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.

Based on the news analysis pieces appearing in the Sunday papers, the cynical, hypocritical drive to derail the reconfirmations of Kathleen McGinty (as Department of Environmental Protection Secretary) and Michael DiBerardinis (as Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary) may have greatly receded from its peak. The Harrisburg Patriot-News, within a piece arguing that various cabinet controversies may derail Governor Ed Rendell's ambitious second term agenda (an angle that my previous diaries did not give significant consideration), noted that the two secretaries' reconfirmations "appeared likely" as of Friday. This represents quite a change in tone from earlier last week, when prospects were described as a lot dicier, and there were Democrats making statements suggesting they were primed to bail. Even the Mellon Scaife right-wing propaganda outlet, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, described Republican true believer John Eichelberger as being open to a "Yes" vote on reconfirmation.

Does the change in tone represent actual changes in votes? Keep in mind that earlier rhetoric suggested that McGinty would have fallen well short of reconfirmation before the Ethics Commission's advisory opinion finding a prospective conflict of interest for scenarios similar to the ones cited for McGinty and DiBerardinis. Intuitively, the unfavorable ruling should have hurt their chances further. So what changed? Maybe nothing of real substance. Maybe McGinty and DiBerardinis were never in real danger. Maybe the Republicans wanted to score some cheap, quick political points, based on various motives, but intended to pull back before actually voting against these two.

But State Representative Greg Vitali is obviously a lot closer to the situation than I am. And based on his stirring op-ed piece, published in today's Philadelphia Daily News, Vitali felt like McGinty was in trouble (and, similar to my thinking on Wednesday, in more trouble than DiBerardinis). And he was pissed:

Kathleen McGinty, as head of Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection, has distinguished herself as a leader in energy policy and been an outstanding steward of our environment. Now her reconfirmation is being threatened by partisan and racial politics....

Most recently, McGinty has been accused of running afoul of the state ethics laws because the Department of Environmental Protection awarded grants to a group that hired her husband as a consultant. These charges are without merit and are being promoted by those who oppose her on political grounds....

Katie McGinty has been the architect of one of the most progressive state energy policies in the nation. She is also poised to guide Pennsylvania on a cutting-edge climate change initiative.

The loss of Katie McGinty would be a devastating blow to environmental progress in Pennsylvania. People concerned with Pennsylvania's environment need to let their state senators know how they feel.

Greg Vitali is a model representative. He got elected in what was a heavily GOP district without a move to the political center. That's because he works his ass off to reach out and serve his constitutents. And it's because he's a man of impeccable integrity. Vitali stood against the noxious midinight legislative pay raise legislation in 2005 even though it cost him a subcommittee chairmanship when the Democratic leadership retaliated. When someone like Vitali calls a so-called ethics controversy bogus, it resonates.

Vitali also offers another explanation for why McGinty has a bullseye on her back. McGinty criticized, on substantive grounds, Wendell Holland, a utility regulatory commission chairman who is African-American. Indeed, the two Democratic State Senators who went on the record with negative comments after the release of the advisory opinions - LeAnna Washington, who was reportedly leaning toward a 'No' vote as of last Tuesday, and Tony Williams - are also African-American. I can't say how much there is to this, but, again, Vitali is closer to this than I am. I'd be interested in hearing Washington's concerns, if she has any, regarding McGinty's stance on Holland. But permanently aligning youself as a pawn in a smear campaign is not the way to get those concerns addressed.

And acquiescence to a GOP frame is not a good step in the long run for anyone in the Democratic caucus. No, the thing to do is what Greg Vitali did: Stand up to the bullies. He should be highly commended. (Alas, he, as a House member, has no vote on reconfirmation).

It's not over yet; the reconfirmation votes are still scheduled for tomorrow. Both secretaries need a two-thirds majority from the Senate for reconfirmation. Note that Vitali originally wrote his op-ed piece on Thursday afternoon (confirmed by a rep in his Harrisburg office), so the relative pessimism in the piece may not reflect subsequent positive developments. We'll see how it goes. Those who contacted legislators on behalf of McGinty and DiBerardinis certainly didn't hurt their cause.