Last Saturday, Associated Press reporter Mark Levy put together an interesting post-Republican bonus indictment news item. Levy obtained quotes ranging from the top of the GOP caucus heap like Republican House Leader Sam Smith to the bottom of the barrel like State Representative Karen Beyer. (Associated Press 11/14/09)
Basically, Levy captured the prevailing sentiment among the Republican caucus that they were "shocked, shocked, that politics was happening in the Capitol."
Their feigned incredulousness is a lie.
We addressed how implausible Smith's cluelessness is when examined through the prism of the grand jury presentment.
Smith is a liar, but Beyer is a lying hypocrite.
Here she is in 2008 reacting to the Democratic grand jury presentment outlining how Democratic caucus resources were allegedly used against her in her 2005 special election:
"It's outrageous. The problem is, they tried to buy an election using taxpayers' money." (Tribune-Review 7/19/08)Boo-hoo! Except she is lying and she knows it. Corbett's grand jury presentment last week outlined how hundreds of thousands of dollars in technical and staff (through the Office of District Operations) assistance were provided to her.
"I couldn't keep up. I didn't have the resources to spend what she was spending." (Morning Call 7/11/08)
After her first election and after she spent some time in Harrisburg, there is no way that Beyer (or any other Republican member who received this type of assistance) didn't have the intellectual capacity to put two and two together and figure out that the dozens of people who worked on her campaign were actually full-time House employees.
CasablancaPA received this entertaining campaign commercial that made a point about that liar Beyer in 2005 that still holds true today (be sure to turn the volume up):
Don't just take our word for it when we say that every member of the Republican caucus knew a massive political operation was being run out of the Capitol.
The grand jury presentment went into depth about how most of the House Republican Campaign Committee fundraising was conducted by staff in the Capitol. A close examination of Republican campaign finance reports shows that rank and file members were aware of this and knew where to send their campaign checks.
Note the addresses where these campaign contributions to the HRCC were sent. It doesn't get more blantant and obvious than this:
Rick Geist -- 2004 and 2007
Gordon Denlinger -- 2004
Adam Harris -- 2004
David Millard -- 2006
Katie True -- 2006 and 2007 and again in 2007. (Note that Perzel was no longer in charge in 2007!)
Nick Micozzie -- 2004 and 2005 and 2007 (Again, Perzel wasn't in charge in 2007!)
These pale in comparison to how much money and how many times 2010 Republican Lieutenant Gubernatorial candidate Tom Killion sent to the HRCC campaign operation at its Capitol building offices:
January 2004
May 2004
August 2004
October 2004
December 2004
May 2005
September 2007 (uh, wasn't Smith in charge by this time?)
We dare any of these Republican members to say they had no idea that the House Republican Campaign Committee was operating out of the Capitol using caucus resources and caucus staff. Every elected member of the House and Senate used their staff and their offices to get re-elected. Any member who says otherwise is a liar.
Don't believe us? Then ask Lt. Governor Joe Scarnati why he sent this large campaign contribution to the Senate Republican Campaign Committee to (you guessed it!) the State Capitol Building in 2006.
Or, ask Scarnati about reimbursing his campaign staff via their Capitol office in 2006.
For that matter, look below that entry for Casey Long and someone should ask Scarnati why he bought tickets to a Sam Smith campaign event by sending his contribution to Smith's district office at 527 E Mahoning Street in Punxutawny. Was Smith's district office staff organizing a campaign event at his office using state computers on state time? Hmmm.
Since the time Ben Franklin was sitting in the Speaker's Chair, members of both parties (even the Federalists and Whigs) were using their staff and offices to get re-elected. It was and is an acceptable and pervasive part of the Harrisburg culture. Even partisan Republican Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett uses his taxpayer funded staff and taxpayer funded phones for his campaign.
There is a tremendous amount of faux shock from both Democrats and Republicans in Harrisburg surrounding Corbett's grand jury presentments last week and in July of 2008. Don't believe them for a second...it is just a pitiful attempt at revisionist history.
25 comments:
Seems to me like Corbett is doing his job, or else you (and we) wouldn't know about any of these GOP shenanigans.
I always wonder if people know when history’s being made. And what they’re doing at the time.
