Republican State Senator Scott Wagner says Dominic Pileggi is preventing Pennsylvania from moving forward.
Wagner sent a letter to Pileggi on Friday. Then Monday, Pileggi forwarded the letter to all Republican State Senators.
Wagner writes, “I have concluded that it is not in the best interest of Pennsylvanians for you to continue as Senate Majority Leader.”
Wagner accuses Pileggi of blocking legislation that could help Governor Tom Corbett, shutting fellow Republicans out of negotiations regarding the Philadelphia Cigarette Tax and protecting private-sector unions.
Wagner says, "Dominic Pileggi is a lawyer. I see a conflict of interest, this is nothing to do with a personal agenda, it has to do with I sit in caucus and I watch other Senators try to advance legislation and it's not happening."
In the letter Wagner writes neither Pileggi nor his staff has approached him directly to ask for his opinion or willingness to vote on any pending legislation.
FOX 43 reached out to Pileggi for response. In a one sentence email response, he writes, "I view this as an internal caucus matter, not something to be debated in the media."
Wagner's opponent in the General Election also condemns Senator Pileggi. Democrat Linda Small said her reasons differ from Wagner's though. In fact, she criticizes all Republicans. Small says, "I find it disgusting that the best we get after four years of Republican control is a fight over which Republican gets to steer as they run Pennsylvania into a ditch."
