Marino So Concerned That His new TV Ad Attempts to Re-Write His Own History
Dingman, PA – Marino’s new TV ad says
he prosecuted scam artists who prey on seniors but the truth is he
helped get a lighter sentence for a convicted felon, Sean Healy, who
defrauded Pennsylvania seniors and families in a Bernie Madoff/Ponzi
scheme.
“Pennsylvania seniors and families depend on their hard
earned retirement savings and on Medicare, but seniors can’t depend on
Tom Marino,” said Phil Scollo. “Everyone knows Mr. Marino has the
money and the Washington connections to run TV ads that distort his
record but hardworking people deserve the truth from Tom Marino and
they deserve to hear it straight from his mouth. He voted twice to end
the Medicare guarantee and he should have the courage to stand up in
a debate on Medicare and explain why. He is refusing debates and
trying to re-write history on TV. It’s disgusting.”
Sean Healy was indicted on 51 counts of fraud, money laundering
and obstruction of justice involving investors of $20 million. Healy was
accused of defrauding more than 50 investors throughout the country,
including about 40 investors from the Chambersburg and Harrisburg
areas. (Patriot-News, 10/17/09)
As Healy’s attorney, Marino pulled strings and negotiated–with
his old U.S. Attorney’s office on the other side of the table–a
lighter sentence. Marino signed the plea agreement as the counsel for
the defendant. (U.S. District Court for the Middle District
of Pennsylvania, USA v. Healy, 1:09cr00319, 10/09/09)
According to the indictment, Healy promised investors he would
use their money to purchase stocks and commodities on their behalf.
The indictment accused Healy of spending the money to fund a
lavish lifestyle, which included the purchase of a $2.4 million
waterfront mansion furnished with more than $2 million of home
improvements, $1.5 million in men’s and women’s jewelry and numerous
exotic vehicles worth more than $2.3 million. (Patriot-News, 10/17/09)
Why stop there. Citizens Voice reporter Michael Sisak did some digging in 2010 and came up with
another questionable relationship that Tom Marino has with a convicted
criminal. He interceded on behalf of a guy served time in prison on weapon's charges and has a history of bizzare behavior plus Marino
tried to get his record cleared of a cocaine dealing charge.
A prominent central Pennsylvania car dealer
once described as a “friend” by former U.S. Attorney Tom Marino has
racked up an extensive rap sheet since leaning on Marino to have a
cocaine dealing conviction cleared from his record more than a decade
ago, court documents obtained by The Citizens’ Voice show.
Jay W. Kilheeney, an admitted drug addict and alcoholic,
has been busted three times since Marino clumsily and unsuccessfully
interceded in the drug case, in June 1998, and has been accused in
protection from abuse petitions of leading a violent, vagabond home
life.
Kilheeney, 46, of Williamsport, spent 33 months in federal prison on
a 2002 illegal weapons possession charge, paid hundreds of dollars in
fines to settle disorderly conduct and harassment charges in 2002 and
2009 and, following the weapons conviction, was barred by a state board
from selling cars for five years.
At home, Kilheeney abused
drugs, his family and the law — smoking marijuana daily, providing
alcohol to his minor son, choking his girlfriend and running into the
street naked — according to protection from abuse petitions filed in
June and October 2008.
Marino,
whose relationship with Kilheeney triggered concerns among colleagues as
he transitioned into the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2002, has remained
silent about the status of his relationship with Kilheeney and
Kilheeney’s continued criminal behavior.
A spokesman for Marino,
the Republican challenger in the 10th Congressional District, said he
could not comment on “anything related” to Marino’s time as a prosecutor
and would not confirm whether he and Kilheeney were still friends.
Marino’s involvement in the
Kilheeney case, while the district attorney of Lycoming County, appeared
to bookend his controversial role, while U.S. Attorney, as a personal
reference on DeNaples’ December 2005 application for a license to
operate the Mount Airy Casino in Monroe County.
Carney campaign spokesman Josh
Drobnyk said Friday that Marino’s involvement with DeNaples and
Kilheeney were “absolutely” relevant to the campaign and to gauging the
“integrity and honesty” of Marino’s tenure as a district attorney and
U.S. Attorney.
