Friday, November 11, 2011

DOORMATS

Tom Barnes of the Post-Gazette reports today on a coalition of good government groups complaining about the amount of energy company money flooding into the campaign coffers of Pennsylvania politicians. (Post-Gazette 11/11/11)

We love ya, fellas, but don't expect to ride this issue on a wave of voter outrage.  The 2005 pay-raise backlash - the uproar every activist hopes to replicate - was a rare perfect storm. Generally, a regular ho-hum attitude reigns over the antics of the knuckle-heads in the State Capitol (many people actually conflate their state legislators with their Congressman and vice versa).

There are some very, very hinky things going on in Harrisburg by specific people in power.  Yet, very rarely, if ever, do you - you, the activists, the gadflies, the agitators - single them out and call them what they are: thieves, crooks, liars, etc.  Instead, you make broad stroke indictments of "the culture" without ever singling out the bad actors and going for the jugular.  Only when you've isolated them and brought as much pressure as possible upon them, will you capture anyone's attention in a big enough way to effectuate change.

Here is a perfect example from today's Post-Gazette story:

"The liberal groups said they are hearing that House Republican leaders are using redistricting threats to line up members' votes for the 'weak' gas regulation bill. Mr. Kauffman said if a House Republican doesn't vote for the bill, he may end up 'with a thousand more Democrats in their new district.'"

There are two - and only two - individuals that have that power among the House Republican leaders - Speaker Sam Smith and Majority Leader Mike Turzai.  Why didn't you specifically call them out, by name, for what is nothing less than blatant blackmail?  Their names aren't even mentioned in the story.

Inexplicably, you even threw into the mix Congressional members of both parties who have practically no ability to do anything about the perils of hydraulic fracturing.  Ho-hum.

There are three villians in the story you want to tell -- the blackmailers Smith and Turzai who carry the (frac) water of Governor Tom Corbett, the President Harding of this generation's Teapot Dome scandal, who sold his soul for $1.6 million from the energy companies.

You accuse two politicians of blackmail, without specifically naming them or their crime, yet no one will ever hear from you again about it.

Kind of like how you filed a stunning lawsuit accusing those in the highest levels of the state legislature and the state judiciary of colluding to connect the 2005 payraise for the judiciary with protection of the newly passed gaming legislation from judicial scrutiny.  (Inquirer 2/7/06) Then, a few years later, Corbett uses a grand jury to investigate how the gaming law came into being and issues a report (with no indictments) that doesn't mention any of those listed in your lawsuit -- former GOP Representatives Ed Krebs and Scott Chadwick, former Republican Senator Bob Jubelirer, conservative activist Matthew Brouillette, ex-wife to state senate GOP campaign guru Mike Long, Suzanne O'Berry, and Mike Long himself.

Where was the outrage when Corbett completely ignored sworn statements given by some of those listed above?  We're guessing O'Berry wasn't called before the grand jury,  nor Brouillette or Krebs or Chadwick.  These people were part of a stunning chain of events you uncovered yet there was no mention of it in what was supposed to be a bombshell of a grand jury report.

Where is your outrage this week when a secretary, Jill Seaman, is convicted of 40 felonies in connection to the computergate scandal, yet the Speaker of the House Sam Smith (who signed millions of dollars in contracts, was on emails about the illegal activity and in meetings about the illegal activity) isn't even subpoenaed by the prosecution?

Until you specifically call out, by name, the few bad-actors who have the real power to change things to the carpet aggressively, you're going to continue being treated like doormats by the wider group of people you chastize instead.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

These Ethical Violations at best were illegally turned into Criminal Violation with careful Selective Prosecutions, to elect a Governor, grab for ultimate power, and as revenge for the pay raise outrage by the voters.

None of these people deserve Jail Time and runied lives.

They became pawns for self-interest and power purposes, and now that the Sandusky Sex Allegations are above all Media for now and years to come.

No one cares to investigate Corbett, Fina, and Kelly.

Over a friggin Pay Raise good men and women are ruined in life after of years of great work helping others.

Curse Corbett!

Anonymous said...

After reading this Blog Story, I have to go back to Penn State Investigation.

Did Corbett bite off more than he can chew?

Now that Texas may be involved in what happen at that Alamo Bowl in 1998 with Sandusky abusing a child that weekend.

Texas Rangers will be far more assertative in asking te righjt questions that Corbett Puppet Linda Kelly is not asking of Paterno.

This could bring down Corbett based on what you posted if one asks the right questions of Corbett Tenure at Attorney General Office.

I mean, Tom Bradley who has been a coach there for 33 years with the last 12 replacing Sandusky, who is seen all the time on the side line with McQueary and obviously coaches with him etal.

In addition, say until this came out this is the first he heard of this? HUH?

If that is the case, and according to Switzer when you coach long enough with people nothing is hidden, then Bradley and the rest of the staff need to be shown the door ASAP and will become victims of Corbett's SS operations.

My guess is this dirty little secret has been going on for years, and the Texas Rangers will uncover it.

