Molly Ivins once wrote of President Bill Clinton: "I have wasted more time and space defending Clinton than I care to think about. If left to my own devices, I'd spend all my time pointing out that he's weaker than bus-station chili. But the man is so constantly subjected to such hideous and unfair abuse that I wind up standing up for him on the general principle that some fairness should be applied."
That's pretty much how we feel about Attorney General Kathleen Kane at this point.
We can't explain why she claimed to have an affidavit she didn't have. We can't defend it. But the fact remains that Agent Kevin Wevodau did claim in a unsworn memo that Agent Claude Thomas indicated the Philadelphia sting was tainted by racial targeting.
Regardless of what Thomas actually said, there's no denying that race was indeed a factor. Only one of the primary targets of the sting is white, and he has a very strong case that he was targeted because he's criticized the Attorney General's legislative corruption probe.
Certainly, Kane appears to have made a buffoon of herself. But that doesn't automatically mean the sting former Deputy AG Frank Fina's conducted was above-board and by the book. Three other Attorneys General refused to pull the trigger on the case. With no solid prospect of an actual prosecution, Fina rushed to cut a deal with informant Tyron Ali before Kane even was sworn into office.
The filing of charges by the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, where Fina now is employed, is far from proof that Kane was wrong not to pursue the charges. So far, D.A. Seth Williams' efforts have yielded a single conviction of conflict of interest, with similar plea bargains likely for the other defendants. In glossing over Ali's credibility problems, Fina's defenders have made much of the "smoking gun" recordings of defendants accepting gifts. What's been ignored is that, while a prosecutor can throw any evidence he chooses before an investigative grand jury (with no objection from a defense attorney), no judge would admit those recordings in a trial without sworn testimony of identification. And the only one who can provide that testimony is Tyron Ali.
Furthermore, Ali handed out "sting" cash to at least one barmaid with whom he was friendly, for her Carribean vacation. That fact alone is solid evidence of how shoddily-supervised the operation was - evidence the grand jury certainly never got to hear.
Even Kane's harshest critics are aware Williams' crusade has noting to do with justice for small-time politicos and their petty grasping. Williams' feud with Kane stems from her exposure of Fina's appallingly shoddy work in the Jerry Sandusky investigation and his dissemination of smutty and offensive emails.
Kane has fired staffers implicated in the email scandal. Former OAG employees who've been exposed - Department of Environmental Protection Secretary E. Christopher Abruzzo, DEP Counsel Glenn Parno, Board of Probation and Parole member Randy Feathers, Lancaster County Assistant DA Rick Sheetz, - have been deemed unfit for public service. Supreme Courth Justice Seamus McCaffery retired in disgrace. Chris Carusone, who also served in Gov. Tom Corbett's cabinet, was forced to resign from his private-sector law firm.
Only Williams, who continues to employ Fina and two other prosecutors implicated - Patrick Blessington and Marc Costanzo - is content to allow men with spectacularly poor judgement to decide the fate of others.
269 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 269 of 269Kane is not a judge. What Eakin did is in sum STILL WAY worse than what she did. And he did it a bunch more, including that cheap rap about the female employees in his own office.
Having said all that, Eakin is in the crosshairs. It is not a defense to his speeding ticket that everyone was speeding. It is not a defense to his dui or robbery or rape or murder that everyone else was doing those things, either.
It's the exact same thing in terms of the DV joke. EAKIN and FINA both completely tasteless and both individuals are supposed to uphold the law.
There private communications about employees in their office is something they has to answer for. No one can be excusing that just like I don't excuse those that traded porn between Prosecutors and Judges.
That said, the majority of the "newly discovered" Eakin emails were up the same alley as Fina both broke laws and did Theft of Services and Federal Copyright Violations.
Go back and look at previous quotes from the Bishop's attorney. He specifically referenced not taking a plea.
Here's an article that lays out the other deals. They're basically the same: Keep the pension, no jail time, give up their seat and politics.
http://mobile.philly.com/news/politics/?wss=/philly/news/politics&id=306497161&
They could have gotten it anytime. The truth there was clear evidence of racial targeting and by allowing all tow alk, removes that aspect of their Prosecutor's Misconduct. There's evidence of Fina getting duped by Ali and agreeing to a bad deal. Ali knew members of the black caucus socially and that's why they were targeted and that is Racial Targeting.
The perfect world would be her getting those porn guys like Fina and company, then all Judges facing charges so they all go away. Replace them with more Women Judges and Minorities like Chief Justice Todd that is women in good standings and does not send Porn on State Time using State Computers that is Theft of Services!
Ummm, Frank Fina boss offered Bishop such a sweet deal so that Fina did not have to testify. The “apology” was probably part of the deal. They know that a finding of racial targeting would mean that all the other defendants would get to withdraw their plea deals. Williams’ career is on the line (and Fina’s is over).
The shills for Frank Fina are all in a frenzy. But the fact remains that Fina is a racist that should not have a badge and should not get another dollar of taxpayer money. The ridiculous “plea” deal in Bishop’s case is an embarrassment to law enforcement. She gets her record expunged, for Gods sake. If the case was not tainted by an unjust deal with Ali and improper behavior by Fina, there would be real penalties for these corrupt politicians.
