Sep 3, 2002 3 min read

The Honorable H. William DeWeese, the gentleman from Greene, has been exposed through his own written words as being neither honorable nor a gentleman. In a shameful abuse of public power, DeWeese attempted to enlist other lawmakers of both parties in a vindictive boycott to prevent his ex-wife from pursuing her livelihood in Harrisburg.

DeWeese described the boycott in a letter to lobbyist Stephen R. Wojdak, attacking Wojdak as being “a liar and an abject, ignoble, mendacious knave,” for having backed out of an alleged gentlemen’s agreement not to hire Holly Kinser.

When that letter was posted on the PoliticsPA.com web site, a DeWeese spokesman contended that the incident was a private matter not involving any official conduct by DeWeese, even though the typed signature on the letter reads “Rep. Bill DeWeese, The House Minority Leader.”

According to the DeWeese letter, Wojdak agreed to the blackballing in a June 17 meeting in DeWeese’s State Capitol office but later betrayed him by employing Kinser.

DeWeese also claims that 14 ranking Democrats and Republicans joined in the boycott, writing to Wojdak: “The 14 Leaders, committee Chairs and rank and file members that had talked to you and your team were duly notified on paper, remember? You asked me to track them all down and tell them about our meeting … Not only were you untruthful with me, but you indirectly lied to the Speaker, the Pro Tem, floor Leaders, Appropriations Chairmen, rank and file members.”

Since the story broke not one legislative leader has come forward to distance himself from DeWeese’s vindictive action nor to express disgust at the pettiness of using one’s power to advance a personal grudge.

The next time DeWeese fluffs off criticism of his inability to promote the people’s business with hollow statements that the Republicans are in control and he can’t get things done while the Democrats lack a majority in the House, his constituents should know better.

For DeWeese, the power of public elective office is not about property tax reform or drugs for the elderly or creating jobs or building new highways or bringing clean drinking water into homes. To DeWeese, that power is to be used to settle a grudge.

Has DeWeese grown so omnipotent in his own mind as to have forgotten that the power of public office is a sacred trust?

Be assured that the word “ethics” hasn’t slipped from DeWeese’s vast vocabulary. He wrote to Wojdak: “Your ethical underpinnings are non-existent, and by this gross untruth you have perpetrated, you have mounted the rostrum of shame.”

There isn’t a rostrum large enough to support the shame of DeWeese and any of his legislative colleagues who participated in the attempted boycott. But they are too arrogant to recognize that decent men would feel shamed by this misuse of office.