For years, Dave Argall has told the people of the 124th district to keep sending him to Harrisburg because of his influence as the #2 Republican in the PA House of Representatives. We were told that if we voted for another candidate, whether it be in the general election or a primary, we would be throwing away opportunities for this county that a freshman lawmaker couldn’t possibly match. We bought it hook line and sinker every time.
So, when Argall announced on November 11th that he would be seeking Jim Rhoades’ vacant 29th Senate district seat, some of us political junkies scratched our heads. Why would someone who wields so much power in one chamber give that up for the opportunity to sit as a freshman senator, who won’t even have a committee chairmanship?
Argall reassured us. He told me, “I feel that I can do more for the people of my district and the Commonwealth as a senator in the majority party than I could as the minority whip in the House.” Commendable.
He has even campaigned on the idea that he voluntarily gave up his leadership post for the greater good of the people of Schuylkill County. “I’m just taking a $26,000 pay cut with one in college and a second one about to enter college.” Heroic.
However, that was all just lies. The Clarke Report recently acquired a batch of e-mails that conclusively prove that Argall was actually ousted from his whip position and is merely using this senate campaign as a way to save face amongst his constituency.
The following is an e-mail sent from Argall’s House GOP account to members of the caucus at 4:10 PM on November 5th:
Subject: Leadership Elections
Congratulations on your win, in the only public opinion poll which really counts. When our caucus meets for the leadership elections, I will be seeking another term as our Whip. I would very much appreciate your vote in this election. The Whip’s job is basically to monitor session day attendance, to count key votes – on my own and sometimes very quickly with your colleagues who have volunteered to assist me – and to assist our floor leader whenever necessary.
In serving in this position sinc e 2005, as well as in my previous service as Appropriations Chairman, Majority Caucus Chairman, Urban Affairs Chairman and Chairman of the Joint Conservation Committee, I have sought to address the needs of our entire caucus. I fully understand that the demands of each member’s district can vary greatly.
Since my first House victory in 1984, I have tackled many legislative issues. I understand that we must communicate our initiatives and priorities on the Floor of the House in a timely manner, and I believe I can be of continued assistance in this regard.
As our Whip, I have worked with many of you – from the most senior to our newly-elected members. I look forward to meeting even more challenges together.
Thank you for your consideration. If you have any questions, or if I may be of assistance to you, please contact me at the office or my home at [phone number deleted for privacy].
As you can see, Argall clearly announced his candidacy for the minority whip job to his colleagues the day after the election. However, things quickly changed the following day (Nov.6th) as GrassrootsPA reported, “Argall unsuccessful in negotiations for Whip slot”. In fact, that morning, minority leader Sam Smith, released a memo to the GOP caucus endorsing Rep. Mike Turzai for the Whip position.
Thus, Argall issued this e-mail to the rest of the GOP caucus at 2:35PM on November 6th:
Subject: Leadership Elections
Many of you have been very helpful to me in the past few days and I have appreciated your honest counsel.
The tragic death of my friend, Senator Jim Rhoades, has created a unique set of circumstances. We are all very proud of the overwhelming tribute which the voters of the 29th district gave to him on election day.
Right now, I need to focus my energy upon the pressing need to nominate and elect a well-qualified Republican Senator to serve the needs of this region, rather than seek re-election as Whip. This was a difficult decision, based upon our many friendships and I have valued your comments.
I look forward to aiding our new Whip, and our entire leadership team, throughout the transition period.
I don’t mind the fact that Argall wanted to sugar-coat his ouster from the leadership. If my boss unceremoniously showed me the back door in such a public job, I would be a bit embarrassed, too. However, Argall stepped over the line when he used his reduced salary and new found back-bencher status as a virtue in his campaign for senate and as a salvo to impeach the credibility of others.
13 Comments
December 11, 2008 at 8:09 am
Saying you took a pay cut with a kid in college, when the truth is you were demoted…that’s pretty low, even for a politician.
One thing I am really curious about…this article says Argall won’t even have a committee chairmanship in the Senate (if he somehow wins)….but he has been saying for weeks that he will have a committee chairmanship right away….any truth to that or is it another lie from Argall?
December 11, 2008 at 10:15 am
Check out the PA Senate website – all committee chairs have been filled. Our new senator could be the only one wihtout a chairmanship – so much for all that power Dave thinks he’s going to have. How the mighty have fallen!!
December 11, 2008 at 11:33 am
Let me get this straight. Argall the genius spearheads a pay raise which sinks our party into the minority in the House, costs him his leadership position, then expects to cut and run for the Senate????
What’s his advice to his would-be successor for the House…..”Don’t bother with it, you won’t get anything done there because Republicans are in the minority.” Great attitude!
Get this guy out of the legislature altogether. He is a screwup who can’t take accountabilit for anything.. He blew the majority for us, got demoted. Get rid of him.
December 11, 2008 at 1:41 pm
[...] Clarke Report: Argall Lied About his Exit from House Leadership… [...]
December 11, 2008 at 2:37 pm
[...] The Clarke Report thinks so. [...]
December 11, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Mr. Clarke,
This most recent post seems to have some factual inconsistencies.
