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 .

Sparks fly in PA Senate 14th race

As I have said before I'm neutral in this race because it promises to be the most entertaining of the primary season and I like both of these gentleman.

Up until now it was pretty bland affair with both candidates touting their bonefides but that changed on Wednesday when all hell broke loose.



Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton put out a press release attacking his rival for the Democratic Senate nomination 119th State Represantive John Yudichak because Yuddy voted for the bill that would allow tolling of I-80.

WILKES-BARRE — Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton, candidate for state senate in the"It looks like an implosion of Mayor Leighton's campaign," 14th District Democratic primary, today applauded a decision by federal highway officials to ban the tolling of traffic on the I-80 interstate in Pennsylvania.

He further called on his opponent, state Rep. John Yudichak, to reverse his previous position supporting tolls and not try to overturn the decision.

“There may be attempts to appeal this federal decision or pass additional legislation to allow tolling. There have been some suggestions of that publicly. I hope Yudichak will see the wisdom of reversing his previous position and follow the wishes of many hard-working people and college students in Northeastern Pennsylvania who use I-80 everyday as part of their daily commerce.


On July 17, 2007, Yudichak voted for Act 44, which converted interstate
80 into a toll road. The bill passed, 124-79 and was signed by the Governor. [HB 1590, Concurrence w/ Senate, 124-79, 7/17/07].


The response was fast and furious


"This is obviously a diversionary tactic so they do not have to discuss the serious issue that was raised today," Yudichak said. "That's obviously the big news today in federal court, and he has to address those issues."

He was referring to the revelation that Bill Brace admitted to taking money from yet another unnamed contractor in exchange for help getting business in the city of Wilkes-Barre.

Yuddy told SPPE
"Brace admitted to accepting kickbacks for his efforts to secure Wilkes-Barre City contracts for an unnamed company," Yudichak continued. "The pay-to-play politics scheme occurred under Leighton's watch as Mayor of Wilkes-Barre. Mayor Leighton needs to open the books on city contracts and address the issue of pay to play politics in the City. Mayor Leighton's desperate press release attack today smells like a classic diversionary tactic."


Leighton called Yudichak a liar


"John Yudichak is a career Harrisburg insider who wants to continue his career as an insider politician in Harrisburg," Leighton said. "He'll stoop to any low level to do so. Even lie." ..."

Then Yuddy took a shot at Ed Mitchell

"The mayor has to stand on his own two feet," Yudichak said. "Don't stand behind political consultants, don't hide behind political cronies and hacks. Stand before the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania."

Yuddy wants a debate with Leighton but not just one of those bland candidates forums without a back and forth between candidates. I game for that.

Yudichak will officially open his new Wilkes-Barre Township campaign office, located at the corner of Route 309 and Coal Street, this Saturday, April 10th. The grand opening will begin at 11:00 am, followed by a festive reception for his many supporters and volunteers to follow. The event is open to the public.

I'm told that you will not have to pay a toll at the door.

The Sharp Dressed Man sings

SCRANTON - Former Luzerne County official Bill Brace helped federal prosecutors with an investigation of county Clerk of Courts Robert F. Reilly, a government attorney told a federal judge at Brace's sentencing Wednesday.


Brace was sentenced to only 3 months in prison for accepting a$1500 suit from an unnamed contractor because he ratted out used car salesman and Big Ugly's investor Reilly in addition to former Commissioner Greg Skrepnak and former Jury Commissioner Jerry Bonner. Apparently there is no honor among thieves when your own ass is on the line. The feds are also questioning Reilly's involvement with LRW Solutions group that Controller Walter Griffith has stopped paying because of concerns about the company's contract with Luzerne County.

If that isn't enough Judge Munley dropped this bomb


Brace's criminal conduct went beyond the suit and his position in county government...
Munley, summarizing a confidential pre-sentence report, said Brace accepted $800 per month from another company over a two-year span after he led the firm's officials to believe he could secure them business with the City of Wilkes-Barre, his employer for 31 years before he joined Reilly's office in 2001.

More about that later.

Untangling the web

"I just look at the little tab that has my name next to them and I sign them.- Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak


Mike Buffer has great rundown of the latest web of deceit that we call Luzerne County government in the Citizens Voice today.

The crime fighting research trips to New York City by a bunch of county officials who have nothing to do with law enforcement were never approved by the board of commissioners and in many cases were paid for by county debit cards that got them all into hot water. The crime fighting superheros are Skrep, former Chief Clerk Sam Guesto, former Human Resources Director Doug Richards, indicted multi job holder Bill Maguire, exotic dance critic prison Deputy Sam Hyder and the best dressed man in Luzerne County, Bill Brace. No changes in policy resulted from the research although Skrep wanted to buy a $2 million computer system that none of the local police departments could agree on.

Since then we have learned that Doug Richards invented a company to do payroll work for the county drawing up a contract that was never approved by the commissioners but invoices were still approved by the Controller's office. Nobody seems to know anything about Continental Consultants Group Inc. and B&M Investigations Inc. or William Grub and John Luango. Grub and Luango are retired NYC cops that have done well in the security consultant business. They are doing so well that Luzerne County paid B&M $35,000 for a background policy report that no one can find. Reputation is everything.

Some choice Skrep highlights and quotes:



Skrepenak also denies knowledge that two retired New York City police detectives involved with those trips had business ties to county contracts now being investigated by the FBI and the county solicitor....Skrepenak has acknowledged that several former top aides are talking to federal investigators and could implicate him in the ongoing corruption probe...Skrepenak said he didn't know this month Grub and Luongo had ties to contracts between Luzerne County and two companies - Continental Consultants Group Inc. and B&M Investigations Inc..."What we found is guys who have 20 years in the police department, they don't make great money with the NYPD," Skrepenak said...


Skrepenak said he didn't notice that Grub was listed as B&M president when he signed the $35,000 contract. He said he "didn't know specifically who B&M was" and doesn't "look at whose names are on" contracts he signs.

YouTube weekend

By request. Thanks Danny.

I was listening to local talk radio yesterday discussing Bill Brace's $1500 suit and it sounded like queer eye for the corrupt guy.

A well dressed man

19 and counting

SCRANTON - Former Luzerne County Deputy Clerk William Brace has agreed to plead guilty to accepting a suit valued at $1,500 in exchange for helping a contractor obtain a contract with the county sometime between June 2007 and May 2008....He served as chief clerk for Wilkes-Barre City until 2001, when he retired. He then took a position as chief deputy for Clerk of Courts Bob Reilly. He stayed in that position until December 2005, when he took the position as deputy clerk for the county commissioners. He retired in November 2008 to take a position as registrar of vital statistics for the state.

Like the rest of them his sentence will depend on his level of cooperation. I think Bill Brace has been in a government job since before I was born so he should be able to provide the feds with a wealth of information.