Delaware 2022: The Good, The Bad, The Ridiculous
The Good:
Jan. 21: Rep. Gerald Brady resigns after getting caught stealing wood from the Newark Ac-Uh-Me. Addition by subtraction.
April 14: The Paid Medical And Family Leave Act passes both chambers and is set to become law. Likely the most impactful bill of the year, mainly because Carney and the Kops fought against so many other reforms. Still, a singular accomplishment.
May 5: El Somnambulo actually gets one right:
“I think the pollsters and pundits are wrong when it comes to the impact of overturning Roe v Wade. I think it will be huge, and will really help Democrats who stand up for choice. And for groups of people whose rights could be threatened from an extreme right-wing Supreme Court. Polls that show the prospective overturning of the decision having a low priority amongst voters addressed the prospective overturning of the decision. A lot of people didn’t think it would really happen. Or, weren’t paying attention. So, abortion was not considered among voters’ top priorities. But, now, I think the ground will shift. And it won’t be ‘just’ because of abortion. If the Court can do this, they can take rights away from any group the conservative majority doesn’t like. Finally, something to galvanize voters despite the somnambulance of the Centrist Party.”
May 11: Virtually all RWNJ candidates for local Delaware school board races lose.
June 9: House passes ban on assault weapons after having been shamed into doing so. Vote is 22-19. D’s voting no: Bennett, Bush, Carson, and Matthews. For assault weapons, against pot. Someone needs to primary Matthews in 2024.
June 21: Wilmington Mayor Mike and his legislative henchpersons try to sneak eminent domain bill through General Assembly. Fail, as cockroaches scatter when scheme is revealed:
“BREAKING:
Legislators and Wilmington city officials have agreed to delay consideration of proposed Eminent Domain legislation until next year.”
June 29: Chancery Court rules that Seaford can’t enact its batshit-crazy fetal remains bill.
June 30: HB 455 (Minor-Brown) heads to Governor. The bill not only helps protect women’s reproductive freedom in Delaware, but protects health care providers from legal action from states with draconian anti-abortion measures. Both Reps. Ramone and M. Smith ‘took a walk’ on the House roll call. Remember that come 2024.
September 13: Lydia York wins. DeShanna Neal wins. Kerri Evelyn Harris wins. Russ Huxtable wins. Cyndie Romer wins. Sophie Phillips wins. Madinah Wilson-Anton wins. Eric Morrison wins.
October 1: RISE DE takes up the battle on behalf of state retirees against forcing pensioners onto Medicare Advantage plans. Led by Lisa Diller, John Kowalko, and Karen Peterson.
October 3: Real Delaware pharmacist wins real national pharmacy award. Just happens to be my wife.
October 5: Governor signs reform bill aimed at decriminalizing poverty. No surprise that Rep. Sean Lynn sponsored this:
HB 244 bans courts from charging interest or imposing fees for late payments, failing to pay, or paying in installments. The new law further repeals two particularly absurd fees that have netted the state a steady stream of revenue—over $1.1 million each year. First, it eliminates a fee that forces people on probation to pay for their own supervision. The reform also repeals the state’s fee for using a public defender, even though public defenders famously do not charge clients for their services; over 40 states charge a similarly oxymoronic fee.
October 19: KMG Sentenced. Resigns.
October 19: RISE DE wins in court! Judge suspends conversion of state retiree coverage to Medicare Advantage.
November 8: All in all, a good election for D’s, with Russ Huxtable, Kyra Hoffner and Stell Parker Selby all winning. Tripled legislative representation in Suxco, and gained a Senate seat.
December 1: Newly-elected NCC Councilman Brandon Toole disinvites himself from developers’ ‘Bundling Party’. The party at Tarabicos’ law firm is canceled.
December 20: President Pro-Tem Dave Sokola strips Nicole Poore of Bond Bill chairmanship.
The Bad:
Jan. 25: NCC Pays out $3 mill to settle sexual harassment cases against top NCC cop Quinton Watson. In the bad category b/c this shit was covered up forever.
