Embattled State Police Nominee Gets Democratic Support
State Sen. Vincent Hughes has thrown his support behind Gov. Tom Wolf’s embattled nominee to lead the Pennsylvania State Police.
Hughes endorsed Marcus Brown Wednesday, after reports that Brown had received a racist letter opposing his candidacy for the job. Opponents have complained that, as acting director of the agency, Brown has worn the state police uniform even though he didn’t graduate from the agency’s academy. Brown’s predecessor typically wore a suit on the job.
Hughes, the Democratic Appropriations chairman, sent Gov. Tom Wolf a letter Wednesday in support his nomination of Col Marcus Brown. In a press conference, Hughes’ made a correlation between the racist letter to Brown and the Pennsylvania State Police’s lack of racial diversity.
Hughes made it clear that he did not know who delivered the letter, which included a racial slur, or if the person who did it was associated with the state police in any way. Hughes called the letter “reprehensible” and said it “does not represent where we need to be going in the 21st Century.”
But Brown may still have much to overcome. Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman has already said that Brown has show questionable judgement and may not receive confirmation.
