Mellow and Brennan

I’m never upset when I read about a Republican legislator who took a bribe or misused staff.  That’s the other team.  That’s not us.

What upsets me is when somebody on my team acts illegally or immorally.  If a Democratic legislator misuses government funds, he or she is not only breaking the law, he or she is betraying our trust and our faith. 

Today Robert Mellow, former leader of Pennsylvania’s Senate Democrats was sentenced to 16 months in prison.  He said he was “...embarrassed and ...ashamed...and very very sorry.”   He used his staff to do political work to advance his own career.  This is one of our guys.  Our guys aren’t supposed to do that.  Go to jail Mr. Mellow.

I’m even more upset about former Democratic State Representative Joe Brennan.  Brennan, who was arrested this past summer for drunken driving and for punching and choking his wife, dropped out of his reelection bid in October.  Now the House Democratic Caucus has given this wife-beating son-of-a-bitch a job as a research analyst for the Legislative Policy and Research Office of the House Democratic Caucus.  He’ll be making $72,000 a year.

No wonder voters get cynical.  No wonder people hate politicians.  And this is being done by my side.