I look forward to seeing these “hundreds of pages” of evidence. I won’t hold my breath though
I wish I could be there to watch that bastard squirm. They better inform him of his 5th Amendment rights. Because Castille and Eakin won’t be able to protect Frank Fina from what is coming his way. His antics have finally caught up to him. The shackles could not go on a nicer guy!!
am not sure why the Judge would allow the testimony of Kane – even if the defense was requesting it. She was not elected until after Fina targeted African Americans and started calling his sting case the “Black Caucus Case.”
The attorney for Bishop needs to ask Fina about his relationship with Tyron Ali, Tyron Ali’s lawyer and the new integrity officer at the district attorneys off. This will be one of the first times Fina has said anything publicly since some of his e-mails were revealed. I do not believe he has even apologized.
It would be great if Bishop’s attorney today showed him the “Bravery at it’s Finest” e-mail and ask him why he decided to send it to a group of his friends. There really is no good answer. People who are not bigots don’t see something like that and send it to others.
It has NEVER been proven that Kane leaked anything – let alone why anything was leaked. People and Papers have been sued for printing such stuff.
BTW – it was Bruce Beemer (the 1st Assistant) that just testified against Kane in the Senate’s hearing) that found that the targeting of Blacks by Fina was improper. He also found that the “deal” Fina made with the con-man Ali was unjust.
And now we may know why. It turns out that Fina and Ali have the same lawyer. And that lawyer’s wife was just hired by Seth Williams as his “Chief of Staff” and “General Counsel” — two positions that did not exist until Seth made them up for Fina’s lawyer’s wife. The lawyer’s wife has just about ZERO qualifications for the job as well.
Seth Williams has some explaining to do. It is rumored that this lawyer is ALSO SETH’S LAWYER in the federal criminal investigation he is facing.
The news media must wakeup and search for the truth. Pennsylvania is in a crisis due to many years of political abuse. Kathleen Kane ended the Republican manipulation of the Office of Attorney General. Our Senate and Supreme Court are about to remove a sitting Attorney General without due process.
Citizens need to yell STOP to their elected leaders.
In an emotional testimony, Eakin said it’s been “terribly frustrating” to be the subject of an ongoing scandal without the opportunity to address the accusations against him.
At least Eakin is afforded a hearing.
Eakin needs to go. He should be suspended, if not fired, immediately. There is no excuse for sending pornographic and racist emails using state computers on state time. He is not fit to be any kind of judge, let alone a Pa. supreme court judge.
Eakin and friends voted to suspend Kane's law license due to criminal charges being filed against her. When will be the vote to suspend Eakin's license since he's been charged too?? Then the senate can go after him as well. Yeah, right......Will the treatment of the male Eakin be different than they have already treated the female Kane? Are their rules for the goose and different rules for the gander?
Eakin's testimony proves he DOES NOT GET IT, EVEN NOW. If he does not get a very hefty suspension--like, many months or a year--then this is simply ridiculous.
State Supreme Court Justice J. Michael Eakin tearfully apologized Monday for exchanging emails that included pictures of naked women and crude jokes that mocked minorities, gays, lesbians and others.
But the justice also said he had been the victim of a "media circus" - "dragged through the mud without the opportunity to address the misstatements and, in my mind, the total dishonesty in many of the news reports."
Appearing before the judicial ethics court that is weighing misconduct charges against him, Eakin said he regretted the messages, sent and received on a private account but made public because they were exchanged on government computer servers.
"I apologize," he told the Court of Judicial Discipline, adding that he believed he should be held accountable for the messages he sent, but not the ones he received. "I apologize to my brethren, to the judiciary, to the legal profession, to people who voted for me, to people who didn't vote for me, for what I have allowed to happen."
Eakin, 66, a Republican who has served on the high court for more than a decade, has said the messages do not reflect his character.
"Perhaps my demeanor was 'one of the boys,' " he told the court. "But what I sent was to people who were 'one of the boys.' It was in the locker room." {Does he not realize that being secretive about your evil biases is an even GREATER problem if you are a SC Justice? Holy Mother of God.}
The Judicial Conduct Board charged Eakin with misconduct earlier this month, saying he had "detracted from the dignity of his office" by sending or receiving the messages. In a 52-page complaint, the board said Eakin "engaged in conduct so extreme that it brought the judicial office into disrepute."
In court Monday, Francis J. Puskas, the deputy chief counsel for the Judicial Conduct Board, argued that suspending Eakin was necessary to protect the integrity of the high court and give the public confidence that it operates without bias.
"The public is left wondering whether Justice Eakin has a conscious or even unconscious bias about the groups who are the butt of these emails," said Puskas.
He specifically cited an email Eakin received showing an obese naked woman on all fours with a pig snout and pig ears.
"Women might say it's equating women to animals," he said.
Puskas said Eakin's conduct failed "the smell test." He added: "There is something horribly wrong in the air and this court must clear it."
Eakin, in court papers filed last week, described the messages as "male banter" and said they did not cast the court, or his position on it, in a bad light because they were exchanged with friends and were never intended to be made public. {They cast both the court and his position on it in a bad light at the very least. He cannot even pretend to be a fairminded judge. Really this is not a close call, and they are only talking about suspending him. Sheesh.}
I have to admit that I have not followed this as closely as some may have (so please correct my misunderstandings)...
