Speaker Pete ‘Unavailable For Comment’ Watch: Day 13
Today’s the day he’s scheduled to resurface. At a Party event to discuss, and I quote, ‘one of the most monumental legislative sessions in recent memory.’ He is scheduled to speak at 6 pm, with a meeting of the 14th RD Committee to follow at 6:30:
I suppose that, in the post-Trump era, nothing seems outrageous any more as people have just become immune to the latest insanity.
However, in the world of Delaware politics, the fact that the Speaker Of The House has not made himself available to address the conviction of the State Auditor/Pete’s former campaign treasurer is outrageous. We have no recent precedent for McGuiness’ convictions by a jury, however every other leading Democratic legislator, the state Democratic Party, and the Governor, have called for action. But the one person with the power and authority to call the House back to address this has gone missing.
(I suppose I should point out that I have not seen one comment from any purported Republican leader on this. Perhaps they’d be only too happy to add this convict to their slate. Kind-of a reverse John Atkins. But, I digress.)
Let’s talk about that 14th RD Dems’ meeting at 6:30 tonight. Allow me to quote from the Delaware Democratic Party rules:
“Removal. Members and officers may be removed for cause by a majority vote of the local committee, after a hearing before said committee. The rules of a subdivision may provide for an appeal to the Executive Committee or other authorized committee of such subdivision.”
Kathy McGuiness is indeed a member of the 14th RD Democratic Committee. She has been convicted by a jury of her peers. If that doesn’t constitute removal for cause, I don’t know what would. Will the committee start proceedings tonight? Will McGuiness show up and/or participate tonight?
Most importantly, will Pete show up tonight? If he does, will he (a) explain his absence, (b) announce what, as Speaker he intends to do about McGuiness’ convictions, and/or (c) answer any questions pertaining to his convicted protegee?
Finally, will this mark the final installment of our Speaker Pete ‘Unavailable For Comment’ Watch? If so, it would end on Day 13. Hmmm, that might not portend so well for the Speaker…
Pistol Pete need’s Chipped, good for the dog, better for Pete.
Can’t imagine the 14th Committee starting removal proceedings against Park City Kathy while meeting in a public location, just in case any media folks want to ask questions when they leave the building. (Of course, media types who hang out around such meetings are virtually extinct in Delaware.)
As for the GOP, maybe they would adopt Kathy as one of their own. There’s no evidence that they could put up a stronger candidate.
I can’t recall a similar circumstance here in Delaware.
Can you?
Mediawatch raised a question: Will any Delaware reporters attend, or try to attend, tonight’s meeting?
The answer SHOULD be yes.
It remains to be seen what the answer will be.
What happened when Kermit Justice, the transportation secretary, was caught in an FBI sting in 1990?
Justice, along with Mike Harkins (who also did time), had been Castle’s top consiglieres. Castle acted like he had never heard of him before. Tossed him to the wolves. Justice was gone, and then served time.
The 14th RD committee is not going to do anything. They think KM has been railroaded. And Pete was telling people he thought Kathleen Jennings overreached.
You’re probably right. She WAS, however, convicted by a jury of her peers. Guess the AG didn’t overreach.
One aside: Our RD committee unanimously voted to endorse Lydia York this week. I believe that the vast majority of RD committees will do the same thing.
She should be railroaded. She might like living in Park City.
As a GOP member, thanx but no thanx. I hope that Teflon John Atkins Taught us all something? Zebra not changing its stripes and all that.
What’s the word? Did he show? Nothing in the press yet…
He was at the meeting….only spoke about the legislative session and only took questions on the same.
Did he make clear that he would not take questions about KMG, or did he just not answer them?
It wasn’t verbalized at all; it was printed on the agenda.
Thanks so much for the report!
As stated, Pete did appear as scheduled. He was introduced and it was stated by the RD Chair, that he was to give a report on the legislative session’s accomplishments and would then answer questions. He gave a thorough run-down on legislation and then responded to questions. No one inquired about the Auditor of Accounts.
I do want to inform everyone that while Auditor McGuiness, who is a committee member, did not show, her Primary opponent Lydia York was in attendance. Lydia was introduced and was asked to speak on her candidacy. Lydia spoke for 5 minutes about her qualifications and stated her goal was to restore the office to its professional responsibility as well as restore order within the office. She did a decent job and was well received by the 40+ people in attendance. There was a good round of applause-even the Speaker applauded. I know most of the people who were there, 15 of whom are committee members, and I saw is only one person who I identify as still a McGuiness supporter. My conclusion is that if the incumbent stays in the race and her opponent runs a good campaign-including in Sussex-Lydia York will win, even in the 14th.
Thanks so much for the report.
I agree–if McGuiness stays in, she loses. Badly, IMHO. Our RD committee unanimously endorsed York, there wasn’t anyone speaking on KMG’s behalf.
Pretty sure that’s gonna be the case in most RD’s throughout the state.
And what’s remarkable about that, to me at least, is that if KMcG has any base of support in the Dem coalition, you would expect it to be a faction of the RD member Dems. But after speaking to folks around the state, I haven’t heard a single RD member fess up to supporting Kathy.
She’s got 24 hours to withdraw and get her money back…
I guess Pete and Kathy are still trying to decide the most profitable exit strategy for her. Normally, corrupt officials who need to be re-homed are placed at the head of some quasi-public agency, but with a conviction she may be too radioactive for that outcome.
I think that McG and Pete have so much on each other that we’re looking at a Mutually-Assured Destruction scenario. Pete, at least, has his faculties, KMG is out-of-control.
Meaning, out of Pete’s control. I’m not convinced that Pete survives this.
If he were without concerns, he likely would have taken some action as Speaker on this.
Senate leadership files to start the removal of the AoA for cauae.
H/T Matt Bittle
Legislation filed by the Senate today would begin the process to remove Auditor Kathy McGuiness following a recent criminal conviction involving misuse of office: https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/Gen