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John Baer: A couple good ideas, but will they be enough?

IN THE AFTERMATH of the first round of criminal charges in a spreading investigation of the Legislature comes the question - who or what can save this institution?

IN THE AFTERMATH of the first round of criminal charges in a spreading investigation of the Legislature comes the question - who or what can save this institution?

A senior Republican senator today is formally recommending an emergency session on ethics, I suppose on the theory that "Lord knows it's needed."

Two freshman House Democrats are pushing to formally ban bonuses to legislative employees.

And two other freshman House Democrats offer the intriguing prospect of a wide-open "citizens convention" to rewrite the book on the place.

In the event my own suggestion of bringing in flamethrowers and fire hoses for a cathartic cleansing isn't adopted, I'm willing to back almost anything that keeps a focus on the problem.

This Legislature is a body that wallowed in its own waste for so long it's infected with a sort of government gangrene, the cure for which might well require selective amputation.

Seems to me legislative leaders, under whose reign corruption appears institutionalized, must be excised.

It's hard to see, for example, House Democratic Leader Bill DeWeese, however entertaining he might be, surviving as head of a caucus accused of planning and executing the theft of millions of tax dollars for political use.

His comment after 12 Democrats were indicted last week on charges related to bonuses given for political work ("I share the outrage felt today by taxpayers across the state . . . ") smacks of self-protective pandering.

As does his close-the-barn-door effort to stress code of conduct and ethics programs after such bonuses became public last year.

The absence of real leadership before this scandal broke is clear.

So it's worth noting who is now stepping up.

Harrisburg GOP Sen. Jeff Piccola, a 32-year veteran with a squeaky-clean reputation (evidenced by the fact his colleagues twice voted against him when he sought leadership posts), is pushing a petition for a special session on ethics.

He scheduled a Capitol news conference this afternoon to invoke the state Constitution: If a majority of the House and Senate petition the governor for a special session, the governor "shall" call such a session.

Piccola wants that to happen by early September.

Let's see who won't sign up for it.

"I can't recall it ever being worse," Piccola tells me. "Many of us are extremely frustrated."

He wants to address campaign-contribution limits, ban gifts from lobbyists, cut leadership's money, require outside audits of all legislative accounts, increase penalties for ethics violations and convene a Constitutional Convention to consider reducing the size of the Legislature, reapportionment reform, term limits and more.

A long time coming, but maybe the timing is right.

Also, Bucks County Democratic Reps. John Galloway and Chris King want a voter referendum on this November's ballot for a "citizens" Constitutional Convention.

It would consist of 150 delegates (three elected from each state Senate district; no public officials or lobbyists allowed) who would leave their jobs, meet for maybe nine months and be paid lawmakers' salaries ($6,350 a month) plus expenses out of current leadership accounts.

It could cover any issue from reforms to controversial topics such as Philly-only gun laws or same-sex marriage.

"We have a credibility problem right now," Galloway says, "and we need to engage the public . . . this is a way of giving people ownership of their government."

Reps. Gene DePasquale, D-York, and Rick Taylor, D-Montgomery, are seeking sponsors for a House bill to ban bonuses (the Senate passed such a ban last year).

DePasquale says, "It's clear the culture of the bonuses helped foster a lot that's wrong . . . that's unacceptable."

Yesterday, Senate GOP Leaders Dominic Pileggi and Joe Scarnati sent DeWeese a letter urging House action on seven reform-related bills passed by the Senate, including the bonus ban.

We'll see.

Can an honest veteran and a few newcomers help heal this badly ailing body? Or does the patient now require more radical procedures? *

Send e-mail to baerj@phillynews.com.

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