Republican state Rep. Mario Civera has learned not to turn his back when Ed Rendell is in the room. He just might find a dagger stuck in it.

Civera won a seat on the Delaware County Council last November and was planning to resign his House seat. Although a Republican, Civera was asked by Rendell to stay in the Legislature to help Rendell get his budget passed in the House after it became clear to the governor that the House Democratic leadership was inept. Now that the budget is done, Rendell wants Civera out.

From a story by Alex Rose in the Delaware County Daily Times:

Embattled state Rep. Mario Civera, R-164, of Upper Darby, should “flat-out resign” from his House seat based on his vote against bringing table games to Pennsylvania casinos, said Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell Wednesday.

“I thought that Mario Civera might be helpful in this year’s budget process, but given his votes on table games where he voted against filling a $250 million hole in the budget, it’s pretty apparent that there are other things at play rather than his desire to help the budget,” said Rendell. “So I think he should just resign, go do the job he was elected to do here locally and then let the speaker of the House, as is his legal power, set the special election.”

Civera has yet to return calls for comment on either his table games vote or in answer to rumors he plans to leave his powerful seat as minority chairman of the House Appropriations Committee within the next week or two.

That news refueled calls from local Democrats for his resignation, which have been increasing in pitch following Civera’s election victory for a four-year term on Delaware County Council.

Read the full story at the link below:

Guv says Civera should resign, make room for special election

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