May 10, 2006 4 min read

It’s hard to imagine what state Rep. Peter J. Daley II feared about facing Democrat challenger James Rohaley in a session before the Herald-Standard Editorial Board. But Daley, a 23-year fixture in Harrisburg who voted for last year’s pay raise and swiftly gobbled up the cash as an unvouchered expense, couldn’t find time to defend his record before us and Rohaley. Daley’s failure to show, along with Democrat Randy Barli’s absence, leaves us no choice but to endorse Rohaley, a spry, 80-year-old World War II Coast Guard veteran whose goal is simple: “My objective is to get rid of Pete Daley.” While we have some reservations about Rohaley, including his age and his established Washington County political connections (he’s a former justice of the peace and California Area School Board member), we like his bluntness about the mission at hand.

Simply put, Rohaley is ticked off about how things are done in Harrisburg. He believes that “now more than ever” is the time to “throw the rascals out.” He wholeheartedly supports open records for the state Legislature, and thinks that by not providing access and transparency “what they are doing is a crime.”

In philosophical contrast, Daley hid behind the same shield of exclusion as state Rep. Larry Roberts (D-South Union) back in 2000 when the Herald-Standard asked to see his taxpayer-subsidized telephone records. After nearly a quarter century in the state Capitol, Daley hasn’t exactly been a mover and shaker for reform on open records, lobbyist disclosure or any other good-government initiative. He has, however, found time to obtain a law degree, open a legal practice and launch a fast-food restaurant enterprise that’s filed for bankruptcy.

In Fayette County, the 49th District includes all of Brownsville and Redstone townships, and parts of Menallen and Washington townships. Voters there, and in adjacent Washington County, shouldn’t forget that Daley voted for the pay raise, then tried to justify it by saying he’d purchase food vouchers for needy seniors with the extra cash. That move was purely a seasoned politician’s way of trying to deflect the heat. And we would bet the Brownsville-to-Uniontown link of the Mon-Fayette Expressway that once the official pay raise kicked in down the road, Daley would have quietly pocketed that money.

We also think it’s telling that Daley, who’s found his way to our door to publicize many things in his 23 years in Harrisburg – including three Poverty Summits of dubious long-term benefit – suddenly was too busy as minority chairman of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee to meet with us this election season. Thus far this year, we don’t recall reading about any big agriculture or rural affairs legislation he’s proposed.

Although 49th District Republican candidate Nate Nevala is Rohaley’s great-nephew, we don’t see that as a deterrent to endorsing Rohaley, a man who has “no heroes in Harrisburg” and who says, “When you see a mountain (in the way), you run right over it. That’s the way I am.”

Rohaley’s also right on the money when he expresses disdain for the collaboration that’s taken place between the judicial and legislative branches of state government, which are supposed to operate independently of each other.

On the Republican side, we endorse Ed Angell, a nurse, over Nevala, a 22-year-old California Area School Board member who needs a little more seasoning in life before he takes on the state Capitol. Nevala also gave us reason for pause when he stated that he wouldn’t vote for anything that harms school districts in any way. Nearly any proposal to reign in school district spending – a big part of the problem – would do just that.

While Nevala and Angell each seem to have a good grasp of the issues and a decent reform agenda, Angell’s maturity and realistic approach impressed us. He says that if House leadership threatens to withhold funding to his district if he refuses to fall in line, “Then we’ll have to suffer a little bit until the tide turns.”

Angell says the pay raise “sent me over the edge” and he doesn’t think Daley “is truly a servant to the district.” He strongly supports open records, noting, “The people should know what I’m doing.”

That refreshing philosophy is worth voting for.