Another State of Emergency

The Luzerne County prison board plans to declare a state of emergency to buy food. It has come to light that the prison has bought more than $856,000 worth of groceries through a no-bid contract since 2006. I was shocked to read that Commonwealth Foods, the company that sold the supplies to the jail, is owned by a friend of Commissioner Greg Skrepenak.

And Perugino’s Market of Kingston also sold the prison more than $535,000 of produce since 2004.

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A county policy calls for sealed bidding of purchases expected to exceed $7,500 annually, and state law requires sealed bidding for purchases that exceed $10,000. The prison board say they need time to implement a system for bidding the items and the inmates still have to eat.

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A few months ago there was another flap over commissary goods being bought from another friend of Skep's. Anybody see a pattern?

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Commissioners Maryanne Petrilla and Stephen Urban have questioned whether that contract was piecemealed – the illegal practice of breaking large contracts into smaller ones to avoid bidding regulations.

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On top of this a company has double billed the county for the 2nd time in 3 years for work done at the prison

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I listened to Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla yesterday on WILK say she wasn't aware of the situation because she's only been in office for 3 months but all the bills had to be approved by the county controller when she held that position.

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In October the prison board declared a "state of emergency" to build a fence and we all know about the Adventures of the well travelled Deputy Warden Sam Hyder.

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In more good news the Secret Service investigation of the debit card abuse has been delayed and authorities are investigating the possible theft of several thousands of dollars from the Luzerne County Treasurer’s office.

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Unbelievable.

Meuser accuses Hackett of fishing expedition

From a press release:


Another Day Another Negative Attack From Chris Hackett


Hackett Campaign Calling Former Employees of Meuser In Hopes Of Launching More Negative Attacks

For the second day in a row, Chris Hackett has shown that he isn’t interested in keeping his promise to run a positive campaign as he had his campaign manager calling former Pride Mobility employees trying to find information to use in his continued negative campaign.

On the day Dan Meuser officially entered the race for Congress, Chris Hackett told the Times Leader:

“I would like to congratulate him on his decision to run for Congress. I look forward to a positive campaign and primary.” (Times Leader, October 10, 2007)

In an email to Dan Meuser (see attached), a former Pride Mobility employee said that a man identified as George Farrell (Hackett’s Campaign Manager) called and left a message for him last week. The man returned the call the following day, and Farrell began asking him questions about his time at Pride Mobility and other potential negative attacks. Farrell also, stated that he was calling other former Pride employees seeking any information he could use.

“Chris Hackett should be ashamed of himself and should denounce the actions of his campaign manager,” Meuser campaign manager Eric Wallace said. “After promising to run a positive campaign, Chris Hackett has shown once again that his campaign is desperate.”

“We should save Chris Hackett a little time and energy,” Wallace continued. “Pride Mobility and Dan Meuser have a reputation for doing what’s right and taking care of their employees. That’s why they have been named one of Pennsylvania’s best places to work and have grown from 20 employees to over 1,000.”

“Having your campaign manager calling to harass former employees of Dan’s is not only useless, but it is below the pale,” Wallace said. “If there was any doubt Chris Hackett and his allies were about to launch a negative campaign, those doubts are gone as he uses questionable practices to try and find mud to sling.”

“Hackett can not match Dan’s business experience and conservative credentials. He is losing in grassroots support, petition signatures, fundraising and endorsements and as a result has turned to dirty political tricks that the people of the 10th district reject outright.”




Dan:
As we discussed, I received a phone call from a man identified as George Ferel (not certain of the spelling) last Friday. I returned the call on Saturday, during which I was informed he represented a Mr. Hackett who was running for Congress and asked if I would answer a number of questions surrounding my time at Pride Mobility Products. The questions would relate to "Illegal Immigrants" and "Outsourcing". He mentioned that they were trying to confirm statements that you had made on these topics. I declined to answer due to my current job's restrictions pertaining to any political activity. I also asked who gave him my number and he did not reply.
Feel free to call should you need any additional information.


