Kaufer wants to tax the drillers

120th HD GOP nominee Aaron Kaufer sent out a press release calling for a severance tax on the frackers. I guess he is different kind of Republican so Grover Norquist will not be sending him a Christmas card. Even Tom Corbett won't rule it out as long as he can screw over state employees on their pensions.

Corbett administration won’t ‘rule out’ gas tax this year

Speaking with reporters after the press conference, Corbett’s Budget Secretary, Charles Zogby, was clear that raising taxes on drillers is still on the table.
“There’s multiple options we can look at,” he said. “I’m not ruling out a severance tax.”

Kaufer Calls for Bold Leadership to Pass On-Time, Balanced State Budget

State House candidate Aaron Kaufer urges Governor Tom Corbett to pass a severance

tax to balance the state budget and provide additional funding for public education.

KINGSTON, PA – State House candidate Aaron Kaufer today issued a statement calling on Governor Tom Corbett to provide bold leadership and pass a reasonable severance tax on the natural gas industry to help balance the state budget and provide more funding for public education.

“In order to secure a prosperous future for Pennsylvania and our children, I believe it is critical to enact a reasonable severance tax, like is already done in neighboring states, on natural gas drilling to help address the budget shortfall,” Kaufer said. “In addition, this revenue will enable the state to meet its obligation to fully fund the educational needs of our children and should keep school property taxes in check before legislation can be passed to eliminate them.”

Although Kaufer does not think raising taxes should ever be the first option to meet a budget shortfall, he knows from going door-to-door to thousands of local residents that middle class families and seniors cannot afford to pay more. He also believes our state must remain competitive in attracting good paying energy jobs to Pennsylvania so this severance tax can’t be higher compared to surrounding states.

“In doing so, it is important to consider a few key principles,” Kaufer said. “Pennsylvania must continue to cut wasteful government spending to protect taxpayers. In addition, our state already has the highest taxes on established businesses because of both the corporate net income tax and the capital stock and franchise tax that these companies are required to pay in our state. A reasonable tax on Marcellus Shale drilling can ensure drillers are paying a fair share for the natural resources they are extracting from the Commonwealth while enabling the industry to continue to thrive within our borders.”

He is a little late on this as his opponent Democrat Eileen Cipriani  and Dem Guv candidate Tom Wolf have long favored an extration tax. 

From Cipriani's website:

 
Marcellus Shale

Pennsylvania is the only state in the country that does not tax natural gas, yet it is home to one of the largest natural gas formations in the world, the Marcellus Shale. Pennsylvanians are essentially giving away our natural resource.

While Governor Corbett instituted a local impact fee, the fees collected are only a fraction of what the citizens of Pennsylvania would receive if we enacted a severance tax like other gas producing states have done.

Experts say a 5% severance tax will yield $720 million in its first year, which can be used to fund education and protecting our environment.  It is time we made the gas drilling companies pay their fair share and put Pennsylvanians first!

Bob Guzzardi for Governor

PoliticsPA is reporting that Montgomery County attorney Bob Guzzardi is asking people to help him gather signatures to get on the Republican ballot for Governor next year. People who follow PA politics know that Guzzardi has donated to many republican candidates and a few Democrats over the last few years. On his recent Facebook posts he talks about the Forgotten Taxpayer and regularly rips GOP lawmakers that have voted to increase spending and debt.


The latest transportation funding bill seems to have pushed him into running saying “Why would you want to be complicit in the nomination of a Promise Breaker to represent you? This is a moment,” Guzzardi wrote.
“The polls tell us that Tom Corbett is very likely to lose and not likely to get better with the Corbett Gas Tax.”

He knows this a long shot and may not even get the 2000 signatures to get on the ballot. 
“Winning is unrealistic,” he said. Instead, he wants to send a message.
“My goal is to mobilize a disaffect grassroots, the Forgotten Taxpayers, who are forced to fund Unions and Government Contractors and Vendors.”

Bob has an informational website and a Wiki page. 

Looking to 2014

As my long time readers know the primary focus of this blog has always been elections. Next year we choose a Governor of the Commonwealth, members of the US House and state House and half the state Senate. In the next few days I will post about these and some races around the country.

PA Gov Tom Cabot Corbett has an uphill climb according to the polls but things can change in the next year and no sitting Guv has lost reelection since they have been allowed to run for a 2nd term. So far there are 8 Dems smelling blood in the water.

The Lt. Governors race is most interesting as I have met most of the Democratic contenders. My early favorite is Brad Koplinski because he sent me a bribe.

