Pennsylvania State Sen. Gene Yaw (Republican from Lycoming County), who serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Committee, has caved to pressure from five Philadelphia-area Senators (four Democrats, one RINO), to delay a hearing on reconfirming Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Patrick McDonnell. The Gang of Five are trying to bully McDonnell into blocking the Mariner East 2 Pipeline project by threatening him with unending investigations, and by threatening his very job. Nice folks.
UPDATE: Sen. Yaw did not cave to pressure from the Gang of Five. Something else has delayed McDonnell’s reconfirmation. See our update below.
The Gang (more like Mob) of Five is headed by Democrat Sen. Andy “Tony Soprano” Dinniman, who’s acting as mob boss to get rid of McDonnell. And if not get rid of him, at least weaken McDonnell to the point they can control him. This is why people are so disgusted with politics and politicians.
We told you last Friday about the plan by the Gang of Five to try and derail reconfirmation of McDonnell (see Gang of Five PA Senators Pull Out the Long Knives for DEP Sec.). Somehow they got to Yaw, and he folded like a cheap suit.
The Senate Environmental Committee with move forward with reconfirmation hearings today (Apr 30) for Cindy Dunn, Secretary of the Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Which we find unfortunate. She’s the one person who should NOT be reconfirmed. She’s the radical former head of PennFuture and should never have had the job in the first place.
Here’s the news that McDonnell’s hearing has been “postponed” until further notice:
Late Monday, the Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, announced consideration of the renomination of DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell has been postponed.
The Committee was due to consider his renomination Tuesday, April 30.
The renomination of DCNR Secretary of Cindy Adams Dunn will go ahead as planned.
On April 25, Senators Andy Dinniman (R-Chester), Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery), Katie Muth (D-Chester), Tom Killion (R-Delaware) and Tim Kearney (D-Chester) wrote to the Chairs of the Senate Environmental Committee asking for a postponement of the April 30 reconfirmation hearing on DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell until investigations into the Sunoco Mariner East Pipeline project are complete.
The meeting will be held April 30 in Room 461 Capitol Building starting at 9:30. Click Here to watch the meeting live.
Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-787-3280 or sending email to: [email protected] Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7105 or sending email to: [email protected]*
*PA Environment Digest Blog (Apr 29, 2019) – Renomination Of DEP Secretary McDonnell Will Not Be Considered By Senate Environmental Committee Tuesday
UPDATE:
A trusted source contacted MDN to let us know Sen. Yaw did not delay McDonnell’s reconfirmation because of pressure from Dinniman and the Philly Gang of Five. Far from it. What’s actually happened is there are several Republicans who have some issues with McDonnell and want to meet with him about those issues before they’re willing to sign on for another four-year stint. In other words, Republicans are sending a subtle (maybe not so subtle) signal to McDonnell. Our apologies to Sen. Yaw for drawing the wrong conclusion.
This post appeared first on Marcellus Drilling News.