Walter N. Quade

Local Teamsters back Best

Teamsters Local 229 officially Endorses PJ Best for State Representative in 118

Pittston, PA March 19, 2008.

Notification was received Wednesday morning regarding an unprecedented primary endorsement of PJ Best from the Teamsters Local 229. While the union typically endorses a candidate, the endorsement does not typically occur until the general election in November. "I'm honored that the Teamsters Local 229 valued my position against I-80 tolls and turnpike privatization enough to receive a primary endorsement," PJ stated in response to his endorsement. "I promise to work non-stop for the people of the 118th district."

PJ's campaign platform is strong on repealing the toll on I-80 and preventing privatization of the turnpike as well as fighting hard to eliminate property taxes that his opponent promised relief of in 2006.

For more information on PJ's position regarding the toll, please visit www.no80toll.com and for all information visit www.pjbest.org.

Best is running for the Democratic nomination in the 118th District against incumbent freshman Mike Carroll.

Meuser's campaign says Hackett broke his promise

Hackett Starts Negative Campaign Against Dan Meuser



Breaks promise to run a positive campaign as his campaign gets desperate

With a little over a month to go before Election Day, Chris Hackett broke his promise to run a positive campaign by attacking Conservative Republican Dan Meuser with a misleading letter from a supporter and in a press release.

On the day Dan Meuser officially entered the race for Congress, Chris Hackett told the Times Leader:

“I would like to congratulate him on his decision to run for Congress. I look forward to a positive campaign and primary.” (Times Leader, October 10, 2007)

After months of trailing Dan Meuser in fundraising, grassroots organization, and endorsements from national leaders like Senator Rick Santorum and Lou Barletta and local leaders in every county, Chris Hackett has broken his promise by launching a negative campaign.

Hackett supporter, Mark Zimmer launched a ridiculous and negative attack attempting to misrepresent an immigration issue at Dan’s company more than 13 years ago. That attack was followed by a negative press release that quoted Hackett’s campaign manager attacking Dan personally and negative comments by Hackett’s deputy campaign manager in area newspapers today.

In a letter prompted by Zimmer’s attacks, Pride Mobility chief counsel disputed the misrepresentations contained in Zimmer’s letter attacking Dan Meuser and Pride.

“The fact is that more than 13 years ago 3 illegal aliens defrauded Pride Mobility by providing our business with false identification.” Pride Chief Counsel Joe Burke said. “The assertion that there were more illegal immigrants is absolutely false.”

“Pride took responsibility and assured employment verification practices were immediately improved, so that a similar circumstance could never happen again. Contrary to Attorney Zimmer’s speculation, Pride never paid a $41,000 fine, in fact we paid a $23,000 settlement of administrative costs for the 3 illegals and additional records of American workers who were legal citizens, but did not have the additional identification required by the I-9. That is the sum and substance of the entire matter.”

“We continue to devote essential resources to assure that our employee hiring practices are of the highest caliber. Included among our innovations were the establishment of employee background checks, substantially increasing the number of skilled professionals devoted to human resources, personal interviews and the new BASIC PILOT Program.” Burke said.

Campaign Manager Eric Wallace said. “Chris Hackett’s ploy for political gain will not silence Dan Meuser. Dan will continue to speak out on behalf of small businesses and workers in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania and fight to prevent illegal aliens from victimizing our economy.”

“Chris Hackett finds himself losing this campaign by every measure and now he is beginning what looks like is going to be more than a month of unsubstantiated negative attacks,” Wallace said. “The people of the 10th District deserve better than Chris Hackett’s negative campaign.”

“Chris Hackett should have kept his word to run a ‘positive campaign and primary”. We will continue to talk about the issues like Dan’s experience of creating jobs, advocating for seniors as well as his conservative principles and we will aggressively defend ourselves against Hackett’s negative campaign. ”

The CV Politics Blog

Citizens Voice reporter Michael Sisak now has a politics blog on the website. To find it you have click on Online Extras, then blogs from the dropdown box and then blogs again. That's a lot of clicking. We all know that newspaper circulation has been declining as more people find news on the web and newspapers are adapting in an attempt keep readers.