This, for instance, could be a historic moment. Why, Success that is why. Success attracts enemies. You can be successful and have enemies or you can be unsuccessful and have friends.
For example, what are you saying? That because you were “honest” and didn’t take money like every other lawmaker, you rise above them?
You don’t take money for one reason, so you can buy being dishonest about everything else and that’s worse than taking money.
Most prefer you take it and been honest with them. Or don’t take it. But don’t then go cheat on us.
Don’t cheat on your kid by never being around. You think you’re going to heaven because your “honest.” You’re not.
You’re going to the same hell as the crooked politicians you can’t stand.
The number one fear of people isn't dying, it's public speaking.
The most important thing in public service is honesty, integrity, hard work, family, never forgetting where we came from.
See, you are what you are in this world, that’s either one of two things: Either you're somebody or you’re nobody.
Do you know what good comes out of? Out of bad. That is what good comes out of. Because you cannot make it out of anything else. You did not know that, did you?
Dirt is a funny thing. Some of it rubs off on everybody. Every Man and Woman is conceived in sin and born in corruption.
Why have they make use of every grimy scheme acknowledged to make sure I'm not elected Governor?
Well, I will tell you why - for the reason that they are frightened of the uprightness, and the truth is this. They are trying to steal your money. Yeah, I said steal.
They would have you believe that they are interested in public welfare. They are interested in welfare, sure, but it is their own.
I have nothing to hide - I will make a deal with the devil if it will help me carry out my election.
Nevertheless, believe me, there are no strings attached to those deals.
It’s chaos. Every gorilla for himself. That basically the whole picture right there.
I think what you meant to say if if Corbett weren't running for governor we wouldn't know about this particular set if shenannigans.
osickgA liberal is a conservative who has been arrested.
There is no question the fatal flaw with all Four Caucuses was the outright negligence to bring in Consultants and remove Staffers that no longer care, hurt the reputations of their Legislator that hired them, and only care about themselves.
There are too many people up in the HRC, SRC, HDC, and SDC that are inept, incompetent and full of ingratitude not just towards the Public Servants whose name are on the Doors, but to the very Citizens they are suppose to serve, help and represent.
I hope there are far more Indictments of Lawmakers and I hope the ratio is 1 Lawmaker to 10 Staffers.
They could pass real reforms right now, but all they do is protect and promote Staffers in fear they will turn on them.
I got information for all them, your Staffers turned on you years ago, but you were too dumb, deaf, and drunk to know it.
There is a new dawn coming from the lower ranks and Retribution day is here because Reforms never happen.
When Convicted Felon Fumo’s Law Firm is employed to reorganize and restructure by Todd Eachus, it is really meant to cover up what happen not reform it.
What is going to be ironic is that the Guys and Gals up for Re-election are afraid to rock the boats before next year’s election by not making any changes, but it is their own Staffers that are going to cost their Legislators those Re-Elections.
So long as there are earnest believers in the world, they will always wish to punish opinions, even if their judgment tells them it is unwise and their conscience tells them it is wrong.
This is why CasablancaPA is important.
Anonymous pamphlets, leaflets, brochures and even books have played an important role in the progress of mankind.
Persecuted groups and sects from time to time throughout history have been able to criticize the oppressive practices and laws either anonymously or not at all... It is plain that anonymity has sometimes been assumed for the most constructive purposes.
As Buddah once said as quoted by former Representative Gerry Kosinski his look alike,,,,
"Virtue is persecuted more by the wicked than it is loved by the good."
Love of justice in the generality of men is only the fear of suffering from injustice.
We ought to be very cautious in the prosecution of magic and heresy.
The attempt to put down these two crimes may be extremely perilous to liberty, and may be the origin of a number of petty acts of tyranny if legislators be not on his guards.
As such an accusation does not bear directly on the overt acts of a citizen, but refers to the idea we entertain of his character.
Today we hear much of people's OAG calling out to punish the guilty, but very few are concerned to clear the innocent.
It is too bad the history of persecution is a history of endeavors to cheat nature, to make water run up hill, to twist a rope of sand.
We can see it now in William Penn's Land, but now that Perzel has joined Veon, Persecution readily knits friendship between its victims.
Fumo is out because nobody wants to be his friend, he copied Daniel Boone and moved to Kentucky.
