Mario Civera was back at work as the newest county councilman yesterday.
There were no protesters as was the case the week before when a small band of Upper Darby Democrats marched outside the Media courthouse to show their displeasure over Civera’s decision to keep both his state House seat and his post on County Council, at least for the forseeable future.
That doesn’t mean they’re going away. Yesterday they took a new tack in their efforts to get Civera to give up his 164th District seat in the Legislature.
Instead of pleading with the longtime Upper Darby Republican, they now are taking their case to County Council Chairman Jack Whelan. They sent him a letter urging him to intercede and ask his fellow Republican – and running mate – to give up his state House post.
I hope they’re not holding their breath. I doubt that’s going to happen.
We also now have heard from Keith McCall. He’s a Democrat from Carbon County. (Quick, raise your hand if you know where Carbon County is.) He also happens to be the Speaker of the state House of Representatives.
In a letter published in this newspaper on Sunday, Civera made it clear he believes this is all about politics, and that the Speaker and other Democrats have set a special election for May 18, Primary Day, in a partisan fashion in order to capture the 164th District seat Civera has held for 30 years. Civera says he has no intention of going along with the Dems’ plan, and will simply stay in the House until the point where it would not be legally possible to hold the special election on Primary Day, a day when Democrats are looking for a huge turnout due to the U.S.
Senate race between Arlen Specter and Joe Sestak.
Today McCall fires back. In a letter of his own, he denies politics had anything to do with his decision to call the special election on Primary Day. He maintains he simply wanted to hold the election when it would be the most economical – there are already three other seats to be decided in special elections that day – and in an effort to get as many people to the polls as possible.
I’m not sure I’m totally buying that argument.
This is all about politics. And the battle for power in Harrisburg.
And just one more reminder of what’s wrong with this system.
There were no protesters as was the case the week before when a small band of Upper Darby Democrats marched outside the Media courthouse to show their displeasure over Civera’s decision to keep both his state House seat and his post on County Council, at least for the forseeable future.
That doesn’t mean they’re going away. Yesterday they took a new tack in their efforts to get Civera to give up his 164th District seat in the Legislature.
Instead of pleading with the longtime Upper Darby Republican, they now are taking their case to County Council Chairman Jack Whelan. They sent him a letter urging him to intercede and ask his fellow Republican – and running mate – to give up his state House post.
I hope they’re not holding their breath. I doubt that’s going to happen.
We also now have heard from Keith McCall. He’s a Democrat from Carbon County. (Quick, raise your hand if you know where Carbon County is.) He also happens to be the Speaker of the state House of Representatives.
In a letter published in this newspaper on Sunday, Civera made it clear he believes this is all about politics, and that the Speaker and other Democrats have set a special election for May 18, Primary Day, in a partisan fashion in order to capture the 164th District seat Civera has held for 30 years. Civera says he has no intention of going along with the Dems’ plan, and will simply stay in the House until the point where it would not be legally possible to hold the special election on Primary Day, a day when Democrats are looking for a huge turnout due to the U.S.
Senate race between Arlen Specter and Joe Sestak.
Today McCall fires back. In a letter of his own, he denies politics had anything to do with his decision to call the special election on Primary Day. He maintains he simply wanted to hold the election when it would be the most economical – there are already three other seats to be decided in special elections that day – and in an effort to get as many people to the polls as possible.
I’m not sure I’m totally buying that argument.
This is all about politics. And the battle for power in Harrisburg.
And just one more reminder of what’s wrong with this system.
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