Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Senate 14 race in the homestreach

Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton and State Representative John Yudichak have moved on from telling the voters about the good things they have done in their careers to bashing each others brains out. This has become normal in a close political campaign. Yuddy has done his best to tie Leighton to the ongoing corruption probe although nobody in Wilkes-Barre city government has been indicted or is even under investigation as far as I know. Mayor Tom did write a letter to the Judge who is going to sentence Bill Brace and danced around admitting it until the WVIA debate. I would say that was poor judgement but not indicative that he is also corrupt. Leighton has been pounding Yuddy over taking per diem's and owning a house in Harrisburg like many other legislators do. It's not against the rules but just about everyone agrees that the rules have to change.

Leighton, Yudichak neck and bloody neck


Civil final round between Leighton, Yudichak

Today Norton reported that Leighton got a last minute $20,000 from Citizens for Action, a Political Action Committee affiliated with Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-11th) .
It's no secret that Yuddy and Kanjo stopped exchanging Christmas cards years ago.



Exeter Mayor Casandra Coleman hosted a meet and greet last night with Congressman Kanjorski and Tom Leighton as the headliners.








The local papers picked up on the story a few hours later and has some choice quotes from Yudichak.


“This won’t come as a surprise to anyone that has observed this campaign so far,” Yudichak said. “This midnight campaign contribution certainly speaks to why I’m for campaign finance reform in the state House.”

Yudichak said he thinks Kanjorski is supporting Leighton so strongly because Yudichak’s father, Joseph Yudichak Sr., spoke out against Kanjorski during the 2008 election. Yudichak said his father was interviewed on national television about Kanjorski and the failed $12 million Cornerstone Technologies venture.

“I’m proud that my father stood up and said politicians aren’t above the law,” Yudichak said. “I think voters will recognize that this late donation to my opponent’s campaign was not done in the light of day. If he wanted to endorse the mayor he could have done it at any time during the campaign.”

Yudichak called the situation an example of “the politics of the past.”



Yuddy has a new positive ad up but it it not posted to YouTube and Mayor Tom has a "contrast" spot on the air .







5 comments:

Kathy Dobash said...

Gort:
I think you are correct! Yudichak/Leighton debates gave out the information for the public to NOT vote them into a higher position. Their debates pointed out their involvement in "politics-as-usual" for Luzerne County.

I briefly reviewed the long list of campaign contributions for John Yudichak.
He has many donations from various unions. It is too long to sit and shift through! Perhaps a reporter can spead some time.
I am disappointed in the support for corrupt individuals like Bill Brace.
Is this all we have here?

The commercials are even more disturbing. The interviews in front of reporters do not indicate the real actions and intentions of these individuals.

Selfish motives and deals are all I see with these candidates.

It is a huge disappointment.

Kathy Dobash said...

opps! time error...I must run off to work!

A reporter should "Spend" some time looking at donations to campaigns and figure out if any "favors" were granted.

Steve Urbanski said...

Good reporting. Thanks for the link.

Steve "Norton" Urbanski

Anonymous said...

Leighton did not support Bill Brace in what Brace was arrested for. All Leighton did was to do the Christian thing and send a letter to the judge explaining the "other" half of Bill Brace, the "good" half. Tom Leighton did not condone what Brace did but as the man said, "What would Christ do?" and my answer to that is that Christ would have taken the time to let the judge know that there is a good side to Brace and doing so does not condone the sin. Leighton showed himself to be a good Christian and I admire him for it. Yudichak and his father were well taken care of by Kanjorski and they both bit the hand that fed them. The thing I hate most in politicians is the INGRATE syndrome that the Yudichak's practice. I'm voting for Mayor Tom Leighton and voting for him proudly. Joey D.

Anonymous said...

O please. Fuck the Christian thing bullshit! He hid the fact that he did it. Christ wasn't the fucking serpeant that slithered his way around.