“(Marino) touts being tough on criminals when the
truth is he was seeking to help clear the criminal record of a close
friend who was a drug trafficker and has since been charged with
multiple crimes,” Drobnyk said. “Tom Marino has refused to address basic
questions about his record and continues to insult all of us by
refusing to tell the truth.”
Marino’s drive to clear
Kilheeney’s February 1992 conviction for delivering two grams of cocaine
led him into the nebulous, unethical world of judge shopping, according
to court records.
According to court records, Marino
hand delivered an expungement motion to a judge relatively unfamiliar
with criminal procedure, Dudley N. Anderson, a month after the judge who
presided over the case, Kenneth D. Brown, refused.
Anderson
approved the expungement in July 1998, but reversed himself when he
learned of Brown’s previous decision to deny the request.
Anderson
ordered all copies of his expungement order returned, but Kilheeney
kept a copy and included it with personal letters of reference from
Marino and a Lycoming County detective to obtain authorization from the
Ford Motor Co. to open a dealership in Lock Haven, according to a report
in the Harrisburg Patriot-News.
Had the expungement stood,
Kilheeney would never have faced the felony weapons charge — possession
of a firearm by a convicted felon — that landed him in federal prison
for 33 months.
Shortly before he reported to prison, in November
2002, Kilheeney pleaded guilty to summary harassment and disorderly
conduct charges for forcing his way into the office of a business
associate, grabbing him and threatening to kill him.
In August,
Kilheeney pleaded guilty to a summary disorderly conduct charge more
than a year after a traffic stop in which police said he dropped his
pants to his ankles, exposing his genitals and buttocks.
“You can strip search me right here,” Kilheeney said, according to police.
Citizens Voice reporter Michael Sesak did some digging and came up with another questionable relationship that Tom Marino has with a convicted criminal. This should be a front page story.
At first I was not going to post this because I think most drugs charges are overblown but this guy served time in prison on weapon's charges in addition to the drug dealing thing and has a history of bizzare behavior plus Tom Marino tried to get his record cleared of a cocaine dealing charge.
Forget my commentary the story speaks for itself. For the first time ever I'm going to reprint in it's entirety a newspaper/blog story because I think it's that good.
By Michael R. Sisak / Staff Writer
A prominent central Pennsylvania car dealer once described as a “friend” by former U.S. Attorney Tom Marino has racked up an extensive rap sheet since leaning on Marino to have a cocaine dealing conviction cleared from his record more than a decade ago, court documents obtained by The Citizens’ Voice show.
Jay W. Kilheeney, an admitted drug addict and alcoholic, has been busted three times since Marino clumsily and unsuccessfully interceded in the drug case, in June 1998, and has been accused in protection from abuse petitions of leading a violent, vagabond home life.
Kilheeney, 46, of Williamsport, spent 33 months in federal prison on a 2002 illegal weapons possession charge, paid hundreds of dollars in fines to settle disorderly conduct and harassment charges in 2002 and 2009 and, following the weapons conviction, was barred by a state board from selling cars for five years.
At home, Kilheeney abused drugs, his family and the law — smoking marijuana daily, providing alcohol to his minor son, choking his girlfriend and running into the street naked — according to protection from abuse petitions filed in June and October 2008.
Attempts to reach Kilheeney and the attorney who represented him in his most recent criminal case were not successful. A person who answered the telephone at a business listed for Kilheeney on court records, Money Smart Financial Resources in Williamsport, said he no longer worked there.
The attorney, Michael Groulx, and the prosecutor in the case, A. Melissa Rosenkilde Kalaus, did not return telephone messages this week.
Marino, whose relationship with Kilheeney triggered concerns among colleagues as he transitioned into the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2002, has remained silent about the status of his relationship with Kilheeney and Kilheeney’s continued criminal behavior.
A spokesman for Marino, the Republican challenger in the 10th Congressional District, said he could not comment on “anything related” to Marino’s time as a prosecutor and would not confirm whether he and Kilheeney were still friends.
