El Somnambulo's Latest Posts
Delaware Political Weekly: March 24-30, 2012
The scuttlebutt in Dover is that Judy Travis, who ran against Rep. Bryon Short in the 7th Rep District in 2010, is planning to primary Cathy Cloutier for the 5th Senatorial District seat. Chris Counihan has already filed for the D’s, and is a strong candidate, having garnered 45% against Cloutier in a previous run. Travis has had her eye on elective office at least since she was passed over to run for Wayne Smith‘s vacated rep seat back in 2007. You remember. The newly reelected Smith left office to become the President and lobbyist for the Delaware Healthcare Association. Smith handpicked his next-door-neighbor over Travis to run for the seat. His neighbor lost to Bryon Short. Twice. But, I digress. For those who think that Cloutier would be a shoo-in in a primary, just remember that Cloutier also ran on the Working Families Party line in 2010. That’s the line offered by Brian McGlinchey and other labor guys. Don’t think that would endear her to Rethug primary voters, and I wouldn’t be totally shocked to see Charles ‘Bouvier de Flandres’ Copeland do to Cathy what he’s doing to Priscilla Rakestraw. Continue to banish moderates from the Party. Needless to say, were this scenario to occur, the R calculus for taking over the Senate would have to be, um, recalculated.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., March 28, 2012
In dramatic fashion, the House passed the first leg of a constitutional amendment which eliminates the five-year waiting period for voting privileges for eligible felons who have completed their sentences. The bill first fell one vote shy of passage (28 votes needed as it requires a 2/3 majority). However, the roll call was rescinded, and Rep. Debbie Hudson switched her vote from ‘no’ to ‘yes’, giving the bill the 28th and deciding vote. Democrats voting No: The ‘Law-Abiding’ John Atkins and ‘Lumpy’ Carson. R’s voting Yes: Don Blakey, Debbie Hudson, Greg Lavelle, and Mike Ramone. A tip of my sombrero to them. And to sponsor Helene Keeley. It’s on to the Senate, where I think it has an excellent chance to pass.
Where Has This Band Been All My Life?
Holy bleep! If these guys aren’t the Next Best Thing, and if Ty Taylor isn’t a Star-In-The Making, then I know nothing about music. Ladies and gentlemen, Vintage Trouble
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., March 27, 2012
The big news broke after the General Assembly adjourned. John Atkins ‘voluntarily’ stepped down as a member and the Vice-Chair of the House Public Safety/Homeland Security Committee. Anyone who read his ‘statement’ and who has also read anything else Atkins has written, knows that Atkins did not write that statement. No matter. He has been sanctioned in a manner that fit his offense, and we still have Atkins around to provide us with fun-filled entertainment.
Were Mitt Romney and Miles Davis Artistic Collaborators?
I never would have thought so. But that was before I read this entry from that online truthiness encyclopedia.
John Atkins ‘Voluntarily’ Steps Down From House Committee
Good. And, let’s face it, we know it wasn’t voluntary. From today’s News-Journal story (firewall protected): In a memo Thursday, House Speaker Robert F. Gilligan said he removed Millsboro Rep. John Atkins from the (House Public Safety and Homeland Security) (C)ommittee at Atkins’ request, effective Tuesday. He had served as the panel’s vice chairman. Atkins […]
Delaware Political Weekly: March 17-23, 2012
I like this, I like this a lot. Ray Adkins (no, not Atkins, be still, your beating heart) of Seaford has filed for the 40th RD seat. The district is currently represented by Rep. Clifford G. ‘Biff’ Lee (R-Laurel), a, wait for it, retired state trooper who inherited the legislative seat from his father upon his death. The district has a nominal D registration edge, so it’s not impossible that the right kind of Democrat, as defined by Sussex County voters, could win the seat. Adkins is a real estate agent, and it appears that portions of Seaford are new to the district, so this could be a sleeper race. What do our Sussex County spies think? Regardless, this is why candidate recruitment is so important, and also shows that Pete Schwartzkopf is damned good at it. I mean, does even Sussex County want to be represented by someone whose preferred name comes from a spelled-out Batman sound effect?
