Yesterday I reported that Democratic state representative Thomas Caltagirone had sent a note to his fellow Democrats announcing his intention to support current Republican Speaker of the House John Perzel over the probably Democratic speaker Bill DeWeese. I suggested there were likely shenanigans involved. VoicePA has put together a money trail. I haven't gone through and verified their research but it looks believable to me.
Want to know why people are cynical about government? This could be exhibit B, right after the payraise exhibit A. DeWeese doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in me either, but Perzel is no reformer either.
What I want to know is why Caltagirone would announce his intentions in public. Why also wouldn't he suggest a Democratic alternative? It's all fishy to me and what VoicePA has come up with makes sense.
Update: The Inky has set up a blog, run by state govt reporter Mario Cattabiani, to report on the situation. See http://pagavel.blogspot.com/index.html
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Yes, There Are Shenanigans in the PA Speaker Mess
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9 comments:
I dunno, Jane. This seems a stretch to me. The fact is state legislators have a right, and maybe even a duty, to be suspicious of companies and "activists" and others seeking to target Pennsylvania based businesses.
In SE Pa, we've had a bad experience with First Union/Wachovia. Pgh just had one with losing 600 jobs and Mellon's HQ after it was just taken over following the fight over, the Heinz board and before that the loss of Gulf Oil HQ before that. Frankly if I were in Caltagiron's shoes I might have sponsored a similar bill because of what has gone before, not because of campaign donations.
We've been chatting about this over at KP and we all think the reason is much simpler: Caltagirone just does
not like DeWeese and the two have had run-ins in the past.
PD,
I'm glad you weighed in and you know I respect your opinion. Note that I didn't repeat the details of the proposed money trail, but only provided the link. I haven't checked in to it myself but there surely must be something. No doubt you are right that the two men don't like each other but surely there must be something other than unbound ego at work to make such a declaration in public, as it is certain to portend serious backlash. Oh, wait, state legislature, unbound ego, hhmmmmmm ....
If you read Caltagirone's letter, it's
pretty clear he wants to stay in good stead with his fellow Dems as he talks about how much money he raised and contributed to them. Sometimes the simplest explanation is the right one, he doesn't like DeWeese for whatever reason and they have clashed in the past. It doesn't seem that he wants anything out of the deal for himself except the protection for his staff, so I'm concluding his reasons are purely
personal against DeWeese.
Last, I think all these attempts to link every bill with campaign donations miss the mark. Yes, there
are some things that happen because of a campaign contribution, but I believe those are a few and far between. I don't belive money is the motivation here at all.
PD,
Intense personal dislike is not that uncommon in politics. He has to know this move will have consequences far beyond just thwarting someone he doesn't like. He has to know this move will alienate him from many of his colleagues. There are reportedly other reps on both sides of the aisle who are either planning not to vote or to vote for someone other than their party's chosen speaker (you are probably following all the blogosphere comments today, too) and none of them appear to have sent out public notices of their intent. I see this as either political suicide on Caltagirone's part or a bargaining chip of some kind. In any event, the electorate is being completely overlooked. It's inside baseball and we are, again, cannon fodder. I hate it.
I agree, the public announcement is an attempt to get something, probably a firm commitment from DeWeese to support the reform legislation that Caltagirone wants is my guess. It's entirely possible that's his calculation, he's got something DeWeese wants, the speakership, and DeWeese has something he wants, reform. I guess the time to use leverage is when you have it.
I agree, too, that the speaker vote
is going to be really interesting.
Neither DeWeese nor Perzel is very popular within his own caucus or maybe even in the whole house.
PD,
That may indeed be his calculation but he has put all his cards on the table, nothing held back. Isn't this, more or less, a nuclear option? Everyone seems to be running around trying to demonstrate their importance or power. The actual purpose of the legislature is lost in the mess. That's what bothers me most.
It's hard to say, Jane. Maybe the legislators "got it" that Pennsylvanians are tired of the same business as usual. Maybe they figure this is the best time to strike while the iron is still hot? Also, "the fly"
thinks regardless of Caltagirone, there are at least half a dozen Rs who won't vote for Perzel.
Happy New Year, Jane :)
Michiavelli would be proud of them all.
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