General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thursday, June 29, 2023
The Headlines:
Speaker Pete Tries To Ram Seaford Charter Change Down The Throats Of D Caucus Members–Chapter 4.
House Doesn’t Show Up For Work.
Senate R’s Signal That They Will Not Hold Up Bills For Seaford Charter Change.
In fact, the Senate R’s joined the Senate Democrats in unanimously approving the Bond Bill. Prime sponsor Jack Walsh smartly highlighted how the bill would benefit all three counties, with a special emphasis on Suxco. Bond Bill member Sen. David Wilson (!) then stood up, praised the process as being totally inclusive, and urged his colleagues to support the bill. The Bond Bill is the only bill that could have been held hostage, and it didn’t happen in the Senate. One less card for Pete to play.
Ho-kay, I’ve been trying to figure out what exactly is Speaker Pete up to. After the events of the past couple of weeks, I can only conclude that he has either lost, or is losing, his own Caucus. He sets the Agenda. He has placed the Seaford Charter Change on the agenda three previous times only to come up against the fact that it doesn’t have the votes. Which led to a complete meltdown of a caucus with yet more wounds being opened and none being healed. Pete’s response? Put the Seaford Charter Change at the top of today’s Agenda. Four bites at the LLC Apple.
In fact, he indeed just may have lost it. Has anybody forgotten his thirteen-day disappearance in the wake of KMG’s conviction? He might have been in Tibet. He might have been quaffing down testosterone-laced OJ at an FOP lodge while padding around in bermudas and flip-flops. He might have been providing succor to his Beloved Ex- Campaign Treasurer/Disgraced Auditor. Fact is, pretty much every elected official (save pantywaist Carney), including almost the entire D House caucus, had called for her removal prior to the verdict coming in. Has anybody forgotten (I haven’t) that Pete showed up ‘just to say hi’ to two ex-cop challengers to progressive D caucus members? Has anyone forgotten his pathetic campaigning for KMG at Glasgow HS on primary day? He’s proven his loyalty to McGuiness, and he’s proving that he has no loyalty to members of the Caucus he leads.
So. I watched the House session following the massive Party caucus/venting sessions on Tuesday. The tension was palpable, including between Schwartzkopf, who was plowing ahead like a bull in a china shop, and Longhurst, who nervously tried to engage the Speaker in a semi-humorous conversation, and failed. When Longhurst moved to recess for a ‘break’, she really looked worse for wear as she exited the Chamber.
Time for psychological mumbo-jumbo, El Som-style. The relationship between Pete and Val has always been one of convenience. There have been plenty of times during their 12-year run where they simply weren’t talking to each other. We’ve documented those happenings here. The problem is that neither one of them on their own had enough stroke to be Speaker. They needed each other to cobble together the votes to stay in power. You all recall Val swearing that she was challenging Pete for Speaker this term. Uh, didn’t happen. They have one thing in common–they are both pathological liars. That certain caucus members fall for it time and time again merely reinforces that, like all sociopaths, they’re really good liars. I think, though, that many caucus members are finally hip to their tricks.
Who knows whether the Seaford Charter Change will actually get worked today? Who knows whether there will be yet another marathon caucus before the House goes into session? I don’t. But I know I’ll be watching the House feed today.
Which reminds me, I watched the Senate feed during the Bond Bill discussion yesterday. The difference in body language alone was remarkable. The senators all look like they love being there. Lots of walking around, lots of laughing, lots of fist-bumping. This is all due to the difference in leadership styles where Senate leaders encourage collaboration and House leaders rule through fear.
Feel free to psychoanalyze the amateur psychoanalyst. Remember kids, I had a dual major in news communications and poli sci, never took a psychology class in my life. Which probably explains a lot.
Here’s yesterday’s Session Activity Report, admittedly truncated due to the House playing hooky.
Here is today’s Senate Agenda. Nothing particularly grabs my attention.
Today’s House Agenda is more notable, depending, of course, on how much gets done. We’ve got a real good landlord-tenant bill, sterile needle exchange, medical debt protection, and the Bond Bill, among others. The House is scheduled to be in session from 2 pm to 9 pm. It remains to be seen how much of that seven hours takes place off the floor.