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap=Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., March 22, 2012
As predicted by Yours Truly, legislation adding public employees to the State Employee Benefit Committee has been assigned to buried in the House Administration Committee, where Pete Schwartzkopf will help Jack Markell kill the bill, just like Pete Schwartzkopf is helping Jack Markell to kill HB 126. While the House Administration Committee has generally been seen as the counterpart of the Senate Executive Committee, the leadership of the committee has rarely exercised the same kind of heavy-handed tactics employed by Thurman Adams and Tony DeLuca on the Senate side. That is, however, what they are doing with these two bills.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., March 21, 2012
An item I found intriguing was the fact that SB163(Marshall), which would increase Delaware’s minimum wage by $1 over a two year period, and which passed the Senate on January 26, was finally assigned to a House Committee yesterday. And not the committee that you’d expect, which would be the House Labor Committee. No, the bill has been assigned to the House Economic Development/Banking/Insurance/Commerce Committee. It could be nothing, but my Spidey Sense is tingling here. First, the bill is slow-walked. Then, it’s assigned to a committee whose history has been to remove any pesky impediments to economic development, including regulation. Not the most worker-friendly committee, IMHO. Let’s just see what happens here. I do know this: If Jack Markell supports this bill, it passes. If he doesn’t, well, it just could get buried in an inhospitable committee. Stay tuned.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., March 20, 2012
When we last left the House Democratic Caucus, black smoke was pouring from the Leg Hall chimney and nobody, not even the crickets, was making any noise about the fate of Rep. John Atkins. A reasonable person would have concluded that pulling rank on state police for having the nerve to pull Atkins over for speeding was not considered sufficient grounds by the Caucus to sanction Atkins for his action. End of story.
Until Sunday. Thanks to Cris Barrish’s story in the News-Journal, we find out that Atkins had to be lying about his (lack of) involvement in a tire-burning incident at his father-in-law’s place. We also found out that the Georgetown Volunteer Fire Chief, the 911 dispatcher, and a couple of others helped Atkins to cover up the nature of the fire and Atkins’ involvement in it. In other words, we found out what we already knew: Atkins is incapable of telling the truth; Atkins holds himself above the law; and Atkins consistently has public officials covering his back. The Caucus now knows that this story is yet another example of Atkins’ unfitness to hold public office.
Delaware Political Weekly: March 10-16, 2012, feat. BREAKING NEWS!
Rich Krett has withdrawn from the NCCo Executive race because his candidacy apparently would be a Hatch Act violation. This sounds like dirty tricks on the part of Paul Clark. Put the guy’s name on a Federal grant application w/o his knowledge, and then threaten him with a Hatch Act violation. I wish Krett would stand and fight, but people simply can’t afford to throw away their livelihoods, and I understand why he feels he can’t.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., March 15, 2012
Cassandra has already reported the Big News, and it took place at Wilmington’s Latin American Community Center. In fact, the DREAM Act has not been officially introduced, or at least its introduction has not yet made its way to the official General Assembly page, but it will be introduced, and it will serve as a Rorschach Test for members of the General Assembly and the public at large. I strongly support the bill, it is a bill where the benefits to the state far outweigh any costs that might be associated with it. Unless, of course, you are opposed to an educated and upwardly-mobile citizenry. You know, taxpayers, productive citizens. I don’t know whether the cowardly followers in the Delaware General Assembly will dare pass it during an election year, but I believe that the Dream Act’s passage is ultimately inevitable–eventually. I salute Bob Marshall, Helene Keeley, Joe Miro, and whoever else signs onto the bill as a sponsor; as well as one of my favorite Delawareans, Maria Matos. Maria has served as Executive Director of the LACC since 1994, and her dynamic leadership has made such a difference, and continues to make a difference, in the lives of so many in Delaware’s Hispanic community.
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