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Barring some scandel incummbent Republican Congressman Tom Marino should win reelection in the Pennsylvania 10th Congressional District especially after his district was made more Republican by registration after the recent gerrymander.
Phil Scollo is the Democrat in the race will have none of that and is assembling a top notch team headed by Vincent Rongione who was the campaign manager for Chris Carney's successful 2008 reelection campaign and previously served as the the finance director in 2006. They just launched the campaign website with the slogan "a businessman, not a politician." I have to admit if I hear one more candidate say government should be run like a business I'm going to throw up. Government is not a business, government is government with different goals than a business. He stayed away from that in his announcement.
Why I’m Running for Congress
For too long we have seen a system rigged against the little guy.
We need a representative in Washington who will stand up and fight for those of us who don’t have high-powered lobbyists on their payroll...While I have experienced much satisfaction in the business world, I have also witnessed the excesses and greed that brought the financial industry to its knees along with a shocking complicity on the part of government.
Citizens, without regard to affiliation, have the right to be upset, even angry at the incompetence and complicity of their representatives.
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Speaking of scandals Tom Marino has some splaining to do although he was able to dodge questions in 2010 about his connections to Louis DeNaples. People have short memories, I don't.
Tom Marino was able to gloss over his connections to convicted criminal Louis DeNaples in the 2010 wave election of 2010. He did a great job in the debate with Chris Carney calling him a "liar" that Chris didn't expect and didn't adaquatly responed. Hopefully people will pay more attention this time.
Tom Marino's Alleged Mob Ties Won't Keep Him Out Of Congress
As a US attorney, Marino gave a reference to his "close friend" Louis DeNaples, a convicted felon his office investigated for potential mob ties. When the Department of Justice reportedly launched an investigation into the reference, Marino resigned, and got a job working as DeNaples' in-house lawyer.
From that left wing rag Redstate in 2010:
Meet Tom Marino, who will certainly be in the DCCC’s crosshairs if he wins the GOP primary in Pennsylvania’s 10th to go up against Rep. Chris Carney (proud member of the Stupak Sellout crowd instrumental in voting ObamaCare into law last week). Marino, a former US Attorney, has his own shady dealings which will make for good campaign fodder in the general.During Marino’s tenure as US Attorney, local businessman Louis DeNaples was under investigation by the US Attorney’s Office for his ties to William D’Elia, head of the Bufalino crime family. It seems DeNaples lied about his relationship with D’Elia to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board when applying for a licence for the Mount Airy Casino. Listed as a personal reference on that same application was none other than US Attorney Tom Marino, the very man running the office investigating DeNaples’ organized crime ties.The Department of Justice got wind of the conflict of interest and ordered Marino off the investigation, and shortly after the media broke the story he resigned his post… and went to work for Louis DeNaples. (The charges were eventually dropped when DeNaples agreed to place the casino project in the name of a family member.)The reality is just as bad as–if not worse than–the optics of this scandal. Do we really want someone like Marino representing the GOP in what will be a battleground district this fall? Rep. Carney, the Pelosi-enabling, abortion-funding “Blue Dog” Democrat from a conservative district in northeastern Pennsylvania will have a hay day with Marino’s record. I’ve spoken with people in the district who feel uneasy about Marino and will likely just stay at home rather than having to choose between him and Carney.One of the keys to a Republican resurgence is not only ensuring we have credibly conservative candidates running for office, but also candidates with a personal and professional record we can be proud of and defend. Tom Marino doesn’t fit the bill.
The beat goes on
Then this dropped into my inbox yesterday. I have't checked out the claims in this email but it looks like a DCCC or campaign hit piece.
Thought this might interest you...
Background on John Moran:
John D. Moran, Jr. is the President and CEO of Moran Industries and President of many other companies in Central Pennsylvania. One of the other companies he founded is JDM Consultants/Penn Strategies a political consulting and lobbying firm. Their website says they are a "one-stop shop for assistance with government relations."