This is a man who has sent hundreds (not received, SENT HUNDREDS) of pornographic, racist, misogynistic emails to his buddies which he now diminishes as 'male banter' and 'locker room' talk. Don't bother to draw equivalencies to others who may have RECEIVED similar memes (in that case Eakin's total soars to over a thousand).
Aside from the silly, sophomoric, and embarrassingly childish memes this 'man' thought were amusing -- we add the emails he sent to friends which, in my opinion, create a concrete foundation for a sexual harassment lawsuit. Never mind the testimony of the two women today who thought this behavior was okay --- lots and lots of women (and men btw) would find this rightly offensive and Eakin would find himself unsuccessfully defending this nonsense in a whole different court.
But let's set all of that aside. Really, as difficult as it is... remove ALL OF THAT...
We're still left with a judge who rigged the judicial review a year ago when he had a buddy give him a clean pass without any hint of conflict of interest because he was a close friend of Eakin's.
We're still left with a judge who weighed in on Kane's law license without any statement of conflict of interest.
We're still left with a judge who after successfully 'jury-rigging' the first judicial review of his conduct attempted to stack the board on a second review.
This guy is a sleaze-ball. Worse, he is a sleaze-ball who views himself above the law... the laws and canons of ethics simply do not apply to Michael Eakin.
In my view the judiciary board has a no-brainer decision. I agree with Eakin's lawyers, he does not deserve to be 'burned at the stake.' But he HAS NO BUSINESS acting as a SUPREME COURT JUSTICE. Bye-bye Michael Eakin.
So the excuse is that it is okay because no one was ever supposed to know....just boys being boys. Porn and offensive jokes aside, what does his conduct relating to his subordinate females warrant for the potential sexual harassment? Is sexual harassment in okay as long as it is just in private? And then they trot out the assistants to say that they weren't offended as if that justifies his behaviour. I imagine that their jobs are somewhat contingent on Eaker remaining in his position, so throwing him under the bus doesn't serve them well now, but are they really to be flattered that their pervy boss and his buddies fantasize about them?
How many bosses survive when it comes to light that they discussed sexually desiring there subordinates? And theses judges and prosecutors were dumb enough to "memorialize" it. Eaker's pissing contest with Kane has just devolved into him pissing in the wind on himself....how much more splatter will the other justices take before they've had enough?
When will we see the exposion of these cases?
obs won't play on Pennsylvania voters mind. Justice Eakin knew what he was doing on state equipment under a false name. Resign before you lose your pension which you should forfeit any how!! One down and many more need to go and be replaced by Women and Men of decency!!!
Adios Crying Eakin ...and to his lawyer yes there are men who neither watch porn or laugh at an off color joke...maybe not in your crowd there aren't..oh that's right look who you are defending. As the world turns.......Don't expect any sympathy from me, you brought it on your self. Just another disgrace to the highest Court in Pa. We need a new state constitution and stop electing Article 5 judges by popularity contest ($). Sobbing? Man up and grow a pair.
If you watch Porn on State Time with State Computers Eakin has to pay for that Crime,, Fina too? They put convicted others doing the same thing calling it Theft of Services!
Your Honor"....Not one of these clowns should ever be addressed as your honor.
They have no honor and I hope they all think real hard about how many Plaintiffs and defendants they screwed during their term. Eakin makes the claim that he has done nothing that anyone else has not done. REALLY!
Eakin was supposed to set the example and he took the low road and now Eakin want to be excused. Eakin and Fina and Prosecutors and Judges have violated the law so now they need to should stand trial not just suspension with pay. They and thousands like him in the same overpaid position and were not even doing their jobs, just watching and sending Porn and joking on women, minorities and got caught thinking they erased the evidence, but Kane found it and now they are being buried in their own crimes.
Michael Eakin's suspension restores 'faith in our justice system' Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Looks like the Special Prosecutor will be bringing more Judges to the Grand Jury in an ever growing Cult Like Group of the Boy's Brotherhood Club? At the very least, another Case for the Judicial conduct Board to hold a Hearing???
Ever hear of PA Judge Richard Haaz?
Richard Haaz was one of the judges that sat on the panel that determined that Kane violated the protective order. Judge Haaz's son, Sam Haaz, works as an Assistant DA in Seth Williams' office (along with Fina, etc.) and is 'friends' with the entire Seth Williams' family.
Montgomery Co. Judge Richard Haaz Fails to Disclose Conflict on Panel Against AG Kane
http://www.pacourtwatch.com/2015/12/07/judge-haaz-should-have-recused/
It may be old news that Judge William Carpenter, Senior Judge William Nicholas, and Judge Richard Haaz sat on the April 27, 2015 panel to determine if Carpenter’s ambiguous protective order was violated by Attorney General Kane. But while thus far, Judge Richard Haaz has remained under the radar, it may be time to give him his place of honor in the Pennsylvania Courts Hall of Shame.
What has escaped the corporate-run media, is that it appears that Judge Haaz, who concurred on the opinion that AG Kane had violated the protective order, has a son that is an Assistant District Attorney, in the office where Frank Fina and Mark Constanza now work for Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams.
From his Facebook page, it looks like ADA Sam Haaz is friends with the entire Williams family. This may have created a duty for Judge Haaz to recuse from his participation in the hearing against AG Kane.