The two emails you cite seem legitimate, but the reasoning that connects them does not. This mysterious memo that you evoke as evidence of Argall being ousted does not appear to be substantiated by any sources (please redirect me if mistaken). If, however, we assume that the memo was indeed real, it also seems disingenuous to immediately conclude that Smith simply “fired” Argall.
Rather, to my knowledge (for what it’s worth), Argall was hoping to run both for Whip (as his email indicated) as well as the Senate seat. This way, even if he lost in the special election, he would have kept his previous post. Naturally, this would have been the best scenario for Argall, but Smith did not like the prospect of having an empty Whip spot should Argall win the Senate seat. He told Argall to choose: run for Whip or run for Senate, but not both. Argall chose the latter.
Of course, I concede that the version of the story I was told could have flaws of its own. But please don’t claim to “conclusively prove” something which you certainly don’t have the raw data to substantiate.
December 11, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Mr. Clarke,
You’re an attorney, so I’m pretty disapointed…post hoc, ergo propter hoc, buddy. This is completely unfair to Mr. Argall.
December 11, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Speaking of lies that Dave Argall has told, can someone enlighten me on when the House or the Senate started charging rent to legislators? Argall was quoted in the Pottsville paper this week crying that he has to pay $10,000 in rent for his capitol office? Is this fact or fiction? Inquring minds want to know! If true, how come these poor legislators didn’t cry about it when trying to justify their midnight pay raise? If not true, does that not make Mr. Argall a story fabricator, a.k.a. a liar?? Someone enlighten me please!!
December 12, 2008 at 8:29 am
I’ve thought about it many times in the past but now I’ve decided to do it. I’m switching to Democrat. Currently Republicans have only one person representing them (Dave Argall) and it seems to me that all you idiots want to do is get him out. Before you get started, let me make this perfectly clear. I don’t care one little bit about who’s corrupt, who’s taken pay raises, who’s lied or who’s been naughty and who’s been nice. I care about who’s Republican & who’s Democrat. They ALL break rules. BOTH PARTIES!!! At least when I switch I’ll finally be on the winning team.
December 12, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Jane Argall is not a Republican. It says he is on his registration card, but the guy is not a Republican. He votes with the Democrats. He is only registered Republican because the 124th District is Republican and he knows he’d never get elected as a Democrat. That is the ONLY reason Dave Argall is a Republican. If we send him to the Senate, it won’t be long before we lose the majority there too. I give him three months before he tries to sneak in another pay raise or raise the income tax again or does something very stupid to hurt our party again. Best to purge these phony backstabbing Republicans and get real Republicans in there before lose everything. Oh before I forget I just read somewhere that Argall gave money to a committee that supported Hillary Clinton. Suprised? I’m not.
December 12, 2008 at 3:30 pm
GOP Pride As a matter of course I usually do not respond to this sort of blog however in your case I must make an exception. 1st you are incrediably rude, 2nd your comment is nothing more than your own opinion, upon which I find offensive, 3rd your entire blog smacks of a bitter, angry person. The fringes of any group of people are the core reason said group can not enjoy any success. You and your bitter little minions have slung mud without merit or anything remotely fair and have done nothing to build the GOP up but rather have succeded in further tearing it down. In short Mr. GOP with friends like you who needs enemies!
December 12, 2008 at 3:35 pm
For you Jane todays news will indicate the demorcrats are no better actually much worse at least the republicans are not trying to socialize our country with the goverment and unions running everything. Actually the revolt we really need are free thinking unincumbered independents
December 12, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Jane,
Just because a politician has an (R) after his name, it doesn’t mean that he is really a Republican.
The GOP is a political party founded on core principles of smaller government, individual liberty, and personal responsibility. Some members may disagree on specific issues, but CANNOT disagree on the ideals that make us fundamentally different than the democrats.
Dave Argall is a nice enough guy. He’s smart, friendly, charismatic, and handsome. Those attributes may be what gets him elected year in and year out, but it has no bearing on whether he is a Republican.
If you care enough to look at Argall’s 24 year record in the House, it will become clear to you that he does not hold the same principles as the GOP. Argall has raised taxes numerous times. He has expanded government exponentially. He has voted against personal freedoms and accountability. I guarantee you that if I posted his record alongside Neal Goodman’s without revealing which was whosse, you would not be able to tell me which one was Argall’s.
This is not only an Argall problem. It is a problem with the Republican Party nationwide. A White House and Congress under Republican control presided over the biggest government expansion in American history. Bigger than both FDR’s New Deal and LBJ’s Great Society.
So, what happened?
Its easy: Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Once the GOP gained power both nationally and in PA, we stopped worrying about reforming government and started thinking of how we could use it to further our own agenda. Politicians stopped working for the people and started working to maintain their own power. The party put aside its core values in favor of strategy that would keep getting them elected. And it worked . . . for a while.
When the American people caught on to our scam, they threw the bums out. Now, we are on the outside looking in and have a choice to make. We can choose to refine the scam to make it marketable to the electorate, while shuffling around some deck chairs to give the illusion that we have learned our lesson OR we can return the party to the core principles that made us great in the first place, while casting out all the captains that steered us in the wrong direction.
I choose the latter.