I have a feeling when the investigation is done you are going to see wide spread concealment and a lot more heads to roll.

Corbett himself will not be protected if he tried to protect others guilty of hurting children.

This is what happens when you live in a vacuum and k-tow to everybody.

Paterno is not out of the woods.

JoePa could still be charged if....Mike McQueary claims that he provided specific details to Joe Paterno.

Tim Curley claims that he was NOT given specific details of the incident.

The middle man is Joe Paterno.

Somebody is lying.

If McQueary told Paterno the specifics and Paterno covered for Sandusky in a way and just reported vague details to Curley, Paterno is in a world of trouble.

On the other hand, if McQueary lied to the Grand Jury and only told Paterno vague details, he is in a ton of trouble.

Somebody is lying and its very possible it could be Paterno.

And if that's the case, we may see him in an orange jump suit, something Corbett thought would never happen as long as his former underlings are in control.

Crazy, but Texans Rangers don't mess around they will expose any cover-up or attempt to cover-up.

Making your Blog Prophetic!

Anonymous said...

Ill be shocked if he isnt charged. Something is not right.

He was told everything by mm.

Is this how the conversation went?

M.M : Coach, I have something to tell you. I saw j.s. and a 10 year old boy horsing around in the shower.

J.P: OK. Thanks for stopping.

No way in hell. he knew exactly what mm saw.

Anybody in the world would be asking a million questions. This is just common sense.

Joe lied.

Anonymous said...

Didn't the then AG, now Gov have a moral obligation to notify the university of what he was investigating and advise to watch Sandusky to prevent possible future abuse?

Or to notify the State college police?

Wasn't he also putting children at risk by not warning local authorities of what he was investigating?

The failure to comment or criticize anyone other than Joe is driving me effin crazy.

They should have gone to Spanier and Curley and told them point blank - "He is an unproven abuser"

They should have then gone to the Lasch building and told everyone - "He's an unproven abuser".

Anyone says the law prevents them from having done so is simply a horrible enabler who is putting the law above morality.

One can criticize Corbett so long as you remember and emphasize to others that JoePa is the target.

Take your lead from the media.

How dare one come here and post something that is FACTUAL and makes PERFECT SENSE!

How dare CasablancaPA, indeed!

Anonymous said...

Corbett = "Do As I Say Not As I Do"

WHAT A HYPOCRITE AND WHAT A PHONY

Get his sorry a$$ out of office even if it takes impeaching him.

Shhh it's ok to hide behind the law ahead of all else including victims.

We mean hiding behind law.

Police & DA = OK,

Joe = Not OK,

I think that is what you are saying and Corbett is a monster playing these games off the lives of children.

Anonymous said...

The way the Players came marching out arm in arm was very classy and should do it all the time, setting a new image for a New Penn State Football Era! It would be the most distinctive entrance in all of college football and would remind everyone it began by thinking about the children victims.

In addition, New Uniforms should be designed leaving Paterno mark on the team an ancient memory.

Add a large Dark Blue Stripe down the Pants Side Legs.

Add a Nittany Lion Logo on side of the helmet.

Wear Dark Blue Helmets with White Nittany Lion Logo.

On Breast Cancer Awareness Month, wear Penn State Original Colors of Pink and Black showing compassion for Cancer Victims.

Renew the PITT-PENN STATE Series since Joe Paterno ended it out of spite, it is good Economics for the Commonwealth.

Hire New President, Athletic Director, Assistant Athletic Director, Head Coach, and Key University Leadership Employees.

As everyone else connected to the Football Program to resign or be fired, no pensions just two-week notices, all coaches, managers, and staffers.

Ask all Joe & Sue Paterno's relatives to resign or find other jobs, there 37 of them.

Cancel Pensions for Sandusky, Curley, Paterno, and Schultz!

All Trustees should end all and any Business relationships with Joe Paterno especially the ones Joe or his Relatives are Officers or Board Members.

Anonymous said...

Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, the former attorney general who launched the Penn State child abuse investigation, personally approved a $3 million state grant for a non-profit founded by Jerry Sandusky because there are not — and never were — any criminal allegations against the charity, a spokesman said today.

The grant for the state's share of a new building for Second Mile had initially been approved by former Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell but was among a large batch of still uncommitted funds Corbett decided to review after taking over as governor in January. Corbett approved it in July, four months before a statewide grand jury issued criminal allegations against Sandusky and two Penn State officials who allegedly failed to report the crimes.

Sandusky, the former defensive coach who helped develop Penn State's reputation as "Linebacker U," last week was charged with 40 counts of sex abuse for allegedly molesting young boys he met through the Second Mile, a charity for underprivileged kids.

"He (Corbett) couldn't block that (grant) from going forward because of what he knew as attorney general," said Kevin Harley, Corbett's press secretary. "He couldn't let on to anyone (including the governor's office) what he knew. Second Mile hasn't been charged with anything."


What a fleckless excuse, Harley keeps lying about Corbett having to remain quiet, but we know the truth now.