Candidates spar over sexual violence accusations
The Democratic candidate in the 162nd Legislative District is calling on his Republican opponent in the Nov. 6 General Election to demand that outgoing Republican state Rep. Nicholas Miccarelli resign from his seat instead of simply leaving office.
“Where is Mary Hopper on Nick Miccarelli still collecting a taxpayer-funded salary until November 30th only to be followed by Miccarelli collecting taxpayer funded benefits and pension for the rest of his life?” asked Teamsters Local 312 President Dave Delloso in a release Wednesday. “How can Hopper look the taxpayers of this district in the eye and tell them that they can trust her with their tax dollars or with their safety?”
The seat is open because Miccarelli, a five-term incumbent, decided not to seek re-election after House leadership deemed claims of sexual harassment and assault from two women credible and sent the results of an internal investigation on to Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo.
Miccarelli has vehemently denied the allegations but consented to a protection from abuse order without admitting wrongdoing for one of the women, fellow state Rep. Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-116 of Butler Township. Chardo has indicated the criminal investigation is ongoing.
Miccarelli has not resigned from his position, however, and will hit a 10-year mark of legislative service on Nov. 30 that would make him and his family eligible to receive lifetime taxpayerfunded health care benefits, as well as a pension from the State Employees’ Retirement System.
Hopper, a former Delaware County sheriff and Ridley Park council president, won a writein campaign in the primary. She did not appease Delloso by calling for Miccarelli to resign in an emailed response Wednesday, instead pointing to a recent dust-up between Democratic state Senate hopeful and rape survivor Katie Muth and state Sen. Daylin Leach, D-17 of Lower Merion, who is also accused of inappropriate or unwanted touching by eight women.
“While Delloso is calling for Nick Miccarelli to resign and have his pension stripped, he refuses to do the same for a member of his own party,” said Hopper. “My approach as a female in male-dominated professions has always been to take the high road and focus on my qualifications and experience. I have taken that same approach as a candidate. But I’ve never been one to back down from a fight or hypocrites. Dave Delloso’s remarks prove why we need more females in the Legislature.”
Delloso also took aim at the House Labor and Industry Committee for failing to move on proposed #MeToo legislation that includes reforms for Harrisburg with only about 10 working days left in the session.
“It is a slap in the face to taxpayers that bills to hold accountable sexual predators haven’t been given a vote on the floor of the State House,” he said in the release. “Meanwhile, those same taxpayers are still footing the bill for payoffs of victims and salary and benefits for people credibly accused of sexual assault.”
Among 25 bills introduced on the wave of the #MeToo movement are two written by state Reps. Leanne Krueger-Braneky, D-161 of Swarthmore, and Margo Davidson, D-164 of Upper Darby. Labor and Industry Committee Majority Chairman Rob Kauffman, R-89 of Franklin County, accused Krueger-Braneky of politicizing the issue at a hearing on some of those bills last week.
“It poisons the well of bipartisanship to politicize these issues or raise campaign cash on the backs of those who have been victimized in the workplace,” he said, referring to a political ad featuring Krueger-Braneky that was produced by the Democratic Legislative Leadership Committee.
“There is nothing political about holding perpetrators of sexual abuse accountable,” said one of Miccarelli’s accusers Wednesday, a Republican political consultant who has asked not to be identified. “It is simply the right thing to do. Given the culture of Harrisburg, every elected official and candidate has an obligation to make their intolerance of sexual abuse publicly known. A candidate that remains silent on this issue should never be entrusted with the privilege and responsibility of serving and protecting the public.”
“Sexual violence should never be tolerated,” said Hopper in her response. “That goes without saying.”