This afternoon the Pennsylvania State Senate voted to reconfirm Kathleen McGinty and Michael DiBerardinis to their respective cabinet positions in Governor Ed Rendell's administration. Credit should be given to those who actively joined the drive to keep McGinty and DiBerardinis, including environmental organization PennFuture and State Representative Greg Vitali, to name just two examples. As I've written ad nauseum over the last week, these appointments were threatened by a disingenuous smear attempt by legislators hostile to progressive environmental interests.

The story concerning the political hit job perpetrated by the GOP against Kathleen McGinty and Michael DiBerardinis preceding the votes to reconfirm them to their Rendell Administration offices continues to develop. There are hints that the tide against them may be receding. But what is most inspiring is today's Philly Daily News op-ed piece by Delco State Rep Greg Vitali. Although he doesn't have a vote on this matter, it's a model response for the Democratic caucus, which, considering the source, isn't all that surprising.

More below.

There aren't really any significant new devolpments regarding the political hit job presently being conducted against Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Michael DiBerardinis. The actual commission rulings are now public, the GOP lawyer drone drops the "bombshell" that an organization naturally aligned with McGinty's and DiBeradinis's interests is advocating on their behalf, and editorial boards are weighing in with opinions ranging from sensible to adversarial to just plain stupid. And, if GOP legislators can't be reasoned with to act in good faith regarding McGinty and DiBerardinis, perhaps it's time to start throwing some elbows.

Long version below.

[Good news: It's not a divisive sales pitch for a municipal candidate. Bad news: it's a long, convoluted mess. If you don't have a full morning, focus on the first three grafs, and follow the PennFuture link for more info. Keystone Politics has also done well in covering this. This was crossposted at Daily Kos.]

I'm far from an expert here, so I acknowledge that I'm piggybacking on the work of others, such as PennFuture. But plenty of trustworthy people sing the praises of PA DEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty as a forceful advocate for environmental regulation that protects land and public health.

What Pennsylvania Senate Republicans are in the process of doing to McGinty, along with DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis, amounts to a partisan witch hunt. They have manipulated and exaggerated an ethics inquiry as a back-door means to eliminating a roadblock to their anti-environmental agenda.