Welcome to The Press Room, a semi-regular weekly roundup of the major stories and happenings in Delaware politics.
We’re in the “off season” as the Legislature is in the first month of its six-month break. But that doesn’t mean news isn’t happening. We’ll be experimenting with The Press Room (and its format) in the coming weeks.
This week’s edition focuses on Sarah McBride’s big fundraising haul, Christina school board cutting some financial ties with the University of Delaware and the Department of Justice investigating a Christiana Mall gun dealer.
As always, send story tips, feedback, ideas or gossip to me at mnewman@delawareonline.com.
Still unopposed (for now), McBride reveals big fundraising money
State Sen. Sarah McBride, who is running for Delaware’s congressional seat, announced in early July that she raised $414,000 in the first five days of her campaign. This is a real sign of strength from McBride, who many perceive to be the frontrunner.
As of now, no other candidates have officially announced they are running, though the race is expected to be competitive.
To put this number in perspective, McBride in five days raised more than a third of what U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester raised during her first House race. At the time, Blunt Rochester pulled in $1.1 million from October 2015 to December 2016. The congresswoman is now running for U.S. Senate.
Blunt Rochester’s Senate campaign has not released any fundraising data, and information from the Federal Election Commission is not yet available.
Following her announcement, McBride has unsurprisingly received a wave of national press. Her candidacy is a historic one because she’s aiming to be the first transgender member of Congress.
Christina school board cuts graduation ties with University of Delaware
Christina School District, one of the largest in the state, will no longer hold its graduation ceremonies at the University of Delaware, following the arrest of one of its students.
Last month, Mohammed Sanogo, a 4.0 GPA student headed to the University of Maryland, was arrested by UD police on Newark High School’s graduation day. The school board voted last week to no longer have commencement at UD, a $98,000 loss in money for the state’s largest university.
The school board is also now reviewing all of its connections to UD, which consists of about $250,000 in contracts.
READ MORE:Delaware school district cuts tie with University of Delaware after student’s arrest
DOJ investigating Christiana Mall gun dealer
The Delaware Department of Justice is investigating Cabela’s after one woman admitted to stealing half a million rounds of ammunition from the store in the span of one year and then selling it to criminals in Philadelphia and Dover.
The DOJ, as a result, is looking into what they describe to be the Christiana Mall gun dealer’s lax shoplifting policies.
DOJ officials announced last month that the department is investigating if Cabela’s violated state laws, particularly Delaware’s firearms industry public nuisance law.
READ MORE:How a pattern of shoplifting ammunition led Delaware to demand Cabela’s records
Investigators are now demanding to see Cabela’s records, as well as those of its sister stores in the area. Cabela’s, which has not responded to requests for comment, said in court filings through its parent company Great American Outdoors Group that it objected to the subpoena, calling it “overbroad.”
This all started after Danielle M. Brookens told investigators about her shoplifting. She pleaded guilty in April to possession of ammunition by a person prohibited and was sentenced to a drug diversion program.
Delaware correctional and probation officers to see raises
The state’s Department of Correction has signed a new labor agreement with the unions representing its correctional and probation.
The agreement comes at a time when the department is suffering from vacancy rates, like most state agencies. The new contract will include starting salaries at $52,000 and a 23% raise over the next three years, according to Delaware Public Media.
Lawmakers also have the department’s administrative staff raises when it passed the fiscal year 2024 budget in June.
