Mike Marsicano for Congress

From his press release:

Former Hazleton Mayor Mike Marsicano announced today his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Congress representing the 11th Congressional District.

The announcement was made before a large crowd of enthusiastic supporters on the steps of the former Hazleton High School. The school, a historic local landmark, was slated for demolition during Marsicano's tenure as mayor. Marsicano led a community wide effort to save the building, at one point refusing to issue permits for demolition work. His actions resulted in the building being saved and restored and is now in use as both an elementary/middle school as well as the site of the Wiltsie Center for the Performing Arts.

Marsicano stressed the themes of bipartisanship and the restoration of a more congenial approach to governing. He indicated his intention to knock on doors in every part of the 11th District to bring his campaign directly to the voters, and will begin to do so immediately in Carbon County. His full announcement and biographical information is attached.

Issues positions can be found at the campaign website www.marsicano.net



 From the TL:

HAZLETON — Michael Marsicano, former Hazleton mayor and a pilot who flew key players in the Kids for Cash scandal to a Florida where their condominium was located, announced his bid Sunday for the seat held by U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta.
Marsicano read from a prepared text and did not take questions from the media in the brief announcement on the steps of the former Hazleton High School from which he graduated in 1966.

Mark Guydish really clobbers him:

Marsicano lost his re-election bid after four years. Having entered office with a small surplus, he left the city $1.4 million in debt.
He returned in 2007 to run for mayor anew. Unopposed in the Democratic primary, Marsicano lost. I’m not kidding. Incumbent Mayor Lou Barletta mounted a write -in campaign for himself as Democratic nominee and beat Marsicano.
Through all this, Marsicano repeatedly pushed for a freight-only airport outside Hazleton that several experts said was unneeded. At one point he joined Gladstone Partners, with Powell and Greg Zappala, to push the idea. Powell and Zappala were co-owners of the PA Child Care juvenile facilities at the heart of “kids for cash.”


Are there no Matt Cartwright's in that district. This is a tough district for the Dems as Romney won it by 10 points in 2012 but they can surely come up with a better candidate than this guy or the disbarred lawyer they ran last time. 

I'm sure my good friend McGruff could add more information with a Hazleton perspective  if he wasn't so busy cooking and eating too much.
 

PA Dems gunning for Toohil

This spot brings up the bong/kissing video that has been taken down from YouTube then makes a policy point about cutting education funding. I had the video a few days before the TL decided to publish it and the pictures were sent to me months ago. The video was shopped around by the same person that left comments on a post I did in May accusing Toohil of having an inappropriate relationship with another House member that I deleted because I didn't think what she did in her personal life was anybody's business.

Most people will give her a break over those pictures as we  all did  things when we were young and irresponsible that we are not proud of. Her response has been somewhat erratic filming a response  paid for by taxpayer money  that tells kids not to do drugs.

Forget the sexy bong video there are plenty of other questions about Toohil.

 Up until 2010 she was a Democrat who wanted to run against Todd Eachus. She got nowhere with that idea and turned to the Republicans and now spouts claptrap about conservative values. 2010 was good Republican year and Eachus was sunk when it came out that he was flying around on Juvie Brother's figure Robert Powell's jet who backed the Hazleton fantasy airport. I was glad to see the back of him.

A look at her campaign finance reports raise some questions.

Looking at the expenditures.

The usual expenses are listed for office supplies, postage, internet and phone service, etc. .There are some things that are different.. 20 charges to the campaign totaling over $700 for gasoline, small checks for lunch and a few meals in DC at The MATCH BOX and BELGA CAFE. What PA interest is she pushing in Washington?

4 bills for dry cleaning totaling. $68.10. Tarah always looks sharp.

Update: Those numbers were from the 2012 report. The 2011 filing lists more lunch tabs, $440 for gas, $57 for dry cleaning and $721 for formal wear from Wedding Bells on 11/21/11. I guess she wanted to look good for Pennsylvania Society get together in New York that her campaign picked up the tab for her hotel room. She looks fabulous in the last picture on the slideshow of this article.  

Puttin' on the ritz at the Academy Ball

Also there are  many unitemized ATM  or smack the MAC withdrawals 

2011 annual report - $782 in petty cash and ATM withdrawals

2012 1^st report - $348.90 in petty cash and ATM withdrawals

2011 annual report

Page 30: $360 ATM Withdrawal, no description

Page 31: $40.00 ATM Withdrawal, “petty cash food snacks”

Page 38: $40.00 Cash Withdrawal ATM, “petty cash”

Page 39: $202.00 Cash Withdrawal “petty cash plus fee”

Page 44: $100.00 Cash Withdrawal “petty cash office expense”

Page 44: $721.28 Wedding Bells “formal wear”

Page 45: $40.00 Cash Withdrawal “petty cash”

2012

Page 16: $200.00 Petty Cash “set up office”

Page 22: $100.00 Cash “petty cash cancer dinner”

Page 23: $8.90 Check No Detail #1193

Page 26: $40.00 Cash Withdrawal “petty cash”

Page 26: $100.00 ATM Withdrawal “petty cash”

Then there is the trip to Israel. I've been to Israel and would like to return. The trick is to get some outfit to pay for it.

