Since the killing of George Floyd, the Delaware Legislative Black Caucus has stepped into a leading role in the General Assembly. Last week they held a press conference announcing their "Justice for All Agenda" - a start down the road of reforming police and fighting back against institutionalized racism in Delaware. We spoke to three members of the Black Caucus in surprising, illuminating and emotional interviews about this initiative, their perspectives on policing and racism, and Black leader...
Jun 16, 2020•46 min•Ep. 20
In March, the leadership of the General Assembly made a hard decision: to postpone part of Delaware's legislative session. When they reconvened on Tuesday, 39 of its 41 members weren't in the chamber like normal. Instead, this meeting made history as Delaware's first ever virtual session. We spoke to Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf and Representative Stephanie T. Bolden about their impressions of this unprecedented change to the way Delaware's legislative branch operates.
May 28, 2020•21 min•Ep. 19
In March, Delaware's General Assembly decided to postpone legislative session and begin working from home to keep legislators and staff safe and limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. During that time, state legislators have found new ways to communicate with constituents, serve the needs of their district, and work with the executive branch as Delaware locked down. In this episode, 4 representatives talk about their unique perspectives on the COVID-19 pandemic and the work they've been doing o...
May 21, 2020•49 min•Ep. 18
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our state and our world in a profound way. Today, almost two months into a state of emergency in Delaware, there are still many myths and misconceptions about this virus and how our government is responding to it. In this episode we speak with DHSS Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Secretary of Labor Cerron Cade and Division of Small Business Director Damian DeStefano to gain a better understanding of the actions our state is taking to fight back against COVID-19....
May 05, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 17
A controversy erupted when an obscure regulation reared its head last summer: preventing dogs from joining their families on the outdoor patios of restaurants. In dog-friendly Delaware towns like Dewey Beach, this posed a real problem for business owners. Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf's HB 275, which has now been signed into law, overturned that regulation so dogs can now stay with their owners. In this episode we speak to Speaker Schwartzkopf, a local Dewey Beach business owner, and a dog lover abo...
Mar 10, 2020•3 min•Ep. 16
Just one week ago, the confidence millions of Americans hold in the integrity of their elections was shaken when the Iowa Caucus, a long-standing political institution, descended into absolute chaos. The results of that caucus are, due to errors and delays in reporting, still unclear. Delaware does not hold a caucus - however voters here might still be worried about the security, accuracy, and transparency of our election systems. This week on Whip Count we spoke to Rep. Paul Baumbach about what...
Feb 11, 2020•40 min•Ep. 15
Delaware's General Assembly is constitutionally obligated to do only one thing - pass a balanced budget. Last week, Governor John Carney announced his proposed budget and today the Joint Finance Committee is meeting to begin its process of writing it. However, for many people this process started just after the last budget was passed this summer. In this episode of Whip Count we speak to Secretary of Health and Social Services Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Director of the Office of Management and Budget...
Feb 04, 2020•55 min•Ep. 14
Last week, Governor John Carney gave his annual State of the State Address to a joint session of the Delaware General Assembly. Here is the full audio of the speech, outlining his priorities for the coming year.
Jan 30, 2020•43 min•Ep. 13
This year, House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst and Governor John Carney announced an influx of funding for clean water infrastructure in Delaware. Communities up and down our state have been facing problems with access to clean water, stormwater management, flooding, and waste water. This investment will help rebuild drinking water infrastructure, protect our waterways and support vulnerable communities. We spoke to an advocate for clean water, the Mayor of Milford, a southern Delaware town,...
Jan 28, 2020•13 min•Ep. 12
In 2008, Governor Ruth Ann Minner left political office having led one of the most extraordinary political careers in Delaware history. A twice-widowed mother of three who never finished high school, she worked her way up from a job as a Delaware House of Representatives attache to being a two-term governor. While in office Ruth Ann tackled tough issues head-on, and has left a lasting legacy in our state and throughout our country. Last week she celebrated her 85th birthday on her Milford farm, ...
Jan 22, 2020•39 min•Ep. 11
Welcome back to the 150th Delaware General Assembly and to Season 2 of Whip Count! This season we're going even farther into the quirks, history, and characters of Legislative Hall. Our session begins with a momentous occasion: former Governor Ruth Ann Minner's 85th birthday. Governor Minner has a fascinating and unique story, and this week we delve into it with some of the people who knew her best throughout her life and career. Stay tuned: next week we finish off this 2-part special with an in...
