Wolfgang Von Baumgart, the Chair of the Independent Party of Delaware, tells WGMD’s Randy Nelson Show that former State Representative John Atkins contacted him the morning of his resignation about getting on the ballot in the special election as an Independent Party candidate. Listen to the audio HERE.

You can listen to Mr Atkins teary resignation speech HERE, a speech he made AFTER that phone call to the Independent Party of Delaware.

UPDATE: ATKINS SAYS HE WILL NOT RUN

WGMD News is reporting that former State Representative John Atkins will not seek his 41st District seat back in the May 5th special election:

There was a great deal of speculation about whether or not State Representative John Atkins would run in the special election to fill the vacancy left by his own resignation. However Atkins has now confirmed that he will not enter the race. Atkins had stated on WGMD that the 41st district sent him there to do a job, and that there was a lot of people in support of him going back to finish that job, however Atkins reconsidered that possibility. Atkins resigned earlier this week after months of controversy surrounding the incidents that took place back in October, in which he was stopped by Ocean City Maryland police for suspected drunk driving and then involved in a domestic incident at his home.

Yesterday on the program, a groundswell of support from the 41st regarding a possible re-run for JA led to today’s audio. On my show today, I spoke with Atkins about that very possibility.

John Atkins 3/29/07 (audio)

Following the phoner, From my estimate, the majority of listeners in the 41st rang in with support for a possible re-run for Atkins.. To quote a text messager on my insider line: “The details of the electoin itself are one thing, then add Atkins and the people of the 41st envoking the ultimate democratic will by sending him back, priceless…..”

Listen, if you want to voice your support or dissent, The 41st District Republican Committee will be holding meeting at the Millsboro Civic Center this Saturday at 2:00P.M. - Now’s your chance to really be heard.

Now it’s up to you, 41st.

Delaware State Representative John Atkins from Millsboro has resigned today in a speech on the floor of the State House, and you can hear that speech HERE in it’s entirety from WGMD News.

The mood in Legislative Hall could only be described as tense in the hours leading up to the Millsboro Representative’s resignation. When the embattled Representative arrived at Legislative Hall, he was flanked by his wife and Capitol Police officers. You can hear what Representative Greg Lavelle had to say about the situation before Atkins resigned HERE.

After the speech, there was a flurry of activity, and then it was back to business as usual for the Delaware State House. This is what Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf from Rehoboth Beach had to say about John Atkins’ resignation to WGMD.

You can listen to what former House Majority Leader Wayne Smith, the Chair of the Ethics Committee during the investigation, had to say about the resignation HERE.

Representative Atkins had no comment.

When the session resumed, the topic was Jobs for Delaware Graduates.

The 41st District will be holding a special election to fill the vacancy.

Good news reported this weekend on yet another potential benefit of Adult Stem Cell Research. Studies are showing this to be very optimistic in treatment of heart failure and heart attack with additional reporting due tomorrow. Now, if one looks at what ASC can accomplish, I’m not even sure why we are even discussing or arguing over ESC…other than the fact that “we have them, let’s use them”. Sure…but why open a whole ’nuther can of worms when such successes (and they are NOT limited as many claim) have come from ACS?

And, today, it’s a pity Elizabeth Edwards was pushing for continued or increased funding of stem cell research while specifically trying to advance the embryonic. It’s a great pity that her cancer has resurfaced and I certainly wish her well and the strength to be so but does it justify the push for ESC clearance? Obviously, ASC is working and, apparently minus possible rejection or other difficulties…we don’t yet know this about ESC. Even if we did, does it mean we have to go that route given the good results from the other…and what about the positive potential from amniotic and placenta cells? The way I see it, such use is to be from consenting donors and, particularly from amniotic and placental waste…which is certainly discarded…shouldn’t be difficult to acquire. On the other hand, like it or not the possibility does exist for there to be a potential “market” for egg donations and who’s to say we would never go down this path?

Many years ago people donated blood for the good of their fellow-man in need and then it became a means by which hundreds, if not thousands, sold their blood to help them through tough times, buy the next bottle, whatever…reasons good as well as nefarious. Later it was selling sperm. Call me cynical but I really don’t believe we would never make that small leap from simply making use of “unwanted eggs” to “$??? per dozen”. I understand as well as anyone, perhaps better than some, we’d do anything for a cure for a loved one…even to that level. Some are willing to have a Bill passed allowing any type of stem cell research while, at the same time, discounting and discarding more benign, alternative treatments. I’m not against appropriate SCR but we’re doing pretty damn good with the adult version. Maybe it would behoove us simply to ensure funding for what IS already available will be there for anyone in need of such treatment, not just if they can afford it or have insurance to cover it for the general argument is it is unfair to have the possibility of embryonic stem cells being a life-mind-body saver and not be able to do so. Yet it is no less fair than already having adult cell therapy available for many of the same illnesses if those who need or can use it cannot afford it.

