Delaware Political Weekly: June 7-13, 2014

Delaware Political Weekly: June 7-13, 2014

36 Comments
2. Chip Flowers Creates Yet Another Issue For Himself So, let’s see if I’ve got this straight. In order to ‘save the state money’, Delaware’s Most Ethical State Employee has cut deals with seven banks, all of whom manage state $$’s, to pay for his travel expenses and those of his staff. $5K per bank, times 7. $35,000 in travel expenses. Which is a lot of travel expenses. I would call this extortion were Flowers not so ethical. He, of course, is once again changing the subject. This issue isn’t/wasn’t that he traveled, it is/was that he was unable to account for how much he spent and who paid for it. If a treasurer can’t account for his own expenses, how can he account for the state’s finances? 3. I’m Not Loving Sean Barney’s Campaign I got an e-blast from him yesterday. He’s been endorsed by a buncha lawyers. I like some of those lawyers. I don’t give two bleeps that they’ve endorsed him. He used some of the same boilerplate that I can’t stand when it comes to our Corporate Bar: Our legal community in Delaware inspires trust and confidence the world over because of its reputation for upholding the highest standards of professional responsibility. Moreover, Delaware’s bar is exceptional in the manner in which it pairs the highest expectations of competence with the highest expectations of collegiality. Computer-generated boilerplate. I have people telling me on the QT that Sean Barney is really one of us. As in progressive. But he is running a risk-averse campaign where all we learn about him is about his military service, his high school schools initiative, and the fact that he’s been endorsed by a lot of the usual suspects. Haven’t even heard a dog-whistle from him to create any enthusiasm.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., June 12, 2014

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., June 12, 2014

7 Comments
So, the I-495 bridge repair is gonna cost $20 million or so. About 60,000 vehicles, a lot of them trucks, are now grinding other Delaware roads, further degrading those road surfaces. Not so much as a peep out of the General Assembly as to how they’re gonna fund the $70 mill hole in the road/infrastructure funding. Which may now be $90 mill. Rethug signs still litter New Castle County, proclaiming ‘No New Gas Taxes’. Is anybody gonna do anything?
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., June 11, 2014

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., June 11, 2014

14 Comments
OK, let's talk about Delaware's position as the nation's corporate leader.  Our lofty perch is not based on having 'better' lawyers, 'better' judges, or having the abiding respect of the corporate community. We're in this position because we've passed laws that enable corporations  to engage in unsavory practices that otherwise would be considered criminal activity. We make it impossible for people to know who are behind straw corporations, or why these shells exist in the first place. We enable the worst kinds of criminal activity, including arms sales, drug-running, and, yes, human trafficking, by enabling corporations to create impossible-to-follow paper trails. The entire political establishment props this up by worshipping at the feet of the Court of Chancery and by placing those who are its most effective defenders in positions of power. It's no accident that the preponderance of judgeships go to those from the corporate law community . It's no accident that people like Ed Friel and Jeff Bullock, both from Carper Cyborgenics, have served as Secretaries of State. They're all in on Delaware's dirty secret: Our vast revenues generated by Delaware's corporate hegemony are derived from Delaware's willingness, no, eagerness, to enact laws that benefit even the worst actors at the expense of, well, people. In Delaware, corporations are not merely people, they have rights superior to people.  You can put suits on these people, and they can be heralded as Delaware's best, but they are merely well-learned shills and shysters. Hey, it's no surprise that Delaware was the state to legalize usury. We were the most experienced when it came to legalizing criminal activity via corporate shell games. So it was no surprise that HB 327 and HB 328 flew through the House yesterday, it's what we do. Every year. In June. A package of bills emerges from the Corporate Section of the Delaware Bar every year. Proponents cite them as necessary to continue Delaware's pre-eminent position in corporate law. But now you know just what kind of stuff is in these bills. Thanks to the ADA, League of Women Voters, and the Delaware Alliance for Community Advancement, for shining a light on Delaware's dirty secret. Maybe, just maybe, this will start a debate that should have been taking place all along.