I remain curious as to why we haven’t yet seen the Grants-In-Aid bill. Suffice it to say that the legislators are not leaving town until their fire companies and senior centers are taken care of…along with Jobs For Delaware Graduates and the Police Athletic League.
Here’s some bad shit snuck into this year’s Bond Bill. You might want to contact your state reps and ask for an amendment. From Sierra Club Delaware Chapter:
We just found out that the bond bill contains a rather harmful clause in it that will undoubtedly harm already overburdened communities!
This clause is part of this move known as “Ready in Six.” This seeks to cut key components out of the permitting process with the goal or reducing the permitting timeline from 24 months to 6 months or less.
The main issue with this bond bill segment is that this shifts the responsibility of government’s permitting responsibilities to Pre-approved Private Consultants – that the industrial applicant pays for!
This will result in the following negative impacts and is why we need you help! Send a letter to your legislator in support of an amendment to pull the “Ready in Six” language out of the bond bill.
Environmental impact: If the bill prioritizes expedited permitting over environmental regulations and protections, this could lead to environmental degradation or harm to public health.
Lack of transparency: What are the basis and guidelines for selecting the Pre-approved Private Consultants whom the developers will pay directly? Who is responsible for the oversight/audit of these consulting practices? Tougher regulations are in order.
Potential for corruption and Source of conflict of interest: It may open the door for corruption or undue influence in the approval process. This could undermine public trust in the permitting process.To avoid conflict of interest, the private permitting agency should not be the ones working for applications, which means they are not familiar with Delaware’s geological, environmental or other issues.
Reduced public input: It may limit the ability of the public to voice their concerns and provide feedback on the projects.
A much better approach would be to charge impact fees that could be used by the pertinent agency to either hire additional personnel or consultants who are paid by and report to the agencies.
You can contact your legislators here:
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/dont-gut-permitting-in-delaware-amend-the-bond-bill/
Thanks for this – maybe headline it tomorrow? I DOUBLE-POSTED Dustyns alert EMERGENCY – Please everyone – act quickly on helping gathering support to defy this bill See below action alert to demand removal of the epilogue enacting Chamber favorite, Ready in 6.
This is an insult I did not see coming. It is a power grab from the state bureaucrats in hand with the Bond Bill Committee, under the thumb of the Governor. The water carriers in that crowd are well known. – Nancy
—————
From: Dustyn Thompson
Date: Thu, Jun 29, 2023 at 10:28 AM
Subject: URGENT ACTION NEEDED: Bond Bill To Gut Permitting
To:
Good Afternoon All!
I just found out that there is a poison clause in the Bond Bill that must be removed! There is a clause that establishes the long sought after, but always challenged, “Ready in Six” initiative in Delaware. This section seeks to put industrial polluters at the helm of their own permit approvals by allowing them to select a reviewer outside of DNREC!
We know the end result of this is to cut the permit process from 24 months of allowing for community engagement down to 6 months with little to no community input. That in turn will allow industrial polluters to continue to flock to already overburdened communities with very little insight or recourse!
I ask that you please send a letter to your legislators immediately to tell them that you do not want this in the Bond Bill. We have pro-environmental legislators down in Dover pushing for an amendment to remove it, but they need our support!
Please send an email NOW! Then share online!
Link: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/dont-gut-permitting-in-delaware-amend-the-bond-bill?source=direct_link&
All Good Things,
You’re a good person.
Other people are not.
It’s going to break a lot of hearts today when Val becomes Speaker with no opponent or even a sliver of opposition.
Everyone thinks the D caucus is suddenly so progressive. It is not. Pay attention.
Even people like Kerri are focused on “what’s next” rather than actual progressive issues.
It sucks. It’s disappointing.
I agree that there are a lot of self-dealers in the House.
I’m more confident about what will happen after the 2024 election cycle.
In fact, were I a progressive thinking about running for leadership if Pete steps down, I’d probably decide it’s safer to wait.
Because there just aren’t that many D’s in the Caucus who have proven trustworthy. Just a bunch of alliances of convenience, which are what you get when the leaders can only govern through division.
Waiting for Pete to be done is like waiting for Trump to be put in handcuffs. If it happens in my lifetime, I’ll be happy.