Of the 3 local Congressman I keep an eye on only Matt Cartwright has a declared opponent so far. 2 of them in fact. A few people are teasing that they will run against Lou Barletta including Bill Vinsko, Gene Stilp and Chris Carney but I doubt any of them will run. Libetarian Betsy Summers may get into it.

A few weeks ago an old friend called to feel me out about running against Tom Marino in the Republican primary. His rational was Marino is one of the most ethically challenged people to ever hold office.  I had to throw cold water on the idea because his family wasn't behind it and he would need to declare right now and raise at least $100K before the end of the year.


On the state scene Sen. John Yudichak has no declared opponent so far. Neither do Mike Carroll, Phyllis Mundy, Eddie Day Pashinski, Tarah Toohil or Gerry Mullery. I heard a rumor that Mullery may get a primary opponent.

Karen Boback however is being challenged by Laura Dickson. I haven't been this excited about a state rep race since James May took her on.

Chris Carney endorses Mark Critz for Lt Governor

Chalk this one up to my theory that most endorsements are only good for a press release.

Former Congressman Chris Carney Backs Critz for Lt. Gov.

 
Former U.S. Representative Chris Carney today announced that he is endorsing Mark Critz for Lieutenant Governor. Carney praised Critz for his dedication to creating jobs, supporting policies that strengthen the middle class and being a rational voice in Congress.

They both did well running as Blue Dog Democrats  and winning in Republican leaning  Congressional Districts in the past but a state wide race now is different. After all the damage Governor Tom Corbett has done Critz comes across as the worst kind of politician. He wants to be somebody instead of doing something. I talked to him at the Luzerne County Democratic picnic and he creeped me out. He handed me his official business card from when he was a Congresscritter with a sticker on the back with his new info obscuring the old stuff. He was very proud of it and said it would be a collectors item. 

I can't seem to find a Critz website but he does have a Facebook page.

 

 

What about Corbett?

My old friend, mentor and President of the 1976 version of the Young Democrats of Luzerne County Bob Caruso had a LTE in the CV the other day. He has a few observations and questions for Gov. Cabot Corbett




We in Luzerne County had the opportunity recently to observe our Commonwealth's Superior Court hearing on the merits of Jerry Sandusky's appeal for a new trial in the impressive Court Room 3, of our historical and most beautiful Court House in Pennsylvania. Also on the docket was Commonwealth vs. Veon. Mike Veon being a former state representative convicted in the so-called Bonusgate scandal. Veon, in this case, was accused and convicted of receiving public relations and political benefit at taxpayer's expense. The Commonwealth admits that there was no financial gain by Veon, only public relations and political gain in the relocation of his local office. The attorney for Veon argued that every public office holder in America can be convicted of receiving public relations and political gain at taxpayer expense.


The shadow of one man looms large upon both of these cases, former Attorney General and current Governor, Tom Corbett.

. As attorney general, Corbett assigned one investigator to the Sandusky case, and 23 investigators to the Bonusgate investigation of all four caucuses, Democratic and Republican alike, of the State Legislature, which resulted in the conviction of Veon on charges he received non-financial gain at public expense. Corbett's promise to investigate all four caucuses was not kept. After the investigations of both Democratic caucuses, the investigations were stopped. The conviction of opposing party politicians was more important to Attorney General Corbett, than protecting the vulnerable children in the care of Sandusky. 


Question No. 1 in Pennsylvania is, why did Corbett give so little attention to the Sandusky case? Why Corbett gave so much attention to the Democratic caucuses is self evident. What was it, and why was it, that Corbett was so reluctant to investigate Sandusky? When the shoe finally dropped, how did Corbett react? Joe Paterno was sacrificed, the crazy NCAA sanctions against former Penn State football teams and current players, though there was never any sports cheating, and a stunned citizenship and shocked football fans in Pennsylvania.


What is the impact of the gas drilling industry upon the policies of the Pennsylvania Republican Party and Corbett? What is the impact of the gas drilling industry contributions upon Penn State University's academic integrity? Was there a nod and a wink to not pursue the Sandusky case? Can there be another reason for inattention in the Sandusky case? Corbett has stated that he wants Pennsylvania to be more like Texas. It is not our grandfather's Pennsylvania anymore.
Be careful what you ask for Corbett, you just may get it. You too, can be a victim of your own policies, even worse than Mike Veon.

