Eachus says each candidate must decide on DeWeese

HARRISBURG -- House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese's (D-Greene County) leadership position has become a campaign issue as GOP candidates criticize Democrats for allowing DeWeese to stay in leadership after "Bonusgate" alleged widespread abuses in his caucus.

Some incumbent Democrats, most notably state Rep. Josh Shapiro (D-Montgomery County), have said publicly DeWeese's continued presence hurts the party as it tries to maintain its one-member advantage in the House.

But in an interview Tuesday with PolitickerPA.com, Todd Eachus, chairman of the House Democratic Campaign Committee, said the caucus does not instruct its candidates how they should treat the longtime party leader.

"As far as people calling for Bill's resignation, that's up to the individual member," the Luzerne County state representative said.

He added that rather than focus on DeWeese's leadership status, the caucus is trying to retain and expand its majority. Leadership questions will be asked in December, he said.

Eachus has the luxury of not facing the question in his own re-election quest -- he is running unopposed. And his constituents never question him about DeWeese, he said.

"I don't know if anybody in Hazleton could tell you who Bill DeWeese is," Eachus said.

That said, Eachus told PolitickerPA.com he has expressed his own reservations about what has happened privately to DeWeese, as he said a caucus leader should.

"The presentment was shocking to all of us," he said. "We all want to make sure we are doing everything with the highest sense of legality."

Democrats might avoid dealing with a potentially sticky leadership change in December if DeWeese loses to Republican challenger Greg Hopkins, who came within 1,100 votes of beating DeWeese in 2006. Many consider this election the fight of DeWeese's political life.

Eachus indicated the campaign committee will not give DeWeese any special treatment this fall. He will have to follow the rules that are in place for every other candidate, he said.

"We'll have to see how he stands for election," Eachus said.