RoseMarie Swanger

RoseMarie Swanger (born October 31, 1945) is a former Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 102nd District and was elected in 2006.[2]

RoseMarie Swanger
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the 102nd district
In office
January 2, 2007[1] – January 6, 2015
Preceded byPeter J. Zug
Succeeded byRuss Diamond
ConstituencyPart of Lebanon County
Personal details
Born (1945-10-31) October 31, 1945
Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Leonard Swanger
ResidenceJonestown, Pennsylvania
Alma materLebanon Valley College
Thompson Institute
Websitewww.repswanger.com

Swanger is a 1963 graduate of South Lebanon High School. She attended Thompson Institute and has completed management courses at Lebanon Valley College.[3] She worked as a Clerk in the Mayor's office of Lebanon, Pennsylvania from 1966 through 1972, as Assistant City Clerk from 1972 through 1974, and as City Clerk for Lebanon, Pennsylvania from 1974 through 1984.[4] She served as County Commissioner for Lebanon County from 1984 through 2004.

Swanger defeated incumbent Peter Zug in the 2006 Republican primary following the 2005 legislative pay raise.[5][6] In 2014 she announced her retirement and would not seek election, endorsing Russ Diamond.

The "Anti-Shari'a Law"

In 2011, both WLBR radio and the Lebanon Daily News named Swanger one of the least effective state legislators in Pennsylvania, citing that she had never been a sole sponsor of a bill that was actually made into law in four years. In response, Swanger introduced HB 2029,[7] "American Law for American Courts," which quickly became known as the Pennsylvania "Anti-Shari'a Law."[8] After accidentally releasing the text with language revealing its religiously discriminatory motivations, such as the "nefarious nature" of Islamic law on the court.[9][10] Calling it a "draft," Swanger offered the press a revised proposal, which banned "foreign law" from us in Pennsylvania courts, and it received general support from state Republican leadership.[11] In a letter to the legislature, explaining her rationale behind HB 2029, Swanger wrote of Shari'a as a "menace" and "imposing an agenda on the American people."[12]

A coalition of interfaith groups which included Jews, Catholics, and Muslims, and the Anti-Defamation League rose in opposition to the bill, calling it "Islamophobic," and cities passed resolutions against the legislation.[9][12] After stalling in the legislative judiciary committee, State House Speaker Daryl Metcalfe slated a hearing for November 14, 2012, after the legislative session would end, to give the appearance of support to capitalize on anti-Islamic rhetoric against President Barack Obama in the 2012 Presidential Election on November 6.[9] After leaving office, Swanger later reflected on Facebook in a post to the former editor of the Lebanon Daily News:

It's a political system, not a religion. It allows husbands to beat their wives, stones to death women who are raped, allows husband to divorce one of their wives by clapping 3 times and the woman is out on the street, cuts off the hands of thieves, sanctions honor killings, etc., etc. It flies in the face of our Constitution. My bill, called "American Law for American Courts" was to keep ALL foreign law out of our courts, not specifically Sharia.[8]

After announcing that she would not seek another term for election in January, 2014, Swanger re-introduced the proposed law again as HB 2168[13] in April, which was described as "dead on arrival."[9]

References
  1. "SESSION OF 2007 191ST OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY No. 1" (PDF). LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL. Pennsylvania House of Representatives. 2007-01-02. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
  2. "2006 General Election - Representative in the General Assembly". Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information. Pennsylvania Department of State. 2004. Archived from the original on 2008-11-27. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
  3. "Rep. RoseMarie Swanger Biography". Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus. 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
  4. "Representative Rosemarie Swanger (PA)". Project Vote Smart. 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
  5. Cattabiani, Mario (2007-06-17). "They are out of office, but not off public payroll". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  6. "2006 General Primary - Representative in the General Assembly". Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information. Pennsylvania Department of State. 2004. Archived from the original on 2008-11-27. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
  7. "Bill Information - House Bill 2029; Regular Session 2011-2012". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
  8. Swanger, RoseMarie (2017-01-28). "Post on Facebook to retired Lebanon Daily News Editor". Facebook. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
  9. "Behind The Failed Effort To Ban Sharia Law In Pennsylvania". Retrieved 2020-07-27.
  10. Swanger, Rosemarie. "Q&A: Rep. RoseMarie Swanger, who Introduced the 'Anti-Sharia Law' Bill". Islamist Watch. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
  11. "Who's afraid of Sharia law? The Pa. House". WHYY. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
  12. "Penn. Interfaith Leaders Challenge Anti-Sharia Bill – euro-islam.info". Retrieved 2020-07-27.
  13. "Bill Information - House Bill 2168; Regular Session 2013-2014". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
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