Eddie Day in 2014

Eddie Day

State Representative Eddie Day Pashinski (D) wants to go back to Harrisburg for another term and over 100 of his friends gathered at Genetti's in Wilkes-Barre to support him on Sunday for brunch.

Tom Wolf

Exeter Mayor Cassandra Coleman-Corcoran organized the event and PA Governor hopeful Tom Wolf greeted people at the door.

W-B council member Maureen Lavelle showed her support and West Wyoming's Eileen Cipriani represented Phyllis Mundy who is plunging in the rankings. Only two  2013 candidates were in the crowd.  County Council Democratic  nominee Eileen Sorokas and Republican Controller replacement candidate Carolee Medico- Olenginski.

Carmen Ambrosino and Mrs. A

A real treat for me was I had breakfast with my committeeman and Young Dem Prez Thom Shubilla and local legend Carmen Ambrosino who has spent his career helping people with abuse
problems. Luzerne County Democratic chair Bob Boyer was late to the party.


Eddie Day gave what can only be described as a populist speech. He ripped into Governor Tom Corbett for his attempts to privatize all sorts of government function including education, liquor stores and the lottery. He described the voter ID law as cheating as it would disenfranchise 700,000 people.He reminded the audience that all elections are big elections as the school director and city councilor affect you life as much as a President. He reminded us that the common man can stand up to the billionaires just by casting a vote.

Eddie Day and family

So far I haven't heard of anyone planning to run against him. I hope a Republican candidate emerges soon. We should always have a choice in an election.

More photos at this link.

Yuddy Picnic

.

Michelle Bednar and John Yudichak

My second favorite PA State Senator had an event at the PAV in Plains Twp. today. What a turnout! You couldn't find a parking space in the lot. There had to be a least 500 people who came and went.

2 statewide candidates showed up. Mark Smith is running for Lt. Gov and Rob McCord looking to take the place of Gov. Corbett.  I think McCord just got into this thing. Lot's of locals pressing for votes Eddie Day and Mike Carrol looking to next year. It looked like every Democratic candidate for County Council was in attendance. Eileen Sorokas , Kick Hefron, Mike Giamber, Renee Ciaruffoli-Taffera

I reminded them all that we have Blogfest coming up September 27th.

More pics at this link

Breaking News: DA will not remove Dixon from Plymouth Council

In a letter to Attorney Jim Haggerty Luzerne  County District Attorney Stefanie Salavanits said she will not seek the removal of Bill Dixon from Plymouth Borough Council.

The letter states in part:

"Obviously, since it has been confirmed to my office that Mr. Dixon has been pardoned as described herein by Governor Corbett, we have determined that it would be imprudent for this office to pursue Mr. Dixon's removal from his elected position as member of the Plymouth Borough Council via Quo Warranto action.

Preliminarily, I note that in cases where a citizen was duly elected by the electorate (rather than appointed), it has been the policy of this office not to interfere with the will of the voters. We presume the voters make a knowing and informed choice in choosing their representative and therefore, it is not the intent of this office to be used as a political pawn by those unhappy with the candidate's victory, nor to supersede the voters' choice by unseating an elected official thereby. "


More on this to come.

Or as Drudge would say

Developing........

Who's running for Governor?

Reading the tea leaves of  PoliticsPA reporting of the Pennsylvania Society meetup in New York this past weekend it looks like about 37 people are floating the the idea of running for Governor of Pennsylvania. Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor said he was thinking of primary challenge to Tom Corbett. He is the only Republican name thrown out there so far other than the usual cranks.

Democrat John Hanger has already declared that he is the race .Bob Casey and Allyson Schwartz are not. Former Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper and  PA State Senator Mike Stack said they are looking at the race. PA Treasurer Rob McCord will will be a candidate and possibly Joe Sestak and Patrick Murphy. More to come.

A couple events caught my eye.

On Saturday :

Congressman Lou Barletta’s Holiday Reception
2:00pm – 5:00pm
O’Neill’s Irish Bar
729 3rd Avenue
RSVP Required

I wasn't invited and that makes me sad. I'm the biggest non supporter of Lou in these parts who actually likes the guy. I'll buy him dinner at Dominick's Cafe.


The rumor is that the Mean Old Man  and Professor Milburn Cleaver, OPA made it to this gathering.

  5th Annual Bolshevik Dinner
7:00pm
The Russian Vodka Room
By invitation only

The best roundup of the PA Society weekend came from my 2nd favorite state legislator (Phyllis is still in the lead) Daylin Leach.