Dave Burris, the Chair of the Sussex County Republican Party is asking for State Representative John Atkins to quit or be kicked out of the house.  Reluctantly I agree with Dave.  I think John needs professional help.  I hope he can heal, and return to public life someday.

Here is the complete text of the Dave Burris letter:

TO: The Members of the House Majority Caucus
c/o Rep. Terry R. Spence, Speaker of the House of Representatives

FROM: David M. Burris, Chairman, Sussex County Republican Committee

Dear Members of the House Majority Caucus:

Throughout this entire ordeal, I stood by John Atkins, defending him against certain charges and often appearing on the radio encouraging others to give John the benefit of the doubt until the ethics process was complete. I have interacted with John on a regular basis, often multiple times in the same day. I have also received reports from others, some I’ve never met, of John’s outside activity.

In my interaction with John, at no time has he expressed any remorse for what occurred on that night. At no time has he expressed any desire to improve his situation through counseling or other means. In fact, he went to great lengths to avoid and to alter his court-ordered counseling.

What John has done is adopt an all-consuming fiery passion to take down as many other elected and appointed officials as possible, on both sides of the aisle. He encouraged me to use my blog and/or my connections with other bloggers and media to promote various charges against several members of the House Democratic Caucus.

John has also been spotted drinking in local bars on several occasions during the first few months of this calendar year, most recently on Friday, March 16, 2007 at Smitty McGee’s in Fenwick Island. While the act in itself is not illegal or specifically unethical, for John to be seen drinking in a public place in the middle of his ethics process reveals to me that he has learned nothing from this experience, and that it will just be a matter of time before another incident occurs.

That is the crux of this whole situation — if you let John off with a slap on the wrist, you, the House Republican Caucus, have bought and paid for his next mistake. Whenever he slips up again, it will belong to you as much as it does to him.

To adopt the recommendations of the ethics committee – which, to the average citizen, translates to absolutely no punishment at all – is simply not enough. Your actions will tell the people of Delaware, of all ages, that lying in a deposition to the ethics committee (something we impeached a President for) and driving a car after being told that you have a BAC nearly twice the legal limit essentially carry no punishment beyond public embarrassment.

How can you as elected Republicans have the moral authority to set policies governing the behavior of the ordinary citizen when you won’t enforce proper behavior out of your own members, even in the most extreme of cases?

I can firmly say at this point with no reservation whatsoever that it is in John Atkins’ best interest and the best interest of the caucus, the Republican Party and the State of Delaware that John resign or be expelled from the Delaware House of Representatives.

I can not guarantee you that the Republican Party will retain the seat in the 41st district. I can only say that we feel incredibly optimistic that we can do so. We have a multitude of potential candidates, all people of character, who will serve admirably and with honor and I guarantee you that the Sussex County Republicans would work tirelessly to win the special election.

It brings me no joy, only extreme sadness and frustration to write this letter. I am certainly putting my position as Chairman on the line in reaching out to you, as this letter will be released to the public. However, I believe leadership requires doing the right thing, not the easy thing, and requires doing it out in the open.

As a result, I am prepared to accept whatever consequences come my way, even if it costs me my position, because I know that this action is in the long-term interests of our Party, and improving those long-term interests is my duty.

I respect the undue burden that you face in casting judgment on one of your own, as we are all flawed in our own way, but I urge you to consider the message you send to the people of our State, including the young minds who don’t understand the concept of Censure. They only see that an elected official drove drunk mere moments after being released without punishment from driving drunk; that the same official lied under oath to the committee investigating the incident; and that the official will get away with doing all of it in every way that a young mind can comprehend.

Take this opportunity to teach those young minds that Republicans are willing to demand a minimum standard of character in our elected officials.

Demand John Atkins’ resignation or vote to expel him.

With Respect and Humility,

David M. Burris
Chairman
Sussex County Republican Committee

                                               

Sorry John.  I think it’s for your own good.

 

  

We have some news from Mark Carter, head of the Delaware Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation:

Greetings. Some Surfrider info.

Our new email address is delsurfrider@earthlink.net

Also, I’ve included a cool pic from our water testing program.

EARTH DAY Cleanup and Drain Stencil

Saturday, April 21st / Time TBD / Location: Herring Point, Cape Henlopen State Park

Surfrider will be holding two activities on Earth Day.

A morning Drain Stencil Project in the town of Lewes.