Moran is a large Republican donor, who briefly explored running against U.S. Senator Bob Casey in 2012. In the last 3 federal cycles a total of $43,993 to federal candidates and
the NRCC (all GOP except Specter after his party switch). (OpenSecrets.org)
Marino-Thompson-Moran Timeline:
2010 Election-Tom Marino for Congress campaign managed by John Moran & his consulting/lobbying firm (FEC Records, JDM Consultants/Penn Strategies website clients list and case study)
2010 FEC Cycle-John Moran donates $2100 to Marino and $4800 to Thompson
Fall 2011-Marino & Thompson write a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood requesting federal funds for fixes to the Lycoming County Railroad's bridge. (Sun-Gazette 3/1/12, Marino Press Release 2/29/12)
Late October 2011-Moran's consulting/lobbying firm, JDM Consultants, paid over $12,500 for ongoing 'Campaign Management Fees' by Marino for Congress (Marino's most recent FEC report)
December 2011-Moran Industries bids $12.5 million to the SEDA-COG Joint Rail
Authority properties, which include the Lycoming County Railroad. The $12.5 million bid is called "a low-ball offer for sure" by the SEDA-Council of Governments’ Joint Rail Authority Chairman Jerry Walls. (Daily Item 12/22/11, SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority website)
Early February 2012-Moran Industries raises their bid to $30 million for the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority properties (Daily Item 2/7/12)
Late February-Marino & Thompson jointly announce $2.4 million grant to replace the Lycoming County Railroad's bridge (Marino Press Release 2/29/12)
Additional Moran connections to local and state legislative officials involved in the railroad deal in the region:
- Dennis Shaffer, a SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority board member representing Union County, is employed by Moran as a terminal manager at the former Celotex site in Sunbury, has been the most vocal for privatization. He denies an conflict of interest exists. (Daily Item 12/22/11)
- Former State Rep. & former Northumberland County Commissioner Merle Phillips, along with then- and current-Commissioner Vinnie Clausi, announced an effort to look in to privatizing the rail system. Moran was also a big donor to Phillips before Phillips left office and Phillips was a client of Moran's consulting form. (Daily Item 12/22/11, JDM Consultants/Penn Strategies website client list)
- Phillips' successor State Representative Lynda Schlegel Culver has worked for Moran as a consultant and is a client of his consulting firm. (Daily Item 12/22/11, JDM Consultants/Penn Strategies website client list)
- Culver said she wasn’t aware Moran was interested in owning the railroad, but views it as a “natural step” for his growing business ventures in warehousing and distribution for the transportation industry. “I think John Moran and Commissioner Phillips would be highly insulted” by any link between the two in regard to the purchase proposal, she said. (Daily Item 12/22/11)
- Current Lycoming County Commissioner Tony Mussare is another client of Moran's consulting/lobbying firm. (JDM Consultants/Penn Strategies website client list)
Citations and links to more information:
Sun-Gazette 3/1/12 - http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/575207/-2-4-million-to-replace-bridge.html?nav=5011
Marino Press Release 2/29/12 - http://marino.house.gov/press-release/marino-thompson-announce-24m-grant-lycoming-county
Daily Item 2/7/12 - http://dailyitem.com/0100_news/x741509663/Moran-Industries-raises-rail-line-bid-to-30-million
Daily Item 12/22/11 - http://dailyitem.com/0100_news/x1477830037/Moran-Industries-bids-12-5-million-for-local-rail-lines
JDM Consultants/Penn Strategies website - http://www.jdm-pennstrategies.com/
SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority website/Railroad Properties - http://www.sedacograil.org/Pages/JRA%20System.aspx
Wikipedia Entry for Lycoming Valley Railroad, notes bridge damaged in 2011 floods - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycoming_Valley_Railroad
Moran recent federal donations/OpenSecrets.org - http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=moran%2C+john&state=PA&zip=&employ=moran&cand=&c2012=Y&c2010=Y&c2008=Y&sort=N&capcode=gcw3v&submit=Submit+your+Donor+Query
Marino's most recent FEC report, distributions list - http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/dcdev/forms/C00475145/761812/sb/ALL
3 hours ago
7 comments:
Lou DeNaples has NEVER been convicted of any mob related crimes. What you have written is libel.
I don't believe GORT ever said he was convicted of mob related crimes ANON. It's amazing how none of you ANON's have any balls! Post the accusation under your real name.
All GORT said is that DeNaples is a convicted felon and investigated for mob ties. No where in his post does he state convicted of mob related crimes.
The English language is a wonderful tool. Learn how to use it ANON.
Did you read this article? He wrote that DeNaples was investigated for mob ties, not convicted. He was convicted for other misdeeds.
being accused does NOT make one a mobster. that's right he has an italian last name; so he must be a mobster.
From Wiki
In 1978, DeNaples pleaded no contest to a conspiracy charge of defrauding the government of $525,000 in contracts relating to the cleanup and recovery of the City of Scranton in the aftermath of Hurricane Agnes. Prosecutors claimed DeNaples plotted with three county employees to falsify records to obtain $525,000 in federal reimbursements.[4] He was subsequently fined $10,000 and was placed on probation for three years. Four people, including James Osticco, a Bufalino crime family underboss were convicted in 1982 of jury tampering in DeNaples fraud trial.[5]
In 2001, as part of a federal gambling investigation, four informants make mention of a relationship between DeNaples and current leader of the Bufalino crime family, William D'Elia. The informants alleged DeNaples made payments to D'Elia for undisclosed work and paid the crime boss protection money
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_DeNaples
Your blog is informative and entertaining.
The description "businessman, not a politician," may require some expansion. Having graduated "summa cum laude"(he took Latin, too), with a degree in Government & Politics, Phil has a pretty good idea of what government should be doing. In traveling throughout the district and listening to people of all affiliations and types, they overwhelmingly say they are disgusted with their government representatives for their self preservation instincts, finger pointing and inability to work together to solve problems.
As one who has identified and helped removed millions in process inefficiency, designed substantive jobs and taught classes on leadership, Phil is passionate about building teams and solving problems.
Should the people choose Phil to represent them, he will combine the skills he has learned in business with his understanding of how government should work. He expects this will enable him to offer the exceptional leadership, the 10th CD has been so desperately lacking.
Phil Scollo for Congress
I recently learned Representative Marino will travel to the Cleveland Clinic for surgery. At this holy time of Easter and Passover, I wish him and his family a full and speedy recovery- Phil Scollo
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