for the governor to use his power to remove her. Any mention of impeachment was absent from her statement issued through a spokesman Friday.
Even better, though, is this photo by Chuck Snyder of Speaker Pete, Kathy’s mom, and Spiros Mantzavinos checking for primary results. I LOL’d:
Does the house have any recourse at all? even nominal like a vote of no confidence?
I don’t know, but I don’t think so.
Only way I can see it happening is if Carney calls them back.
Otherwise, the only other way I know that the House can be brought back into session is if the Speaker calls them back.
Who takes over house leadership if the speaker is incommunicado? How long is it until the speaker is considered “indisposed” and unable to perform his/her duties that someone else steps in? or can he literally be in the wind for weeks.
The Genie said to KMG you can only have one loyal friend, choose wisely. She did!
Lex does well in his newest piece differentiating between nepotism (like Sokola’s attorney daughter helping draft legislation part time) and conflict of interest (what McGuiness was convicted of).
It wasn’t that Saylar didn’t work while in Charleston SC (not Virginia!)¹. It’s that she was allowed to do so when no other similarly situated workers were not.
Only Saylar (and Saylar’s friends) made $17.50/hr in 2020 when Rose Maurice & ElizabethMary Vargas were making $15.45/hr and left due to restricted hours. Plus the extra benefit of “banking hours” wasn’t allowed uniformly.
¹(Her best friend is Virginia Bateman. Ms Bateman attends Swanee College of the South in Tennessee.)
Even Longhurst, who is in Europe, managed to approve a comment!!
Im not a single issue voter ever but this year if a state rep candidate can’t commit to NOT supporting Pete and Val for leadership – they shouldn’t get support. WFP candidates, incumbents, whoever. There needs to be a public pledge.
The WFP endorsement has a thorough vetting process. No worries with anyone who gets the nod from Working Families Party.
Pete OR Val – as El Som noted there appears to be some growing daylight between them.
That’s nothing new. There have been times when they haven’t spoken to one another. Theirs is a partnership of necessity–pit the serfs against each other–retain power.
Thank you for the inspiration to get me writing again!
https://exceptionaldelaware.wordpress.com/2022/07/07/where-is-pete-schwartzkopf-hiding/
Glad to hear you’re back. You were missed.
Don’t forget the Cape Gazette. Melissa Steele has done an incredible job of covering the KM trial in a hostile environment.
The absolute best job was done by the Delaware Call and Rev’s day-to-day coverage.
Had a blast covering with Melissa from the C.G.! Bill and I read all her stuff.
Just read her latest. She hasn’t unearthed Pete yet either.