Jan 14, 2020•57 min•Ep. 10
In 2019, Democrats in Delaware's General Assembly began an unprecedented effort to reform our state's criminal justice system on a large scale, introducing 19 bills aimed at reforming sentencing, reentry, and more. At the same time, Delaware's new Attorney General Kathy Jennings has been changing practices within the Department of Justice to make the system more equitable. This week on Whip Count, AG Jennings sits down with Rep. Sean Lynn, a defense attorney and the chair of the House Judiciary ...
Aug 11, 2019•43 min•Ep. 9
A Delawarean dies every 22 hours from an opioid overdose. This crisis has reached a point where it affects nearly everyone in our state, and Delaware lawmakers are fighting back. This week we are joined by Rep. David Bentz, the chair of the House Health Committee, Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long, the chair of the Behavioral Health Consortium, and David Humes, a board member of Attack Addiction to discuss steps we have taken to fight the opioid epidemic and what we can do going forward. Get access...
Jul 28, 2019•43 min•Ep. 8
On a busy session day Legislative Hall is bustling and crazy, but underneath that chaos there is a team of people who make sure everything runs smoothly. Many of the people who work here have years of insight into our state government, and their unique stories and backgrounds are part of what make this building special. We sat down with staff from the Legislative Library, Facilities, the Leg Hall Cafe, the print shop, a long-time House Democrats receptionist, and a Master Corporal from the Capit...
Jul 22, 2019•42 min•Ep. 7
In 2019, 8 new legislators joined the Delaware House Democratic Caucus. They come from a variety of backgrounds and bring unique perspectives and experiences to the General Assembly, which has helped them already make an impact on the policies that affect every Delawarean. We spoke to five of the new representatives about their lives, their journey to the House of Representatives, and the unique experiences of being a freshman legislator, including learning the building and running their first b...
Jul 14, 2019•37 min•Ep. 6
Voting is the fundamental right that underpins our democracy, and giving people the option to vote early in-person makes that process easier, simpler, and more accessible. In this episode of Whip Count we spoke to Rep. David Bentz and Jennifer Hill from Common Cause Delaware about early voting and the fight for its passage in our state, and cover the signing ceremony for Delaware's new early voting law.
Jul 01, 2019•15 min•Ep. 5
Just 10 years ago in Delaware it was legal to discriminate against someone because they were gay. A landlord could refuse to rent to you, you could be denied insurance, and you could show up to work to find that you were fired simply for who you loved. That was the reality. The LGBTQ community didn't gain legal protections in our state until 2009, when the General Assembly passed landmark legislation prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. Within four years of that law's passage,...
Jun 23, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 4
"There is still magic in this place. Just a total happenstance that's going to change someone's life forever." Legislative Hall is rich with history and tradition. Few people in this building have a better knowledge of these distinctly Delaware quirks than long-time staffers Rich Puffer, Dick Carter, and Bernard Brady. In this special episode of Whip Count, we're going to let them speak for themselves. Learn about some of the most memorable characters, stories and events of the last 40 years in ...
Jun 16, 2019•34 min•Ep. 3
If you thought Delaware already guaranteed women equal rights under the law, well you wouldn't be the only one. But it wasn't until this year that lawmakers passed an Equal Rights Amendment, enshrining equality under the law for Delaware women. The fight for women's equality has been 100 years in the making, with Delaware lawmakers paving the way in 1972 by ratifying the federal ERA. Unfortunately, the federal ERA never became a reality, so Delaware had to take on the issue and run with it. Toda...
Jun 09, 2019•19 min•Ep. 2
Every bill starts with an idea, Schoolhouse Rock taught us that. But there may be plenty of things that go on behind the scenes that not everyone gets to see. Consider this a crash course in what happens in-between an idea and a law. This is the inaugural episode of Whip Count, a podcast by the Delaware House Democratic Caucus. Join an issue advocate, a cabinet secretary, a state representative, a legislative drafting lawyer, the Speaker of the House, the Chief Clerk of the House, and the Govern...
May 30, 2019•50 min•Ep. 1