 The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia ponied up most of the money and Toohil has said the rest came from her own pocket or campaign funds. Betty says The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia personally hand-picked Toohil to go on the Israeli trip, according to The Times Leader.  The organizaton’s director of government affairs, Robin Schatz, told the newspaper that she wanted to get to know Toohil better.  That’s probably because Toohil is just the person to lead the charge in Butler Twp. to stop Iran from developing a nuclear bomb.

Back to the video

 Informed comment on my FB page: Her disgruntled ex-boyfriend promised to blackmail her as part of his continued mistreatment of her and women in general. Those pictures mean absolutely nothing in this election. The person attacking her is a House member. And women should rise up against the way he wants to treat women.

Tarah Toohil has broken the heart of  someone and he has been blasting her on various websites including this one. I deleted the comments. Pa Politics should do the same.

Toohil/Young debate

Toohil, Young spar on jobs, education

Ransom Young on the air

116th House Democratic candidate has bio spot up showing him working on his farm. You can check out his website and Facebook page. His opponent has a bare bones campaign site and just an official FB page.




With Jerry Sandusky in the news and many questions about then Attorney General Tom Corbett's investigation his camp sent this PR:

BUTLER TOWNSHIP, Pa. – Yesterday, Representative Tarah Toohil and House Republican leadership fled the chamber in the middle of session and cancelled today’s votes in order to block passage of HR 520, a resolution urging an investigation into Governor Corbett’s handling of the Jerry Sandusky investigation.  Other members remained on the floor in hopes of getting bipartisan support for an independent investigation into Corbett’s misconduct.

This isn’t the first time Tarah Toohil abandoned the children in her district.  After slashing nearly $1 billion from Pennsylvania schools and cutting hundreds of thousands of people from basic health services for children and middle-class families, Toohil demonstrated once again that her priorities are not the children of Pennsylvania.  Over the past two years, Toohil joined with Governor Corbett to close hospitals and schools across the state just to keep big corporations from paying their fair share.

“When Tarah Toohil walked out in the middle of session to protect Governor Corbett, she turned her back on our kids and put partisan politics ahead of Pennsylvania families.  We shouldn’t expect anything more from someone who voted to slash almost $19 million from our schools and cut Medicaid for more than 100,000 kids and families in order to give huge tax breaks to drilling companies,” said Ransom Young, candidate for state representative in the 116 ^th district.  “Tarah Toohil would rather protect a failed governor than protect our children.”

BACKGROUND

House Resolution 520 is a Concurrent Resolution calling on the Attorney General of the United States to appoint a special counsel to investigate the handling by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General of an investigation into alleged sexual abuse of minors and to investigate whether that alleged sexual abuse may have violated Federal law < http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2011&sind=0&body=H&type=R&BN=0520 >

Ransom got to meet Jill Biden

Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, stumps in Scranton

 

 

Hazleton on the hook for big bucks

Hazleton is facing $2.4M legal bill

My friend McGruff points out that this a misleading headline because no court has yet to rule on the attorney fee petitions. In fact it could be much higher.

The total bill the city could be forced to pay will be much higher, however, as that petition dealt only with legal work that was performed in the first round of the battle.

The plaintiffs’ attorneys will also be entitled to payment for work performed on the city’s appeal of Munley’s ruling, which was upheld by the Third Circuit on Sept. 9 this year, and its anticipated appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Payment of all fees was stayed pending final resolution of the case.

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the city's insurance company doesn't have to pay for the reckless actions of Mayor Lou Barletta and then Senator Rick Santorum (R-VA). In September it upheld Judge Munley's decision that local governments can't make immigration law citing the supremacy clause of the Constitution. Mayor Lou said said back in September he will appeal the decision to the Supreme Court and incur even more legal fees. As far as I know that has not happened.

What the hell, it''s somebody else's problem now with Lou heading to Congress and Ricky running for President.

Barletta loses again

Mayor says city won’t give up

Hazleton loses appeal in immigration law case


“Our fight is not yet over. The city of Hazleton fully intends to appeal this incorrect decision and take the case all the way to the United States Supreme Court, if necessary,” Barletta said.

He said no city funds have been used for the city’s defense. The approximately $500,000 in legal costs have come from donations to the city’s now nearly depleted legal defense fund.