The entire crusade to remove Kane from office was instigated by former OAG Prosecutors Costanza and Fina. It was Fina that headed the somewhat lethargic prosecution of Jerry Sandusky , the notorious Penn State pedophile, under the administration of Governor Tom Corbett. Upon assuming her office as State Attorney General, Kane discovered that Costanza and Fina were exchanging masses of pornographic and racist emails with judges and other public officials on state servers – a debacle now known as Porngate.
in 2009. Really, the entire thing borders on childish.
General Kane has thus far remained relatively quiet about these details regarding the targeting of her by these Porndogs, but today she released a very strong statement that undeniably contains facts that should have been pointed out by the corporate media long ago:
“The fact that Justice Eakin was allowed to vote for a member of the panel empowered to hear and decide formal charges filed against him flies in the face of fairness,” Kane said in today’s 438-word statement. “That the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania saw no conflict in allowing the vote is even more troubling. But then again, Justice Eakin sat in judgment of my case and voted to suspend my license, even though he had a legal and ethical obligation to recuse himself, knowing I had some of his racially and gender offensive emails in my possession. It is exactly that kind of cavalier, business-as-usual attitude that I threaten by exposing the ‘hategate’ network.”
The panel’s decision was predictable to those that know all the players in this mad scramble to silence the General, who is the only public official that has ever had the integrity or courage to try to clean up the corruption in Pennsylvania. The State has become an in international embarrassment with a history of judicial scandals.
Now Pennsylvania can add Judge Richard Haaz to the judicial buddy network. The list just keeps growing. It is quite a testament as to the ridiculousness of the self-recusing and self-policing system that is full of nothing but self-serving characters, who have been inflicting their own version of justice on the citizens of Pennsylvania.
Friends - Sam Haaz Seth Williams
Gotta Love Facebook Friends
DA Williams has been under scrutiny for not firing Costanza and Fina, with pressure mounting from Senator Anthony Williams, the National Organization of Women, the NAACP and other members of Philadelphia government calling for their removal from office.
Rumor also has it that Fina and Costanza handpicked Thomas Carluccio, Esq to be the very Special Prosecutor appointed to indict Kane. Carluccio is the husband of Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Caroline Carluccio – who is also a past president of the local county bar. Judge Haaz has been a member of that bar for decades, along with former Montgomery County DA Risa Vetri Ferman. It is no surprise that before Ferman left the DA Office to begin her first term as a county judge, that she decided to bring formal charges against Kane for the allegations by Fina, that she had leaked grand jury information from a case that he had bumbled
In the face of all this – one has to wonder why Kane’s Attorney, Jerry Shargel- has not filed a Motion to Void the order that prematurely suspended Kane’s law license and to end this quest to indict her for what appears trivial in comparison to her major undertaking in the cleaning out of a very corrupt Judicial System, Anyone that has experienced the Pennsylvania Courts, will tell you that it is a legal industry focused on revenue – without a hint of justice to be found, unless you can afford to contribute to the network.
Another Judge who has no problem ruling until he gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Guess we'll see an apology shortly after the press picks this up. How many of these Judges are there? Does no one see a conflict here? At this point I realize I shouldn't be shocked.....but I am. It would seem that a Herculean effort will be needed to flush this system clean.
The Center for Public Integrity. PA Judicial Accountability = Grade F/Ranked 47th.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/2015/11/09/18507/pennsylvania-gets-f-grade-2015-state-integrity-investigation …
It is astonishing that there isn't ONE nose picking "journalist" who would have dug this info up on their own in recent weeks. How about Corbett having his hand-appointed replacement as AG, Linda Kelly, hire his own daughter into the OAG (the announcement was made under her married name despite everyone saying she practiced law under her maiden name - weird that, huh?). Incestuous, and disgraceful, are the perfect words especially considering that this is not a private family business were talking about here.
Centre County judge Brad Lunsford was texting Stacy Parks Miller DURING trials she was prosecuting, while he was on the bench. He is now "retiring" with full benefits and honors. It is absolutely insane.
Bravo to all. Keep the comments flowing.
is quite surprising the depth of dishonesty in the pa judicial system and DA Seth Williams Office. Some of these scumbags don't belong in a courtroom except as a defendant.
You've got the Supreme Court, prosecutors, the senate, lower judges, and a bunch of other prominent individuals all conspiring, trying to keep it hidden, and pretending like there is nothing wrong when they do get caught.
The last part is especially distressing as it indicates that is business as usual.
It takes new people elected to prominent positions to fight for the truth. Kathleen Kane has paid the price, but she is forcing the issue. I can only hope the new judges elected will continue the battle to cleanse the judiciary and law enforcement of corruption.
We desperately need leadership. The General Assembly is part of the problem.
New 'pink pig' is at it again....the so-called watch dog for the public, what a scum. Anyone know what his agenda is? He's occasionally on the WILK Corbett's talk show quoting "justice need s to be served" .:confused:
“AG Kathleen Kane now faces investigation by State Ethics Commission: Attorney General Kathleen Kane now faces an…
https://t.co/ZnY3T5GJm2”
Gee, I wonder which of these twits have secret connections to some of the players. ike anybody in PA politics has ethics when the Republicans ran the PAOAG, Ethics Commission, Judicial Conduct Board, Disciplinary Board, and Supreme Court, few to no complaints were ever investigated, complaints ignored, and they thought they would get AWAY WITH IT ALL!!!
