WARNING: The following column contains near-toxic levels of detail regarding the ridiculous political machinations of Pennsylvania's polluted state government.
Please read this piece only while wearing a lead-lined jumpsuit and goggles. Put it down immediately if you experience a rapid heartbeat, light-headedness or involuntary hand tremors.
In the convoluted culture of Harrisburg, little is needed to bring the excruciatingly slow-turning wheels of state bureaucracy to a standstill.
Today, we provide another example of this regrettable truism by exploring the cause of the paralysis gripping the state Gaming Control Board.
The panel that oversees gambling in Pennsylvania was forced to cancel its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday. Because of uncertainty over whether the board has the necessary four legislative appointees it needs to conduct official business, when it can reconvene is unclear.
Normally, the board's meetings are not confusing.
There are four seats where the gambling board members appointed by House and Senate leaders sit. If they are filled when the meeting is slated to begin, then voila! Bang the gavel already.
Not so easy to do that now.
Not after Republican Rep. John Perzel of Philadelphia, then the House speaker, named outgoing GOP Rep. Mark McNaughton of Harrisburg to fill a board vacancy on Nov. 30.
Lawmakers are barred from accepting state government jobs. McNaughton was serving his last day as a representative when he was tapped for the $145,000-per-year job.
A technicality, you say?
One that easily could be remedied if Perzel simply reappoints McNaughton, now that he's no longer is a legislator?
You make me chuckle, you who obviously are unfamiliar with how Pennsylvania government works.
Ousted as speaker last week, Perzel no longer can make appointments to the board. The new speaker, Republican Rep. Dennis O'Brien of Philadelphia, isn't expected to select McNaughton.
O'Brien is beholden to Perzel's political nemesis, Democratic Majority Leader Bill DeWeese of Greene County. DeWeese wanted to be speaker, but backed O'Brien when he couldn't muster enough votes to win, even though his party enjoys a majority in the House.
Acting as DeWeese's proxy, O'Brien is expected to reappoint Jeff Coy -- another former House member -- to the gambling board. That would still leave a vacancy to be filled, ostensibly by House Minority Leader Sam Smith of Punxsutawney.
Smith, however, might not get the chance. Some House Republicans are attempting to replace him as minority leader -- with none other than the deposed speaker Perzel.
Should that occur, McNaughton presumably then would finally claim his seat on the gambling panel.
While these petty power struggles play themselves out, the gambling board is inactive. Having awarded 11 slots casino licenses less than a month ago, this doesn't appear to be the best time to have it sit idle.
Having any hand tremors yet?
