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The Golden Flush Award /Click Image for Past Winners
Usually this is an after thought…” Oh, wow, year’s over, let’s get a person of the year”… And then once we elect one, we go… “holy crap… we totally forgot so and so….”
So to try to stir up some old simmering coals of memory, both mine and others, and perhaps even to (heaven forbid) get some debate going in the blog sphere, I thought I’d make an initial run on Thanksgiving Week, and then add people into the nominating category as others mention various ones I should kick myself for forgetting.
It will also force me to review the year which is something I rarely do… because face it, as a human being, I am slave of the moment…. If I did this last year, come December 14th the entire world would have been turned upside down and all the old priorities of 2012, would in one day become trivial….
And so starting early gives me the chance to make the argument for each of those I decide to enroll with your kind recommendations included….
Julius Cephus: Particularly this one man organized and stopped an end run around the Port of Wilmington. The Kinder Morgan deal did not go through, and the Wilmington Port is bustling like never before… Kinder Morgan was to strip the union of power, and drop the rates of pay, further dampening the economy of Wilmington proper. It was also the first defeat of a Lavine-Markell development project, .. Fisker and Bloom had gone forward without a hitch. Julius and other’s push back resulted in a General Assembly motion that stated they, not the governor, had final approval. It was the first time we were exposed to the current Governor’s manipulations. They were to play a significant part across this year’s tapestry.
Steve Newton: A blogger who has written infrequently, but effectively. His piece on SB 51 is what alerted us to the end run being performed by Dave Sokola on lowering the current standards being used for educating teachers. It is brilliant. It took an evening of reading the legislation line by line and cross referencing it with Steve’s analysis, to understand the huge negative impact this bill would cause. By the time this was done, the Bill had already passed the Senate unanimously without comment, and with an friendly amendment added that was voted upon without even being read. Some public outcry was mustered within the House, both in committee and on the floor, but under the Governor’s direction, the Speaker of the House, pushed the bill to the floor before significant outcry could be mustered. Only 4 House members were not on record for it’s passing. Our educational schools now have to water down their teaching standards to meet the new law. Steve also has brought the Highmark story to Delaware. His research in the increase of medical costs in Western PA as a result of knocking out competition by unfair practices, leads one with a cold chill of what to expect in Delaware’s future. We are already there. As an insurer, Highmark is only paying medical claims in its own affiliated clinics. As the new Blue Cross/Blue Shield owner, that is a huge percentage of Delaware’s residents. None can go to any other hospital. He has properly fingered Karen Weldham Stuart for not catching this prior to implementation. Without Steve, this would have passed unnoticed. The News Journal still has not once mentioned the takeover of Delaware’s health field under one owner.
Ernest Lopez. If Kennedy were still writing Profiles of Courage, he should include this man. Ernest Lopez is a conservative, and voted with Libertarian values to pass the gun legislation recommended by Markell and Biden. Reflecting the views of his district, instead of taking the threatening message sent to him down from the NRA, he voted for his district. A very vocal minority, who is always vocal, and always in the minority, swore they would unseat him. He disregarded their idle threat, and voted both his and his constituents conscious. A major billboard was put up to call him out. His vote caused the passage of us now requiring background checks at public gun sales. Now a certifiably insane person cannot slap cash and get a gun. It is a no-brainer, and Ernie was the only Republican with brain enough to even know what a no-brainer is….
Cathy Cloutier: her vote allowed gays to marry. Again, she is a Republican who said enough is enough… Tired of voting against her conscious just so Sussex County would not flip over to the Democrats, she finally did not toe the line and voted along the lines of her own constituents, all overwhelmingly in favor of gay marriage. In doing so, she went against the entire grain of her party, who firmly feel that gays are second class citizens, even though most Republicans in office are closeted gays.
Bethany Hall Long: on the same vote, made a viable personal decision, and also voted for the legalization of gay marriage. Unlike Cathy’s vote, this was accomplished at great personal sacrifice, for all of those in her personal life, were solidly against this policy from taking effect. In voting for what was morally right, she had to contend against those whose influence she could not escape. She went with the correct vote, over the easy one. As a result, Gay marriage is now legal in Delaware.
Paul Baumbach: gave great ammunition against the fight for SB51, and later against HB 165. Both bills which will damage Delaware’s education for years to come. He was one of the four who put up a fight on the House floor. Paul also arranged for the meetings in Newark to discuss the new Power plant that figured in this past week’s election.
