Embattled Delaware lawmaker wants all colleagues to release financial reports

State Senate Pro Tem. Anthony DeLuca has said he will release his timesheets, following questions about whether he was “double-dipping.”  

The questions have dogged DeLuca (D-Varlano) for weeks, as open government advocates have wondered whether the powerful Senator was being paid for hours working at the Department of Labor when he was actually doing work in the Senate.

DeLuca says he’s releasing his records for hours worked at his job outside of Legislative Hall.  “The hours that I have been in my capacity as a state Senator have not conflicted with my hours at the Department of Labor.”

But DeLuca doesn’t want to be the only one to release information about his other job.  He’s introduced legislation (SB 4) that would require all lawmakers, and other statewide elected officials, to file a monthly report on all income earned outside of their elected jobs.  He says just like the public has a right to know whether a legislator is being paid for a separate state job at the same time as a legislative job, “The public also has the right to know if a Senator or Representative or state employee is also being compensated by a different source of income such as a second job or pensions.”

Under DeLuca’s proposal, state lawmakers would also have to report their time records for outside jobs they work on the same days as the General Assembly is in session, or while they are performing other official duties.  The report must also contain information on whether the lawmaker’s pay was docked on days they were performing their official duties.  “I don’t think we should have a double standard for merit system employees who serve in the General Assembly, or members who work for private businesses.  The rules are the rules, and they should apply to everyone,” says DeLuca.