Ben Cassell has been the Legislative Liaison for the COS Delaware team since May 2022. He has established many relationships with Delaware legislators and is largely responsible for helping the resolution to be introduced in the Delaware Senate this year. Ben joins us for an interview.
COS Delaware: Tell us a bit about your personal history. What makes you suited to your COS role?
Ben: I am the youngest of 4 children and the only son of an Army Colonel who served on Eisenhower's staff. I also served in an Army HQ capacity from 1969 to 1975. After that I spent 40 years in global logistics industries, finishing as the Senior VP of Marketing and Sales. Before retirement, I built a business consultancy trained by the London-based International Institute of Business.
COS Delaware: What is your experience in politics? Have you ever run for office?
Ben: I was elected as President of the Board of Commissioners in Queen Anne's County, Maryland. Before running I was active in the county political party and made huge changes. By working every weekend to register voters and providing an opportunity to change party registrations, we flipped the county. I became angry with the county government over perceived corruption and ran a campaign for change. I was the only member of my party in anyone’s memory to be endorsed by the Teachers Association.
COS Delaware: How did you first hear about the Convention of States?
Ben: I learned about Article V in college and recognized the significance of it for good government, but I wasn’t familiar with the Convention of States movement until I moved to Delaware. In 2021 I attended a Second Amendment rally in Dover, where I stopped at a booth and spoke with Ginny Watkins, the Delaware State Director.
COS Delaware: How did you end up in the Legislative Liaison position?
Ben: Ginny wanted me to start out as a District Captain, so I filled that role for the first year. In May 2022 we were still lacking a Legislative Liaison, so I asked Ginny if I could take on that job. Being the LL in Delaware has confirmed to me the deep division in government today, where everything has a right and left point of view that challenges any non-partisan efforts.
COS Delaware: What is your vision for the future of our country?
Ben: My hopes reflect those of George Washington regarding political parties, as he warned us all that the day would come when loyalty to a party would supersede loyalty to the nation. We are there now, so I hope that next-generation politicians will learn statesmanship and patriotism.
COS Delaware: Thank you, Ben, for your service to our country and for your hard work on behalf of the Convention of States!
Ben Cassell: Delaware Legislative Liaison
Published in Blog on November 22, 2023 by Susan Foy