John Kowalko: also was against SB51, HB 165, as well, being against the power plant. In fact, John was the first person to sound the alarm over how big the power plant would be. Without his big voice, it may have slid through unnoticed. The power plant has defined northern Delaware politics since September.
Kim Williams; responsible for HB 40 which investigates Charter School’s meddling into our educational systems. She was as an acting state representative, allegedly refused entrance into a committee hearing on education, for fear she might say something damaging to the bill being rushed through…. She brought to the public’s knowledge, that the Charter School bill was drafted illegally without public input, and the charter group constructing it, was also under FOIA, to which the private group denied. The Attorney General backed up her assertion, that the bill was formulated illegally but their decision was moot, because the bill was passed both houses anyways. Kim Williams also in the HB 40 task force, led the group to realize that charter schools unlike public schools, do indeed filter those entering charters to weed out those who might lower their test scores….
Mark Murphy, Rodel, Sweeney, Hefferman, and the Fake Educational Reform Establishment: I almost purposefully did not post this. Although the first person’s name is usually followed by explicatives whenever mentioned, it is unlike Voldermort’s, still getting mentioned. Mark Murphy was not put in his position based on his ability. He was placed there for his loyalty to the cause of corporatizing public education. Markell pulls the strings, Murphy figures how to get it done… It is hard to make a puppet the most influential person of the year… So I was going to skip him… But at the last minute, remembered that every time he or anyone of these make an op-ed, it resonates as gigantic news. The entire community rises up to counteract each op-ed, usually with the word “lies” thrown liberally about…. So, they do exert an influence. I looped all of them together, as the group of liars in a Greek play, who stand on the stair steps and taunt the protagonists. Well,… they are part of the play…….
Dan Short: Sometimes villains get noticed too. Primarily a single issue candidate, who personally supports the NRA, he actively campaigned and organized to create enough backlash so Markell’s gun laws could not get enough votes… Without him, there is a possibility that all four of Markell’s gun control pieces of legislation would have passed both houses of Delaware’s legislature. Dan Short should be given the credit for stopping them.
John Sigler: Single handedly by his very brief tenure as the re-elected head of the Republican Party, he pointed out through his pigeon shooting, just how inept the Republican Party was at everything else. With his leaving, all fissures cracking the Republican bedrock, were impossible to ignore. Blogs split. The IPOD’s split. Former candidates of the same party just months earlier, now not talking to each other. The Delaware Republican Party is dead; no it is past dead. More dead than a pigeon shot inside a box by John Sigler, former head of the Delaware Republican Party.
Nancy Willing: Her blog, the Delaware Way, is the go-to site for local information. Whether about Dover, about New Castle County, about any of New Castle County’s associations, Nancy combs all sources and puts them down in aggregate form. Heavily involved in the Power Plant controversy, The Delaware City Rail Yard controversy, Barley Mill controversy, the Woodlawan controversy, the Kinder Morgan controversy, the Charter School Controversy, the Common Core Controversy, Nancy has who is saying “what”, and links to “why”. One can expend less energy by using her blog to follow all the stuff the News Journal neglects, in a few quick empty steps.
Amy Roe: a head of the Sierra Club, who emerged from nowhere to lead the fight against the power plant, and give quite a run against the establishment candidate. Becoming the face the anti- power movement could coalase behind, she gave the anti power plant movement both dignity and grace. Coming up short only 115 votes, she has awakened Newark now politically as never before… The power plant if it goes forward, now has a strong group of Newarkeans against it. Hopefully they will be monitoring it regularly and helping authorities keep in in compliance with all local law.
Tom Gorden; although much quieter than his first term in office, Tom Gorden is rapidly rolling back the privileges the previous Clark administration handed over to our state’s top developers. The Barley Mill plaza which had a green light, is now parked at a red. In a big sea change, though handled quietly, community groups are now no longer persona non grata in county government. It is no longer accepted as a matter of course that the Woodlawn Trust will be gobbled up by developers. If enough fight can be mustered, it can be stopped. Furthermore, with Tom there is closer coordination with the City of Wilmington, than we have experienced anytime in our lifetimes. In the county, local policing has been stepped up, particularly in neighborhoods prone to crime…
Dennis Williams: Came in with grand expectations, which looked deliverable for a while. The tide is turning and his relevance on this list, is because every day, the headline reality in Wilmington’s streets, brings his electioneering boasts back to haunt him, like a sizzling hot branding iron. Time, Dennis, to say “Damn the torpedoes… Their punk asses are going in jail no matter which blowhard on City Council spouts off,before mine gets tossed in jail for impersonating a mayor..”
