Wilkey: 'we didn't serve anyone very well'

Following is the full text of House Majority Whip Rob Wilkey's Tuesday e-mail to a colleague, with copies going to the other members of Democratic leadership:

I apologize for the long delay in responding to your letter, but quite frankly had no real good explanation. I was as embarrassed as you and the other members as to how this Session ended - and indeed for most of it. There was a complete lack of communication during the Session with the members. No excuse. Part of the problem at the end was that the Senate delayed action on the big ticket items, including retirement, until the last possible moment. This is just a negotiating tactic they have employed over several years in an effort to force us to take action on a bill without the benefit of being able to clearly understand everything they have stuck in it. The result has been that we have not passed a lot of bills. This Session was worse than usual in that regard. I did think we had an agreement on the Retirement bill, but others were afraid there were things in the Senate committee substitute that may be harmful to state employees.

I agree that we deserve the leadership we elect. I thought the 2007 Session and Special Sessions were a template for how we should operate. The Leadership worked together well as a team, consulted with each other about important decisions, and then informed the members. Something went wrong as we approached this Session. I was not consulted as a member of Leadership with many decisions, or was outvoted. I believe there were conferences among some members of Leadership about important decisions, to which I was not privy. I dont think I was the only one excluded from these deliberations. The whole Session became some kind of effort to assure re-election by members of Leadership, instead of assuring re-election of our members - and, more importantly, what would be best for our state. I made an effort to continue to do my job as Whip, and carry out the decisions of the Leadership team, even though I didnt always agree. I have tried to be a team player, in spite of the fact that it became clear we were no longer operating as a team. I asked the members, and the members of Leadership at the start of the Session to not allow Leadership election considerations to become an obstacle to our ability to work together. My request was ignored. I was criticized for decisions I had no control over. That comes with the territory. I kept thinking that somehow we could come together and work more effectively for our members. It just didnt happen. I thought we didnt serve anyone very well in this regard. I also thought there was a conscious effort to embarrass this Governor during the Session. It worked. He could have done a better job of building a relationship with the House, but I also feel he was mislead into believing that we would work with him. We didnt. I hope we will the next time.

I hope our members think long and hard about re-electing some members of this leadership group. I will not be running. My decision not to seek re-election has been made for some time, although I havent announced it. In fact, it was pretty much made before we started. I will not be back in Frankfort at all next year.

Leadership should be about selfless service to the members and our state. It is about building consensus, and working to develop policies and strategies that take into consideration the needs and opinions of the most members of our Caucus. It should not be about re-election to Leadership. I have always believed if I do a good job and serve the members well, they will re-elect me. If not, they will elect someone else. It should not be about perpetuating my position, or stroking my ego.

You may feel I let you down this Session, and perhaps I did. I am sorry. I dont feel the members or the state were well served by what just happened. I hope you and the other members of our Caucus will insist on better in the future. As you can see, no member of my staff had anything to do with this. I also believe they exist to serve you, not me. I wish you well in your bid for re-election. I will try and help whenever I can.

Kindest personal regards, Rob

Comments

[KYJurisDoctor]

Anyone blame him?