A Special Mini-Edition Of Delaware Political Weekly: June 17, 2023

My pledge to you:  When Delaware political news breaks, I’ll be here to report about it.  Granted, usually days, weeks, or perhaps months after it happens, but I will still report it.  We’ve got two interesting stories today.

1. Good government advocate Dr. Monica Katherine Beard files to run against Rethug Michael Smith in RD 22!  A case where the exclamation point is not gratuitous.  Here’s a piece she wrote on government transparency:

Delaware is certainly familiar with this kind of hostility towards accountability. Though we have a Public Integrity Commission, it lacks the teeth to require officials to even sign conflict-of-interest disclosure forms. In 2021, our state House Ethics Committee dismissed an ethics complaint against Rep. Gerald Brady, despite evidence that he’d used racial slurs and joked about human trafficking using his state email. And, just last year, State Auditor Kathy McGuiness — the chief accountability officer for the state — resigned after being convicted of misconduct and conflicts of interest.

Here, in Delaware, we’ve got several options that would help improve public trust in government and prevent future misconduct. First and foremost, we support the creation of an Office of Inspector General to strengthen ethics enforcement in the First State. Much like the OCE, it would be charged with overseeing the enforcement of ethical standards for all public officials.

To address the corrosive power of big money in politics, we need to improve our campaign finance reporting requirements. We support the addition of quarterly reporting of campaign contributions and expenditures, and believe that donors should be required to disclose their employer and occupation. We could also strengthen oversight by requiring county-level lobbyists to disclose any contributions or gifts given to lawmakers and to register with the New Castle County Ethics Commission.

She is an active member of the Delaware Alliance Against Sexual Violence.  Yes, she’s a Democrat.  She can win this district.  8411 D’s; 6648 R’s; 6133 I’s.  Not a slam-dunk, but winnable.  I’ll link as soon as her webpage is up and running.  Hmmm, that name is familiar–it’s possible I might just be speaking to her this morning…

2.  Debbie Harrington Running For Lt. Governor.  So far, I’ve liked the idea of Debbie Harrington the candidate more than the reality of Debbie Harrington the candidate.  However, she’s got sterling credentials, and her runs were in districts unfavorable to her.  I know we’ve got some readers and commenters who have lived in districts where she previously ran.  Whaddayathink?  Oh, the idea of Debbie Harrington the candidate?  25 years in the military, current Board Member at DelState, Doctorate In Education & Organizational Leadership.  In other words, no slouch.

That’s all I’ve got today.  Whaddayathink?