| H. William DeWeese | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 50th district |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office May 10, 1976 |
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| Preceded by | Donald Davis |
| 135th Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives | |
| In office January 5, 1993 – November 30, 1994 |
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| Preceded by | Bob O'Donnell |
| Succeeded by | Matt Ryan |
| Democratic Leader of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives |
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| In office January 3, 1995 – November 30, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Ivan Itkin |
| Succeeded by | Todd Eachus |
| In office January 23, 1990[1] – November 30, 1992 |
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| Preceded by | Bob O'Donnell |
| Succeeded by | Ivan Itkin |
| Democratic Whip of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives |
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| In office January 3, 1989 – January 23, 1990 |
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| Preceded by | Bob O'Donnell |
| Succeeded by | Ivan Itkin |
| In office January 6, 2009 – December 19, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Keith McCall |
| Succeeded by | Frank Dermody |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 18, 1950 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Holly Kinser (married 1992, divorced 1999)[2] |
| Residence | Waynesburg, Pennsylvania |
| Alma mater | Wake Forest University |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/branch | U.S. Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1972 — 1975 |
H. William "Bill" DeWeese, (born April 18, 1950) is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and has served as 135th Speaker of the Pennsylvania House in 1993-1994. After five years of investigation by a political nemesis, then Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett, DeWeese was not charged in connection to the Pennyslvania scandal called "Bonusgate." He is currently awaiting trial in a separate matter on six charges of conflict of interest, theft and criminal conspiracy on accusations that two members of his staff used state resources to campaign for political office. DeWeese contends that the charges are part of an ongoing feud with Corbett. Voters returned him to office despite the charges.
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DeWeese was born April 18, 1950, in Pittsburgh and raised in rural Greene County. After earning a B.A., History at Wake Forest University, he joined the United States Marine Corps 1972-1975.
After leaving the Marines, DeWeese was elected to the Pennsylvania House in a 1976 special election and has served the 50th district (all of Greene and parts of Fayette and Washington Counties) since.[3][4][5][6]
DeWeese's ascent through the echelons of House Democratic leadership began when he was elected by his colleagues as Majority Whip in 1988. Upon the death of Speaker of the House James Manderino, DeWeese was elected House Majority Leader in January 1990, serving in that position until he was elected Speaker of the House for the 1993-94 term. In 1994, he lost the Speakership when Democrat Rep. Tom Stish switched parties, giving the GOP the majority. He went on to serve as Minority Leader from 1994 until 2006. With the election of fellow Democrat Ed Rendell as Governor of Pennsylvania in 2003, DeWeese was able to wield more influence than otherwise would have been expected from a Minority legislator.[7]
Following November 2006 elections, a tight race in Chester County gave a slim 102-101 majority to the Democrats, DeWeese became Democratic speaker-designate. Days before the General Assembly convened on January 2, 2007, Rep. Thomas Caltagirone of Berks County announced he would not support DeWeese as speaker but would remain a Democrat. For the second time, DeWeese was denied the speakership by a member of his own party. DeWeese made a shocking move in the Hall of the House when he nominated Philadelphia County Republican Rep. Dennis O'Brien for the office of Speaker. O'Brien defeated fellow Northeast Philadelphia Republican John Perzel in a 105-97 vote. Many political analysts speculate DeWeese's leadership style led to the 1994 and 2007 party defections.
Rep. DeWeese supported a legislative and judicial pay raise in 2005. After criticism from the media and activist groups, DeWeese joined his colleagues in a near unanimous repeal of the pay raise.
DeWeese reorganized the Democratic Caucus following the vote. Members who voted in favor of the pay raise were promoted to those positions; while those who voted against lost such positions as a result of their opposition. Republicans and a small number of fellow Democrats, including Governor Ed Rendell, criticized DeWeese's move; but he stood by his decision, explaining that those who opposed the pay-raise legislation knew the realignment would be a consequence.[8]
Despite the defeats of several legislative leaders in the wake of the pay scandal, DeWeese fought off a 2006 primary election challenge and was elected for an additional term in office on November 7, 2006.
In 2006, the Democratic party won a 102-101 majority in the House, giving DeWeese a second chance at the speaker's gavel. However, several Democratic representatives were rumored to be unhappy with Deweese. Among them were Rep. Rosita Youngblood of Philadelphia whom DeWeese accused of being "owned lock, stock and barrel by Perzel Incorporated.[9] Caltagirone publicly announced his intention to support Perzel, thereby denying DeWeese the Speakership.[10] However, Democrats foiled Perzel's move by nominating a Republican, Dennis O'Brien for Speaker. O'Brien went on to win the election.