Our forefathers found the evils of free thinking more to be endured than the evils of inquest or suppression.
This is because thoughtful, bold and independent minds are essential to the wise and considered self-government.
Pity the poor, wretched, timid soul staffers, too faint hearted to resist their oppressors.
The Law Givers sings the songs of the damned, 'They cannot resist.
Like Frank LaGrotta they have too much to lose, they might take your property or confiscate your earnings, what would your family do, how would they survive?
They hide behind pretended family responsibility, failing to see that the most glorious legacy that we can bequeath to our posterity is liberty not public service!
This why the liberty of the press would be an empty sound, and no man would venture to write on any subject, however, pure his purpose, without an attorney at one elbow and a counsel at the other.
From minds thus subdued by the fear of punishment, there could issue no works of genius to expand the empire of human reason.
If you suppose that good intentions justify intruding on the lives and properties of your fellow citizens!
Do you appreciate being the target of somebody else's good intentions, or haven't you had that particular dubious pleasure yet?
Persecution is the first law of society because it is always easier to suppress criticism than to meet it.
I cannot know when Global Warming is taking place; I no longer can have a Calendar from my Legislator.
I am told, this was one of the Reforms put in by Dilworth Paxson to save cost for the HDC.
I know they did this to mess with my mind, first they outlawed weed, and then speed, and now I cannot figure out what damn day it is without my government issued calendar.
Yet, I get a free condom anytime but they won’t cover Viagra for me anymore ever since they passed CHIPS. Now how am I expected to show up at the Soup Kitchen on time?
This never happen under Fumo, Veon, and Perzel so long I cleaned a Barn, Cigar Shop, and Robo-Phones!
Damn Tom Corbett!
Let us paraphrase Mr, Justice Zappalla, on the event of his son's appointment as District Attorney in Allwgheny County.: You can bet that some of my friends might support my son, but you can be sure that all my enemies will not support him. They, like the missionaries, went to do good and ended up doing well, Then again, times have changed. Cash for clunkers, cash for kids. Here a cash, there a cash, everywhere a cash man. All in a day's work and the north shore is open 24/7.
Hey osicka liberal, wake up and smell the coffee, juan valdez ain't just coming.
, he is already here. So get out your prayer rug or your knee pads and pray for the destruction of nafta and all those out global warming and the denmark obne world government bill. only prayer and supplication will help this commonwealth and this nation. It is not and ratio of ten to one that we need, we need to turn to god and hope that there are ten just men who will stand up against this sodom and gommorrah that they have allowedn
to come upon our government, Prayer like you have never praid before. All the madlyn murrays and michel moores of the world cannot stop the power of prayer.
In sin did thy mother conceive thee.
I knew Jerzy Koszinski and you ain"t no Jerzy Koszinski, Commander Corbnett.
Don't be dragging former Rep. Frank LaGrotta into this. He done is pennance to society, the church and stae, so you just quit picking on him, You should buy his book when it is released. I'll bet he ius going to donates all the profits to a non-profit. I for one will buy his book and even get him to autograph it when he comes to the barnes and nobles down in kennett square.
"Anonymous said...Let us paraphrase Mr, Justice Zappalla, on the event of his son's appointment as District Attorney in Allwgheny County.: You can bet that some of my friends might support my son, but you can be sure that all my enemies will not support him. They, like the missionaries, went to do good and ended up doing well, Then again, times have changed. Cash for clunkers, cash for kids. Here a cash, there a cash, everywhere a cash man. All in a day's work and the north shore is open 24/7.
November 21, 2009 3:45 AM"
The Zappalla Family Role in Kids for Cash violation of thousand Unconstitutional Rights Violations is what needs to be investigated along with his own hands and Daughter's input into State Gambling undue influence.
Let us not forget, it was Supreme Court Judge Cappy that came to the Legislator looking for big increases for Judges Pay that started Bonusgate and Pay Raises.
Yet, just today, we now see how the Judges will protect themselves and their families and estates from wrongdoing????
Wasn’t Kids for Cash Campaign Contributor Powell close to Todd Eachus too?
WHERE IS THE OAG NOW?
Ex-Luzerne judges given partial immunity from civil suits
Saturday, November 21, 2009
The Associated Press
Two former county judges accused of taking millions of dollars in kickbacks to send juveniles to private detention facilities are partially immune from civil lawsuits, a federal judge in Pennsylvania ruled yesterday.