Now All Of Sudden They Are Interested In Ethics And Discipline Now That Prosecutors And Judges Exposed To Porn And To Protect Them. Once The New Supreme Court Is Sworn In Expect A New Day And New Regime And Then Many Will Regret Their Cover Up, Obstruction Of Justice Is Easy To Prove!
Judgment day is coming to clean up the Courts, Senate, and most of all these Boards? Some people going to jail as well!
Supreme Court Eakin attempts to stuff the City Courts with his Minions?
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20160106_In_thwarted_move__Justice_Eakin_tried_to_install_new_leaders_in_city_courts.html#4CBoF8wSuzKpOgLd.01?&betaPreview=redesign
I don't understand. I heard this Eakin guy was beyond reproach. Beyond reproach, $110 million and massive influence and control makes for strange bedfellows. Oh well, Eakin goes out of state for his follies. Eakin claims he wants to move on, no corruption in Pa Court system.
They had to clean up Illinois Conviction and Corruption of multiple Republicans AGs that became Governors and some of them went to jail. PA politics is making Chicago politics seem honest since 2011.
Wow, just Wow, this Eakin guy has to be put in Jail not just retire!
"Embattled state Supreme Court Justice J. Michael Eakin tried to install new leaders in Philadelphia's massive court system by pushing his colleagues on the high court to act before three new justices joined the bench this week. Chief Justice Thomas Saylor and two other justices confirmed Tuesday that Eakin had urged them to put new leaders in place last month, but said they rejected his proposal. Eakin's move would have cut the new justices out of a major decision, handing out a political plum right before they took office: oversight of the nation's fifth-largest court system.....Eakin's thwarted maneuver was among his last moves before his Dec. 22 suspension from office as he awaits a trial on ethics charges.
Maybe they'll bring back Blago and put him in as a judge in Pa. Only seems fitting. All of this will lead back to Frank Fina, then Zimmerman and then Corbett! Kane will be gone too, but so will Seth Williams! Frank Fina really left a mess to suit Corbett's Political Agenda!
Bruce Ledewitz, a law professor at Duquesne University and expert on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, said Eakin's attempt to fill the leadership slots in the Philadelphia courts smacked of old-time patronage politics.
"It's disgusting," he said. "They are supposed to be deciding cases."
He added: "When you talk about doing it before the three join the court, you're talking about a politicized process."
"The attorney general of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has been reduced to one of those helpless damsels in a matinee thriller, bound and gagged, and tied to a sawmill.
Just last week, word came that Kane’s choice of a special prosecutor to investigate the broadening porno email scandal was, a month after his appointment, still being sandbagged by the old-guard holdovers who now run the attorney general’s office, and who refuse to sign his contract.
Here’s the ultimate irony that brings us full circle: the old guard in the AG’s office, widely criticized for obstructing the investigation of Jerry Sandusky, a charge they vehemently deny, is now just as obviously dragging their feet and obstructing the investigation of the porno email scandal that sprang from the stalled Sandusky case.
The sword of justice may have been removed from the hands of Kathleen Kane.
But don’t think that’s the worst of it, or the end of it.
In the face of wholesale, systemic corruption, the sword of justice has also been removed from the hands of the people of Pennsylvania."
http://newslanc.com/2016/01/05/keisling-pa-ag-kathleen-kane-gagged-bound-and-tied-to-the-sawmill/
Another good read thanks for posting....lines up a lot with Corbett-Fina's M.O. of the scumbags like Corbett and Fina using the corrupt press and GJ systems, that have been complicit in going along with them and that will be exposed soon?
Does this look like the end of the Kathleen Kane saga? I'm not very optimistic about her getting a fair and open review of all the facts in a court of law, but I take some comfort in the belief that Fina et. al. are going down eventually. I think a good indicator will be what happens with Gansler, if the porn dog/Corbett OAG holdovers are able to stifle his investigation then it's a pretty big blow to Kane.
When you allow one political party (either party) to own the office (any office) for over 20 years, you only allow corruption to get more deeply entrenched than it would be otherwise. "Just last week, word came that Kane’s choice of a special prosecutor to investigate the broadening porno email scandal was, a month after his appointment, still being sandbagged by the old-guard holdovers who now run the attorney general’s office, and who refuse to sign his contract."
Montgomery County DA Risa Ferman's August 2015 press conference contained lies and contradictions yRay Blehar
On December 29th, I wrote that step #5 of the PA Corruption Network's Playbook was for prosecutors to go public with trumped up charges based on questionable evidence and/or falsehoods in order to publicly smear political opponents.
District Attorney Risa Ferman's August 6, 2015 press conference -- like those given by former Attorney General (AG) Linda Kelly in relation to charging PSU officials Tim Curley, Gary Schultz, and Graham Spanier -- was a page out of the "playbook" and contained a number of falsehoods.
Lies
Vermin's, er, Ferman's statements regarding the actions of AG's Kane's head of security, Patrick Rocco Reese, were absolutely false and were likely made in an attempt to establish a non-existent link between grand jury information and Kane.