Other papers have some of the most popular blogs in PA and the country. Two of my favorites are Pennsyltucky Politics written by Brett Lieberman of the Patriot News and Capitol Ideas authored by Morning Call reporter and PCN TV star John Micek.

I met Mike last week and welcome him to our world. In his day job he covers what is going on in the local political scene like President Clinton's visit to W-B.


Clinton visits W-B to support ‘best candidate’

Bill Clinton is running late

I don't know how many times I heard that in the 92 and 96 campaigns.

CV: Officials at Coughlin now say former President Clinton's speech in Wilkes-Barre will be delayed. The event was scheduled for 3:45 p.m., but now officials say the doors will open at that time.

Dignitaries, including Mayor Tom Leighton, have begun to line up on the side of Coughlin to gain entrance to Clinton's speech. The line of people waiting to get in has backed up to Union Street.

Because of a prior commitment I can't make the event. This work thing gets in the way of a lot of stuff. If anybody out there is going please leave a report in the comments and email me any pictures.

McCain blows off Barletta

MCCAIN SNUBS BARLETTA ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION EVENT

On his website Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta said "I am very troubled by his decision to decline my offer."


I bet he is. Now he will have to find another way to get on TV.

The Dam is done

Kayak Dude is happy.

County deflates inflatable dam

The 20-year-old plan for an inflatable dam across the Susquehanna River from Wilkes-Barre to Larksville is officially dead in the water.
The Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority deflated the dam plan Tuesday by voting 4-1 to accept the Feb. 14 rejection of the county’s application for a federal permit. The authority could have appealed the decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that the dam would not comply with the Clean Water Act...“It’s time to move on,” said County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak...County Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla was the only authority member who supported an appeal of the Corps decision. “I’m not ready to throw in the towel,” Petrilla said.


STATEMENT FROM CONGRESSMAN KANJORSKI :


“I can certainly understand the decision of the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority not to appeal the permit rejection by the Army Corps of Engineers. It could be a lengthy and expensive process with an uncertain outcome. As I told the County Commissioners, I support their decision.



“While it is personally disappointing to me that it now appears the inflatable dam will not be constructed, I am looking forward to the completion of the other aspects of the riverfront development this fall. I am proud of the work we have done with the Luzerne County Commissioners over many years to ensure the successful completion of the Wyoming Valley Levee Raising Project which provides flood protection for more than 150,000 people.”

Admistrative fee

That's how Dan Meuser described the fine that Pride Mobility got hit with for employing illegal immigrants. The company paid $23,000 after a few years of negotiations with the ICS. The original fine was over $40,000 but they jawed it down. He says that only 3 employees were involved but when you look at ICS website they cite 4 hires and 58 I-9's violations.

Bob and kar, I'm not anti-Dan. I just wish he would have bothered to talk to me before we got into the nitty-gritty. Probably not his fault.

Meuser fires back

From the Meuser campaign:

Chris Hackett has broken his promise to have a “positive campaign and primary” as reported in the Times Leader. He realized he could not match Dan’s experience creating and protecting family sustaining jobs, advocating for seniors and working to elect conservative Republicans. This is just the first installment of Chris Hackett's negative campaign to misrepresent the facts for political gain”, said Eric Wallace, Meuser’s Campaign Manager.


Dan Meuser said, “As we have said all along, we hired three illegal aliens who presented us with false identification. During the review undertaken by the INS, they believed additional records of American workers were incomplete as required with the I-9 form. We agreed to the $23,000 fine to take responsibility for all of the records, but again only three were illegal aliens. Pride was determined to make this the first and last time they would be victimized by false identification and thus implemented criminal background checks, personal interviews and the new federal government’s Basic Pilot Program. As your congressman, I will continue to communicate my experience to small businesses and workers in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania and to help prevent more illegal aliens from victimizing our economy and taking our jobs.”