After the stencil, a quick cleanup out at Herring Point. This will be our third year in a row cleaning up at HP on Earth Day, so please try to volunteer your time.

I will send you an update with exact time/etc. in the near future.

Fish Hawk Paddling Festival

Saturday, May 19th is the first annual Fish Hawk Paddle Festival at Cape Henlopen State Park. There will be a Surfrider booth set up at the event.

Something that we’ve discussed at Surfrider meetings is to provide recycling bins at events that we are involved in. SO, we are currently painting some “soul” on some trash cans that we can take to different events.

We need some VOLUNTEERS to man our booth for the day at the paddle festival and to monitor the recycle bins. PLEASE respond back to me if you can help out. The time frame we need covered is from about 10 AM until 4 PM. There’ll also be a music concert on the beach that night, so it should be a good time. THIS WILL BE OUR FIRST EVENT WHERE WE PUSH THE 3RS (REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE).

Miami2Maine Paddle

This is a link to a way cool event. A lady is paddling her outrigger canoe from Miami to Maine this spring/summer to raise awareness for clean oceans and Surfrider. (Makes volunteering for a few hours to pick up trash seem like a small thing????)

She will paddling by DE around June 20th. the DE Chapter will greet/send her off and also hold a small cleanup at her arrival beach.

A few members will be supporting her by providing her with a crash pad for the night, boat storage for her night in DE, and also paddling from Cape Henlopen to Cape May with her in kayaks (NOT for the novice paddler).

Herring Point Groin Project

No significant developments.
DNREC has been in the bid process this week, and a timeline should be decided upon in the very near future.

Hope all is well.

Know thyself,
Mark

Mark, you know I’ll volunteer for the stenciling, anytime government property can be legally spray painted, count me in….

They’re giving players the boot on The Boot. Italian Serie A football has suspended two players in as many months for positive cocaine tests. Messina goalkeeper Nicholas Caglioni has been suspended indefinitely pending a hearing after testing positive for the drug, and Sampdoria’s Francesco Flachi is facing a two year ban from the game after his “B” test came back positive. Flachi was also suspended for a little sports betting thing earlier this season so expect him to get hammered with the maximum.

It’s now four months and counting to the debut of David Beckham with the LA Galaxy, and he’s preparing for that day in what other way than looking like a rapper. It gets better. He’s quoted as saying,

“I’m not silly enough to think that soccer is going to be as big as baseball, American football or basketball.”

But he apparently is “silly enough” to put on that outfit. Oh, Becks, let’s go over something before you come to the USA to play ball, even here, this is good, while that other thing just ain’t so good. Trust me….

So while Beckham is looking, you know, like that, let’s talk about Christiano Ronaldo, (Whew, that’s better, I can barely even remember what that Beckham/rapper picture looked like). Watch while Ronaldo is taken out in a nasty way that earns Middlesbrough’s James Morrison a red card, with none other than Wayne Rooney jumping to Ronaldo’s defense. Look at that neck grab and the anger in Rooney’s face. Manchester United beat Middlesbrough 1-0, with the winning goal scored by Ronaldo.

And UEFA is investigating Belgium’s goalie over what could be threats he made in a Belgian newspaper article about Ronaldo, but when you translate it into English, it just doesn’t sound so threatening.

“After two minutes we will normally have to attack Ronaldo so much that he will have to leave the pitch.”

Stijn Stijnen, the Belgian goalkeeper, is claiming he was misquoted. Let’s hope so because that was pretty lame trash talk.

In other Man U news, they’ve been fined for failing to keep their fans from using fireworks during a match last month against Lille, while Lille was fined for Man U fans crushing themselves and getting in the way of police tear gas canisters and batons. You can watch that example of French crowd control here.

And this is classic. The fight for who gets to be England’s goalie may be over after this amazing shot by Tottenham’s Paul Robinson. Robinson, and that other, humiliated guy, have been battling it out for the starting spot. That’s gotta hurt, and not in that “Joe Theisman’s leg getting broken by Lawrence Taylor” way, which you can see here if you need a little American football fix. (And yes, I know the Theisman Leg Break is really more of a Christmas tradition and it’s almost Easter, but what can I say).

You can also check this video out if you’re missing The Greatest American Sport Ever as much as I am. It’s just a little bit of fun but it is for the grown ups only.

After decades of inactivity, the Delaware House Ethics Committee has emerged to recommend censure for State Representative John Atkins. While the committee met behind closed doors, they voted in public, and the vote was unanimous.

Representative Pete Schwartzkopf (D-RB), on the Dan Gaffney Show this morning said he would vote for expulsion, and added that Atkins, “needs some professional counseling, he needs some help, I’d like to see him get the help before he just totally, totally implodes.”