At 9:29:
"Also filed today, we filed a charge of indirect criminal contempt against Patrick Rocco Reese....he's charged with indirect criminal contempt based upon the evidence we gathered which would prove he secretly snuck into the grand jury files in violation of a protection order issued by Judge Carpenter."At 10:16:"After that protection order was issued, Agent Reese, on a repeated basis, snuck into those grand jury files and obtained confidential grand jury information."Reese was charged with Violation of a Protective Order, however the supporting evidence in no way proved that any grand jury information was ever in the possession of Reese.
Protective Order Notice #123 stated that all grand jury information was retained by Supervising Judge William Carpenter and Special Prosecutor Thomas Carluccio, thus could not have been accessed by an email search of the AG Office's email system -- regardless of whether Reese "snuck" into the files or not.
The "secretly snuck" language in Ferman's statements are solely based on the dubious testimony of the actual grand jury leaker, Adrian King.
Reese was convicted -- by Judge Carpenter, not a jury -- for using email search terms that prosecutors alleged were attempts to find out information about the grand jury investigation of Kane. Reese is rightfully appealing the conviction.
But Ferman didn't stop there.
As we saw in the case of the PSU 3, the law was misinterpreted (intentionally) to allege that Kane was behind the "scheme" to leak confidential materials.
http://notpsu.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-pa-corruption-networks-playbook_29.html
This is a much-needed and concise explanation of the modus operandi used by the mobsters and thugs in PA government. It's been clear as day to me for quite some time. But sadly, most of the PA public has just accepted the corrupt media lies without question. We have been pitted against each other in the form of democrat vs. republican in order to distract us while the Mafioso thugs are picking our pockets and telling us lies.
It's really not about party affiliation. It's about right and wrong, honest and dishonest, corrupt and uncorrupted. And it's also about bravery and cowardice. Those that betray the trust placed in them by the people are simply cowards.
They cave in to bribes, threats, intimidation and dreams of ill-gotten wealth. And all-the-while, they proclaim themselves to be the elite. And yes, they are the elite, the criminal elite. And we are allowing them to fund their criminal elitism with our taxes.
We have allowed them to falsely accuse us of crimes we did not commit. We have allowed them to divide us against each other. And we have even allowed them to sexually exploit our disadvantaged children within their institutions created to look like institutions of goodwill. When in fact, The Second Mile was most likely an example of institutionalized state-sponsored child prostitution.
But we are not to despise our state. We are to despise those that have robbed us of our beloved state of PA. And the finger is not to be pointed at either democrat or republican. It is to be pointed at the organized crime that has infiltrated and corrupted all levels of PA government.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is merely a microcosm of what is going on all throughout our nation. Our entire country is at war with corruption that wears the mask of either democrat or republican. And we can not win against corruption while we are forced into a false dichotomy that pits us against each other.
We must thank God everyday for the few brave ones like Attorney General Kathleen Kane that are trying to expose these officials that have so maliciously betrayed our trust. She is in the fight of her life for our sake. And had she been a coward, she could have just walked away.
Could not help but think of Pennsylvania while watching corruption play out in almost real time in Netflix documentary "Making a Murderer." Must see.
Greg BucceroniDecember 30, 2015 at 3:41 PM
Comments:
http://notpsu.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-pa-corruption-networks-playbook_29.html
I've been saying this since 2011 thru 2015. It is this corrupt network of a group of the Commonwealth's attorneys, judges, political operatives, their media accomplices and sordid law enforcement officials that have conspired since 2011 to throw off investigations into the 2nd Mile Charity scandal associated with child sex trafficking related crimes regionally.
I remember back in September 2012 when this sordid network of scoundrels conspired to discredit my allegations via The Philadelphia Daily News and misleading journalist Bill Bender and Sara Ganim regarding a child sex trafficking ring associated to the 2nd Mile Charity and various sordid prominent people within Pennsylvania's 'Good Old Boys Network" with strong ties to the Philadelphia metro area.
Thru professional therapy my memories of abuse are focused and have remained the same since I have been able to focus long buried memories into a timeline of abuse and exploitation between the years 1976-1980 which included "Who, What, Where, When and How".
FYI between the years 1976-1980 many of the prominent abuse offenders that were associated to the child sex trafficking network were only known by first names or nicknames for the most part; thru professional therapy, internet investigations and recent events in the news media since 2011 many of the sordid offenders previously known only by first names or nicknames ie (Coach Jerry, Coach Phil, Richie, Fat Tom, Fast Eddie, Scott, Denny, Fat Chucky, etc) have been identified with their full names, facial recognition & professional profiles. I fully stand by my allegations and will go toe to toe with any scoundrel that attempts to wrongfully discredit my allegations via "Smoke & Mirrors"
Bill Keisling of NewsLanc.com and yardbird.com was great. He made a very strong case that Kathleen Kane has not been getting a fair shake and what the Pennsylvania Senate is trying to do to remove Kane from office using an over 100 year old Pennsylvania law is a travesty of justice. Walter Cohen makes a lot of good points in explaining why what the Senate is trying to do is a mistake. Dennis Roddy is a partisan hack representing Frank Fina, Tom Corbett, the old boys network, and the trolls at Pennlive and would like to destroy Kane as soon as possible.
https://pcntv.com/2016/01/07/jan-13-attorney-general-kanes-ability-to-perform-duties-panel-discussion/
WE just loved the day several years back when we put on our best suit,,white shirt and our accounting and law degree qualifications were on full display, something that would make even JE Hoover proud, pranced around and made sure that we got all the important numbers on the voting boxes and the nervous nellies were so offput that the precint we worked that day was the only one that voted out ALL the judges. Funny how that worked.
Fina and Feudale finally got called out by their friends on the Superior Court. Will we see law license suspensions? The truth must be told.
IS witf running a sting or are they participating in a corrupt government. Time will tell. "Welcome to the program Seargeant"...
What does the sign in the window at 212 Ridge Hill Road say. I don't know but what was that camera doing pointed at our house?
Are airport cars at the Harrisburg airport running drugs surreptitiously without customers who rent the cars knowing. I need to talk to the FBI
BP
What is barbush and how is it affilitated with Avis at Harrisburg airport?
BP FBI contact me.
I love how you continually forget that Kane hasn't even gone to court re: the charges against her. It has yet to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that she broke any laws.
And no, having the Supreme Court suspending her law license isn't corroboration of the charges against her since, you know, one of the supreme court justices who voted on her suspension (Eakin) was implicated in the very email scandal Kane is trying to expose. And that judge just so happened to not recuse himself or make anyone aware of his MASSIVE conflict of interest before voting on her license suspension. Oopsies!! I guess that's cool with you and doesn't taint the entire suspension vote huh?
If the claims against Kane are legit doesn't it strike you as the least bit odd that Fina et al aren't calling for a formal impeachment proceeding where due process rules are followed, evidence is presented, etc.?? They are trying to rely on the corrupt PA supreme court judges suspending her license and corrupt PA politicians tortured interpretation of some random PA law that hasn't been used in 150 years to illegally remove Kane from office without any sort of due process or proper hearing. Yeah, that sounds about right......
The Superior Court correctly stated in each opinion that Fina's conduct in representing to Judge Feudale that he would not question Baldwin in her grand jury testimony "about matters that could involve potential confidential communications between [CSS] and Ms. Baldwin" and then doing precisely the opposite in order to build cases against them was highly improper given the that Pa. R. Prof. Conduct 3.10 precludes a prosecutor from subpoenaing an attorney to appear before a grand jury where the prosecutor is seeking to compel the attorney to provide evidence regarding a person who is or has been represented by the attorney [without obtaining prior judicial approval to do so].
Yep. Theres a good reason why Corbett had his interim AG change the email retention policy from 5 years to 6 months thus deleting 20 million...there are some incriminating ones in there, and I'm not talking about the porno ones. I'd bet money on it.
Him fina and beemer probably crapped their pants when Kane announced she found a way to recover them.
Oh Wise One,
Where is William Ryan, former acting AG, who ordered the destruction of 20 million emails in order to save taxpayer money on storage fees?
Corbett, Fina and others never dreamed of losing the Office of Attorney General to a Democrat, let alone a female.
BTW, Ryan is on the State Gaming Control Board. Want to place a bet on his future?
Amazing that the Eakin stuff and the Kane stuff and Spanier's suit and all the rest seems to be breaking at once. We actually seem to have a chance to break down some networks not only at PSU, but across the state. So the leadership brought a vote to the floor fully aware that it was a loser? Why? Because they are statesmen and they knew the public needed to see their Senate in action? Couldn't statesmen pass a budget before now? Also loved this part "In hindsight, Republicans in the legislature should probably have passed a budget before accusing AG Kane of not doing her job."
http://newslanc.com/2016/02/12/keisling-the-failed-vote-to-oust-ag-kathleen-kane-portends-real-trouble-for-the-states-long-entrenched-political-and-media-interests/
The law has a chance for revival in PA if the people voice their displeasure with the establishment. Now is the time for honest civil servants to stand up and cleanup the disgrace exposed every day in PA.
So with Kane's departure, Wiliam Ryan and Fina win the battle.
The question is, will they win the war?
The return to an elected Republican Attorney General this November would be a disaster for the citizens of the Commonwealth. It would be back to business as usual.
Kathleen Kane defeated the Republican 32 year strangle hold on the AG's Office. For that we should all be greatful.
It is now up to the new Supreme Court to demand professionalism in the judical branch. Supporting prosecutors at all cost must end. The law must prevail.
The new Attorney General must continue the fight to clean up the corruption in the law enforcement community.
After significant soul searching and some nudging KK's going to take a timeout.
But, that doesn't mean that her maryland attorney general hire isn't overturning some very large stones. And speaking of "stones", she's got them. But, don't cry for kathleen. She will be back in politics. She definitely has the scranton toughness that is needed. She inherited an unmanageable situation and she will be much better for the experience.
In fact, God bless her for arresting the child perverts. But on the other hand, thanks to Savitz's proclivity for photo trading she has some major leverage on many sicko pols. And free from reelection concerns, Kane will take down along with her maryland compatriot, some of the prosecutors, judges and others that have it coming to them. She is vindictive.
Gansler has been sniffing around some of the people that were involved with the sandusky scandal. I believe that there will be some retirements very soon.
You are absolutely right, Kathleen Kane is now free to prepare her defense in the MontCO trial and take down those responsible for corrupting our judiciary.
We need to thank her for her determination and help her during this difficult time in her life. Unfortunatly, any Democrat, male or female, would have faced Fina and the good old boys network. The level of corruption is forcast by the effort to destroy her. There appears to be many people involved.
There is likely some good stuff there if it is a Frank Fina email and they want to keep it hidden. Will be interesting to see if Seth Williams appeals this order.
It's difficult to understand why a public office fights so hard to hide what a public employee is doing while on the public dime. OK, it's not difficult to understand if said employee is doing something shady but if that's the case why protect him at the expense of your own integrity?? When did public officials start seeing the population at large as an adversary??
July 30, 2013 was the date Judge Wenner announced that C,S&S must face criminal trial. If there was any communications between Fina and Wenner, they would probably be in that preceding 6 month window. You mean you never did anything as a kid that you did not want your parents-the people who put you on this earth fed you clothed you and gave you shelter - from finding out?
It's the same principle; I did something bad and I don't want the people I rely on for my well being to find out. Public officials no longer see themselves as public servants. They see themselves as American royalty. They are limoed around, fawned over, insulated by hordes of underlings, and hardly ever seriously pressed by an adversarial media and press.
Judge orders Philadelphia to release records of Frank Fina's computer use https://t.co/n8f2eh6aSz
The most powerful person in Pennsylvania is Frank Fina.
M people that post at CasablancaPa know the Department of Education has handed more than 600 pages of records to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Sunshine Fund battled for these records for a year and a half, and in January, the Commonwealth Court denied the Department's appeal. The Education Department is refusing to release the records until after the Office of Open Records takes another look at 12 of the 644 pages at issue. Yet, the Department decided to hand the records to the Post-Gazette and 10 days ago, the PG agreed to drop it's request in exchange for all but 12 of the emails.
This is the first time records were no longer being challenged. We were stunned. So why is this happening now?
The lawyer, Tomaine, led the Department's Legal Office under the Corbett Administration but is now just a staff attorney.
Please email Pedro Rivera, secretary of education, at parivera@pa.gov and tell him you want the records released.
There must be some REALLY incriminating stuff in those 12 emails.
Hopefully ALL the emails will get released come July but knowing the pervasive corruption in PA who knows what will happen.
Here is a sample letter:
The Public is awaiting the delivery of 644 pages ordered to be released by the Office of Open Records. I'm writing today asking when we should expect to see the fulfillment of this order.
I hope and trust that public office is adhering to the spirit of the law in carrying out this order. The Office is deliberately delaying the release of these records. I would like to believe that the Education Department values its commitment to public service above all else. I urge you to expedite the release of these records to the Sunshine Fund to the Public.
Erickson testified in a deposition that he spoke by phone with Corbett the day before the sanctions were announced to inform him of the impending deal. Apparently, that word did not reach the governor's education secretary.
The correspondences between Tomalis and Branstetter, a curious footnote to a major event in the Sandusky scandal, are contained in some 600 pages of emails and other documentation turned over to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by lawyers for Penn State and the state Department of Education. They were provided under a stipulated agreement settling a Right-to-Know request filed by newspaper Sept. 16, 2014.
The paper's request for correspondence among Tomalis, board members and Corbett aides during 2011 and 2012 largely mirrored an earlier request Commonwealth Court found that several of the exemptions claimed by the Department of Education in withholding the records were without merit.
Looks like Seth Williams is now doing the Harrisburg Two Step Dancing and reaching out to the GOP for snorter support now that Frank Fina and Corbett's Minions are about to fall. The move follows a report last year that a federal grand jury, as part of a joint investigation led by the FBI and the IRS, was scrutinizing the donations and spending connected with Friends of Seth Williams????
"Taking over the old PAC, it was tough to know everything that was going on with it," said Barley, a longtime Corbett staffer. "We figured the best thing we could do was start a new PAC and then we could know that everything was being done according to the law."........Williams registered his new committee with the Pennsylvania Department of State on Feb 9. Listed as chairman is Robert Scot Wingenbach, who pours drinks at Bacco Pizzeria & Wine Bar (its website touts "Early 1900 Cocktails") just a short walk from the Capitol complex.
Williams - the Philadelphia DA, and "wanna-be" PSU BOT member and PSU President. This stuff is just TOOOO good....regarding his campaign finances:
I think we all know about Seth's history of using his "campaign war chest" to pay for everything from slick suits and companionship - but Seth (the self-proclaimed "Butterscotch Panther") - claims to be turning over a new leaf.
Cue black Elmo, BE2 = Seth.....Some people are like Slinkies. Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs, and find out they have been used as a toy all along!
Frank Fina continues to be the most powerful person in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia - Movie Help!?
bucks county lawyer
Where are the Feds?
http://co.centre.pa.us/centreco/media/upload/SANDUSKY%20WITNESS%20CERTIFICATION%20OF%20ATTORNEY%20GENERAL%20KATHLEEN%20KANE.pdf
Anonymous Anonymous said... Where are the Feds?
May 10, 2016 at 10:57 AM
Long overdue but Hershey Trust, Republican Attorney Generals, Prosecutors like the Fina Gang of Leakers, Misconduct, and Selective Prosecution along with Fast Eddie Cover-Up Group are about to find out as Estey Tapes reveal far more in the coming days and weeks ahead.
Oh Mighty One,
When will Fina get arrested?
Looks like Fina won another round, avoided the courtroom and convicted KK.
Nice posting yes Looks like Fina won another round.
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