Great, the Hazleton ordinance has already been shot done twice in court and the donations have stopped coming in but he promises to press on. This decision is anti-climatic as just about anyone who has been following this case knew that the 3rd circuit would affirm Judge Muley's decision that it violates the supremacy clause of the constitution.

You can read the opinion here.

Hazleton is like many towns in PA that are making unpleasant choices to cut services and raise taxes and the city is on the hook for the legal fees of the defendants which may be in the millions. The prudent thing to do at this point is to cut your losses and drop the whole thing but this is Lou Barletta's claim to fame so that is not going to happen. His one trick pony approach to the campaign continues.

Congressman Paul Kanjorski's campaign has been silent on this issue today. I understand that, if your opponent is self destructing just sit back and watch.

Lou Barletta released this statement after his news conference yesterday:



El alcalde de Hazleton Lou Barletta publicó la siguiente declaración sobre el fallo de hoy por el tribunal federal de apelaciones en Filadelfia:
La decisión de hoy del Tribunal del Tercer Circuito, no es inesperado. No estoy desilusionado por esta decisión. Sabíamos que no sería la última parada de este viaje.
El Tribunal del Tercer Circuito opinión difería de un dictamen del Tribunal del Noveno Circuito en un caso similar en 2009. Ese caso se refería a una ley estatal de Arizona que exigía a los empleadores a utilizar el sistema de E-Verify.
Incluso el noveno circuito ha tomado una posición de Hazleton sobre esta cuestión, por lo que la decisión de hoy hace que el Tercer Circuito de la corte más liberal en los Estados Unidos en temas de inmigración.
Esta decisión constituye una pérdida para Hazleton y sus residentes legales. Es también un golpe a los derechos de los inmigrantes legales que decide llamar a su casa Hazleton. Estos inmigrantes jurídicos han seguido las reglas, y la decisión de hoy se pone en peligro sus puestos de trabajo.
La inmigración ilegal genera una mano de obra subterránea que reduce las posibilidades de empleo para todos los ciudadanos legales. La inmigración ilegal drena nuestro presupuesto y nos impide ofrecer una gama más amplia de servicios de la ciudad para los residentes legales, que pagan impuestos y sus hijos.
He dicho en repetidas ocasiones durante los años que la principal línea de defensa contra la inmigración ilegal es la eliminación de la disponibilidad de puestos de trabajo a extranjeros ilegales. Si los extranjeros ilegales no tienen lugar para trabajar, que se auto-deportar. De hecho, como la economía estadounidense empeoró recientemente, hemos visto que suceda. Nosotros, como nación debe adoptar medidas para detener extranjeros ilegales obtengan puestos de trabajo, especialmente ahora, una época en que los ciudadanos americanos y los que en este país legalmente no pueden darse el lujo de perder sus empleos.
Pero nuestra lucha no ha terminado todavía.
La ciudad de Hazleton toda la intención de apelar esta decisión incorrecta y llevar el caso hasta el final a los Estados Unidos la Corte Suprema, si es necesario.
Antes de hacerlo, me gustaría agradecer personalmente a los miembros del Concejo Municipal de Hazleton, que han apoyado esta ordenanza a través de los años.
También me gustaría agradecer a los residentes de Hazleton, que han apoyado consejo de la ciudad y yo en nuestra larga lucha.
Me gustaría dar las gracias a nuestro equipo jurídico, incluyendo Kris Kobach y Mahoney Hank. Han pasado muchas horas en este caso.
También me gustaría agradecer personalmente a los miles de personas a través de los Estados Unidos de América que han contribuido al fondo de la ciudad de defensa jurídica. Hasta la fecha, la ciudad no ha pasado un dólar de los fondos de los contribuyentes para pelear esta batalla legal - a pesar de que nos hemos enfrentado a numerosos fuerte, los opositores bien financiados que han amenazado con la quiebra de Hazleton como hemos tratado de mantener el Estado de Derecho. Animo a cualquiera que quiera unirse a esta batalla - y los que quieren renovar su apoyo - a visitar www.smalltowndefenders.com y contribuir a nuestro fondo de defensa legal. Una vez más, ese sitio Web es, www.smalltowndefenders.com.
Hace cuatro años, Hazleton se convirtió en la primera comunidad en la nación para defender por sí mismo. Debido a que nuestra población fue creciendo y nuestra base de impuestos fue disminuyendo, la inmigración ilegal constituye una pérdida grave y sustancial sobre nuestro presupuesto. Y si nos fijamos en nuestros números de desempleo local, se puede ver cómo esta mano de obra subterránea se llevó puestos de trabajo de los ciudadanos estadounidenses y los que están legalmente en este país.
Más importante aún, la calidad de un pequeño pueblo de la vida que había venido a disfrutar estaba siendo destruido por los delincuentes extranjeros que estaban haciendo subir el índice de delitos.
En lugar de sentarse, Hazleton decidió actuar.
Hazleton fue la primera - y Hazleton convirtió en el símbolo de esperanza para muchos en todo el país.
Desde que esta ley propuesta hace más de cuatro años, hemos visto la creciente frustración de todo el país. Lo hemos visto en lugares como Arizona y Valley Park, Missouri, y Farmers Branch, Texas.
Esta frustración no va a desaparecer - y no se irán hasta que el gobierno federal finalmente asegure nuestras fronteras y duras medidas contra la inmigración ilegal. Durante décadas, el Congreso nos ha fallado. Este problema necesita desesperadamente que se fijará en Washington, y voy a luchar para asegurar que las ciudades y los estados pueden protegerse contra los costos fiscales y penales de la inmigración ilegal.
La ciudad de Hazleton continuará con este caso, no sólo porque tenemos la razón, sino también por otras comunidades cuentan con nosotros.