The spokesman, Jason Fitzgerald, said he did not see Kilheeney as “relevant to the campaign.”
“This race isn’t about Jay Kilheeney or Louis DeNaples or anybody else,” Fitzgerald said, referring to another felon in Marino’s universe of friends. “This race is about Tom Marino and Chris Carney and particularly it’s about the issues that are important to the people of the 10th Congressional District.”
Marino’s involvement in the Kilheeney case, while the district attorney of Lycoming County, appeared to bookend his controversial role, while U.S. Attorney, as a personal reference on DeNaples’ December 2005 application for a license to operate the Mount Airy Casino in Monroe County.
Marino’s opponent, U.S. Rep. Chris Carney, seized on the DeNaples endorsement as evidence of Marino’s poor judgment and questionable character, and news coverage of the race has focused on Marino’s shifting answers on whether the Justice Department authorized him to help DeNaples.
In September, after contending for months that he had clearance on the DeNaples matter, Marino told the Sunbury Daily Item he never asked for permission because the department permitted personal references as long as employees did not include their official titles.
The Allentown Morning Call reported last Sunday that Marino may have been mistaken and that his personal reference for DeNaples, convicted in 1978 for cheating the federal government of more than $500,000, may have been a violation of department guidelines.
The newspaper reported Marino’s resignation from office, in October 2007, came amid an internal Justice Department probe into “serious misconduct” surrounding the DeNaples reference.
Carney campaign spokesman Josh Drobnyk said Friday that Marino’s involvement with DeNaples and Kilheeney were “absolutely” relevant to the campaign and to gauging the “integrity and honesty” of Marino’s tenure as a district attorney and U.S. Attorney.
“(Marino) touts being tough on criminals when the truth is he was seeking to help clear the criminal record of a close friend who was a drug trafficker and has since been charged with multiple crimes,” Drobnyk said. “Tom Marino has refused to address basic questions about his record and continues to insult all of us by refusing to tell the truth.”
Marino’s drive to clear Kilheeney’s February 1992 conviction for delivering two grams of cocaine led him into the nebulous, unethical world of judge shopping, according to court records.
According to court records, Marino hand delivered an expungement motion to a judge relatively unfamiliar with criminal procedure, Dudley N. Anderson, a month after the judge who presided over the case, Kenneth D. Brown, refused.
Anderson approved the expungement in July 1998, but reversed himself when he learned of Brown’s previous decision to deny the request.
Anderson ordered all copies of his expungement order returned, but Kilheeney kept a copy and included it with personal letters of reference from Marino and a Lycoming County detective to obtain authorization from the Ford Motor Co. to open a dealership in Lock Haven, according to a report in the Harrisburg Patriot-News.
Had the expungement stood, Kilheeney would never have faced the felony weapons charge — possession of a firearm by a convicted felon — that landed him in federal prison for 33 months.
Shortly before he reported to prison, in November 2002, Kilheeney pleaded guilty to summary harassment and disorderly conduct charges for forcing his way into the office of a business associate, grabbing him and threatening to kill him.
In August, Kilheeney pleaded guilty to a summary disorderly conduct charge more than a year after a traffic stop in which police said he dropped his pants to his ankles, exposing his genitals and buttocks.
“You can strip search me right here,” Kilheeney said, according to police.
What a slow motion train wreck the Tom Marino campaign continues to be.
There is no reason to doubt the latest report that he resigned as the US Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania while he was under investigating for unethical conduct. He previously claimed that he had permission from the DOJ to give Louis DeNaples a reference for his casino license and turns out that is not true.
Former U.S. Attorney Tom Marino resigned from office in 2007 amid an internal Justice Department probe into his role as a personal reference for Dunmore businessman and convicted felon Louis DeNaples, according to a report published Saturday on the website of the Allentown Morning Call.
The Morning Call, citing a "person familiar with the matter," reported the department's Office of Professional Responsibility was investigating Marino for unspecified violations of department policy but that the department ended the investigation once Marino left office in October 2007.
So the question for my Republican friends is will you vote for this serial liar ?
I put up an early poll on this race on the left sidebar.