John Carney Adding the Koch Brothers to the Banking Interests He Represents

21 Comments
The House is currently working on a bill that would re-authorize the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, usually not a controversial event, but this year, those who are looking to unravel Dodd-Frank have wrapped into this bill a number of items that specifically work to give banks more freedom to bankrupt us again. John Carney is right in the middle of this effort to continue to destabilize Dodd-Frank, and in the process, give the Koch Brothers an assist. Here's the earlier Huffington Post front page announcing how Democrats -- even our Democrat -- are working to help the Koch Brothers:
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., June 10, 2014

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., June 10, 2014

26 Comments
I'm hearing alarm bells over a package of corporate bills on today's agenda. Bills like these generally sail through the General Assembly in June, and reflect lawyerly obeisance to their corporate masters. Nobody usually knows what's in these bills, except for the legal sharks and the corporate forces writing the bills for/with them.  Which brings me to HB's  327 and 328.   Both sponsored by Rep. Walker, who is running them, as well as HB's 326 and 329 on behalf of the Corporate Law section of the Delaware Bar. The League of Women Voters, Americans for Democratic Action, and the Delaware Alliance for Community Advancement have all expressed concerns regarding HB 327  and HB 328.   From the ADA:
Delaware is a leader in incorporation. As such, we have responsibilities to ensure we are supporting legitimately-purposed corporations as well as not allowing our state to be used as an easy way for people to set up corporations anonymously and then use them to facilitate drug smuggling, arms trafficking, money laundering, anonymous campaign contributions, or other nefarious activities. Our state’s reputation suffers when we allow bad actors to take advantage of our laws that enable the easy establishment of untraceable shell companies. ...However, these bills are ineffective as written. They do not require information be collected about the real people, often called beneficial owners, who ultimately own or control Delaware companies, and they do not make it any easier for law enforcement to access this information—in fact, for law enforcement to access the information that is collected, someone at the company needs to be tipped off that they are under investigation.
Delaware Political Weekly: May 31-June 6, 2014

Delaware Political Weekly: May 31-June 6, 2014

7 Comments
Any general election ballot with both Matt Denn and Brenda Mayrack on it is a ballot worth filling out. For years, we, and many of you, have lamented the dearth of progressives at the highest levels of  elected state Democratic officeholders. I am convinced that both Denn and Mayrack are true progressives, and that the offices for which they're running this year are unlikely to be the last offices for which they run.  In addition to being progressives, both are real competent. With all due respect to Beau Biden (and that's about as much respect as he's due), Denn is a huge upgrade in the competence department. As for Tom Wagner, is there anybody in the state, other than perhaps Dick Cathcart, even willing to make an argument about his competence? Unless one views not doing anything as evidence of competence? Now contrast him with Brenda Mayrack. As Spiro Agnew might say, "Nolo contendere".    Speaking of Wagner and Cathcart, for those of you new to this scandal, this is must reading.  Pretty much everything you need to know in one place. Perhaps that Delaware City sycophant who kisses Cathcart's ass (no, not Val Longhurst, the other Delaware City sycophant who kisses Cathcart's ass) will respond to this. Wagner? I dunno. But the term 'suspendered disbelief' was never more appropriate. BTW, in a delicious piece of irony, the pathetic report/whitewash from Wagner that I linked to in the article...is no longer available from the Auditor's office.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., June 5, 2014

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., June 5, 2014

4 Comments
Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf's gonna earn his money today.  Look for a l-o-o-o-o-ng party caucus for the House Majority. At a time when key legislation needs to be worked, and worked with some sense of urgency, The House D's will most likely feel forced to confront the (former GOP) elephant in the room.  John Atkins. I can't imagine that there will not be a serious mass of legislators outraged at his alleged actions. And, of course, this is far from the first time that the Caucus has had to address issues regarding Atkins. When you add to that the fact that Schwartzkopf personally vouched for Atkins and sold him to a skeptical caucus back in 2008 ('People can change'), and you've got a real messy situation on your hands. The guy was always kinda on probation to several caucus members, and I wonder if caucus members are willing to let that continue. Yes, I know, he has not been charged with anything and he deserves his day in court. I'm just looking at the dynamics of the caucus. After all, not even the Rethugs wanted him. Betcha a majority of D's don't, either.
Delaware’s I-495 Closing Brings Attention to State Infrastructure

Delaware’s I-495 Closing Brings Attention to State Infrastructure

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Monday's closure of Delaware’s I-495 bridge has brought to attention the ailing state of Delaware’s infrastructure (not to mention America’s infrastructure). It’s no secret that the infrastructure of Delaware and the entire nation is in desperate need of attention and repair, and most state politicians have agreed, yet few have actually taken action on this issue. Governor Markell has repeatedly called for additional focus on Delaware’s infrastructure, and with the recent bridge closing, so have many more members of the state legislature. The infrastructural issues of Delaware range from our roadways to our waterways, and none of it can be ignored. With a quick google search any person can find several reports and informative pieces on Delaware’s infrastructural shortcomings. 36% of Delaware’s major roadways are in poor or lacking condition, over 20% of our bridges are either structurally deficient or obsolete, and the state has 65 high hazard dams. This is nothing short of extremely concerning.