Alan Levin: Jack Markell’s second in command, he was instrumental in defending Markell’s position on Kinder Morgan and the port, as well as the new power plant for the data center. He also had a hand in keeping Dole in Delaware, and worked to slip the power plant past a slew of unsuspecting Newark City officials.
Jack Markell: had his hand in everything. He was behind Kinder Morgan’s takeover. He was behind SB 51 and HB 165. He was behind the illegal charter group, requiring HB 40. He also was the driving force for the four rational steps to gun legislation, 2 of which were passed. He was also the driving force behind the passage of gay marriage, signing the bill in the chambers just moments after its passage. He also supported the transgender bill in its travels through the labyrinth of Legislative Hall. He as behind keeping Dole in Delaware. He was behind changing an icon in Millsboro away from pickles, over to poultry. He pushed the bill to curtail Flowers. Despite your opinion over whether these were good or bad, they still showed a ubiquitous and wide reach across the state of Delaware. Seems like nothing got done that didn’t have his fingerprints all over it.
John Young: As head of Christina board, John Young led the board in standing up to Mark Murphy and Jack Markell, by refusing the RTTT funds slated for his district. Although some hired fools, (Jea Street) tried to paint Young into a corner, it served the opposite purpose and gave Young a platform. For the fist time, Common Core was getting publicly bashed. For the first time, many were finding that aligning themselves blindly to this sham of improving standards, was probably going to hurt them politically in the next couple of years. It was the fist salvo back, so the damage estimates were not high, but it did open eyes of many who had been on the sidelines of all educational issues, making them also become vocal in fighting Common Core. His blog Transparent Christina has channelled a lot of detailed information into the Delaware market, and had made Common Core an apprehension, instead of the savior it was supposed to be….
Kilroy: Kilroy has always been haranguing over education. In fact he was doing such a good job I left that issue alone for years, because other issues for me, like the economy and elimination of guns from the hands of the mentally ill, were more important. But as the issue has shifted back into the limelight, Kilroy’s hard hitting is making its mark… Kilroy is blunt, and right now, that is the language that needs to happen. Blunt descriptions of what takes place in the stratosphere of he academic field…. Kilroy often breaks stories before the News Journal, especially ones embarrassing to the Murphy/Markell cartel of education. If you have read Kilroy over the past couple of years, you would already know that Common Core is not the panacea we have been promised. It is a power grab for taxpayer dollars, financed by Wall Street itself…. If you think otherwise, you haven’t been reading a balanced reading list….
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That is what I have so far. In retrospect I am surprised that education has played so much, as even I have only come to that topic lately… But if one looks over the News Journal op eds, education really did dominate the discussion in the 2nd smallest state this year….
I may have forgotten some big ones. To reiterate, that is why I am posting this early, to catch those big mistakes as they get brought to my attention….
=================================
more jobs
and fiscal responsibility
That’s the key to a stronger economy
And its why we need Charlie Copeland
He’s a successful business man
Who’s created jobs
met a budget
and made tough decisions in the real world
Charlie Copeland is a proven reformer
Who’s fought special interests in Dover
An independent voice who will bring balance to state government.
==========================================
As any truth teller will offer if asked, there are varying ways of misspeaking. Which is why it is important to distinguish between the various degrees of lying, instead of just saying “its a lie, damn it.”
Most truth tellers have a scorecard that mirrors the quintile system where truth telling is broken down into five distinctions as follows: George Washington honesty, mostly true, acceptable as somewhat true, mostly false, and pants on fire… meaning no “effin” way…..
Charlie Copeland’s ad falls into the latter category: pants on fire….
Just for fun, let’s break it down…
more jobs…
Charlie Copeland fought against Bluewater Wind which would bring 500 jobs into Delaware to build the towers and install the turbines off of Rehoboth, and he opposed the formation of 100 jobs year in and year out to maintain the turbines once they were in operation. At $40,000 a job, that brings in $20 million a year for the first five years and then $4 million every year after that…… Not only that, but Charlie Copeland fought dirty to make sure Bluewater Wind did not come to Delaware, even though Babcock and Brown was willing to develop their hub here in Delaware to build offshore Wind Farms from Massachusetts to North Carolina….. Imagine the jobs that would have gone elsewhere if Charlie Copeland had been successful in chasing Bluewater away to another state.