In an unreleated issue the Kanjo camp responded to an ad by a group that missrepresents itself




Wilkes-Barre, PA - Dziś konserwatywne grupy przodu, że chce zniszczyć Ubezpieczeń Społecznych rozpoczął nadawanie reklam TV kłamie rekord Paul Kanjorski w celu ułatwienia wyboru Lou Barletta. Kampania Kanjorski jest wezwanie Lou Barletta wypowiedzieć te reklamy i popytu, że należy zdjąć z powietrza.

Grupy odpowiedzialnej za reklamy, 60 Plus Stowarzyszenie, jest konserwatywna grupa przodu, że od dawna w walce o prywatyzacji ubezpieczeń społecznych. Tego cyklu wyborów, grupa wydatków na ponad milion dolarów okłamać wyborców w Pensylwanii i wybiera członków Kongresu, które pomogą ich program pro-prywatyzacji.

"Lou Barletta twierdzi, że przeciwko prywatyzacji ubezpieczeń społecznych, to jego szanse to udowodnić. Grupie pro-prywatyzacji leżącego na Pennsylvanians pomóc Lou Barletta wygrać. Jeśli Lou naprawdę sprzeciwia się prywatyzacji, powinien wypowiedzieć te reklamy i wymagać, aby ich natychmiast przerwać ", powiedział Ed Mitchell, rzecznik kampanii Kanjorski.

60 plus Stowarzyszenie ma długą historię walki z prywatyzacji ubezpieczeń społecznych. W grudniu 2001 r., 60 Plus Stowarzyszenia uczestniczyli w konferencji prasowej sponsorowanej przez Amerykanów do reformy podatkowej, która poparła plan Busha zabezpieczenia społecznego do prywatyzacji Komisji Ubezpieczeń Społecznych (Amerykanie dla reformy podatku dochodowego od doradztwa prasy, 12/11/01). Jim Martin, szef 60-Plus Stowarzyszenie, napisał op-eds dla "Washington Times", w którym wzywa Social Security "przestarzały relikt minionej epoki" i "ciężar" dla młodych pracowników, promując system emerytalny, który młodych pracowników pozwala inwestować część swojego podatku. (Washington Times, 3/14/01, Washington Times, 8/1/01)

60 plus Stowarzyszenia, która nazywa się "bezstronne", wydała komunikat prasowy, w 2001 r., który wzywał pierwszych 100 Busha dni w urzędzie "złota era dla seniorów", a ukazał się w Filadelfii, podczas Republican National Convention w poparcie w 2000 r. bilet GOP. (Palm Beach Post, 6/17/01, National Journal Kongres Daily, 8/3/01)

"To jest obrzydliwe próby na zewnątrz grupy, aby okłamać wyborców w ich dążeniu do zniszczenia zabezpieczenia społecznego", powiedział Mitchell. "Czy Lou Barletta dopuszczę do wyborców z 11 Congressional District być okłamani przez grupę, która chce zniszczyć zabezpieczenia społecznego, czy będzie wstać i powiedzieć im, że już nie chce ich pomocy?

Fakty: Kliknij tutaj

I promissed Shawn I would be fair and balanced. Sorry Nicole but bloggers must have their fun.

You Tube weekend

Santa is an illegal alien and will not be welcome in Hazleton.

No Santa For Hazleton





If he somehow slips in to the country this guy will put an end to it.