Representative Atkins has told me several times that what he did was, “nothing compared to what other House members have done,” which may explain why the Ethics Committee is recommending censuring him and not going for expulsion. What a comforting thought for all of us Delawareans.

UPDATE: Ask and sometimes you shall receive. Here’s the Ethics Committee Report PDF style: ethicscommitteerec.pdf

I’m a dog owner…a cat owner, bird owner, (with multiples of all of them) and proud of it. Truth be told, they seem to own me rather than I ‘own’ them. For my ’crew’ I’m not worried about the current pet food scare but I AM concerned and appalled that a company with such a huge manufacturing/distributorship took as long as they did to notify the public about the problem with some of their product. The dates listed were from Dec. to March 6. They went public on March 16?? Ten dogs didn’t die that day, I’m sure…nor did many, many more suddenly, on that day, develop kidney failure or it’s symptoms. And the fact that they suspect it was caused by wheat gluten?

First and foremost, we should all be checking the ingredients on the foods we provide our pets, just as we do for ourselves, and if wheat, corn, grains of any sort are the first listed, avoid that food anyway. Many animal allergies are caused by such ingredients for one thing. For another, mostly the only value they have is filler and surely they don’t have to be the first or primary ingredient. Many people believe…because they are usually “advised” that human table food is not good for pets, specifically dogs. Why not…if you, yourself, follow a healthy diet? I wouldn’t feed mine burgers, fries, fried chicken but, then again, those are indulgences I rarely allow myself…for obvious reasons.

Not long ago there was another company had a recall of their pet food. It wasn’t done at the last minute, they covered vet fees for any pet which may have become sick as a result, the pet supply stores were all notified in a very timely manner and the problem was rectified immediately. Should be interesting to see what Menu Foods will do…a much bigger corporation. Rest assured, your local pet suppliers have taken this in hand, been removing anything that could be construed as suspect. But, in the meantime, there’s nothing wrong with buying liver, kidney, heart, tripe and making your own “stew” for Rover…even fish as long as you carefully check for and remove any and every bone. Give them bones (marrow or otherwise) for a treat….raw, not nuked, roasted or boiled.

 

It was interesting to note one caller to Jared Morris’s show this morning said she cooked for her dog. Even more interesting was a follow-up to that call mocking those who would cook for their pets, figuring that such pet people were probably also the type who wouldn’t beat a dog but call for corporal punishment’s return to the school systems. Yeah? Well…I’m exactly one of “those people”. No…I don’t hit a dog. I spritz with water…though I’ve never tried to do that with a child and, if I did, I’d probably end up in family court for abuse. I cook meals for my dogs, even mix good veggies and some fruits in their casseroles and THEY will EAT them…(which is more than most kids will do)! I’d rather do that than give my animals commercially produced foods made with euthanized animals, or other dubious ingredients including chicken beaks, claws, feathers, chemicals. Our pets are chosen with care…or should be…and the reality that they will be with us from ten to eighteen years plus. For some they are the only “children” they will have, for many the only companionship they enjoy. Pets don’t give a damn who you are, what you look like, how much…or how little…material possessions you claim, they don’t need iPods, Nikes, or demand a car upon graduation from Obedience School. If we are going to invest our lives with any other living creature…including animals…we owe it to them and ourselves to do the best we can for them and if that means corporal punishment when necessary to keep our kids on the right and safe path or cooking meals, spending a bit extra to give our animals safe food and better health…so be it. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or make a Hitler to want either.

Whether a dog owner or one who thinks dog owners are a bit “over the top” when it comes cooking meals for them,or researching the current foods available, do us all a favour and get a copy of “Food Pets Die For” by Ann Martin. You may just view things differently.

All the BLOGS are heavy laden with the serious news of the day so I guess it’s time for me to come in and lighten things up a little.

The other day Dan was joking about having Evel Knievel jump the future bridge site at the Indian River Inlet. At some point, the bridge is said to look like this:

But right now it looks more like a pair of ramps set up for a motorcycle jump. Then I came across a little advertisement featuring Evel Knievel and decided he is no longer in the ramp-jumping business.

So I guess that’s out of the question.

Next we have a photo which best describes the subtle differences between men and women and sheds some light on why there almost always seems to be a communication gap between them.

Yeah, that about says it all.

Next up, weather on Delmarva. Let’s see, shall I go out with the suntan lotion or a parka? Whaddya think? Drive the convertable or take the Hummer? Umbrella or sunglasses?

and finally…

A golf course I can sink my skills into. Why hasn’t someone come up with this sooner?

Well, That’s all for now folks. Keep on smiling and I will try in the meantime to come up with a serious BLOG.