House Democrats meet on agenda strategy
HARRISBURG – On the verge of starting their re-election campaigns, House Democrats met privately Wednesday to talk about shifting public attention away from an investigation into legislative bonuses and onto cutting property taxes, expanding health care insurance to more adults and developing alternative energy. And while some Democratic lawmakers grumbled that the bonus scandal has been a distraction, House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, said he still has the backing of most rank-and-file members.
“We have an overwhelming number of supporters in our caucus,” DeWeese said after the daylong retreat in a suburban Harrisburg hotel conference room. “Our leadership team is cohesive and strong.”
DeWeese said he tried to soothe some lawmakers’ concerns that the bonus scandal would be a drag on their re-election chances by reminding them that voters are interested in how the caucus addresses major issues.
“I called for this retreat because I thought it was helpful and appropriate that we discuss health care and energy and property taxes and a smoke-free Pennsylvania,” he said.
Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-South Union Twp., said DeWeese repeated his claims that he was not involved in awarding bonuses and that he never authorized the $1.9 million in bonuses paid to more than 700 staffers in 2006.
Mahoney said he does not foresee any shakeup in House leadership.
“I think he (DeWeese) still has a firm grip on the leadership position,” he added. “The Democrat caucus is going to stick together.”
The retreat, which occurred 13 days before lawmakers start collecting signatures needed to get on the April 22 primary election ballot, included an afternoon pep talk by Gov. Ed Rendell
Rendell told reporters before his address that House Democrats can ride out the controversy over the bonus probe by focusing on legislative priorities.
“The public cares much more about health insurance, they care much more about lowering property taxes,” the governor said. “The best way to get the attention away from the other stuff is to get things done.”
A handful of stocky, House Democratic security staffers guarded the doors to the conference room to make sure nobody wandered into the private session.
And when reporters tried to enter the conference room after several lawmakers said the meeting had adjourned, a DeWeese aide ordered them to wait in a hallway until the leadership team was ready to talk.
Some Democrats also rushed out of the hotel, unwilling to answer questions about the session.
“I’m not going to say anything; it was a private meeting,” said Rep. Josh Shapiro, a Montgomery County Democrat who has called for more transparency in state government.
Rep. Vince Biancucci, D-Beaver County, was willing to talk.
He said most of the meeting centered on the legislative agenda awaiting lawmakers when they return from a Christmas and New Year’s break on Monday.
He acknowledged the bonus investigation has been a distraction for Democrats, but said the caucus was not in disarray.
“I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s a train wreck,” Biancucci said when asked about the condition of the caucus. “We got to get some work done.”
State Attorney General Tom Corbett has said he is investigating the $3.6 million in bonus payments to House and Senate legislative aides from both parties.
So far, the House Democrats have been under the most scrutiny from a grand jury investigating the bonus payments. More than a dozen House Democratic staffers have received subpoenas to appear before the grand jury and agents seized documents from the Democratic Legislative Research Office.
House Republicans have also received subpoenas for personnel files.
No one has been charged in the investigation.