and fiscal responsibility…
First of all, chasing away $20 million in new jobs is not being fiscally responsible. Second, since Charlie Copeland is both the Senate Minority Leader, and a member of the Legislative Committee, (the same committee that held up Bluewater Wind for six months almost costing us $20 million in new jobs), whatever comes out of the Budget, he is party too… Now someone like representative Melanie George Marshall could, if pressed, deny they were privy to what came out of the bond bill and the budget having received the bill only 5 minutes before voting upon it,,,,, But not Charlie… He was there, and can certainly be held accountable by whatever came out of this session’s budget….Such behind-the-scenes moves are not uncommon for the General Assembly. In recent years, the budget’s so-called “epilogue language” has bought golf courses, dredged a canal, moved a high school football field and preserved a job for Clarence Cobaugh “Bud” Wagner II, who has risen from a low-level transit worker earning $23,100 in 1991 to a $68,100-a-year video specialist.
That’s the key to a stronger economy
So to get the world out of its economic slump, we just need a few more jobs, and a little fiscal responsibility? Damn, we should have told Congress before they voted our childrens inheritance on bailing out stockbrokers and banks…. Wait a second… We had a Republican administration on the Federal level, We had a Republican Congress, and did we get more jobs and fiscal responsibility? No? Weren’t those the same words used by Bush and Cheney and Republicans running for Congress? More jobs, fiscal responsibility as the key to a stronger economy? Apparently today’s reality differs with Charlie’s opinion… The Dow Jones Average is currently down 2000 points over the last week, which makes it appear to all, that better regulation of financial institutions, not less, is the secret to rebuilding our economy… The lack of oversight (Phil Gramm) is exactly how we got into this financial mess. Charlie is acting simple if he believes that more jobs and better fiscal responsibility is all there is…….to running state government.
And its why we need Charlie Copeland
Non sequitur….
He’s a successful business man
So what does he do? Does he run a Fortune 500 company? Does he run a division? Does he run a franchise? Does he run a multi-million dollar operation? Does he employ hundreds of thousands? Does he employ thousands? Does he employ hundreds? Define successful…. Profit over 25%? 15%? 8%? He runs a print shop Associates Graphics Service. AGS produces personalized jobs for the racetrack and casino markets, and works with several clients in the medical and pharmaceutical industries to print conference materials and marketing collateral, as well as a variety of other commercial work, including newsletters, booklets, brochures and postcards for the state. Business with the state is done via open bid, and he is not involved with the process. Year-to-year proceeds from the state for Copeland’s business peaked at $1 million in 2006 and were about $400,000 in 2007. The Office of Management and Budget budgeted more than $2 million for their office alone this year for printing and publishing costs.
So 2 million of that fiscal responsible budget approved by Charlie, goes to his company… umm. I’d be successful too…..
Who’s created jobs
Some estimates put Copeland’s AGS sales at 2.4 million making it equivalent to the average McDonalds in this state. Those same estimates put his employee count at 42, again making it perhaps less than the average McDonalds in this state… So we must put this claim of being a business tycoon in its proper perspective…. His experience is on the level with the average restaurant manager… which could explain why he brags that he “creates” new jobs, but…… Charlie Copeland is against paying real wages for those working hard to make a decent living… Charlie could have made a huge impact in our states economy by voting to approve raising the minimum wage for those on tipped income from 2.23 to 2.51 cents per hour.. Charlie opposed raising the minimum wage of employees making just $2.23 an hour.. He opposed them getting another puny 28 cents!… Talk about kicking someone in the teeth when they are down… And their rate has seen no increase since 1987? Charlie, are you still working for the same wages as you did in 1987?
met a budget
Again yeah, just like every Delawarean fast food manager… but would you want them as your Lieutenant Governor? I don’t think so, most of them are too smart to apply…… Of course in fairness to them, none of them get the opportunity to vote with their friends on receiving 2 million of their estimated 2.4 million dollar budget… Instead of such an easy revenue stream, those managers of fast foods, have to fight against competition and win business, one customer at a time…. For that matter, give anyone of us free access to unlimited funds, and any of us could boast our budget savviness for all to ponder…… And they don’t get the opportunity to keep their employees at slave’s wages either.
and made tough decisions in the real world
Let’s review how tough Charlie Copeland’s decisions truly are.
A. When given a choice, he chose to back “Desk Drawer” Adams as Senate President Pro Tempore who is against FOIA in the General Assembly.