DeWeese initially attempted to block Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett's investigation into whether the House Democratic caucus made illegal payments to staffers, with motions to quash suboepenas and exclude evidence seized.[11] However, months later he abruptly dropped his legal challenges.[12]
A website created by opponents of DeWeese argued the documents DeWeese turned over to the Attorney General revealed that DeWeese acknowledged awarding bonuses for campaign work and used a state-paid consultant to perform political tasks.[13] However, DeWeese argued that the three-words "U R Welcome" that opponents said implicated him was in response to an email thanking him for a bonus at Christmas time. Prosecutors did not charge DeWeese in connection with bonuses or the state-paid consultant.
On December 15, 2009, DeWeese was indicted on one count of conflict of interest, four counts of theft and one count of criminal conspiracy.[14] He is accused of paying a full-time political operative with state funds and directing his district office staff to do political work on state time. That operative later said he spent 40 percent of his time on campaigns. That operative was not charged because he made his allegations against his former boss under protection of immunity. DeWeese's trial is scheduled for early 2012.
He has survived calls for his resignation from reform activists[15] and his fellow state representatives[16] DeWeese did not step down and was re-elected in 2008 over Republican Greg Hopkins.[17]
With Keith McCall receiving the party nomination for Speaker after the 2008 elections, DeWeese ran for and was elected to be Majority Whip in the House.[18] He resigned from his leadership role after he was indicted on charges unrelated to the issues at the center of the Bonusgate case.[19] In spite of this reduced role in the Democratic caucus, the Pennsylvania Report expected DeWeese to "find some way to exert his influence and thus continue to be a power player and force behind-the-scenes in the PA House" and cautioned against anyone counting him out.[20]
DeWeese maintained that his charges were part of a political vendetta by Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett, who indicted DeWeese while running for Governor. Corbett won the governor’s race through an anti-corruption platform despite allegations of prosecutorial misconduct and corruption in Corbett's office.
A key source of dispute between Corbett and DeWeese is the exploration for natural gas in Marcellus Shale, a booming industry in DeWeese’s district. Between 2005 and 2010, more than 1,900 wells had been drilled in Pennsylvania. Greene County, home of DeWeese, has attracted companies as large as Haliburton. Haliburton. Corbett, the former assistant General Counsel of Waste Management, opposes an extraction tax on Marcellus Shale drilling while DeWeese favors it. Corbett also sought to limit regulatory oversight of the drilling industry.
Corbett’s campaign was heavily funded by energy insiders. He received more than $1 million in campaign contributions from the natural gas industry.
In August, 2011, DeWeese called for a theft-of-services investigation of Tom Corbett when the wife of a Corbett cabinet member was charged with DUI and called the Governor’s mansion in the early morning hours to assist. A State Trooper was dispatched to pick her up from the police station and drive her home.
As part of the ongoing feud, Corbett also canceled a prison destined for DeWeese’s district.
DeWeese is well known for his idiosyncratic style of speaking and writing, which incorporates an extensive vocabulary, anachronistic usages, and attenuated metaphors. For instance, a 2002 letter by DeWeese to lobbyist Stephen Wojdak regarding Wojdak's hiring of DeWeese's ex-wife, Holly Kinser, began with the following paragraph:
Let's cut to the chase ... you sir, are a liar. The measure of the person in our enterprise is his word. When a man comes to my Capitol Hill enclave and stands beneath that impressive chandelier of gold, looks me in the eye with a gimlet gaze, shakes my hand with a sturdy grip and gives me his word, to me it's axiomatic that the gentleman is telling the truth. You are an abject, ignoble, mendacious knave![21]
While some take DeWeese's use of language as evidence of his high level of intellect, others complain that his prose is frequently mangled. Others find his linguistic choices pompous. In a 2002 interview with the Allentown Morning Call, DeWeese said regarding his metaphors: "My intelligence is in the middle range, but my enthusiasm is above average."
In 2002, the political website PoliticsPA named him to the list of "Smartest Legislators," saying "His command of the English language leaves most people fumbling for a dictionary, if they can even spell the word. The breadth and depth of his knowledge of history also distinguishes this Democratic Floor Leader. Extremely well rounded and well read, DeWeese is capable of holding an intelligent conversation on just about any topic."[22] In a 2002 PoliticsPA Feature story designating politicians with yearbook superlatives, he was named the "Best Dressed."[23]
Roddy, Dennis; Dennis B. Roddy (December 16, 2009). "DeWeese stunned by charges in corruption probe". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09350/1021197-454.stm.
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