The decision by U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo could make it harder for the people suing former Luzerne County judges Michael T. Conahan and Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. to collect damages.
Judge Caputo said Mr. Ciavarella will avoid civil consequences for "the vast majority" of his conduct, because much of it occurred inside a courtroom, such as determination of delinquency and sentencing.
He said Mr. Conahan largely would not be immune, because his alleged actions were more administrative in nature, such as signing a placement agreement with the detention centers.
There are more than 400 named plaintiffs in the case, and lawyers are seeking class-action status.
She said the plaintiffs cannot appeal Judge Caputo's decision at this point in the proceedings, although Mr. Conahan or Mr. Ciavarella can if they want.
Judge Caputo said the case involved principles of judicial independence that date back hundreds of years and are designed to protect judges who make sincere mistakes, uphold the reputation of the courts and meet the need for the court system to render final judgments.
"I am not unmindful of the egregious nature of the alleged conduct presented in this case," the judge wrote. "This is, however, about the rule of law. It is about the rule of law in the face of popular opinion which would seek a finding directly contrary to the result the rule of law dictates."
At the heart of the lawsuit and criminal case are claims that Mr. Ciavarella routinely violated the legal rights of juvenile defendants in his courtroom as part of a conspiracy with Mr. Conahan and others to funnel them into privately run detention centers.
Authorities say the judges received about $2.8 million in kickbacks as a result.
The two former judges pleaded guilty in February to honest services fraud and tax evasion in a deal with prosecutors that called for an 87-month sentence.
But that plea bargain was voided in August when a federal judge decided the two were not accepting proper responsibility for their deeds.
Mr. Ciavarella and Mr. Conahan changed their pleas to not guilty, and were later indicted on racketeering charges. They await trial.
"Anonymous said...
Hey osicka liberal, wake up and smell the coffee, juan valdez ain't just coming, he is already here. So get out your prayer rug or your knee pads and pray for the destruction of nafta and all those out global warming and the denmark one world government bill. only prayer and supplication will help this commonwealth and this nation. It is not and ratio of ten to one that we need, we need to turn to god and hope that there are ten just men who will stand up against this sodom and gommorrah that they have allowed to come upon our government, Prayer like you have never praid before. All the madlyn murrays and michel moores of the world cannot stop the power of prayer. November 21, 2009 3:53 AM"
I once heard that Pray can change things, but in this day and age of TV Media Atheism, Global deceit in science, banking, and health care the only Prays the children know today is....OBI-WAN KENOBI, I NEED YOU!
"Anonymous said...Don't be dragging former Rep. Frank LaGrotta into this. He done is pennance to society, the church and stae, so you just quit picking on him, You should buy his book when it is released. I'll bet he ius going to donates all the profits to a non-profit. I for one will buy his book and even get him to autograph it when he comes to the barnes and nobles down in kennett square. November 21, 2009 4:04 AM"
Forgive me Father, I have sin, you are correct, even Judas did good work after his suicide, by having a Poverty Plot Cemetery put into society.
Frankie has done his time, but he claims he never did any crimes, but his sister is now looking for a Pension.
"Anonymous said...In sin did thy mother conceive thee. November 21, 2009 3:54 AM"
In your case it might have been in the back seat of a Christian Van with a policy of of just say No, and Don't Tell!
President Reagan came up with part of this slogan to save the kids in 1980's, and President Clinton added to it to save the same kids that joined the Military in 199's.!
As the music, Onward Christian Soldiers played with Titanic Memories Nearer To My God, with a smooth melody of The White Cliffs Of Dover!
I think you are one of damn Mediarites, flying to harm the earth!
"Anonymous said...I knew Jerzy Koszinski and you ain"t no Jerzy Koszinski, Commander Corbnett.
November 21, 2009 3:57 AM"
I liked his cousin Kinkski and his other cousin Jabber The Hut, along with the Political Bounty Hunter Labette Meehan that got the evil Flaming, Firing, Darth Fumo and then step aside for Corbnett to be Crown the next Emperor of the Penn's Woods Empire.
Beware, when one has too much love of justice in the generality of men is only the fear of suffering from injustice. Do not expect justice where might is right.
Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws.
Thank god, we have Judges, OAG, and Staffers keeping all this straight so we will have justice in the end.
Even it means, taking away Kids For Cash, hell if they can lock up your Kids for a profit, what the hell are they going to do to these poor Defendants?
Any Rand said it first and best:
"There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals.
Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them.
One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws."
Ayn Rand was a Conservative Republican invited to the White House when President Gerald Ford swore in Alan Greenspan, (Re-Named GreenSAP) that came up with the policies that sapped away wealth globally, leaving the poor into prostitution, as the middle classes just struggles to feed itself!
Those at the OAG who are convinced they have a monopoly on The Truth always feel that they are only saving the world when they slaughter their political opponents and bring competitors into line with fear.
The only thing that permits the Legislature is to acquiesce in an erroneous theory is the lack of a better one, analogously; an injustice is tolerable only when it is necessary to avoid an even greater injustice.
Looks to me we are going to need far more Prisons and we should do it by turning Neighborhoods into them. Oh, Bush already did that, by making Democracy crueler than wars on tyrants.
Team Casa are bitterly persecuted for their least deviation from accepted beliefs of others that did the same deeds.
It is precisely Team Casa obstinacy about trifles that continues to irritate the righteous to madness.
Why can they not yield on so trifling a matter?
Alas, how many have been persecuted for the wrong of having been right?
As I read some of the blogs here. I am starting to think, that calm is not desirable in any situation in life. It just seems Men and Women were made for action and for bustle too.
What we have here is too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them. A trait in Political Circles not known for quick accomplishments or results or even thoughtful laws, do you not agree?
What we all fail to understand is that learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.
For example, when we talk about Gun Control we ignore that one can do more with a kind word and a gun than with just a kind word.
When we talk about the LCB and removing it, I am reminded of how Sheetz sells liquor, it is called bootlegging; when patrons buy it at State Stores, its called hospitality to protect the children.
So where does that leave us? Remember to vote early -- and often. For Tom Corbett!
In regards to all of the DeWeese accusations and allegation, they fall aside when reading all the facts so far uncovered.
Bill DeWeese made it a career in helping other’s have careers and trusting them to do good, sometimes at his own personal great sacrifice and reputation.
Bill like any leader is often shocked later to learn, that others might get along fine, might even get along better, without his help, trust, or guidance.
Therefore, they planned to dump him by blaming him for things he did not do.
The truth is sometimes a poor competitor in the market place of ideas that is complicated, unsatisfying, and full of dilemmas, is always vulnerable to misinterpretation and abuse, by the very people, he helped, and with ingratitude, they try to hurt him.
It took Bill DeWeese great courage to investigate his own office, the entire HDC, and HDCC, and it was the right thing to do, even it meant finding out many you entrusted actually betrayed you.
At all times sincere friends of freedom have been rare when power is around as they see fit to take it from others, by any means.
Thus, be not intimidated, nor suffer yourselves to be wheedled out of your liberties or treatment towards others by any pretense of politeness, delicacy, or decency.
These, as they are often used by those that betray, are but three different names for hypocrisy, chicanery and cowardice towards others, such as Deweese experienced.
At the same time, it took great compassion by DeWeese, because the things that often destroy all of us are politics without principle; pleasure without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business without morality; science without humanity; and worship without sacrifice.
Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to error in trusting others.
One cannot be faulted such as DeWeese when he practices with malice towards none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives him and us to see the right!
Corbett crooked too? NOOOO WAY! . Tom, how many AG employee's are also campaign staffers?
Casablancapa has, once again, proven its value. Aggregating, organizing and analyzing the open source information and presenting it clearly and in comprehensible manner is most valuable.
While your exposure of the elected and party leadership has been uncompromising, I found your exposure of Dave Patti, particularly, good. Phonies, like Dave Patti and the Greenlee lobbyists, are enablers complicit in all that is wrong. The misdirect and obscure when they, as citizens, can expose and provide the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth and not clouds of babble.
thanks again.
I agree the Greenlee Lobbyists, are worthless, they just suck blood out of everyone, until they are no longer useful, then they dump on them.
Dilworth Paxson too, Todd Eachus is crazy having them represent the HDC.
More things are about to come out about Fumo's graft and it ain't pretty.
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