Jack Bauer interrogates Santa




A sprig of the misiltoe to PAWaterCooler.com

11th CD tidbits

Trying to usurp Federal immigration law is one one thing but messing with the God given constitutional right of the people to have satellite TV is beyond the pale. Last Febuary Hazleton imposed a $10 satellite dish inspection fee that has been challenged in court as violation of Federal law. City solicitor Christopher Slusser sensibly doesn't want to defend the city in yet another lawsuit with the immigration ordinance appeal pending in the 3rd Circuit.
When Emmit Thomas of Penn Star Satellite of Wilkes-Barre told council no other municipality has a satellite dish ordinance, Mayor Lou Barletta said it wouldn't be the first time Hazleton was the first city to initiate legislation. Legislation that tries to overrule federal law is a bad habit to get into.

America's Mayor is still trying to retire the debt from his last unsuccessful campaign for Congress telling potential donors that if he can pay off the $250,000 he still owes mostly to himself he may make another try for the office. What a tease.

His Republican primary opponent Christopher Page calls this bullshit on his campaign blog.

Sadly, I'm the only candidate in this race who can promise that everything you donate will be used for the campaign, and I'm the only candidate who can promise that I won't take a penny from campaign funds. Most politicians wait until they are elected before they start taking your money, but Lou Barletta has sunk to a new low.

Incumbent Congressman Paul Kanjorski has ignored all this posturing and has been busy doing the job of governing which is not an easy thing. His amendment to the Financial Stability Improvement Act that would break up companies that are judged "Too Big to Fail" was voted out of commitee and Wall Street will do everything they can to defeat it on the House Floor.

The Kanjorski amendment would empower federal regulators to rein in and dismantle financial firms that are so large, inter-connected, or risky that their collapse would put at risk the entire American economic system, even if those firms currently appear to be well-capitalized and healthy. Therefore, American taxpayers should no longer be on the hook for bailouts, as financial companies would not be able to become "too big to fail." The Kanjorski amendment outlines clear and objective standards for regulators to examine financial companies and reduce the level of risk their activities pose to our financial stability and our economy.

The Congressman has found one of the rare subjects that is both good policy and smart politics not to mention common sense. He also voted for the Health Care bill that passed in the House.

His Democratic primary opponent Corey O'Brien has been going door to door . I asked O'Brien how he would vote on the health care bill but he didn't get back to me. I have left voice mail messages on his cell phone asking for comment on this and other issues and I'm awaiting his reply.

Petrilla rakes in the bucks

Luzerne County Democratic Commissioner Chair Maryanne Petrilla has raised $54,000 this year and has $78,000 cash on hand according to her latest campaign finance report. That is more money than all the row officer candidates running this year combined.

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Indicted Jury Commissioner Jerry Bonner gave her $500 but she sent it back. There are a few other names that are in the news listed in the report.

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Wilkes-Barre Area School Board President Frank Pizzella kicked in $125 for her golf tournament that is also listed on his CFR. Pizzella has been charged with conspiracy in a teacher job-selling scheme in 2004. I didn't know that she played golf.

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Michael Pasonick is the owner of an Architect/Engineering firm that does business with just about every government agency in Luzerne County made 2 donations totalling $1750 to Petrilla.

Pasonick was recently identified as the person who paid the bribe of $1400 to Housing Authority member Billy Maguire that was passed on by fellow board member Jerry Bonner. I wonder what the vig was in that deal? In one of the most creative excuses that I've ever heard Maguire said that he was reluctant to ask the housing authority for reimbursement of $1,400 he spent while attending a meeting of the National Leased Housing Association with Bonner in late January 2009 because of the debit card scandal and previous publicity that he was travelling the world on the taxpayer's dime when he was working in law enforcement. So he got Bonner to ask Pasonick to pick up the tab. At least he didn't try to double dip because records show he was not reimbursed by the authority. Bonner's attorney Mike Butera made the revelation about Pasonick. Butera has contributed $1000 to Petrilla.

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Sometimes this gets confusing. Patrilla's committee received contributions from Hazleton State Rep. Todd Eachus' and DA Jackie Mo Carroll then her committee sent money to Eachus and Jackie Mo's campaign committees. Scott Gartley kicked in $500 and Petrilla contributed $1000 to Tina Gartley's judicial campaign. I guess this is an example of 'you wash my back, I'll wash your's.' These people don't use their own money to go to all these events, the donor's pay for it. In addition to Gartley she contributed to 2 other Luzerne County judicial candidates. She sent $250 to Joe Musto and $125 to Bill Amesbury.

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In the row ofifce races she(her committee) gave $250 to Dem Prothonotary nominee Nancy Bellas who's husband has been indicted for taking a bribe and Democratic Controller hopeful Bob Morgan got $550.

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Some Luzerne County officials chipped in for the boss.

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Director of Assessments Anthony Alu $125

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County Solicitor Vito DeLucca $375

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Prison Warden Joe Piazza $500

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This one I find interesting. Former Commissioner Todd Vonderheid ( Bond Brother) who is now the head honcho of the local Chamber of Commerce chipped in $250. Vondy ran as a team with Greg Skrepenak for Luzerne County Commissioners telling people we didn't need home rule because we can trust them. That worked out well. Vondy quit before his term was up.