I think the analogy is apt
Just remember who’s waiting in the wings.
With trump it’s Pence, DeSantis etc
In the house it’s Val.
Who’s more dangerous the fool or the fool who follows him…
Trump was a buffoon, the real insidious work was done in his name. Like Cheney to Bush.
Don’t underestimate her.
.
The most dangerous are the “fools” who are given positions of authority because they are feared or dole out rewards (to incompetents) or punish dissenters. There is no difference in the potential candidates discussed here. And there is no excuse for any progressive to support these dictator wannabees and still pretend to be principled public servants. To keep the public trust you must first earn the public trust.
Former Representative John Kowalko
Staff Appreciation Day in the House. Unfired staff members reluctantly came to the floor, with quite a few no-shows.
Lotsa shout-outs, but none to the staff that Pete ‘n Val fired.
Wow, Rylene Harper has been there forEVER. One of my faves, along with ‘Puff Daddy’ Rich Puffer. Great people.
Pretty egregiously insulting thing to do, considering how poorly they treat the staff in the House. How about instead of Staff Appreciation day, they just let them unionize.
Is there a post about this firing stuff that I missed?
That time Pete disappeared it was to Argentina.
“Don’t cry for Pete, Argentina
The truth is he never went there.”
They adjourned for Party Caucus at 3:05. Guess I’ll check out the Senate…
The Senate just passed the Margaret Rose Henry Retired Legislators License Plate bill–although an amendment has removed the name of the bill. Straight party line vote. The 6 R’s got it right.
Sen. Pinkney, who was the floor sponsor for the bill, said it would be her distinct honor if she never had to run another special license plate bill again.
This fucking Buckson. Mr. Mansplainer: “I believe that words matter.”
Every fucking bill. Even by legislative standards, he’s drunk on his own words. Which mostly don’t matter.
Yet more Buckson: “I get no pleasure in standing here, but I’ll do it anyway.”
Most annoying senator since, well, his immediate predecessor, Colin Bonini.
All Seeing: LOL. Remember when SC R Governor Mark Sanford disappeared for a week? He told constituents he was hiking the Appalachian Trial to “clear his head.” He actually WAS in Argentina … with his mistress.
The Senate has completed everything on its Agenda for the day, and has recessed until 2 pm tom’w.
House still in caucus although, to be fair, it hasn’t been an inordinately long caucus–yet.
Becoming a long caucus–if not yet an inordinately long caucus…although they might be eating with staff. I think they said they were bringing food in.
Hmmm, and NOW they’ve once again changed today’s Session hours from 2-9 to 2-11:30. That’s one fucked-up caucus.
At about 5:10, the web-link site was changed to read ‘House Session Beginning Soon’. That changes at the direction of the Speaker.
It’s been over 90 minutes since that notice went up. I keep checking the Agenda to see if the Seaford bill has been dropped from it, but it’s still #1.
I’m kinda enjoying this in my own perverse way.
Report from the circus. R’s walked and were heading home because of the long caucus.
Pete had to kiss Ramone’s ass to get them to come back;)
Claire just posted. LLC bill failed. Pete’s in shambles. (Claire didn’t say this 2nd part, I’m inferring.)
But the Seaford bill tanked
Joe Edelen, Delaware State News
https://twitter.com/JoeEdelenDSN/status/1674563647211724806
Seaford charter fails. GOP will boycott all votes. House can only pass majority House Dem caucus bills.
Lol. What entertainment!
There is a reason Seaford wants this so badly — a specific reason, nobody goes through all this for a matter of principle.
I have yet to see an explanation of what Seaford is trying to ram through that it can only do with corporate personhood. Seems like important information to me.
Probably something to do with land use, since people who move to Seaford for retirement aren’t likely to be supportive of more development and traffic. I don’t know that specific issue either, but in general it may be that recent arrivals to Seaford aren’t reliably far-right enough to suit the corporations.
Good guesses, but there’s a specific answer to this, and until we know it we’re operating in the dark.
I’m curious as to why, amid all this debate, nobody has asked for an explanation of why this is necessary.
At least 17 other municipalities have some variation of this. Don’t ignore the possibility that it’s pure ideology and a way to generally consolidate podunk political power.