B. When given a choice between Delawareans paying less for electricity from Bluewater Wind, and paying more for Delmarva, he ardently tried to insure that Delmarva Power would not have any local competitor to lower our rates.
C. When given a choice to raise employee’s rates from $2.23 to $2.51 cents per hour, he chose to keep them at beggar’s wages…
Just like Phil Gramm, McCain’s former economic adviser, the decisions made by Charlie Copeland tend to always cause a tremendous hardship to many, yet make only a very few, extremely wealthy…..
D. When given a choice, between blindsiding an governmental employee who led a marvelously open investigation into Delaware’s energy future, and out of courtesy, informing her beforehand of the nature of the inquisition, he chose the former course. and was seen cheering as she suffered under a brutal interrogation….
E. When given a choice to get involved with the choices currently being made in the Red Clay school district, that affect real children, or make a case blaming the DSEA for Delaware’s educational failure, Charlie Copeland chose the latter… Heck with real kids… The Union is to blame.
Speaking of unions, Charlie, is your shop unionized? Some inquiring minds want to know……
Charlie Copeland is a proven reformer
A. On Bluewater Wind: he lost.
B. On minimum wage: he lost.
C. On open government: he lost, (the bill dropped right into the desk drawer of the person he put into that position…..)
D. On budget restraints: he lost.
E. But to his credit, he did reform the state budget process so his company would receive up to 2 million in business from the state, I guess one could call that a reform…..
Who’s fought special interests in Dover
A. Supports Delmarva who raised Delawarean’s rates 60% and then fought all efforts to reduce the amount of that increase.
B. Fought against all insurance reforms to better rates and coverage issues faced by Delawareans.
C. Charlie is the official “go to guy” for big business in the Delaware General Assembly.
D. Fought against regulations of the banking and credit card industry.
An independent voice who will bring balance to state government.
I….. don’t ….. think…. so……..
We’ve had too much of big business gone wild. It is time for a new approach……
In a tit for tat on Delaware Politics.Net (formerly and forever FSP), Dave tries to defend his friend Charlie Copeland against Al Mascitti from WDEL.
He tries.
Most of you know a Senate report was created by Harris McDowell with Tainted Love for Bluewater Wind. It was an effort to stab Bluewater while acting as a friend of renewable energy in general….”Et, tu? Brute?”
On the committee sat 6 Senators. Harris McDowell acted as chairman. The vote went 4 to 2 to release the committee’s report, which by now, the whole world, even the Houston (yes, Texas) Chronicle considers suspect. Those voting against were Cathy Clouther, and Karen Peterson. Those siding with McDowell, were Robert Marshall (Wilm), Robert Venables (Laurel), and yes, one Charlie Copeland (Pottersville)……..
It would be worthy for all of you to keep in mind, that as we hear from Dave how much Mr. Copeland supports wind power, to realize that all Charlie had to do in order to show his support of wind….. was to vote NOT to release the tainted love report (somehow hammered together by McDowell while keeping the Speck in his own eye). The vote would have held at 3-3 and the report would have stayed in committee…..
Bottom line. If we lose Bluewater Wind, Charlie (among others) is to blame……….
90% of us can return the favor on Nov. 4th. And Lee for having signed on, will forever be the butt of jokes for an entire generation. (How many beers did it take, Charlie?) 🙂
Margaret O’Neill Bldg
Suite 3
410 Federal St.
Dover, DE 19901
Ph(302)739-2399
FX(302)739-2398
Being observant of the law, I have several questions I wish to ask of you relating to Senator Harris McDowell and the report coming out of his committee that slams Bluewater Wind.
I know that you are besieged by citizen’s requests at this time because of the recent turn of events, but would like to hear back from you on these matters.
My questions will pertain to, as following this brief background of your statement of policy.
The General Assembly finds and declares:
(l) In our democratic form of government, the conduct of officers and employees of the State must hold the respect and confidence of the people. They must, therefore, avoid conduct which is in violation of their public trust or which creates a justifiable impression among the public that such trust is being violated.
(2) To ensure propriety and to preserve public confidence, officers and employees of the State must have the benefit of specific standards to guide their conduct and of some disciplinary mechanisms to guarantee uniform maintenance of those standards. Some standards of this type are so vital to government that violation thereof should subject the violator to criminal penalties.
Thank you for your indulgence. First question is this.