PA Society Chronicles – 2012

 

= I’m running for Governor, but not of Pennsylvania.
= I’m running for Congress.
= I’m running for the Bundestag.
= Pat Toomey has asked me to be his Vice-Senator.
= Governor Corbett calls me his ‘little minx’”.
= I once shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.
= My CIA nick-name is “Danger Hunk”.

 

Plymouth residents support Bill Dixon

Plymouth Councilman Bill Dixon is taking fire because he committed some crimes many years ago and his neighbors are planning a show of support.

Love Bill Dixon Benefit

Dixon backers plan buffet fundraiser

 The question is can someone convicted of a felony or "other infamous crime"  hold office. The thing that muddies this is that Governor Tom Corbett granted him a pardon on the state charges but he  also had a Federal conviction that has not been pardoned.  The people of Plymouth can ask the President to pardon him by starting a petition at WhiteHouse.gov 

 This is a clear example of our punitive laws being so destructive. From all the accounts Dixon went to Vietnam in the service of his country and had a hard time when he came home and did some stupid things for which he was punished. Since then he has been a model citizen CV: Dixon and his wife, Janet, raised two children in the borough. He has worked in substation maintenance for UGI, the regional electric utility, for the last 25 years. He has coached youth sports in the community for more than two decades.

A year after he was  elected as top vote getter in 2011 the Plymouth Borough Coordinator Joe Mazur decided to make an issue of his past. 

  We all remember Mazur for his eloquence when he was the Luzerne County Democratic Chairman and said Register of Wills Dotty Stankovic was "a cancer within the organization. " He was also gleeful" when Petrilla defeated incumbent Controller Steve Flood in the 2005 primary.

 That worked out well.

 The DA or Attorney General could remove him from office but it  looks like they will pass on getting into the weeds of Plymouth politics. 

 The Examiner is all over this story.

 

  

Phyllis on the lottery: If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Riffing on my earlier post State Rep Phyllis Mundy and 17 other PA House Democrats sent a letter to Gov. Tom Cabot Corbett to forget about his plan to privatize the Pennsylvania Lottery. NCFE defends this form of voluntary taxation that has been successful.  In the end, why screw this up?

Mundy asks Gov. Corbett to drop lottery privatization plan

HARRISBURG, Dec. 3 – State Rep. Phyllis Mundy joined 17 other House Democrats in signing a letter that urges Gov. Tom Corbett to drop his plans to privatize the Pennsylvania Lottery.

 

"The Pennsylvania Lottery is a proven, well-run program that last fiscal year made more than $1 billion for programs to help our seniors, such as the Property Tax Rent/Rebate Program and Pennsylvania's low-cost prescription drug programs for older adults, PACE and PACENET," Mundy said. "The system isn't broken, and we don't need to take unnecessary risks with it."

 

The letter notes that the Pennsylvania Lottery is one of the most successful and well managed state lotteries in the nation, with administrative costs of just over 2 percent. Just one company, United Kingdom-based Camelot Group, has submitted an offer to run the Pennsylvania Lottery. Camelot Group has conceded the Pennsylvania Lottery is presently well-run.

 

"So our question for you is, 'Why are you trying so hard to privatize a successful government program and, in the process, hand over millions in administrative fees to a third party manager?'" reads the letter, which was delivered to Corbett's office today.

 

Mundy pointed out that Camelot would get a cut of the lottery profits and have its operating expenses paid, including salaries for its executives, by the commonwealth.

 

Just two states – Illinois and Indiana – have privately run lotteries. Illinois awarded a contract to Northstar Lottery Group, a partnership between GTECH and Scientific Games. Northstar has fallen short of the $825 million it promised Illinois officials, and the company has taken the state to court to try to change terms of its contract.

 

Mundy said the Illinois' problems show why Corbett should not rush to privatize the lottery here.

 

"There's too much at stake," Mundy said. "The lottery generates important revenue for our older Pennsylvanians, and it's too risky to outsource it to a foreign company."

 

Mundy added the lottery-funded programs are particularly important in Luzerne County, where people 65 and older make up nearly 18 percent of the population.

 

Camelot Global Services’ bid to manage the state Lottery will expire on Dec. 31. This contract would lock the commonwealth into an agreement for 20 years, long after Gov. Corbett is gone. 

  A copy of the letter is available by clicking here.

I didn't win the Powerball but I did win the Cash 5

Yep, I matched 2 out of 5 numbers and got my dollar back.

