Delaware’s new Speaker of the House, Valerie Longhurst, has a conflict of interest appropriating and receiving state funds as Executive Director of PAL. Below are links to recent posts in Blue Delaware:
Early in 2018, the Delaware State News published this article questioning whether Longhurst got the PAL job because of her former position as House Majority Leader.
There are multiple reasons to revisit this issue. Longhurst has recently been promoted to House Speaker and has now presided over six budget cycles for PAL. She has developed additional channels of funding for PAL including Community Reinvestment Funds, Department of Education, American Rescue Plan and the Delaware Department of State. Public funding for PAL has increased by more than 1300% during her tenure.
In addition, two additional members of the General Assembly have followed Senator Nicole Poore and Speaker Longhurst in accepting lucrative non-profit jobs. Senator Darius Brown has become Executive Director of the Hope Commission and Representative Krista Griffith is now Chief Executive Officer of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Delaware. Both of these legislators have taken advantage of funding opportunities for their agencies.
These posts document that three of these agencies received significant additional funds following hiring a member of the General Assembly.