Losing DeWeese scary thought
Many readers have worked in a factory or office and knew things your top managers weren’t aware of. Top management simply cannot know everything happening among an entire organization and staff of hundreds. Those who emphatically state that Democratic Majority Leader Bill DeWeese had to know what some “elected” members of the caucus and their staffs were allegedly doing is not necessarily accurate. House Democratic Caucus Whip Mike Veon was elected by the caucus members, not appointed by DeWeese. Why didn’t those members of the caucus who repeatedly elected Veon to a leadership position know what he was allegedly up to?
Subtract DeWeese, Veon and state Rep. Sean Ramaley from the 102-member Democratic caucus and you have 99 members left. Add 101 Republican representatives, 50 Democrat and Republican senators and thousands of members of all of their combined staffs. These thousands work in the same buildings, dine in the same cafeterias, visit the same bars, and travel together to hearings, as those who were indicted for years of illegal activities.
Not one of these thousands has indicated they had knowledge crimes were being committed. If none of these thousands of these other others knew what was going on, why then, is it so impossible to believe that the perpetrators kept their activities from DeWeese?
A few caucus members have called for DeWeese to step down as House majority leader. Are they hoping DeWeese’s departure would end the issue and keep investigators from asking what the others knew and when they knew it? Or are looking for an opportunity to move up in leadership to direct more funding to their areas and away from ours?
For Southwestern Pennsylvania, the loss of DeWeese in his leadership role would be disastrous. Do you really believe a freshman legislator could garner any considerable funds for our communities and region? At the 20082009 budget signing three people were sitting at the table in the newspaper photo I saw. Go. Ed Rendell from Philadelphia, Appropriations Committee chairman Dwight Evans of Philadelphia and Majority Leader Bill DeWeese from Greene County. Would you prefer all three of them be from Philadelphia or eastern Pennsylvania? What would be our chances then for getting any state help for important projects for our region?
DeWeese, like every other leader, has made dumb mistakes. However, he has never been charged with any crime. He was mature enough to publicly apologize for his misjudgments and ask for the opportunity to continue the fight for southwestern Pennsylvania’s needs. I believe he deserves that opportunity. We would be shooting ourselves in the foot to vote him out of office.
Some readers may remember me from hosting the WASP Radio Beeline back in the 1960s and 1970s as Bob Williams (pseudonym ), and at KDKA radio overnight until 2005. They know I am very independent and am my opinions are not for sale. No one asked me to write this letter. These views are mine.
Bob Logue
Fairbank