The Pennsylvania Lottery is one of the best run in the country with $3.5 billion in ticket sales last year and administrative costs of just over 2 percent.So naturally Governor Cabot Corbett wants to sell it off. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Privatizing government functions creates a profit motive for the investors of the companies that take on those tasks and distorts the goal of government to provide for the common good. Just look how  sending juvenile offenders to a private facility in Luzerne County worked out.

Camelot Global Services is promising pie in the sky revenues by adding more games that can be done by the lottery already. An added bonus is that the profits would be off shored.

I suggest that House Majority Leader Mike Turzai be put in charge of this effort since he has done such a bang up job of selling off the state liquor stores.

Is privatizing Pennsylvania Lottery a smart bet?

 British firm promises $34 billion in profits over 20 years

120th HD debate

State Representative Phyllis Mundy (D) and challenger Aaron Kaufer (R) faced off in a lively debate Tuesday night that I wasn't able to attend.

Gort42 special correspondent and PittstonPolitics.com contributor John Lombardo covered the event:

Tuesday’s political debate between Aaron Kaufer and Phyllis Mundy came with a good crowd at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston. The topics of the debate ranged from property taxes to natural gas drilling. All of these were extremely important to the 120^th Dristrict…but the most important question was only asked at the end by candidate Kaufer. “Why did we have no discussion about jobs?” he said during his closing statement.

            During the debate, there were no questions asked(or read by the moderator) asking what we are to do about the high unemployment. Now, I don’t live in the 120^th District, but I do work there for the West Pittston Ambulance every weekend. Whenever we go out on calls I see a lot of houses with “For Sale” signs(not just in the flood zone), and I wonder why it is so bad that people have to leave, and our representatives aren’t paying attention to it.

            One of the problems is the high property taxes. Families were promised relief when the casino was built, but most saw none. Rep. Mundy said that she fought to get property tax relief, and said that she would sign a bill eliminating them if it was brought to her on the house floor. Aaron Kaufer fired back saying that it was bad practice to just wait for a bill to be brought to her. He said that she should’ve been reaching across the aisle to help get that bill written and brought to a vote. I can’t help but agree!

            Other questions asked during the debate involved gun control(why?), the Voter ID law, and the UGI Compressor Station is West Wyoming. Strangely enough, Phyllis and Aaron were both in a general agreement on these issues(except for gun control). One of the first things I ever learned about debating is to never EVER say “I agree” with your opponent no matter what. Always find something to pick apart no matter how small or insignificant it is.

            One of the other topics of agreement was the Natural gas drilling in NEPA. We are the only state without a severance tax on gas drilling, and both candidates support one. But I think Rep. Mundy must have bumped into President Obama on the way to this debate and stolen some of his cue cards, because I heard “fair share” about ten times.

            Even though I’m not a resident of the 120^th District, I will definitely be paying attention to the race because it has some big effects on everyone living in Northeast Pennsylvania. Best of luck and thanks to both of the candidates for coming to my political forum at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

Matt Hughes write up in the Times Leader has the play by play on the  issues  that documents their agreement on some issue. Bill Wellock covered it for the Citizens Voice.

The debate can be viewed on the Video Innovations website:  

Video streaming by Ustream

I just viewed the video and few things stood out. Aaron Kaufer had  command of the issues and admitted that he didn't know enough about some obscure bill to comment on it. Phyllis Mundy kept attacking Governor Tom Corbet and the Republican State Senate and tied them to Grover Norquist. Kaufer kept saying he would work for Bipartisan solutions. On the severance tax and environmental safeguards Mundy asked  "Is he going to be the only one over there who votes to do those things?" Kaufer landed a punch on pensions after Mundy said she voted against  increases but took it anyway. Mundy didn't commit any unforced errors but Kaufer had a few questionable statements. On the assault weapons ban Kaufer said the Holocaust would not have happened if Jews had guns. He really screwed up saying  "We don't need old politicians." The audience booed. At the end he said his background was in US/Chinese economics. ???

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

 

 

Kaufer at the convention

Former RNC Chairman Michael Steele is looking like a genius for scheduling the Republican National Convention in Florida during hurricane season. The storm has missed Tampa probably because Pat Robertson prayed it away but is headed right for New Orleans as the 7th anniversary of Katrina approaches. They already cancelled Monday's activities and might have to cut the whole thing short.

120th Republican HD candidate Aaron Kaufer is in Tampa and is writing up his experience for the Times Leader. So far he reports that Chris Christie disappointed him and Lou Barletta was greeted like a rock star. Governor Tom Corbett and PA House Speaker Sam Smith are also attending. Surprisingly there is a dust up about abortion after the Aiken comments and PA Senate candidate Tom Smith equating having a baby out of wedlock to rape.