Busy Wednesday

Back from his trip to the Middle East & Central Asia Congressman Chris Carney will be having a town hall meeting today at Eagle Hose Company, 1 Eagle Lane , Dickson City , from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

The Luzerne Home Rule committee has scheduled its latest weekly forum at 7 tonight in the Hazleton City Hall council chambers.

Gerald Mullery, Democratic Candidate for Luzerne County Prothonotary, will be hosting a meet and greet at the House of Wings on Main Street in Plymouth from 6 - 8.

And there will be a Tax Day Tea Party from 4 to 7 p.m. on Public Square, Wilkes-Barre. RNC Chairman Michael Steele has sent me a few emails urging me to attend and I know of at least one person that is going.

Rachel and Anna Marie explain what it is about.





Unfortunately my schedule won't allow me to make any of these events.

Lou Barletta for Lt. Governor

Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta Paid for a poll to test his name ID in a possible run for Pennsylvania Lt. Governor next year. It's not surprising that he is best known of all the possible contenders in the GOP primary and has a high favorable rating among likely Republican primary voters.


I sat down with Mayor Lou a few months ago but never actually posted about it because of some technical issues like my recorder batteries went dead and I accidentaly deleted the word document that I wrote up afterward. Looking over my notes from that meeting I can say that the guy loves being the Mayor of Hazleton. He hit me with charts and graphs detailing some of the improvement projects that in the works for the mountain city such as a new transportation center and an amphlitheater to be built on an abandoned strip mine. He defended the use of Delaware River sludge that is filling the old coal pitts saying every load is tested for safety. He contends that Immigration ordinance would be appealed to the US Supreme Court if the 3rd circuit rules against the the city and will fight the attorney fees awarded by Judge Munley. He rejected the charge that he is a racist pointing out that he performed several hundred weddings since the ordinance was passed and 80% of them were of Hispanic couples and 55 new businesses have opened since then with many of them having hispanic owners. Lou is expecting his first grandchild soon and the father is hispanic. Barletta said there is no great divide in Hazleton and took some shots at "self appointed" hispanic leaders.

His answer to Mark's question was interesting.

Why would you agree to be interviewed by a blogger who did everything he could to keep you from winning a congressional seat?

His Answer: Why not? You won't know what I'm about unless you get to know me.

So much for the contention that blogs are anathema to the great majority of the elected, as well as almost all of the hopefuls?

I will be interviewing various candidates for the county row offices in the next few weeks.

Barletta said the only person possibly more surprised that he didn't win the US House race was Paul Kanjorski. His internal polling had him leading the whole way.

As far a race for Lt. Governor goes I think it is a natural fit because he would win the primary easily. He has ambitions to be Governor but I don't think he can beat Attorney General Tom Corbitt for the nomination this time out.

Healing in Hazleton?

Forum Wednesday will examine diversity issues in Hazleton

In the last two years, Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta and city council backed a law that would have penalized landlords who rented to illegal immigrants and businesses that hired workers with unlawful immigration status. A federal judge struck down the law, although an appeals court is still weighing its provisions.


Meanwhile, Barletta, Sosa and other panelists will talk about what’s next for the city at the forum, sponsored by the Standard-Speaker, to be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Room 115 of the Graham Building at Penn State Hazleton.

Things are tough all over

The news is full of local and state governments trying to make ends meet. Luzerne County is raising taxes, borrowing yet more money and laying off workers to deal with years of mismanagement and the economic downturn. Mayor Tom Leighton has proposed a budget for Wilkes-Barre that increases fees and jacks up every tax that can be raised. And my little burgh of Plains Township will be increasing the property tax despite all the millions that Mohegan Sun Casino has pumped into our coffers. I have some questions about that and it will be the subject of a future post.

Mayor Lou Barletta is taking an axe to the City of Hazleton's budget trying to avoid a tax increase. He is about $900,000 short of balancing the city's $9 million budget and is proposing to close the gap by canceling a 3% pay raise for employees and requiring them to contribute toward their health care plan. He is also proposing going after people who have not paid the garbage fee and businesses that have not paid the mercantile tax.

With all these hundreds of billions of dollars being thrown around by the Feds to bail out banks, Wall Street investment firms and Auto companies a few dollars to help out our local governments is not an unreasonable request.

Note: I had a chat with Mayor Lou yesterday and he agreed to an interview in the first week of the new year. Send me your questions for his Honor in the comments or email. I'll put up a reminder before we meet. Please keep it clean people.

