Who is Dennis O’Brien?

In a bizarre twist of events today Dennis O’Brien was elected speaker of the PA house today. After Novembers election the house if majority democrat by 1 seat. Over the weekend Democrat Rep. Thomas R. Caltagirone sent a letter stating his intention of supporting the incumbent Speaker, Republican John Perzel instead of Democrat Bill DeWeese. So DeWeese nominated Dennis O’Brien.

From Caltagirone’s Letter to his colleagues:

However, I have become increasingly distressed over the years with the manner in which our Democratic leaders have conducted the business of the Caucus. The leaders of our Caucus have shown little regard for many members of the Caucus, the constituents they represent, and the legislative initiatives we should be supporting. Instead, they have operated the Caucus as a personal fiefdom, promoting their own personal and political ambitions behind a wall of secrecy and petty personal vindictiveness.

As you are aware, at the request of Rep. DeWeese, I recently provided him with a list of reforms which, I believed, would enable our Caucus to embark on a new era of transparency and fairness. I had hoped that with the election of Rep. McCall and other new members to leadership positions in the Caucus, these proposed changes would be seriously considered, and adopted. Instead, all that I have received from Rep. DeWeese in response is his usual outpouring of obfuscation. Unfortunately, I no longer have any confidence in his ability to lead the Democratic Caucus, and do not believe him and his associates to be capable of fulfilling the responsibilities necessary to lead the House of Representatives.

And to no ones surprise the democrats are stunned that a fellow democrat would stand up and try to change the culture of the democrats. Rather than respond by improving party integrity, they are quick to paint Caltagirone as a republican.

From the Post-Gazette:

“By selling out to House Speaker John Perzel, Caltagirone will go down in history with the likes of other traitors who have given Republicans an opportunity to stifle progressive legislation that helps working families in Pennsylvania while advancing the cause of big business and the elite at everyone else’s expense,” Mr. Rooney said.

What will it take for the democratic leadership to realize that representing the will of the people is more important than their own personal power plays? And Who is Dennis O’Brien?

Bill DeWeese:

Tom  Caltagirone: