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"All Democrats are not crooks, but all the crooks are Democrats.”-Luzerne County GOP Chairman Terry Casey
To reinforce that point yesterday we saw the Juvie Bothers, Michael Conahan and Mark Ciavarella, plead not guilty to a 48 count indictment. They previously plead guilty to 2 charges.
Jury Commissioner and Housing Authority Board Chairman Jerry Bonner also entered a plea of not guilty to taking a bribe. To top off a banner day W-B Area School Board President Frank Pizzella was indicted. All of them are elected Democrats.
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Our local elephants have a snappy new slogan to get the point across.
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Operation HEART: Honesty· Ethics· Accountability· Reform· Transparency
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Yesterday, the county Republican Party had a sparsely attended news conference in their shiny new digs in the Mid-town Village in Wilkes-Barre with PA State Supreme Court nominee Joan Orie Melvin as the headliner. Two of the three row officer candidates didn't even bother to show up. You still have to work on this party unity thing folks.
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Chairman Terry Casey started off the festivities reminding us that this is "the valley with a heart." A slogan that has been popular since the Agnes flood in 1972. Again I feel like we are living on Noah's Ark, before the flood-after the flood.
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That will and determination, that essential goodness, is still here. Unfortunately, it has been overshadowed by a corrupt political machine brought on by the perils of a one-party system. It’s the dirty little secret that we’ve all known about for years: cronyism, nepotism, teachers paying for jobs. One set of rules for those in power, another set of rules for the rest of us. So, what do we do to polish that tarnished image and to reclaim our reputation as the Valley With A Heart?
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Nothing short of a heart transplant. And that’s what we plan to do.We are the Republican Party of Luzerne County and I stand here today and pledge that the days of a one-party political system are over.
Zen has the whole speech.
Judge Melvin had this to say:
Zen has the whole speech.
Judge Melvin had this to say:
The most egregious case of judicial corruption and judicial abuse of power in our nation’s history actually occurred here in Pennsylvania, in Luzerne County. The judiciary violated these children. Within 5 minutes of being sworn in, they were escorted out in shackles to these personal profitable lock-ups. This is surreal. It is right out of a Charles Dickens’ novel.
She then recounted how she handled juvenile cases when she was judge in Pittsburgh. Non-violent kids didn't get locked up but were sentenced to community service.
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Dick Hughes was the next to speak and he was for positive change then touted that he has been endorsed by the Luzerne County Police Chiefs.
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The last speaker was Controller candidate Walter Griffith who stole the show. He was going to read his speech but put it aside and spoke from the heart. He endorsed the goals of operation HEART and added that he has been passionate about local government and the spending of your money. He knocked the local Dems sense of entitlement and pledged to "follow the money" whenever something doesn't pass the smell test. He complimented former Controller Steve Flood for his tenacity and said he will be just as tenacious.
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The program ended with Executive Director Renita Fennick singing the praises of Carolee Medico who didn't bother to show up.
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If Carolee were here, we’d have to give her the letter “R.”
If anyone knows reform, it’s Carolee Medico Olenginski.
For those of you who remember, Carolee took the courthouse by storm when she was first elected 12 years ago.
She took some steps that were unheard of – she came to work every day, stayed all day and kept track of her staff’s hours and days off.
She used the term “judicial corruption” long before it became a household word in Luzerne County.
It took courage to stand up for the people – especially when you find yourself standing alone – as Carolee often did. Many wished her well but ran for cover when she confronted corruption.
She was way ahead of the investigators and knew there was trouble under the dome. She was such a threat to corrupt officials that her 2001 opponent spent over $265,000 to unseat her.
We need to get Carolee back in office to finish the job that she started.
Register of Wills Candidate Gina Nevenglosky was also a no show.
If anyone knows reform, it’s Carolee Medico Olenginski.
For those of you who remember, Carolee took the courthouse by storm when she was first elected 12 years ago.
She took some steps that were unheard of – she came to work every day, stayed all day and kept track of her staff’s hours and days off.
She used the term “judicial corruption” long before it became a household word in Luzerne County.
It took courage to stand up for the people – especially when you find yourself standing alone – as Carolee often did. Many wished her well but ran for cover when she confronted corruption.
She was way ahead of the investigators and knew there was trouble under the dome. She was such a threat to corrupt officials that her 2001 opponent spent over $265,000 to unseat her.
We need to get Carolee back in office to finish the job that she started.
Register of Wills Candidate Gina Nevenglosky was also a no show.
A few other faces in the crowd were Commissioner Steve Urban and former State Senator Charlie Lemmond.
17 comments:
In are neck of the woods if you are getting cash you lock them up.
G,
guy with the pony tail in the picture, Was he selling t shirts and/or did his name begin with a J, I know the name but dont want to expose him against his will.
Just curious I remember him from the 2004 campaign but have not been involved in Luzerne politics in a few years.
If you know let me know
thanks
All the crooks are Democrats and did you notice they were also all white! Now, following your logic, all Republicans are not white but all the Republican candidates are white. By golly, I think I'm on to something. Now there is a real who dunit here. All crooks are democrat and white, all Republicans are white so I'm thinking all white Republicans can be crooks. Geez, this logic thing sure can get distorted. I wonder how the Rush would handle this?
Isn't he the guy (ponytail) that used to make or sell eyeglasses? I think now he sells advertising pencils.
Judging by the picture, nothing but a true pony tail, commie laden hippie gathering! No doubt, this is why the County GOP loses elections!
As for Miss Melvin, she's a true example of why women should stay out of judicial races!! When a young punk smashes bottles, eggs cars, steals chickens, etc. etc. and gets a little slap on the wrist or as Ms. Melvin would do, an "I'm sorry, you poor little kid; no one understands you"; that's the beginning of the end of our civilized society.
A great man like Mr. Ciavarella knew how to handle these nitwit juvie thugs; lock em up and throw away the key!! In my day, kids aspired to do better; these days all they aspire to is getting a good panhandling spot at the mini mart!!!
To hell with the local GOP!!! To hell with Gort and God help and bless our Sainted Sen. Santorum as well as Judges Ciavarella and COnahan. ANd to hell with Melvin too!!! SHe should go back to the kitchen where she belongs!!!
anon 3:57am, please let us all know when you have recovered from your brain damage.
Every single official that has been indicted, charged, or plead guilty has been either an elected dem. or was appointed by an elected dem. That is fact! Not every single elected official in this area is a dem.
The problem is that when there are no checks and balances because of one party rule this is what happens. Whether it be D's or R's. Think about the RINO Bush and the damage he did, as an example.
The guy with the pony tail is Jonathan. He is a devoted Bible believing Christian who attends a great conservative values church.
judge melvin looks like a pretty hot babe, she has my vote
Carolee and Walter - where the hell are we going or are we already in a handbasket?
Anon 10:53
We can always vote for Wil Toole and Bob Morgan and have a Controller that is a political hack and someone that has used the Pittston City Government as their own money source by double dipping or a controller that is a banker for PNC who will be there Part time and is also the Campaign manager for Pizella and Katsock.We can also have McGinley Bellas who is more a political machine than her husband who sits on the WVW School Board and her Brother Mike that sits on the WB School Board.wow now there is a tough choice..I will take Carolee and Walter at least they will fight the political machine in this county for the taxpayers..we have seen that already..
Walter and Carolee loose in the courthouse kicking ass and taking names is both a blogger's and taxpayer's dream. We need bomb throwers and rabble rousers willing to take on the powers that be.
Seems like there is a lot of nastiness here. How about a little recess to take time to smell the roses and clear some heads of this nastiness. What happened to the aley with a heart? It beginning to sound like the Vaalley with a heart on (or something like that).
Say what you will but Wil Toole at least offered some good editorials offering ideas that make sense. Do we really want to get into the mud slinging or should we take this government thing a little more serious? I for one will vote for the guy who can do the job and not for the one with the least mud on him. Things are bad and we need to get serious, not down and dirty. Rise above the cute but nasty remarks and let's see what the candidates have to offer. I want solutions, not slogans. Double Dip, Triple Dip or be a Drip all I want is the job done right.
I agree 100% with Anon 2:32. I personally don't give a hoot about anything except what a candidate can do and I'm sick to death with new names and no real experience. Skrep and company is the best example I can give. I had high hopes and now deep despair. Show me your resume if you want my vote. I could care less what Party you represent, I only care if you can do the job. Let me take this a step further. I am not voting for Griffith. His actions on the Home Rule Study Commission has shown me that all he wants is his name in the paper. I have yet to hear one constructive statement and criticisms alone are not constructive. My 15 year old is a master at complaining and I'm not voting for him either.
Walter Griffith is the only one that will speak up for the taxpayers. He spoke up when the Sunshine Law was being violated and he has asked the tough questions of the County Officials at the meetings as well. Irish Protester needs to get to the meetings and if he wants Walters qualifications look at the lawsuit that saved the taxpayers 12 million dollars and look at the City of Wilkes Barre and the issues and ideas he has raised for the taxpayers of Wilkes Barre. How many meetings have you attended Irish. I guess Steve Flood was a complainer as well right? This is why people like Wil Toole can be elected because the people forget to easy.
I like what Walter has to say. As for Judge Melvin, I don't believe in voting for her because she is a "hot babe", which she isn't or because of what nasty stuff was said in the one comment. I do not like the fact that her sister has traded legislative favors in exchange for support of her sister. John Morgan's PA Progressive reported this a few days ago. I was shocked. Her sister got her endorsed by the Teamsters in exchange for something. How much more dirty can you get. She is too tied to the legislature, yes the legislature that gave us the payraise. No matter what she says, her sister is still Scarnati's lapdog who was Jubelier and Brightbill's laptop. Mike Long is running her campaign, he was a chief architect of the pay raise, legislative bonusgate and every other bad thing that has happened in the last 10 years of legislative action.
I totally agree with fixing up the corruption across the state. I agree with what the Chairman said about not all Democrats being crooks but lets remember it is always the individual. It was not that long ago that it was all Republicans as the crooks. Things seem to change every few years, once people get comfortable. In Luzerne County it was too long. I will definately be splitting my ticket. First vote is for Panella, not sure about the other state wide judges, then to Tina Polichak Garley and Amesburry, then for the county stuff I am thinking of Walter and nevenglosky and still unsure of the others.
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