Pennsylvania Exit Polls

As usual in national elections our polling place was calm unlike what is going on in parts of the rest of the state and country that I'm reading about. The real action is always in the local primaries. I was voter 430 out of approximately 1000 in our district at 2:15PM compared to being number 224 at 5PM in the April primary.

I have never voted a straight party ticket in any election and this one is not an exception. Again I I wrote in Kayak Dude for state rep in the 121st district. Eddie Day Pashinski was unopposed in the general election which annoys me to no end and five of the six state reps up for reelection don't have an opponent in the fall. Put another feather in the cap of our Luzerne County GOP. In the State Treasurer's race I clicked the screen for the Libertarian, McCord will win. On the ballot question I voted no because I always vote no on them.

For the first time since 1996 I voted FOR someone for President instead of voting against the other guy although John McCain has at times run a despicable campaign. I heard all sorts of dog whistles in the Brittany ad and Atrios put it best "He's an uppity negro who wants to fuck your sister." He's the messiah, he's a Muslim, pals around with terrorists and other nonsense that has come from my conservative friends. The latest charge that he is a Socialist is particularly laughable since a Republican Administration has been busy nationalizing the banks. I wholeheartedly voted FOR Barack Obama.

Reverting to form I voted against Lou Barletta in the PA 11th CD race. If you search my archives you will find I have been very critical of Paul Kanjorski and even voted for Joe Leonardi in 2006. I think Barletta has appealed to the absolute worst in people. He has tried to scapegoat the Mexican population of Hazleton saying that they are the source of the city's problems. His famous immigrant ordinance has landed him on Lou Dobbs but just may bankrupt Hazleton. Kanjo is not perfect but he has brought home the bacon just like Dan Flood and Joe McDade and we reelected both of them when they were under indictment and Uncle Paul has not been charged with any crimes. From a bloggers point of view a Kanjo loss would open up the doors to a donnybrook of a Democratic primary in 2010 which would be fun. Even if he wins this it may be his last hurrah and we will have wide open primaries on both sides next time.

11th CD Prediction

So this is your chance to sound off before the big day, tell me why your guy will win and by how much. The polling I've seen still shows a big undecided block.


Paul Kanjorski has been successful in bringing home the bacon over the years. Every time you drive down River Street you see the levee system that has been able to prevent another Agnes disaster and the Earth Conservancy has been successful in the reclamation of mine-scarred lands. This week he came through with federal help to renovate Coal Street park in Wilkes-Barre and money to help out General Dynamics in Scranton and countless other projects. The question is will people remember his accomplishments or will Cornerstone and Mexicans matter more.


Lou Barletta's campaign has been all about illegal immigration. I used to like Lou Barletta until 2006 when Rick Santorum needed an issue in his doomed reelection campaign and got Mayor Lou to propose a ridiculous law that tried to make landlords and others into immigration agents. It didn't take a constitutional law scholar to figure out that a small town in Pennsylvania can't usurp the powers of the Congress and a federal judge agreed. The case has been appealed and if Hazleton loses the city is on the hook for a big legal bill. Lou said the city may have to float a 20 year bond to pay off the legal fees, maybe he should run for county commissioner. I think it was one of the most reckless things that I've ever heard of a local official doing. I also object to a politician trying to find scapegoats for his problems. That's been tried before with disastrous results.



With all that said I think this will be a nailbiter. Challengers don't win elections, incumbents lose them and Kanjo has had plenty of missteps such as his interview on CBS when he talked about free money and said Congress has it's own rules. But in the end this is an overwhelming Democratic district in a Democratic year. Kanjo wins a close one.


Kanjorski - Barletta debate highlights





The Lu Lac Political Letter has the best recap of the debate that I have read. I thought Kanjorski had the best line of the night when asked about Cornerstone he said (paraphrase) 'if I had done anything illegal don't you think that the Bush Justice Department would have nailed my ass to the wall by now.' The whole debate is available on WVIA's website.

PA 11th CD mud wars

The NRCC has a spot up rehashing the Cornerstone controversy titled Kick Out Kanjorski and another one that is somewhat amusing using the the theme song from Deliverance riffing on the age old charge of flip-flopping.



Dueling Kanjos





The Kanjo camp went after Barletta over the sludge that is that being dumped around Hazleton.
Despite threats of a lawsuit the latest Kanjorski spot brings up the DeAngelo brothers involvement in drug dealing and their ties to Lou Barletta.



Lou Barletta: Bad Judgment, Bad Ideas.





The Kanjo ads have been fact checked by the unofficial Barletta oppo research website.

Both camps have been firing off press releases.

Kanjo


Wilkes-Barre, PA - When he first ran against Lou Barletta in 2002, Congressman Paul Kanjorski (PA-11) released his income tax returns. Barletta did not. The Congressman says he will release his last ten income tax returns again during this campaign, but if only if Barletta agrees to release all his income taxes from the same period.