No word if Phyllis Mundy will be reporting from Charlotte.

My pal Alex is hosting an event  

Mitt Romney Acceptance Speech Watch Party

 Mulligans on 41 South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre. Thursday 8:00pm until 11:00pm. Free street parking after 6pm, also there is parking across the street.

Private room reserved in corner back bar with 2 large screen TV's. NO
CHARGE for admission.

Cash Bar & Pizza. More details will follow. Corn dogs are also on the menu.

You can RSVP at the Facebook page

PA voter ID law

The Pennsylvania legislature recently enacted a voter suppression ID law that supporters say is a common sense measure to ensure that people who vote are who they say they are. After all a photo ID is required to buy alcohol or  fly on an airplane. Critics contend that this is another way that Republicans are trying to rig the next election since in person voter fraud is non existent. This is on top of the Citizens United decision that threw out the campaign finance laws that lets billionaires who make their money in China spend unlimited amounts of money in an American election. Foreign money in an American election used to be illegal. Before that PA Republicans wanted to change the way we cast our Electoral College votes changing winner take all to allocating them by Congressional District.

Locally there have been shenanigans with absentee ballots but the only case I remember of in-person voter fraud was when W-B Area  school director Joe Moran's kid was up for a seat on the WVW School board but it came out that he had been voting at his old man's address in the Miner's Mills section of Wilkes-Barre. Even then he only voted once but at the wrong address.

Before Tom Corbett became Governor he was the Attorney General of the Commonwealth but he didn't prosecute one case of voter fraud. He was busy with the Bonusgate investigation that put Democrats in in jail and  ignored the allegations against Jerry Sandusky.

To help sell this new law the Corbett Administration gave a contract to a Romney fundraiser.

TNC:  Republican Gov. Tom Corbett's administration has signed a $249,660 contract with a company run by Mitt Romney fundraiser, former state GOP party executive director, pharmaceutical lobbyist, and school voucher advocate Chris Bravacos to direct a media campaign promoting the state's Voter ID law.

Yes, that very same law, requiring that voters present identification at the polls, which critics contend will suppress Democratic-leaning non-white, poor, elderly and youth voters and which House Majority Leader Mike Turzai recently boasted (video) is “gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania.”

 See a video produced by this outfit of overly happy people showing a card that is supposed to resemble an ID.  Also confuses the issue by saying “other kind of photo id” will be accepted, without explaining what that means.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBQhp7dUkGE&feature=youtu.be

!7th CD candidate Gene Stilp is calling Bullshit and filed a lawsuit.

GENE STILP FILES FEDERAL AND STATE COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS FOR INVESTIGATION INTO THE $249,000 VOTER IDENTIFICATION CONTRACT AWARDED TO THE BRAVO GROUP THROUGH THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

Gene Stilp, today filed a complaint and a request for investigation with the United States Department of Justice at the Middle District federal offices. Stilp also filed similar complaints and requests for investigation with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission.

The complaints and requests for investigations concerns the use of federal taxpayer funds to pay certain Pennsylvania lobbyists who have a long history of Republican political involvement through a Pennsylvania State contract approved and administered by the administration of Republican Governor Tom Corbett.

Gene Stilp said, “There is a direct and substantial conflict of interest when Tom Corbett, the Republican governor of Pennsylvania, through his Department of State, awards a quarter of a million dollar contract utilizing federal funds to a Republican operative that as recently as April hosted a Mitt Romney event in Harrisburg. It is even more questionable when the contract involves the voter identification process which is under considerable criticism for a large number of Pennsylvania voters that are being disenfranchised in an admitted political effort to keep voters from voting in the upcoming elections only 118 days away.”

Stilp further called for the immediate return of all the federal HAVA funds involved in the contract.

The Pennsylvania Department of State contracted with the Bravo Group to develop and implement advertising related to the voter identification process.

 Pignelope is 7! 

  Don't miss the biggest, pinkest birthday party you've ever seen! Come celebrate the birth date of our beloved Pignelope!

In July 2005, the Pennsylvania Legislature voted themselves a illegal pay raise in the middle of the night.


Like many of us, Gene was outraged that our legislators could be so greedy. He wanted a symbol to show the waste and abuse of the system shown by these legislators.

From that, your favorite 25 foot pink pig was born and became famous!

American Legion Post 730

3813 Walnut St., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17109