Shapiro: DeWeese symbol of 'broken system'

HARRISBURG -- Embattled House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese's political future was cast further into doubt Monday when state Rep. Josh Shapiro (D-Montgomery County), one of the state's highest-profile young Democrats, demanded the Greene County lawmaker step down from his leadership position.

It is the highest-profile call for DeWeese to step down since Attorney General Tom Corbett charged the House Democratic Caucus with widespread corruption in "Bonusgate." Shapiro is considered one of the party's rising stars after rocketing the prominence when he helped install Republican state Rep. Dennis O'Brien (R-Philadelphia) as Speaker of the House in 2006 despite the Democratic majority. He was named Deputy Speaker of the House as result, and co-chaired the Speaker's Legislative Reform Commission.

Although DeWeese has not been charged with a crime, his future as head of the HDC has been the subject of rampant speculation.

Shapiro said during a scheduled press conference before the Harrisburg press corps. that if true, the charges represent "a stunning indifference to right and wrong." They show the Capitol needs a "culture change," he said.

"We can't do better, at least in our caucus, until we dedicate ourselves to a new direction," he said. "And as a first step in this direction, I believe it is imperative that Bill DeWeese resign as House Majority leader."

He went as far to say that considering the widespread alleged corruption within the caucus, he finds it "difficult to believe" DeWeese did not know what was going on.

Shapiro outlined five reasons DeWeese should step down, including calling him "a symbol of a broken system" and saying he could never regain the public's trust. 

The lawmaker also said DeWeese could hurt Democrats in November.

"Bill DeWeese's presence as the leader of our caucus -- the face of our caucus -- dramatically undermines that effort to expand our majority, and may even compromise it," Shapiro said.

The Montgomery County legislator said he did not know how much support he will have from his colleagues, conceding that "I may even be in the minority in my belief that his resignation as leader is necessary." He also said he was not interested in DeWeese's position and refused to speculate who the caucus might chose to replace him.

Shapiro said he spent weeks considering the Bonusgate allegation before making his decision.

"Ultimately, it was a gut-check for me," he said.

"We owe it to our majority, and to the citizens of our Commonwealth, to start having this conversation," he said, "to start making difficult decisions that place the welfare of the people above the interests of those sent to represent them, and that places the hope of a better Pennsylvania above the endless disappointments of the status quo."