The response from the Barletta campaign .


I like this one: The quantity of and amounts deposited in Kanjorski accounts in the Cayman Islands, if any.

If any? What BS. If Barletta has proof that Paul Kanjorski has a bank account in the Cayman Islands or Switzerland he better provide the details

Congrats Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Red Sox in 7 games and will face our Phillies in the World Series. I'm happy to see Tampa make their first appearance in the fall classic led by Hazleton native Joe Madden. Go Phils, kick their ass.

PA 11th CD update

Congressman Paul Kanjorski was in Washington working on the current economic crisis and to develop a recovery plan with Speaker Pelosi and others. During the forum, Kanjorski discussed with his colleagues the idea of including a "Buy America's Future Program" in a new recovery package. This program would facilitate the ability of all Americans to voluntarily invest in promising companies with new technologies.

On Sunday he was in Scranton and received shououts from Bill, Hill and Joe.


President Clinton said "Thank you Congressman Paul Kanjorski for being here. Folks, Paul Kanjorski’s got a tough race. He’s got a tough race because some people in his district believe that illegal immigration is a bigger cause of their economic problems than President Bush's economic policies. I got news for them and I've got news for you – you need to help him get re-elected. Thank you."


Hillary chimed in "I just want to reiterate what Bill said. We need as many Democrats in the Congress as we can get and we need to send Paul Kanjorski back to the House of Representatives."


Lou Barletta's camp say that they have topped $1 million in donations and that's all the money they need to win.


They are both scheduled to attend a forum this Wednesday at East Stroudsburg University.



In a new ad Kanjo takes on the Cornerstone issue calling Mayor Lou a liar and hitting him about the sludge being dumped around Hazleton.


Lou Barletta - Not on our Side






This just in via Wally Edge:


Research 2000 for Daily Kos.


10/6-8. Likely voters. MoE 5%

Barletta (R) 43% Kanjorski (D-inc) 39% Undecided 18%

And Obama leads McCain 47%-43% in the Pa-11th CD

Kanjorski and Barletta agree on immigration

Borys does an analysis of the positions of 10th CD candidates Paul Kanjorski and Lou Barletta on illegal immigration in the CV but doesn't find many differences.



Both want strong restrictions on illegal immigration. Both favor establishing English as the official national language, increasing fines on employers who hire illegal immigrants and requiring illegal immigrants to return to their native counties before they can apply for citizenship. Both oppose amnesty and pathways to citizenship for illegal immigrants.


Barletta is famous for his ordinance that would punish landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and businesses that employ them. Kanjorski was right in predicting that Hazleton’s law would be overruled by the courts.



"I think they’re going to be inundated by lawsuits, and the cost to city taxpayers to fight these lawsuits will be enormous,” Kanjorski said at the time. So far, his prediction has been borne out.



A small town in Pennsylvania cannot make immigration policy. Judge Munley cited the Supremacy clause of the Constitution (page 92 of the decision) to strike down the Illegal Immigration Relief Act. Hazleton is on the hook for $2 million for legal fees so far and they are talking about floating a bond over 20 years to pay it off.



The Hazleton immigration ordinance will go through it's 2nd round in Federal Court on October 31st. The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to have the appeal heard by a three-judge panel. The publicity from the oral arguments will be a boon to Lou Barletta right before the election but in the end it will probably be shot down again.

YouTube weekend

The Hazleton immigration ordinance is back in the news which reminded me of this Cheech & Chong diddy.

Mexican Americans love education so they go to night school and take Spanish and get a B...


Mexican Americans & Beaners





Remember when people liked Mexicans?

Luzerne County reassessment

Lawyers, lawyers everywhere and ...............they will make money.


Reassessment opponents to hire lawyer


Pa. court weighs state's property tax assessments


They may tie it up for a while but in the end we will pay more in property taxes and the esquires will be better off.

I paid our property taxes today and we got a $211 reduction from the slots revenue. That is good but why is only half of this money is dedicated to property tax relief? The other half is to go to "economic development projects" that the rest of us call Corporate Welfare.

Some examples:

The new hockey arena in Pittsburgh

A fantasy Airport in Hazleton

Part of the money is "EARMARKED" to help the host towns deal with the problems that arise from having one of these money pits such as traffic control, wear and tear on the roads plus the anticipated increase in crime. From what I see the Mohegan Sun Casino hasn't had many negative effects on my little hamlet of Plains Township. We have actually benefited from the place because more than 20 streets have been paved since the cash started flowing in. The best benefit for me and my neighbors is that the cost of a case of trash bags was reduced from $75 for a case of 50 to $25.


Thanks Suckers