Feb. 7: The 4th RD Democratic Committee nominates Bud Freel to fill out Gerald Brady’s term before RD 4 fades into oblivion. Not because Bud sucked, but because the committee chose a caretaker instead of Dr. Bohm, who has a political future.
Feb. 10: Claire DeMatteis, predecessors, allowed rogue prison guard to beat prisoners for years. Nobody from Corrections responded to this article b/c, you know, ‘confidentiality’.
March 22: Meaningful LEOBOR Reform is dead for the session. While I blamed Sen. Lockman for its demise at the time, too harshly in fact, it was really just the unrelenting opposition from the House leadership and the Kop Kabal. Same leadership team is back.
April 15: Race And Gender Disparities In State Contract Awards Will Go Nowhere Because—
““I am like a broken record on this issue. Our governor doesn’t like the word mandatory,” Ms. Khan, who sits on the state’s diversity council, said.
She told the Delaware State News that many other states have mandatory inclusion rules that could be adapted to the First State.
“We don’t have to reinvent the wheel.”
April 20: Buncha red-ass Georgia troopers pull over bus carrying Del-State’s women’s lacrosse team. For ‘riding while black’.
April 22: Yet another Tower Hill administrator indicted on child porn charges.
May 12: General Assembly gives final approval to the Ft. DuPont scam unto perpetuity.
May 19: Stephanie Bolden and Lumpy Carson kill Renters’ Right To Counsel–After Speaker Pete reassigns the bill to the Appropriations Committee despite the bill already having been funded. It would get one last-gasp reprieve, but the usual suspects killed that one as well.
May 24: Carney Vetoes Marijuana Bill. Mind-boggling stupidity from Delaware’s worst Governor of the last 40 years. His veto message demonstrates he hasn’t even bothered to research the issue:
““That said, I do not believe that promoting or expanding the use of recreational marijuana is in the best interests of the state of Delaware, especially our young people. Questions about the long-term health and economic impacts of recreational marijuana use, as well as serious law enforcement concerns, remain unresolved.”
May 25: Speaker Pete buries gun safety legislation that already passed the Senate in, wait for it, Lumpy Carson’s Appropriations Committee. It never sees the light of day.
June 8: House officially kills override of Carney’s veto of pot legalization. The following D’s were the killers: Bennett, Carson, Matthews, and Longhurst. Along with Spiegelman and Ramone. All 6 had originally voted for the bill.
June 13: 21 Bills Buried In The House By The Kop Kabal. There were more than 21. Don’t forget the environmental bills that Deb Heffernan buried at the request of the chemical industry. BTW, from June 16, the lying liar that is Val Longhurst.
June 30: State Of Delaware throws millions more at the ‘self-sustaining’ Port Of Wilmington.
July 5: Deb Heffernan killed environmental bills, collected campaign $$’s from serial polluters. Apologist employee for D Caucus tries to defend her. Fails. Voters, as it turns out, didn’t care.
July 14. NCC Kop Acts True To Form. Drags woman down hallway. Retires during investigation. Does that mean the rogue cop gets to keep his pension?
July 25: Mayor Mike, his Planning Commission, and his RDC minions blindside Southbridge residents–oppose warehouse development project. Presumably b/c the privileged few in the penthouses of the riverfront high-rises wouldn’t like the view.
July 26: Speaker Pete finally smoked out on KMG. Spoiler Alert: He won’t do anything:
“In light of the action taken by the Senate today with SCR 128, the Speaker responded to press inquires with the following statement cosigned by Majority Leader Longhurst and Majority Whip Mitchell. He asked that we share the full statement it with you directly as well. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I have attached the letter the caucus sent last week and the press release so you have it handy
“This isn’t taking decisive action: it’s political theater. I have no intention of calling the House into session to consider this resolution at this time. The Senate’s resolution would simply start a lengthy process to ultimately ask the governor to remove the state auditor from office – a request he’s not required to fulfill, and a request he’s indicated that he wouldn’t carry out at this time anyway.”
August 15: Mayor Mike just loves towing him some poor folks’ cars. More excellent reporting from Amanda Fries. (Memo to self: Stop praising her–don’t want to hasten her departure for greener journalistic pastures.)
