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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Josh Shapiro |
  
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Shapiro calls on House majority leader to resign leadership position
HARRISBURG, Aug. 4 – Today at a Capitol news conference, state Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, called for House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese to step down from his leadership position in the wake of the charges brought against 12 individuals in the so-called "Bonusgate" investigation.
Shapiro’s news conference remarks are attached below.
Shapiro is deputy speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and represents the 153rd Legislative District in Montgomery County.
STATEMENT BY REP. SHAPIRO
Aug. 4, 2008
Nearly a month ago, the Attorney General announced a series of charges against 12 people associated with the House Democratic Caucus.
Like most of you, I was appalled and saddened reading the presentments. I was and remain outraged because if these allegations are true they demonstrate a complete disregard of the interests of Pennsylvanians and a stunning indifference to a basic sense of right and wrong.
The fact that the Attorney General's investigation is ongoing and is apparently not limited to our caucus suggests an even more disturbing, yet undeniable truth: our state government is broken.
These presentments aren't just individual indictments; they are an indictment of our entire system.
I have spent the past few weeks contemplating the charges, thinking about what they mean and what needs to be done. What is clear is that it is beyond time we change business as usual in Harrisburg.
The vast majority of the legislators and staff I am privileged to serve and work with are good, honest and capable public servants, deserving of the public's trust and support.
But the current system—and its enablers—stymie our collective progress.
I am proud of the reform measures we've adopted with the new House rules and the Open Records Law. But while these reforms represent real progress, we can do so much more.
At the very least, we need tighter financial controls over the public’s money; we need to eliminate the legislative surpluses and invest them in our Commonwealth’s needs; we need campaign finance reform; and we need to ban lobbyists' gifts and hospitality.
But what we truly need is something bigger than any single bill or proposal. We need a cultural change in the Capitol.
We need leaders who are committed to transformational reform. We need a monumental shift, and we need it now.
We can't do better, at least in our caucus, until we dedicate ourselves to a new direction. And as a first step in this direction, I believe it is imperative that Bill DeWeese resign as House Majority Leader.
Bill should step down, I believe, for at least five reasons.
First, the fact is that the abuses outlined in the presentments occurred on Bill’s watch and, as such, he will always be a symbol of a broken system. As the Democratic Leader, he should take responsibility and resign his leadership post.
Second, we need a break with the past—with the old and accepted way of thinking—and a commitment to change ourselves so we can enact real change for the people of Pennsylvania. I am convinced that Bill DeWeese, even if he said he wanted to, is incapable of directing, orchestrating and choreographing that fundamental change.
Third, we need leaders who possess the public’s trust—Bill DeWeese does not. Once the public trust is shattered it can never be put back together.
Fourth, our leaders must lead by example—not just for our constituents, but for the staff they lead. So many young staffers come to this building to work with us for the people and try to make a positive difference. Given that the alleged abuses were so widespread and none of the staff apparently felt they could go to the Leader and blow the whistle shows his inability to lead and direct the staff.
Fifth, Bill needs to step down for a partisan reason. With such ambivalence toward the Republican brand in Pennsylvania and around the country that we should be able to sweep many more Democrats into the legislature this November and be in a stronger position to pass health care for the uninsured, property tax relief and dramatically increase funding for public education.
Bill DeWeese’s presence as the leader of our caucus—the face of our caucus—dramatically undermines that effort to expand our majority, and may even compromise it.
I do not stand before you with a whip count or a secret plan. I do not want to assume Bill DeWeese's position. And since I have not discussed my views with all of my colleagues yet, I stand here with the full recognition that I may even be in the minority in my belief that his resignation as leader is necessary.
What I hope this does, is begin a difficult but ultimately necessary conversation about the future of our Democratic party and the future of Pennsylvania state government.
"In a moment of decision," Theodore Roosevelt said, "the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing." We can no longer afford to do nothing. Things must change.
We owe it to our majority, and to the citizens of our Commonwealth, to start having this conversation; to start making difficult decisions that place the welfare of the people above the interests of those sent to represent them, and that places the hope of a better Pennsylvania above the endless disappointments of the status quo.
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