Senators Pat Browne and Bob Mensch are dealing with trouble at home while they contend for leadership positions in Harrisburg.
The Lehigh County Republican Party is calling a meeting in order to vote on a censure motion against both Senators.
Members of the local party are upset with Sens. Browne and Mensch for voting against an amendment proposed by Senator Wagner. Wagner’s amendment was in support of “paycheck protection” legislation, which would curtail the ability of labor unions to collect membership dues.
This news comes amidst a battle over leadership of the Senate GOP caucus.
The Senators are both part of the effort, led by Sen. Jake Corman, to replace Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi and the current GOP leadership.
Senator Browne is running for Chair of the Appropriations Committee while Senator Mensch is attempting to become Caucus Chairman.
As a result, any attempt to make them appear less conservative plays into the heads of the current party leadership.
Labor has been perhaps the biggest source of contention in the Republican caucus. It was the central rationale to Sen. Wagner’s September missive to Sen. Pileggi and one PAC Chairman even blamed the relationship between unions and the Senate GOP leadership for Gov. Corbett’s loss.
Therefore, by pointing out that two members of the insurgents voted no on anti-union legislation, the Lehigh County GOP is trying to undermine their cause.
Representatives of Senators Browne and Mensch have yet to respond to PoliticsPA’s request for comment.
All legislative leadership elections are scheduled to take place tomorrow.
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5 Responses
Isn’t there a better more descriptive name than “paycheck protection”. Let’s call it what it is.
As one of the primary sponsors of the special meeting to vote for Censure I can assure you that undermining the Senators has nothing to do with our vote. Our vote is strictly to hold the Senators accountable for their votes which were opposed to our Republican Party Platform in PA. Also, the comment ““paycheck protection” legislation, which would curtail the ability of labor unions to collect membership dues” as you have written is misleading and incomplete. This legislation was specifically written to prevent the PSEA (teachers union) from using taxpayer resources to collect dues for their private membership. The PSEA would still be able to collect all their dues directly from their membership.
I am very disappointed with this post, as it is inaccurate and misleading. I rely on Politics PA for objective reporting, and this is a polar opposite. Why attribute intent and motives to a County Party leadership without fact checking, and at least a call to the Chair to confirm? You can and should hold yourselves to a higher standard.
The Lehigh County Republican Committee is not calling the meeting to censure Senators Browne aand Mensch. All that happened is a small group has asked for the meeting and only 5 are needed for that request to be made. There is no assurance there will be a meeting because until the night of the meeting there is no assurance of a quorum. Neither the party itself or the leadership has suggested a censure. We are supportive of the Senators overall and of their leadership bids as good for our region
Lehigh County Republican Party Chairmen William Heydt
If Pileggi doesn’t have the votes to stay on, he’ll flip the script and caucus with the SEPA republicans and democrats to mantain his leader post. The reverse of what happened in NY.