House cleaning: Dermody needs to be his own man to lead
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Events often unfold in a good news/bad news sort of way. The decision of the Allegheny County Democratic delegation to support veteran state Rep. Frank Dermody in a bid to become House majority leader is a little like that.
The unqualified good part is that this choice represents another sign that the 12-year reign of Rep. Bill DeWeese as the Democrats' caucus chief is officially coming to an end -- something this newspaper has long called for. Although Mr. DeWeese has not admitted wrongdoing, the Bonusgate scandal -- in which taxpayer money went illegally to fund political activities -- has finally shaken the confidence of even his most change-averse colleagues.
With a new majority of 104 seats come January, the Democrats are in a position to elect a speaker who is one of their own to replace Republican Dennis O'Brien. Mr. DeWeese of Waynesburg had already announced his support for House Majority Whip Keith McCall of Carbon County to be the next speaker. On Friday night The Associated Press reported that Mr. DeWeese was backing Rep. Todd Eachus of Luzerne County for majority leader, while declaring his own interest in the Democratic whip's job.
That's where the bad news comes in. Despite the cloud cast over the House Democrats while under Mr. DeWeese's watch, he is still trying to hang onto power by seeking the third-highest position in the caucus and advising members whom to choose for the top two. The Democrats should send Mr. DeWeese packing on his bid to stay in leadership and, as to majority leader, they should get behind Mr. Dermody, a steady and experienced hand whom we have endorsed many times in his nine-term career.
But as we noted in our latest endorsement last month, Rep. Dermody has toed the Democratic Party line a little too faithfully and was slow to criticize Mr. DeWeese. If Mr. Dermody does become majority leader, he has to be his own man and not take his cues from Mr. DeWeese on the sidelines.
It is also a concern that the majority leader position could end up going to a representative from the eastern part of the state -- which is possible, given that Rep. Kathy Manderino of Philadelphia, is also in the hunt for the job. It is vital that Western Pennsylvania retain an influential voice in Harrisburg.
The caucus election is Tuesday. We will see how far the good news goes when the Democrats finish their House cleaning.
First Published November 16, 2008 12:00 am