Tom Marino, Republican candidate for Congress, has changed his story six months after he told a Wilkes-Barre talk radio reporter that he had gotten permission from his superiors in the U.S. Department of Justice before lending his name as a reference for a convicted felon who was seeking a casino license...He also denied that he had ever claimed that he received, or could provide, written authorization from the Justice Department allowing him to give a personal reference to former casino operator Louis DeNaples.
Two weeks ago his campaign sent out a press release saying he had written authorization from the DOJ that the department refuted.
Digging his hole deeper he then said that WILK loudmouth Steve Corbett was a liar:
“The radio personality made it up. There is no letter,” Marino said.
Before this broke yesterday the CV Politics Blog reporter Mike Sisak had this exchange with the Marino camp about the spokesperson for the Justice Department saying there is no record of any letter giving Marino the OK to give Louis DeNaples a reference.
Marino's press flack actually said: You have our statements, this is a non-story.
The response from Sisak: Actually, for some reason at this point in the race, this IS the story, and these questions are still unanswered:
DID MR. MARINO HAVE PERMISSION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO SERVE AS A PERSONAL REFERENCE ON MR. LOUIS DeNAPLES’ STATE GAMING LICENSE APPLICATION IN DECEMBER 2005?
WHO SPECIFICALLY GRANTED THIS PERMISSION? HOW WAS THIS PERMISSION TRANSMITTED TO MR. MARINO (letter? telephone call? fax? e-mail, etc.)?
IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE (documents, notes, telephone records, e-mails, anything at all) TO CORROBORATE THAT PERMISSION WAS GRANTED?
DOES MR. MARINO HAVE POSSESSION OF THAT EVIDENCE? DOES THE DOJ?
Carney's mouthpiece put out out a statement that I think was unnecessary but I'll publish it anyway just to be fair and balanced. If your opponent is imploding you should sit back and watch.
CLARKS SUMMIT -- Five months after Tom Marino told a radio host that he had received authorization from Justice Department superiors to serve as a reference for a felon under investigation by Marino's own office, Marino now says that he never asked for permission from the agency. The Sunbury Daily Item, which reported the news today, also reported that Marino now says "there is no letter" to prove he received permission and he claims WILK radio host Steve Corbett "made it up."
Marino's latest statements contradict what he told Corbett in a live interview on April 28. It also reverses his own statement to the Associated Press Sept. 17, when Marino said he had been in touch with DOJ about releasing "documents that would end this matter" but was not authorized to make them public.
A full timeline of statements and events is provided below.
"Another day, another lie from Tom Marino," said Josh Drobnyk, Carney for Congress campaign spokesman. "Tom Marino is spinning a tale of lies to the public and it has become clear he will say anything to get elected. He said live on the radio in April that he went to his Justice Department superiors before providing the personal reference for a felon under investigation by his office and was satisfied with their response. Now he says he never sought their permission. He said just days ago that there were agency 'documents' that would end this matter. Now he says 'there is no letter.' How can the public trust Tom Marino when he continues to insult them with so many lies?"
TIMELINE OF STATEMENTS AND ACTIONS
Sept. 28, 2010: Marino says he never asked DOJ anything, accuses Steve Corbett of lying
Marino tells the Sunbury Daily Item that he never asked for permission from DOJ to provide reference to felon under investigation by Marino’s office and that WILK's Steve Corbett lied about having been promised a letter.
Marino on Monday said he never asked for permission from the federal agency because it was understood he would be allowed to provide personal references to anyone as long as he didn’t use his job title or attempt to promote individuals on his staff.
He also denied that he had ever claimed that he received, or could provide, written authorization from theJustice Department allowing him to give a personal reference to former casino operator Louis DeNaples.
“I did it all the time,” he said, of providing personal references. ....
In that interview, Corbett asks:“Did you have to tell any of your supervisors that you were acting as a reference?” “Yes,” Marino said.
“And did you?” “Yes,” Marino said.
Corbett then asked Marino what the response was from the Department of Justice, and Marino replied that “it was nothing out of the ordinary.”
Following that exchange, Corbett said he followed up the interview by asking Marino’s staff for written documentation that Marino had received permission to serve as a reference. Corbett said a Marino staffer promised to get him that documentation but never did.
On Monday, Marino said there was never written authorization from the Department of Justice.
“The radio personality made it up. There is no letter,” Marino said.
Corbett stands behind his reporting.
Sept. 23, 2010: Marino campaign says Marino never referred to specific document
Marino’s spokesman tells the Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice that Marino never referred to a specific document.
He never refers to a specific document regarding a specific issue.
Sept. 18, 2010: Marino campaign says it doesn't recall referring to specific document
Marino’s spokesman is reported telling the Williamsport Sun-Gazette that “it's unclear there was any single document regarding authorization to serve as a reference” in the first place.
Now, Marino spokesman Jason Fitzgerald said it's unclear there was any single document regarding authorization to serve as a reference for DeNaples in the first place.
"I don't recall Mr. Marino ever referring specifically to a document from the Department of Justice that gave him permission to give a reference," he said.
Sept. 17, 2010: Marino says he's contacted DOJ about documents
Marino says he’s contacted DOJ about releasing documents “that would end this matter” but been informed they “are confidential and are the property of the Department.”
Marino statement: “I have been in communication with the Department of Justice concerning the release of documents related to my service as United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The Department of Justice General Council has informed me that these documents are confidential and are the property of the Department. The Department of Justice General Council explained that even though I am a former U.S. Attorney, I am bound by security and ethics provisions of federal law associated with my past service. While I am confident that the release of certain documents would end this matter, I understand the sensitive nature of these documents and the important role that the Department of Justice has in keeping us safe. As a former U.S. Attorney, I will abide by the laws of this land and the polices of the Department of Justice, without question.”
Sept. 16, 2010: Marino says he can't release documents
Marino says he has not been given approval by DOJ to release documents.
Marino statement: I have not been given approval by the Department of Justice to release documents regarding my tenure in the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Aug. 25, 2010: Corbett says he's been waiting four months for promised letter from Marino
Steve Corbett writes on his blog that he’s been waiting four months for a supposed letter that Marino promised him after his appearance on the program that Marino says will prove that he had permission from DOJ to serve as a reference for a felon who was under investigation by Marino’s office.
May 2010: Marino campaign tells Corbett he has letter
Tom Marino's campaign tells WILK's Steve Corbett that Marino has a letter for him from DOJ that will prove he got permission. Marino never gives it to Corbett.
April 28, 2010: Marino tells Corbett he vetted reference and got all clear from DOJ
Tom Marino tells WILK’s Steve Corbett that he “vetted” the reference with DOJ and got the all clear
Corbett: "Did you have to tell any of your supervisors that you were acting as a reference?"
Marino: "Yes."
Corbett: "And did you?"
Marino: "Yes."
Corbett: "And what was their reaction?"
Marino: "It was nothing out of the ordinary."
Corbett: "So are you saying that it is not extraordinary for a United States Attorney to act as a personal reference on a gambling application for an admitted federal felon?"
Marino: "The way you are putting it, you are putting it in the most negative terms."
Corbett: "Did you have any pangs of conscience that that might not be ethical?"
Marino: "No, because I checked it out, vetted it and was satisfied with the vetting process."
Jan. 2008: Marino goes to work for felon
Marino works for the felon for whom he provided a personal reference, making $249,999.96 a year.
Oct. 2007: Marino resigns
Marino leaves office.
Sept. 21, 2007: Marino announces resignation
Marino announces resignation, which takes effect Oct. 12, 2007.
Aug. 24, 2007: News breaks that Marino will resign, Marino denies that he'll step down
The Allentown Morning Call reports that Marino will resign, three days after story breaks about his withdrawal from probe and the reference he provided.
Aug. 21, 2007: News breaks that Marino served as reference for felon under investigation by his office
The Allentown Morning Call breaks news that Marino had served as reference on felon’s casino application and was forced to withdraw from probe.
Jan. 2007: Marino discloses to DOJ he gave reference
Marino discloses relationship with felon to the Justice Department and is ordered to withdraw from the investigation into felon.
Nov. 2006: Marino's name on list of prosecutors to be fired
Sampson places Marino's name on another list of targeted prosecutors.
Sept. 13, 2006: Marino on firing line at DOJ
D. Kyle Sampson, the chief of staff to then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, places Marino's name on a list of U.S. Attorneys the department "should consider pushing out."
Jan. 2006: Marino "problem" attorney, according to DOJ
A Justice Department official includes Marino on a list of "problem" prosecutors and tells a colleague she is "not sure about" him.
Dec. 2005: Marino writes reference letter
Marino writes personal reference for the casino application of a felon who is under investigation by his office.
2004: Federal investigation into felon begins.
2002: Tom Marino sworn in as U.S. attorney for Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Tom Marino has been unavailable for press interviews since this story broke and even his website is down. He is not only a liar but a coward who will not face the press. Expect him to show up on FOX News to tell us Nancy Pelosi is a liberal in the near future.
There is a newer Carney attack ad up but it's not on YouTube yet. This one is playing defense:
If your keeping score this is the third TV spot from Congressman's Chris Carney reelection campaign. The first 2 were positive spots that you can view here. His Republican challenger Tom Marino is not on the air yet and may not have the money to do any TV after reporting only $11K cash on hand as of June 30th. I'm sure that his fundraising has picked up since then but looking at his last FEC report most of that is probably going to various consultants. I'm sure he will get some outside help but so far the NRCC hasn't spent any money on his behalf.
That being said the only 2 polls released in this race so far that have come from Republican outfits shows that he is ahead. Carney's campaign polled the district in June and has surely done so since but unlike the last 2 cycles they have not released the results. They might be worried because this ad goes after Marino's relationship with Louis DeNaples who is famous for owning a junk yard, bank, landfill, all the former watershed land of PG&W, a casino and who knows what else. He may even own my blog.
Louis A. DeNaples is a prominent Scranton, Pennsylvania businessman, best known as former owner of the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania. In January, 2008, DeNaples was charged with four counts of perjury due to his suspected ties to the Bufalino crime family when applying for a Pennsylvania state gambling license.[1] The charges were later dropped in April 2009 after DeNaples agreed to turn over legal control of Mount Airy Casino resort to his family.[2] DeNaples is owner or invested in several businesses, including DeNaples Auto Parts, Inc., Keystone Landfill Inc. and is Chairman of the Board of First National Community Bankcorp, Inc.[3]...
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. [5]
The Carney camp sent out a press release yesterday reinforcing this message:
CLARKS SUMMIT – Congressman Chris Carney today called on Tom Marino to release a letter he has promised to make public surrounding the controversial reference he wrote as a U.S. attorney on behalf of a convicted felon. Tom Marino claims that he has a letter that shows he was authorized by the Department of Justice to give the personal reference despite an ongoing federal investigation of the felon at the time. The unethical decision by Tom Marino has yet to be fully explained, despite repeated questions from reporters in northeast and central Pennsylvania.
"The controversial ordeal illustrates Tom Marino's career-long lack of judgment and integrity," said Carney for Congress campaign spokesman Josh Drobnyk. "Tom Marino should stop hiding and release the letter. He said he had permission from the Department of Justice to serve as a personal reference for a convicted felon back when Tom Marino was a U.S. attorney. He said he would provide proof in writing of that permission. But he has yet to do just that. Where is the letter? The people of northeastern and central Pennsylvania deserve a straight answer on this and, instead, all they are getting is the run-around from Tom Marino. Families deserve to know the truth."
Here's what we do know. In 2005, while Tom Marino was a U.S. attorney in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, he wrote a personal reference for a casino application of a convicted felon who was under further investigation. Marino resigned in disgrace two years later and promptly went to work for the felon, making $250,000 a year. When asked about the matter in a radio interview in the spring, Tom Marino said he had notified the Department of Justice about the personal reference and had been given the department's permission. He later told the radio host that he would provide a letter from the Department of Justice showing he was authorized to provide the character reference. More than four months later, he has still not released the letter.
The Marino campaign responded by reminding everyone that Nancy Pelosi is a liberal:
Williamsport, PA – Following a negative and misleading ad released by Chris Carney, U.S. Congressional candidate Tom Marino issued the following statement. “Chris Carney should be ashamed of himself for attacking my character and ethics in his latest negative ad. He is trailing badly in the polls and has grown increasingly desperate. He wants to talk about anything other than his liberal voting record. For 18 years I protected the people of this region, first as Lycoming County District Attorney, then as United States Attorney for the Middle District. As a prosecutor I put away murderers, child molesters, rapists, drug dealers, and organized crime figures. For Chris Carney to question my integrity is outrageous. If Chris Carney wants to talk about associations, why doesn’t he explain his close association with Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi? He has voted with Nancy Pelosi over 91% of the time. He has been a part of the Obama/Pelosi team that has allowed unemployment to hit double digits, the national debt to double, and Medicare to be cut by 500 billion dollars. He joined Pelosi in voting for bailouts and the governments run health care. It’s Chris Carney that owes the hard working people of this district an explanation. While Chris Carney and his liberal cronies continue their negative personal attacks, I will focus on the issues that are important to the people of the 10th District. I will talk about my plans to create private sector jobs, eliminate excessive regulations, reduce government spending, cut taxes, and repeal the Obama/Pelosi/ Carney Healthcare bill”.
This was left in the comments and I have no reason to doubt his account of the encounter.
I think I can shed some light as to why the length of the video and what exactly was said. I was the gentleman that Marino was yelling at. I was there to protest because Toomey wants to privatize Social Security which effectively means giving it to Wall Street to invest in derivatives. So if you think Social Security is a scam, you would be against what Toomey wants to do; if you think Social Security is a legitimate social service, you would ALSO be against what Toomey wants to do. Be that as it may, when Marino first came out of the Toomey Rally, which I was surprised to see him at, I yelled "Hey Casino Marino, can you tell us the truth about your ties to DeNaples? Why won't you do an interview and come clean?" Marino then walked north along the building to engage those of us protesting telling us to go home and that we were just a bunch of losers. I have many witnesses to that. That initial conversation would not have been able to have been recorded due to him just leaving the building and the acoustics would not allow for the audio recording to be clear. The video that everyone has seen takes place after Marino walks back towards the main entrance and then sees the camera and decides to yell "what do you do for a living" what you don't hear is my answer to him due to him shouting while I was answering. Then I respond to his Welfare question as loudly as I can "what do YOU do for a living?" knowing full well he was until recently on the DeNaples payroll & has picked up sleeze ball mob connected clients in Florida & New York.
I read in the paper and online that Marino's campaign director, who I have personally met on several occasions, released a statement saying that I was "making derogatory comments regarding Mr. Marino and his family in front of children." The children in question were Pat Toomey's kids who were in his little mobile home with his wife at the time of the altercation and calling him Casino Marino is far from derogatory.
I am a veteran of the Marine Corps Reserve and make a living as a freelance video editor, videographer, photographer, and producer. I also own my own events and entertainment company. I work with various non-profits in Lycoming County and am an avid kayaker and fisherman.
Not only was I offended by Tom Marino's questioning if I had a job or if I was on welfare, I am offended by his campaign manager's response and the lies that were told about the event. Tom Marino's words regarding veterans has been offensive. His words regarding Carney hiding behind his wife's illness is offensive as someone who's mother dealt with cancer.
Marino claims he had permission to provide Louis DeNaples a character reference but has failed to produce the letter from the Department of Justice that he claims gave him the OK.
Marino resigned as U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in October 2007 after The Morning Call reported he had given a gaming reference for DeNaples at a time when his office was investigating DeNaples for the purchase and resale of trucks damaged during Hurricane Katrina.
An FBI spokeswoman said DOJ pulled the DeNaples investigation from Marino after learning about the reference and transferred the case to the U.S. attorney in Binghamton, N.Y. The case was later transferred to the Pennsylvania state police, who lobbied the Lackawanna County District Attorney, Andy Jarbola, to prosecute, but he declined.
