This story was originally published in July 2022. An outgoing Democratic member of the Delaware House of Representatives says House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf blocked his bill to create an office of the inspector general. Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark, said the move was typical of Schwartzkopf’s leadership style. That leadership style can be characterized by “coercion, intimidation, incentivizing and reward,” Kowalko …
Government transparency advocates say there’s no reason in 2022 that public information should be as difficult to access as it is in Delaware. “At the root of democracy in Delaware and in the United States is citizens’ access to government information — and not just access, but easy access,” said Charlie Copeland, co-director of the Caesar Rodney Institute’s Center for …
With weeks to go before the first votes are cast in Delaware’s 2022 election cycle, advocates for government transparency are pushing for better campaign finance reporting. Common Cause Delaware, a nonprofit group that lobbies for open, honest and accountable government, has called for more frequent and detailed reporting of campaign funds collected when candidates run for office. “It’s common knowledge …
An outgoing Democratic member of the Delaware House of Representatives says House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf blocked his bill to create an office of the inspector general. Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark, said the move was typical of Schwartzkopf’s leadership style. That leadership style can be characterized by “coercion, intimidation, incentivizing and reward,” Kowalko said, and the inspector general bill is just …
A bill to establish an “independent and nonpartisan” inspector general’s office moved forward Wednesday in a Delaware House committee. The House Administration Committee also moved along a bill to encourage filming in the state by offering tax credits. The committee started discussion to create a constitutional right of a clean environment, but, citing time, continued discussion to Thursday’s committee meeting, …
Two lawmakers on opposite sides of the political spectrum have found common ground in their desire to increase transparency and accountability in state government. A bill filed by Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark South, and Rep. Mike Smith, R-Pike Creek, would establish an independent and nonpartisan inspector general office in Delaware. The proposed office would investigate state agencies to identify and …
State Sen. Darius Brown State Sen. Darius Brown seems to be the latest in a line of Delaware legislators who take jobs with organizations that receive state funds voted on by the General Assembly. Brown, D-Wilmington, has been hired as executive director of a group focused on reducing recidivism in Wilmington. He is expected to go to trial in …
The House Ethics Committee will meet Friday. Photo by Brian K. Leonard. September 2021 An ethics complaint against a Wilmington state representative likely will be the topic of discussion at a House Ethics Committee meeting Friday, and a watchdog group says the secretive government meeting should be public. Rep. Gerald Brady, D-Wilmington, was discovered in July to have sent …
Among those receiving money from the state’s Community Redevelopment Fund this year are the Delaware Agricultural Museum, Brandywine Valley SPCA, Nanticoke Indian Museum and FAME Inc.’s STEM training lab. The Delaware Office of the Controller General is developing a standardized application for non-profits to request state grants from the 2023 Bond Bill’s Community Redevelopment Fund. It will change the …
A bill aimed at restricting Freedom of Information Act requests generated spirited opposition from members of the public at a Senate Elections and Government Affairs Committee meeting on Wednesday. No members of the public spoke in support of SB 155. If released from the Senate committee, the bill would be brought to the Senate floor for a vote before being …
