Smith to Scarnati: Stay Out
State House Republican Leader Sam Smith says State Senator Joe Scarnati is wrong to engage himself in a contested primary involving an incumbent House member. Smith says Scarnati is out of line by endorsing Kerry Gern over Representative Kathy Rapp in the race for the 65th District seat. Smith says Rapp has been a consistent advocate to fiscal responsibility and government reform and was among a select group of 8 Pennsylvania lawmakers to earn an "A" grade on the 2006 Liberty Index. He says she has also been a powerful influence in fighting Governor Ed Rendell's plan to privatize Warren State Hospital. He adds that Rapp "has served all her constituents very well as a strong and independent voice in Harrisburg." US Congressman John Peterson is endorsing Rapp, but says Scarnati should not endorse anyone.
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Comments
Here’s why:
1. Sen. Scarnati is the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. In this leadership role, it is a conflict of interest for him to endorse a House candidate, incumbent or not. Isn’t it fairly obvious that the reason Sen. Scarnati is not endorsing Rep. Rapp is because she will not vote the way he would like her to vote? He has brought up her voting record several times.
2. If Sen. Scarnati endorses an opponent of Rep. Rapp, who is to say that he will not continue to do so for each and every Representative that does not vote with him? He is trying to pull in a Representative that will vote with him, not stand up to him. He’s bullying Representatives.
May I refer you to the following publication: Making Law Pennsylvania which states: “The Pennsylvania Constitution placed a fundamental check on legislative power by creating two bodies which must cooperate to make law…Each body must approve the lawmaking actions of the other – or else work out compromises.”
It seems like Sen. Scarnati is trying to either force the vote of the Representatives, or endorse their opponents so he doesn’t have to compromise.
Rep. Rapp is not a “yes” woman. She votes in the best interests of her constituents, not the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. She makes the hard “right” decisions, rather than the “easy” wrong ones.
3. A US Congressman has nothing to lose or gain by endorsing a State Representative. There is no conflict of interest for Congressman Peterson to endorse Rep. Rapp.
I think Sen. Scarnati missed the “memo” on ethics in college.
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/index.cfm for the publication: Making Law in Pennsylvania