Marino went to work for DeNaples after he was forced out as US Attorney.
He has tried to change the subject without much success.
Marino's debate challenge appeared Tuesday as a burst of offense from a campaign left on the defensive after a series of missteps by the candidate...A video posted Monday on a Web site covering state politics shows Marino yelling at protesters outside a campaign event in Williamsport, insinuating they are jobless, welfare recipients...Last month, Marino's campaign criticized Carney for leaving Washington before co-sponsoring a bill permanently banning federal funding for abortions. Marino's criticism came the same day Carney's office disclosed he had left the capital to be with his wife, Jennifer, before she underwent breast cancer surgery.
Last week, Marino told a Sunbury talk radio show his generation and future generations would "have to step up to the plate" and sacrifice their Social Security benefits to ensure the program remains solvent for current retirees.
Chris Carney's biggest asset in this campaign continues to be Tom Marino.
"Tom Marino's going to need more than nine debates with himself to figure out where he stands on the issues," Carney's press flack Josh Drobnyk said.
This one has me shaking my head. Former Judge Mark Ciavarella defaulted on a loan from a bank in Minersville. You have to wonder why a bank would approve a loan to an unemployed person under federal indictment who is a defendant in multi-million dollar civil lawsuits that had previously defaulted on a business loan from Louis DeNaples bank. Miners Bank had previously been used to pay the bribes from Robert Powell and Bob Mericle to the Juvie Brothers.
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Scooch and his fellow defendant Michael Conahan filed a bunch of motions last week to delay their eventual trial alleging a violation of attorney client privilege, asking for new Judge and a change of venue.
Republican Snyder County Commissioner Malcolm Derk will announce Monday that he is running for the Pennsylvania 10th US House of Representatives seat currently held by Democrat Chris Carney.
He is a graduate of Susquehanna University with a degree in both Political Science and Religion and at 27 is the youngest person ever elected Snyder County Commissioner. He won his first election when he was 20 serving on the Freeburg Borough Council between 2002 and 2007. .
Derk has been making the rounds telling a GOP crowd in Pike County
“I know what it’s like to juggle scarce resources and meet federal mandates passed down to us. One thing I know for certain is we have to get that seat back. As far as the role of government, some people believe that bigger is better. I’m not one of them.” Derk criticized Carney’s votes in favor of the federal economic stimulus plan and health care reform. “Those votes don’t match the values of the district. They’re not the votes of a fiscally responsible person,” he said
He recently blasted the use and oversight of stimulus funds.
Derk's official campaign site won't be up until after he makes it official Monday but you can learn more about him at Draft Derk for Congress or the Facebook page Derk 2010 for Congress .
State Rep. Michael Peifer is looking at the race and Shira Toeplitz reports that former U.S. Attorney Tom Marino has met with the NRCC about posible run for the seat. Since Marino left government service he has represented junkyard and casino owner Louis DeNaples. His successor, Martin Carlson, uncovered the biggest public corruption scandal in the history of Luzerne County.
Senator Cauly apologized for not coming personally -- he said you'd understand. Also, some of the judges. They've all sent gifts. -Tom Hagen to Vito Corleone in the Godfather
We all know about the rampant nepotism in all levels of government in the county but now a different kind of "family" connection is being documented. According to Dave Janoski in the CV A witness will testify that one or both of the disgraced Luzerne County judges who’ve pleaded guilty to accepting millions in kickbacks have “direct connections” to jailed mobster William “Big Billy” D’Elia...D’Elia, 62, the longtime reputed head of the Bufalino crime family, is serving nine years in federal prison for money laundering and witness tampering.
When all this first broke it was rumored that much of the information was coming from D'Eliaafter he was arrested in 2006. Judge Michael Conahan's connection to Louis Denaples are well documented and DeNaples is accussed of lying about his connections to D'Elia when he applied for a casino license.
Billy D'Elia is the reputed successor to Russel Bufalino as the head of the Bufalino crime family. I have always been reluctant to write about Denaples and D'Elia and I noticed my local my local blogger colleagues are as well. Maybe it's because I like to have both of my knees in working order.
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