September 13: Becca Cotto and Shane Darby lose their primaries. They’ll be back.
September 16: Chancery Court strikes down ‘vote by mail’. Gonna have to get it done as a constitutional amendment.
September 22: State cop/head of Indian River Board of Education (same guy, hey, it’s Suxco) hurls racial epithets at rival Black coaches. Uses the same line he no doubt uses as a kop: “You ain’t from around these parts, boy.”
October 6: How the State’s secret port deal got so screwed up.
October 10: Turns out that Delaware schools hid high lead levels in drinking water from public for over a year. More great reporting from, no, won’t mention her name, don’t want anybody to steal her.
Bye Bye Firefly?: Next year’s fest has been officially canceled. Not sure which category this belongs in.
November 8: Frank Burns just gets edged out by Mike Ramone. He ran a great campaign. Sure would’ve helped if the D ‘leadership’ had supported him.
November 12: Both Schwartzkopf and Longhurst are reelected to D House leadership, along with Mimi Minor-Brown. By far my worst prediction of all-time, and by far the worst development for progressivism this year. Turns out that (a) Pete ‘n Val were likely lying when they swore to all who would listen that they were challenging each other and (b) any progressives who put their faith in Paul Baumbach were invariably disappointed.
November 15: Dealing from a loser’s hand, John Carney seeks to ‘partner’ with Philly port.
November 28: NCC developers try to bribe incoming council members Valerie George and Brandon Toole with ‘Bundling Party’. For the most part, NCC council members have been bribed for years. As has the current County Executive.
December 7: Owner of Lincoln manufactured homes park looks like they’re trying to force out residents.
The Ridiculous:
January 31, 2022: State Chamber comes out against anything good:
https://delawareliberal.net/2022/01/31/state-chamber-comes-out-against-anything-good/.
Feb. 15. Mike Protack goes to jail. The sentence wasn’t ridiculous. He was, and is:
Feb. 25: Lauren Witzke expresses support for Putin and his ‘Christian values’ in this laughable video.
March 4: Exorcist Files For Office. Candidacy only lasted a week, but it was a great week:
“However, unless the (Extreme) Right Reverend Timothy Dukes is holding out on us, we’ve never had a duly-certified exorcism minister (well, it’s likely a correspondence course, but still) run before.
He’s even ‘taught’ at the Training Center For Exorcisms. Presumably located here. (Buy the entire 4 CD set! You too can exorcise those who deserve to be exorcised!) Online and in person. Ladeez and gentlemen, meet Christopher Gore, presumably not of the billionaire Gores who gifted us Chris Coons. Here’s his bio:
“I have been ordained as a Rev. of the Lighthouse Inc. Church since 2002. I have been a member of the Lighthouse Inc., Church since 1993. I have served under Pastor/Evangelist Barbara Lynch in many capacities (he wrote that, I didn’t). I have been a Sunday School teacher, seminar speaker, taught at the Training Center for Exorcisms for 2 years with courses being taught live and online. I have been a regular minister at the Lighthouse Inc., Church.”
He’s also a ‘podcaster/teacher’ at Radiant Fire Radio. What he’s doing in a Democratic primary is beyond me, but the kid has comedic potential that I fully intend to exploit. Welcome to our flock!”
March 7: DuPont Heiress, Winterthur, Battle Over Antiquities. Per usual, I rooted for ‘nobody’. A quaint leftover from an unlamented bygone era. Loved this quote, though:
“Winterthur’s position is not only legally unsound, but their vulgar accusations have tarnished William Kemble du Pont’s legacy of service and philanthropy to their own institution,” Polisi wrote.”
Oh, no! Not the pristine reputation of William Kemble du Pont! Is nothing sacred?
April 8: Wilmington City Council Hires Ex-Mayor James Baker To Teach Them About–Wilmington.