If:
(1) No state employee, state officer or honorary state official may participate on behalf of the State in the review or disposition of any matter pending before the State in which he has a personal or private interest, provided, that upon request from any person with official responsibility with respect to the matter, any such person who has such a personal or private interest may nevertheless respond to questions concerning any such matter. A personal or private interest in a matter is an interest which tends to impair a person’s independence of judgment in the performance of his duties with respect to that matter……
Then how is the conduct of Harris McDowell while chairing the Senate Energy and Transit Committee hearing on Bluewater Wind, not a violation of the principals listed above?
Question 2:
If:
(2) A person has an interest which tends to impair his independence of judgment in the performance of his duties with respect to any matter when:
a. Any action or inaction with respect to the matter would result in a financial benefit or detriment to accrue to the person or a close relative to a greater extent than such benefit or detriment would accrue to others who are members of the same class or group of persons; or
b. The person or a close relative has a financial interest in a private enterprise which enterprise or interest would be affected by any action or inaction on a matter to a lesser or greater extent than like enterprises or other interests in the same enterprise.
Then how is the conduct of Harris McDowell while chairing the Senate Energy and Transit Committee hearing on Bluewater Wind, not a violation of the principals listed above?
Question 3:
If:
(1) No state employee, state officer or honorary state official may represent or otherwise assist any private enterprise with respect to any matter before the state agency with which the employee, officer or official is associated by employment or appointment.
(2) No state officer may represent or otherwise assist any private enterprise with respect to any matter before the State.
Then:
Despite the understanding that members of the General Assembly are not included in either the definition of either state officer or state employee..……How does the actions of State Senator Harris McDowell, who presided over what two very respected Senators publicly called a one-sided hearing, and witnesses have publicly acknowledged that openness was not tolerated in trying to find the one best solution to Delaware’s energy challenge….
How do these actions not heinously violate the principals stated above?
Question 4:
If:
No person who has served as a state employee, state officer or honorary state official shall represent or otherwise assist any private enterprise on any matter involving the State, for a period of 2 years after termination of his employment or appointed status with the State, if he gave an opinion, conducted an investigation or otherwise was directly and materially responsible for such matter in the course of his official duties as a state employee, officer or official.
Then:
How can Senator McDowell’s brazen attempt to pummel Delmarva’s interests over those of 90% of Delawareans, and not allowing any input from those same 90% of Delawareans, be considered as anything but “representing or otherwise assisting any private enterprise on any matter involving the State”?
Question 5:
If:
(1) Any person who knowingly or willfully violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable for each such violation by imprisonment of not more than one year and by a fine not to exceed $l0,000.
Then:
How is it that Harris McDowell and others guilty of collusion are exempt from this clause in the law?
Question 6:
If:
(3) The Superior Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction over prosecution for all criminal violations of this section.
Then:
Can any citizen or citizen’s group including, but not limited to the ACLU, Common Cause, Citizens of a Better Sussex County, The Audubon Society of Delaware, The Green Party of Delaware, The Sierra Club, or any other; file claim in the Superior Court of Delaware to determine by legal means whether or not, the Public Integrity Law of Delaware was not-adhered-to in this case?
Question 7:
If:
No state employee, state officer or honorary state official shall accept other employment, any compensation, gift, payment of expenses or any other thing of monetary value under circumstances in which such acceptance may result in any of the following:
(1) Impairment of independence of judgment in the exercise of official duties;
(2) An undertaking to give preferential treatment to any person;
(3) The making of a governmental decision outside official channels; or
(4) Any adverse effect on the confidence of the public in the integrity of the government of the State.
Then:
How is a group of substantial campaign contributions coming from one such interest, under the appearance of a questionable quid pro quo, not a violation of the Public Integrity Law?
Question 8:
IF:
(c) No state employee, state officer, or honorary state official shall acquire a financial interest in any private enterprise which he has reason to believe may be directly involved in decisions to be made by him in an official capacity on behalf of the State.
Then:
How does passage by the Senate of SB228, which could benefit one Senator Harris McDowell, who as head of a Green Energy Consulting Business, which is a “for profit” entity which can now be in charge of and oversee the dispensing of over $100,000, 000 of Renewable Energy Credits, not a direct benefit to one Harris McDowell and those members of his committee which he chooses to appoint to his board of directors?
