The conservative NEPA based political blog "Sights on Pennsylvania" has begun to post selections of the Mike Veon selective prosecution motion. Check out today's post here.
We're not sure why "Sights" replaces Majority Leader Todd Eachus' name with "Legislator X" in his posts, but anyone who has seen the complete Veon filing will recognize these as from the Eachus sections.
After reading just these couple emails (and there are many, many more in the Veon filing), the question isn't "Why didn't Eachus and these staff people get charged with crimes?"
Rather, given that these documents were provided to Veon by Corbett as part of the discovery process of the criminal proceedings, it is "How could Corbett know all this and not even interview Eachus, let alone subpoena or indict him?"
Remember, here is Brett Marcy, Eachus' spokesperson in the Times Leader on 7/7/09:
"HDC spokesman Brett Marcy said Eachus was not among the legislators who testified before the grand jury, nor was he interviewed by any law enforcement officials regarding the Bonusgate case."
What kind of investigation has Attorney General Tom Corbett been conducting? He has said repeatedly that he will let his investigators follow the evidence where it leads...why does it always seem to stop abruptly when it comes to anyone but Veon?
Legislator X: LINKS TO WORKERS PROPER
ReplyDeleteMonday, August 4, 2008
Section: NEWS
Page: 1A
STEVE MOCARSKY and RORY SWEENEY smocarsky@timesleader.com, rsweeney@timesleader.com
"I think the record will clearly show that I play by the rules. I've always done that. It's part of who I am," Legislator X said. "And I think when this whole thing gets sorted out, there will be no impact to my public image."
Legislator X STAFFER FACES CHARGES
Friday, July 11, 2008
Section: NEWS
Page: 1A
RORY SWEENEY rsweeney@timesleader.com
In December 2006, Rachel Manzo was hired as the executive director of Legislator X's policy committee, Legislator X said. He said he was unaware of the work she had been doing before he hired her.
"Her work for the policy committee has been exemplary, so I'm startled," he said.
When asked about the list, he said: "I heard about it today. That's all I've got to say on that list."
The sources of information are the springs from which democracy drinks.
-Adali Stevenson 1956
The vital measure of a newspaper is not size but its spirit- the responsibility to report the news, fully, accurately, and fairly- Arthur Sulzberger 1956
Let there be melodrama
“Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon
Rick: Don't you sometimes wonder if it's worth all this? I mean what you're fighting for.
Victor Laszlo: You might as well question why we breathe. If we stop breathing, we'll die. If we stop fighting our enemies, the world will die.
I agree, after reading the Veon Motion's there is no way Todd Eachus can escape Indictments.
ReplyDeleteEveryone keeps saying DeWeese threw the HDC under the Bus. There is no question; Eachus ran the HDC Re-election efforts Of Eachus, By Eachus, and For Eachus.
There is no question after reading all the Veon Motion Evidence mostly alleged Todd Eachus Emails, Letters, and Documents clearly implicate himself throughout the election in a keystone role.
There is even Grand Jury Testimony that Eachus wanted higher leadership positions, may have been throwing Veon & HDC Staffers under the Bus, and then would blame DeWeese for it and uses it to take command of the HDC.
Today, Eachus is the Majority Leader and that speaks for itself. The evidence submitted by Veon's Lawyers speaks even more how Eachus alleged did things in the Campaign and Veon and others are paying the price, for Eachus's Reign!
Corbett cannot indict anyone new unless it begins with Eachus. If the AG Office does not see this or refuses to investigate it, well, shame on them.
I just cannot believe Todd Eachus has not even been mention in the Press.
ReplyDeleteOne reading of the "Veon Papers" and Eachus planned more than Veon ever did, but it is Veon caught holding the bag.
I wonder if Manzo is meeting with Eachus to decide what to say these days?
This is bad, real bad, and the AG Office should be looking into all of these happenings surrounding Eachus and his role in the campaigns.
Attachments 6 and 7 in Veon's filings show the alleged role of Rachel Manzo under Todd Eachus alleged supervision.
ReplyDeleteIt is quite striking to read all the emails on state time with state resources.
They indicate campaigning direction was a full time time job with many references of how Eachus and even Rendell Office were discussing political campaigns.
Now I see why Mike Manzo had to cooperate with the Attorney General Office after reading all the emails.
There is far more mention of Todd Eachus than Mike Veon in these documents too.
I do not envy Tom Corbett that must be going crazy with all this evidence.
Beware of little Expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.
ReplyDeleteAs promised, the SightsOnPennsylvania blog posted this follow-up about "Legislator X." Apparently, it's some of the Veon filing stuff, with some commentary thrown in by the blogger.
ReplyDeleteAnybody know if this "Legislator X" is Eachus, too?