April 28: Marcus Henry Announces Campaign For NCC County Exec–Pledges To Go On Two-Year Listening Tour:
“Listen, listen, listen. I’m going to get out and get as many residents as I can. Whether you live here in Wilmington, Newark, Bear, Glasgow, or you live in Middletown, Odessa, Townsend, Delaware City, or points in between, I want to hear what’s on your mind,” Henry said to those who joined him at the culmination of his tour Tuesday. “I want to hear what’s on the minds of seniors, parents, small business owners, corporate leaders, single parents trying to make ends meet. As your county executive. I will make sure all residents have a voice and I work very hard to ensure the county is a place where everyone is proud to live, work, play or raise a family.”
Question is: What, if anything, is on his mind. Also, didn’t Carney do something like this? I suspect that, like Carney, Marcus will only listen to the developers–the County’s equivalent of the Chamber.
June 16: Colin Bonini’s final act as a legislative laughingstock–files 25 amendments to the vote-by-mail bill, and objects to virtually every procedure the Senate undertakes. Oh well, his political career is now in the hands of the undertaker.
July 1: John Carney’s response to KMG guilty verdict: ““He finds it difficult to understand how the auditor, who swore an oath to place the public interests above any special or personal interests, can continue to serve the people of Delaware effectively given the circumstances,” said spokeswoman Emily Hershman.” But doesn’t call for her removal.
July 1-13. Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf remains ‘unavailable for comment’ for 13 consecutive days following the conviction of bosom buddy/campaign treasurer/convict Kathy McGuiness. He resurfaces at a meeting of the 14th RD Democratic Committee where he emphatically refuses to discuss L’Affaire KMG. Just the miraculous accomplishments of the recently-concluded session of the General Assembly.
July 20: Assault Weapons Fetishists Sue Carney. You know, for signing assault weapons ‘bans’ that aren’t really bans.
August 15: Monsignor (and former State Senator) Greg Lavelle maxes out (Twice! Personally, and his ‘PAC’) to pistol-packin’ mama Kim Petters. She loses anyway.
August 18: Somebody wants to spend $122 mill to expand Leg. Hall. Doesn’t need it. Defines the term ‘ridiculous’.
August 26: Upper-crust residents near Yorklyn complain about music at outdoor brewery. My fave excerpt?:
“The petition provided did not include any signatures, which the state office said was withheld due to “privacy issues.”
Being rank (and rich) has its privileges.
August 31. Literal mud-slinging in Suxco race. As in the dumping of soil. It’s true–I live for stuff like this. Alby’s ‘Ode’ To Suxco.
Sept. 9: My kind of headline.
Sept. 11: Pete ‘n Kathy will always have–Funland.
Autumn: News-Journal spends entire season wooing Wegman’s. Gets nothing for its troubles.
December 8: Delaware Rethug Chair Jane Brady demands that Delaware D’s return donations they got from Samuel Bankman-Fried. Doesn’t say or suggest to whom they should return the money.
December 23: Ambitious $50 mill Rehoboth streetscape project short by only $49 mill. Everybody knows the first million is the hardest.
When viewed in total, three courses of action become obvious:
1. We must elect a REAL Democrat as Governor in 2024.
2. The Toxic Twosome Of Pistol Pete and Our PAL Val have got to go so that the House can actually pass good progressive legislation.
3. Mayor Mike has got to go before his vision of Buccini/Pollinland becomes a reality. If it hasn’t already.
Way too late on Number 3!
Agreed on all fronts.
With this kind of record, Sean Matthews needs to go. GO. Go.
Not to engage in too much self-congratulation, but this summary, & all these links, prove to me that DelawareLiberal is the best, most honest, news aggregator in Delaware. While we don’t have the means to do in-depth research, we are pulling at the loose threads and highlighting the shit the corporate media and the other news aggregator blogs don’t.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the people pushing the Delaware City Debacle would learn something from the mess at the Port of Wilmington?
The lesson, for the lawmakers too dense to figure this out for themselves: Trying to offload expenses by offloading responsibility does not absolve you of either one. When the private enterprise you’ve chosen fails, a more likely outcome than is usually acknowledged, you will be on the hook for both the money and the responsibility. And by “you,” I mean “we.”