This just in from our good friend Russ Diamond:PACleanSweep, a non-partisan organization aimed at reforming state government in Pennsylvania, today revived its online Hall of Shame feature to pressure lawmakers into signing a petition to call a special session of the General Assembly focusing on ethics and reform in Harrisburg.
The Web page lists all incumbent legislators who have not signed the petition launched on July 21st by Senator Jeffrey Piccola. Also listed are the Harrisburg and district office phone numbers of the legislators to enable Pennsylvanians to easily contact them.
"We're stunned that more legislators have not yet signed the petition," said Russ Diamond, chairman of the group. "There are 55 freshman legislators in Harrisburg, most of whom were elected in 2006 based on their campaign promises of reform. We're especially disappointed with the individuals that PACleanSweep backed who have not signed on."
In the wake of the first round of "Bonusgate" indictments, Pennsylvanians are increasingly calling for reform in Harrisburg. A recent Quinnipiac University poll conducted in the Commonwealth reported that 76 percent of voters believe such a special session is in order. The poll results were fairly consistent across all regions of the state on the issue of reform.
Diamond anticipates that some lawmakers will claim to have not been in Harrisburg to have an opportunity to sign the petition, but are intent on signing it at a later date.
"Intent is not good enough. We all know where the road paved with good intentions leads," said Diamond. "The road to reform is paved with action. Pennsylvanians clearly want action and their elected servants ought to comply."
PACleanSweep previously used a similar web page to successfully pressure legislators into agreeing to pay back the unconstitutional "unvouchered expenses" received as a result of the ill-fated 2005 pay raise. The group also added support for a special session to the list of criteria for its online Legislative Report Card, a scoring system for all incumbent lawmakers.
Although a special session would not guarantee the enactment of any actual reforms, it would put the General Assembly in a position where reform is a priority. Overhauling the way the institution operates is a key component in moving Pennsylvania beyond its current crisis of confidence.
"Many compare the art of making law with the art of making sausage," Diamond added. "If that's the case, then our sausage machine is contaminated with salmonella. Until we disinfect the machine, all sausage produced is guaranteed to make Pennsylvanians ill."
PACleanSweep Hall of Shame
Senator Piccola's Petition for a Special Session
PACleanSweep Legislative Report Card
Quinnipiac Poll
