Local Democrats support GOP speaker
Following the lead in a historic strategy devised by state Rep. H. William DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, local Democratic legislators supported Republican Dennis O’Brien of Philadelphia for Speaker of the House, saying they believe a reform agenda will still be top priority this year. Locally, longtime state Rep. Peter J. Daley, D-California, and freshmen legislators Deberah Kula, D-North Union, and Timothy S. Mahoney, D-South Union, supported O’Brien’s election as speaker on Tuesday when it became apparent that a Democrat could not win.
Democrats hold a 102-101 majority over Republicans in the House, but Democratic Rep. Tom Caltagirone, of Berks County announced over the weekend he would vote for John Perzel, a Philadelphia Republican who had held the speaker’s chair since 2003, and not DeWeese. Daley said he knew something was in the air New Year’s Day, but did not know exactly what it was until DeWeese nominated O’Brien on the floor of the House.
Daley said the Democrats were going to go into caucus at 11 a.m. but decided not to do that because they “didn’t want to show their hand.” He said after the deal was made, the members finally went to the floor and revealed their plan.
Mahoney said Wednesday that he voted for O’Brien because it was the “only way to get true reform.” He said he looks for O’Brien to work with the Democratic Party closer than any other Republican would. He said rumblings were heard among the members that “something extraordinary” was about to happen, and it did when nearly every Democrat and several Republicans supported O’Brien to wield the gavel for the next two years.
Mahoney said for Perzel, who started taking about reform in the last few days, it was too little, too late. “He wanted to start talking about reform but it took too long. The Republicans were in charge for 12 years and they did midnight pay raises and everything else. There was no reform,” Mahoney said.
Regarding a reform issue that is his top priority, Mahoney said he would hold meetings next week regarding his plan to introduce legislation to update the state’s Open Records law. “It won’t be a rule change, it will be a change (by) amendment,” Mahoney said. “My main job is reform. That’s what I’m going to do.”
Although the rules are normally adopted on the day members are sworn in, that did not happen on Tuesday and is expected to occur on Jan. 16 when the session begins.
Daley said he thinks the choice for O’Brien as speaker was a “good move on everyone’s part.” He said the Pennsylvania state legislature has been the most partisan in the United States. The 24-year lawmaker said although there is a Republican speaker, reform has to be the number one priority.
“The people have spoken loud and clear. Business as usual is not going to work,” Daley said. He said with new members comprising one-quarter of the delegation, change is already in the air.
Daley said the speaker position is largely a ceremonial one, and there is going to be a Democratic agenda. He said the agreement that allowed O’Brien to take the top post is that O’Brien can be speaker as long as he keeps the Democratic agenda. If O’Brien doesn’t stick to the program, Daley said there are other moderate Republicans who may be interested in sitting in the speaker’s chair.
Describing O’Brien as a moderate Republican similar to some of the Democrats in this area, Daley said O’Brien helped him personally with passage of the full-time district attorney bill by signing onto it.
Kula, who also supported O’Brien’s selection, said she is very confident that reform will happen. “It seemed to be a good move for the Democratic caucus,” Kula said of the selection of O’Brien. She echoed Mahoney’s sentiments that none of the new members knew what was about to happen before they were on the floor. “Other members were explaining what was happening,” Kula said.
Saying she has met the new speaker briefly, Kula said she found O’Brien to be an upstanding individual. “He seems to be a very good member and works to do the right thing for all Pennsylvania,” Kula said. She added that O’Brien is known for caring about children with autism.
DeWeese said despite O’Brien’s party affiliation, Democrats would remain the majority party with a 102-101 split and DeWeese would move from minority leader to majority leader.
“I have no doubt that Speaker O’Brien will, with fervor, tackle issues of importance to every Pennsylvanian during his tenure at the dais. He is a fine-hearted Republican and he and Gov. Edward G. Rendell have a tremendous personal chemistry that should benefit every person living in our Commonwealth,” said DeWeese.
“I have experienced tremendous trials and tribulations and several ups and downs during my 31 years in public service, but I can without hesitation say that I still love my job. This is an exciting time in Pennsylvania and I am reinvigorated by the recent increase in public discourse regarding state government,” DeWeese added.
DeWeese said that the House must live up to “the high expectations that the citizens of our Commonwealth have bestowed upon us,” and must “work collectively in a bipartisan manner to restore public trust in government.”
DeWeese also said that the House must work to expand property tax relief for all homeowners, to provide access to quality and affordable health care for every citizen, to establish a healthy environment as a legacy for future generations, and to develop a positive atmosphere for job creation.