On 6/10/2008 a Special Agent from the Attorney General's office interviewed Daniel Wiedemer at his residence in Harrisburg. He accepted service of a Grand Jury subpoena. On 6/23/2008 Wiedemer was given a proffer interview which means he was told whatever he said could not be used against him in a proceeding.
Dan Wiedemer's testimony in front of the Grand Jury on 7/29/2008
Q- Tell us how this worked. That's the starting point. Who would participate in establishing that list.
A- There was a group of folks who, not just in this decision, but I think in any decision was always consulted, gave either their viewpoints or said how it was going to be.
That would be myself, Jessica Walls who is Jessica Walls Lavelle who was the field director at that point, Representative Stetler who was the chairman of the campaign committee, Representative Veon, Brett Cott, Mike Manzo. And that was the core group and it expanded a little bit to include Representative Dan Frankel, Representative Jen Mann and Representative Joe Preston who also were involved in the campaign committee.
Q- What about (Legislator X)?
A- Early on in the cycle, Representative Legislator X wasn't involved. He became involved in July or August.
Q- After Stetler left?
A-After Representative Stetler left.
Q-He took over for Stetler, right?
A- He did.
So Legislator X took over for the chairman of the campaign committe but is trying to tell the public the arrest was the first time he heard of the list. It is worth noting that the attorney for Stephen Stetler accepted service of a Grand Jury subpoena on 6/12/2008.
Previous testimony before the Grand Jury was corroborated by Dan Wiedemer's testimony.
Eric Webb's testimony before the Grand Jury ON 06/24/2008 stating Legislator X knew Webb maintained the volunteer list allegedly used to award bonuses.
Q- List for us everybody that you recollect knew about the list or saw the list from 2004 through the end of 2006.
A- Mike Manzo, Brett Cott, the people in my office knew about the list. Nora Sabo, Paul Martz, Cameron Texter, Gail McDermott, Jon Price, DeWeese's office knew about the list, Kevin Sidella. I think most people who worked for DeWeeese and Veon knew, so that would include people like Jeb Wagner, John Paul Jones who worked for Steve Stetler and then later Legislator X knew about it.
Two participants in the Legislative Bonus scandal testify that Legislator X, who in his biography states, "In 2006 Legislator X's campaign strategies and dedication to help incumbent members and first-time candidates led directly to House Democrats retaking the Majority for the first time since 1994." knew about the list according to the witnesses but in a newspaper interview in July, 2008 he states u>"I heard about it today. That's all I've got to say on that list."
Anyone wanting to run for the Legislature should begin in Hazelton, in the Democratic Primary a well as Republican Primary, as well as Independent Campaign, and then go for it because Eachus will not be able to run away from what Veon posted on the Public Record.
ReplyDeleteAdd in the Defendants knowledge on how to win and lose campaigns and you have a tough road for a Democrat Majority in 2010.
Eachus won the battle but will lose the war and will create his own Haman's Noose in the end. I cannot believe the guy that directed most of these actions and bragged about it, was not interviewed, investigated, or even brought before the Grand Jury.
I really feel empathy and sympathy for all involved and caught up with this injustice for a few, and MISJUSTICE for the many, a new word I created to describe this whole mess.
Either most all guilty or none of are guilty!
It seems the Sights on Pennsylvania has been taken down. What happened?
ReplyDeleteBobguzzardi appears to be correct; I checked SightsonPennsylvania and the postings regarding the Veon filing seem to have been deleted without explanation. The blog is up and running, minus those sections. But the emails they were printing from the extensive Eachus section of the filing were part of a publicly filed court document, so they are fair game for public distribution.
ReplyDeleteMy bet is that someone in northeast PA thinks censorship is the way to go, and that political pressure (maybe even legal pressure?) was applied.
Could the same thing happen to CasablancaPA? Maybe this Web site could pick up where SightsonPennsylvania seems to have left off.
Could Eachus have such power to take down Court Documents?
ReplyDeleteGive me a break!
"I don't want to downplay loyalty because loyalty is a great thing, and I don't think there's any better thing to be called than loyal.
ReplyDeleteRest assured that the takedown was voluntary so I could research and clear up a few terms regarding Legislator X's role. The posts are in draft mode for reposting and will be reposted.
ReplyDeleteExhibit K was quite helpful.
It would be helpful to see Attachments 6 and 7.
I hope more goes up; I enjoy reading the motions, presentiments, and can come to some fair conclusions that actually support the Defendants, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThank you for putting them up and the Attachments
Eachus continues to break the law. Under his direction, Zane Phoenix and Gail McDermott (now the Director of House Democratic Member Services) are preparing campaign documents on state time, using taxpayer dollars to spin why they were there 100 days past the budget due date. These materials were not drafted for all members, but just freshmen and members with difficult elections. Clearly crosses the line.
ReplyDelete