Question 9:
If:
(1) “Lobbyist” means any individual who acts to promote, advocate, influence or oppose any matter pending before the General Assembly by direct communication with the General Assembly or any matter pending before a state agency by direct communication with that state agency, and who in connection therewith either:
And (2):
(a) Every lobbyist shall register with the Commission in a lobbyist docket and file, at that time, the authorization from his employer as required by § 5833 of this title. A person who qualifies as a lobbyist in accordance with § 5831(a)(1)a. or b. of this shall register prior to performing any acts as a lobbyist. A person who qualifies as a lobbyist in accordance with § 5931(a)(1)c. of this title must register within 5 days after so qualifying, if not already registered as a lobbyist.
Then:
Why was Randall Speck, who represented unequivocally McDowell’s one-sided view, allowed to cross examine state employees on video tape which was not legally cleared by any other state agency, and not allowing any such cross examination by other registered lobbyist or registered attorney friendly to the interests of those state employees being cross examined also on that same video tape, allowed to do so without signing up with the Public Integrity Office as a lobbyist, which according to law, must be done if he is to collude or is to be involved with any part or portion of the Senate Committee of Energy and Transit’s hearings or events?
I reserve to further more questions in the future.
Although some affected by your investigation may impute that I have self interests in finding these answers, I would rather deflect all queries to your judgment as to whether, or not, the very integrity of the Public Integrity Office will be at stake, if these actions are allowed to go unchallenged.
At the behest of good government, I look forward to your reply.
You may answer here, in a public forum, if you wish………..
Sincerely:
Today you must read this. Guaranteed. It won’t be on the News Journal until all other outlets have mentioned it first. Then, and only then, they will publish McDowell’s cut and paste defense, which if skimmed, may look credible. (Go ahead. Prove me wrong guys. Dare you)
In plain uncertain terms, when nobody was looking, money surcharged on your electric bill was almost hijacked by McDowell to guarantee his income after he leaves the Senate.
Illegal? Let the courts decide. Immoral? That can be decided here and now.
Hats off to Jason330 for digging through our state archives to pull this historical record out of cold storage, just as its proponent attempts to scuttle the best thing that ever happened to Delaware, simply because it got in the way of his becoming a millionaire.
The parallels are astounding. The attempt to sneak legislation through in 2001 versus the attempt to kill Bluewater Wind by secretly leaning on the Controller General.
Both times facts were not on his side. Both times Delawareans would be hurt if his actions ever got carried out.
Both times, he would make millions off the deal.
Do we elect our representatives to represent our interests, or take our money and line their pockets?
Obviously we do the latter, even though we assume we are helping ourselves in the process.
In the latter deal, one must also investigate the motives by the other three Senators colluding with McDowell to kill Bluewater Wind. “Desk Drawer” Adams, Tony DeLuca, and Charlie Copeland, all of which were part of the secrecy surrounding the illogical effort to postpone Bluewater Wind, and hopefully kill it, Obviously they have personal motives as well.
When something stinks, one should check the bottom of their shoes for the source. When four people walk out of the pig pen together, and one smells, good chance they all have the same shit on their shoes.
From the archives: courtesy of Jason330 diligent effort.
Senate Bill 235 expands the allowed use of ‘environmental incentive fund’ monies in a manner that is contrary to the purpose for which those monies were originally collected from electricity customers.
under S.B. 235, grants of up to $1million could be to persons or companies to develop renewable energy equipment, which companies could then sell without any requirement of reimbursement to the State of Delaware
Drawing huge sums of money out of the fund for private projects that may be of little or no benefit to energy conservation in Delaware is inconsistent with the purpose of the environmental incentive fund.
Senate Bill 235 also contains language which would eliminate an important condition that…….the money be spent within the service areas covering those customers who created the fund through their payment of the DP&L and Conectiv bills……The legislature placed this condition….to ensure that those funds were not spent out of state or even in those portions of the state that had not contributed to the fund.
House amendment No. 1 to S.B. 235 eliminated this requirement altogether.
Was this bill rushed through on the last hours of the last day or Legislative Session? Of course. It was passed on reflex: “green energy? Recommended by Committee? Sounds good….. Aye”
Furthermore:
Senate Bill 235 also removed from the President Pro Tem of the Senate and the Speaker or the House the authority to appoint representatives to the body that would distribute environmental incentive fund money and instead afforded those appointments to the chairs of the Senate Energy and Transit Committee (McDowell) and the House Telecommunications Committee (now retired). This is a substantial departure from the manner in which legislative appointments are normally made.
