Great column in last Sunday’s Beaver County Times about my efforts to make sure some of my colleagues are being held accountable for their campaign promises. Here’s the pertinent part:

Crusher takes on Boy Wonder in mansion battle

By: J.D. ProseBeaver County Times

Fortunately for us, Democratic state Rep. Jesse “Crusher” White didn’t resolve to be more docile in 2011. In fact, he seems intent on being a royal pain in the butt for House GOPers, starting with state Rep. Jim Christiana.

Did you think it’d be someone other than the Boy Wonder™?

Remember in June when Christiana introduced a bill to sell the governor’s mansion and plow the money into the state’s general fund? Well, that’s when we had a Democratic governor.

Fast forward to this past Monday when PoliticsPa.com published a story on White circulating an e-mail among his colleagues that chided Christiana for not yet re-introducing his proposal that, if successful, would now evict aGOP governor.

“I want to make sure Rep. Christiana gets all of the credit he deserves for taking a principled stand against the new administration,” wrote White, who likely sprained his tongue planting it so firmly in cheek.

Let’s get ready to ruuuuuuuumble!!!

“I don’t need Rep. White to encourage me to introduce a bill that I already think is good policy,” said Christiana, who explained that he submitted his sell-the-mansion bill Dec. 20 for approval, got the OK early last week and simply hasn’t circulated a co-sponsor memo.

“It kind of backfired on (White),” Christiana said of the attempt to portray him as a partisan hypocrite.

Christiana said the “true hypocrisy” is White not supporting the bill last year, but pledging his support now only because there’s a GOP governor.

An unapologetic Crusher vowed Friday that he’ll hold Christiana and other House GOPers to the promises they made when they were in the minority.

“It’s my obligation, as a member of the loyal opposition, to make sure they practice what they preach,” White said. “I won’t let (Christiana) get away with making a little bit of noise like he’s doing something with (the bill).”

Last year, White said he didn’t oppose or support Boy Wonder’s proposal because he thought it was just “a novel way to get in the newspaper.” Now, he’ll teach Christiana a lesson.

“He’s a great self-promoter and God bless him for it, but he’s going to learn and he’s going to learn right away that when you’re in the majority … it’s different,” White said.

Oh, it’s different. Gloriously different.

Christiana also hinted at some jealousy, saying that White referred to him as a “rising star” in one story. “I don’t know what the infatuation is,” Christiana said.

But, White said “rising star” came from someone on the House floor, not him. Did anyone use “Boy Wonder” to describe Jim?

“I don’t think so,” White quipped, “but I was too busy scribbling hearts around his name in my notebook.”

Aw, a budding bro-mance.

Here’s a quick update from yesterday’s edition of the Beaver County Times:

BACK & FORTH

Here’s an abbreviated account of Democratic state Rep. Jesse White vs. GOP state Rep. Jim Christiana. Last week, Jesse called Jim a hypocrite for voting against borrowing for state grants, but then fighting for them back home.

Jim said the money’s going to be spent anyway so it should be here, but Jesse disagreed and said Jim could ask Corbett to kill the funding.

“At this rate, you’re going to look up the Wikipedia page for hypocrite and (his) picture will pop up,” Jesse said. Wow.

Jesse, Jim said, wanted to deflect attention after getting bad press for shutting the public out of a Marcellus Shale meeting with elected leaders. “It’s just a distraction,” said Jim. “He finds it amusing.”

We sure do.