And as if Delaware needed any other reason to open Thurman Adams desk drawer and leave it open into perpetuity:
Senate Bill 235 also gives the board of the “Delaware Center for Green Energy” permission to use environmental incentive find money to pay for its members to take trips, pay for meals, and retain consultants – all without any limitation or approval of any state agency. The original version of S.B. 235 prior to its amendment (not to mention the existing statute governing the environmental incentive fund) required that the fund be used only for grants to third parities relating to energy conservation.
In clear terms money paid by our surcharge to Delmarva, for what we told were for green energy incentives……..went instead to book a motel room, order room service, and pay off prostitutes………………………………………(sometimes also called lobbyists).
Our hard earned funds going to pay off prostitutes.
Obviously Bluewater Wind is dipping into McDowell’s prostitute (lobbyist) fund as well. No wonder he is fighting it so hard.
The question is who. My first target is Delmarva and its subsidiary Pepco Holdings. Of course the Bluewater Wind deal has to be politically tabled before that lawsuit becomes possible.
Why sue?
With all snark aside, that is the American corporate way of dealing with damages imposed upon one by another entity. And if we do not receive Bluewater Wind’s cheap and reliable renewable energy, we will all be hurt.
Let’s start with costs alone. And assume that Delmarva Power can purchase its energy for the next twenty five years at exactly the cost of what it pays right now. (like that’s ever going to happen), If one takes the bundled cost of the contract price of Bluewater Winds proposal, $105 per MW, and compares that to Delmarva’s purchased prices AS OF MARCH 2008 of $110 per MW, one already sees there is a $5 savings achieved by going with Bluewater Wind……
If one takes the aggregate maximum of 1,357,402 MWhs per contract year during the Service Term and multiplies that first by the $5 per MW difference, then by 25 for each of the years covered by the contract…………………..we get our first total of $169,675,260 that doing nothing will cost us IF PRICES FOR CARBON FUELS STAY THE SAME FOR TWENTY FIVE YEARS (Yo, that’s not going to happen).
This puts McDowell’s statement on treacherous legal footing. For the entire premise of his sham hearings, roughly estimated to have cost Delaware taxpayers $100,000, is that the wind farm proposed by Bluewater Wind is not in the best interest of Delaware ratepayers because of the risk and cost associated with the project.
But we see Bluewater saves us $169,675,260 over the rates we pay now, if we do nothing and carbon fuel costs stay the same and never rise….. What McDowell will have to explain under oath, and it simply can’t be done, is how saving Delaware $169,676,260 dollars is costing Delawareans too much money!
That is just the tip of the iceberg.
So by doing nothing, and hoping for flat fuel costs, will already cost this state almost $170 million more than had we opted to go with Bluewater Wind. That part of our incomes could have been spent on other things, had Bluewater Wind been built as scheduled.
Next question:
So how little does fuel have to increase over the twenty five years span to actually cost us 1.6 Billion? Well, doing the math backwards, we take the 1.6 Billion divided by 25 years, and then divide that total by the number of MWh’s maxed per year, we see that if the average cost of a MWh is only 47 dollars more. Once we reach that level,…… we, as a state, have lost 1.6 Billion Dollars solely because of McDowell’s interference.
Therefore by our nixing of Bluewater Wind, and trusting ourselves to Delmarva’s buying prowess, once we hit the average price of $152 per MHh, we, as Delawareans will have shelled out 1.6 Billion more.
Is that high cost, $152, even a remote possibility? California has on occasion paid as high as $3880 per MWh. Closer to home? In 2005 record high temperatures drove prices within the PJM grid to over $150 per MWh for 234 hours, as opposed to just 5 hours in 2004. So $152 is not some far flung to-be-scoffed-at amount that could never, ever happen. It already has.
Of course, if one does not just consider money, there are other benefits stemming from Bluewater Wind as well. Less carbon, cleaner air, less breathable cancer among our population, all benefits that come from using windpower instead of coal.
New jobs, new technologies, and new tourist opportunities add additional revenue into the equation which was not calculated here.
This post is just the math. Done to show that McDowell and his buddies do not have a factual leg to stand on. For already, Bluewater wind is cheaper than what we pay now. And in case you were still unaware…………….fuel costs for all carbon derived fuels, will soon soar, making their assumptions much harder to stand up in court.
Al it takes is one of us to file papers, and like a clod falling on a slippery slope, the whole side of the mountain moves.
And I think that is worth suing for. What are your thoughts? Especially when one considers that the deal was about to be signed, until a few members twisted the Controller General’s arm. That arm twist will cost Delawareans 1.6 Billion Dollars.
Someone other than us had better pay for it.
kavips 