Eric also added this:

Over 20 years ago, Pride Lumber and Manufacturing was a small furniture manufacturer with 20 employees. Over the last 20 years, Pride has grown to be the leading manufacture of mobility products in the world. In the course of growing from a small family business, Pride has employed over 10,000 people and has produced over 3 million products that make a real difference in people's lives. Currently Pride Mobility employees over 1,000 residents of Northeast and Central PA, has over 250 positions that pay over 50,000 a year, has a minimum starting salary that is 2 dollars higher than the new minimum wage, provides healthcare benefits to its employees and is consistently rated by the PA Business Journal as one of the best places to work in Pennsylvania. Any attempt to distort the outstanding record of Pride Mobility Products is simply for political purposes.

The Carney campaign shoots back

The allegation:

As a candidate for Congress in 2006, Candidate Carney filled out a Project Vote Smart survey that said he supported an immediate citizenship for illegal aliens if they paid their back taxes, leaned English, and gained employment (see attached).


Candidate Carney's plan would amount to amnesty for those who came here illegally. It also lacked any kind of touch back provision or fine, making it even more liberal than the recent bill considered by the Senate to grant amnesty

Here's what Chris Carney actually wrote:

Border Security is National Security. As a counterterrorism expert, I am extremely concerned about our porousborders. I do not support amnesty - we cannot reward illegal behavior but we need to provide a way for illegals to earn citizenship by paying back taxes, learning English, and obtaining gainful employment. Mr. Meuser's staff left out the phrase "I do not support amnesty - we cannot reward illegal behavior" and instead inserted immediate citizenship, which is not in the section Rep. Carney wrote at all. They purposely omitted the phrase "I do not support amnesty" and inserted his own phrase "immediate citizenship."

Our problems are not Black and White

A More Perfect Union


Barrack Obama talks about race.

Barrack in W-B

Barack-in' the Paradise

Pride Mobility for Congress

What a Firestorm. This Pride Mobility hiring illegal immigrants controversy has all 3 campaigns firing off press releases left and right. Chris Carney and Dan Meuser both called into Corbett on WILK this afternoon. I'm trying to keep up and will post stuff as I get it.


The problem Mueser has is that his campaign slogan seems to be Pride Mobility for Congress. So every problem the company has had in the past becomes fair game for his opponents. People that I know that work there tell me it's a great workplace and they have been recognized as one of the best places in PA to work.

This is just the beginning of the airing of the dirty laundry. There is a pending sexual harassment lawsuit and the company was sued over a fire that killed a man in California that they settled because the plaintiff could prove that the company was aware of problems with the batteries in the machines that caused in fires that burnt down houses and resulted in other deaths.


TPM Cafe: Meuser's company has settled a contentious lawsuit over the death of an elderly man using their wheelchair, in which plaintiffs alleged that a defective battery caused a fire. From the Monterey County Herald, January 9, 2007: "Had the case gone to trial, according to court records and statements in court, jurors may have heard evidence that Pride Mobility was aware of at least 18 other fires in its wheelchairs and scooters with identical battery packs since 2002. Ten of those fires destroyed dwellings and five were fatal." (From Nexis).


When, if, this thing about hiring illegal immigrants blows over the Medicare fine will come into play.






The Medicare OIG fined Pride $80,000 for a kickback scheme.


What's next?


If they only took this guys advice.

Meuser responds to Carney but not to Hackett

Carney Wrong About His Promises and Record on Illegals


As a candidate, Carney called for amnesty

As a Congressman he has voted against securing our borders

Congressman Chris Carney lashed out today with negative attacks on Conservative Republican Congressional candidate Dan Meuser. The problem with Chris Carney’s rhetoric is that it doesn’t match his campaign promises or his record as a Congressman.

As a candidate for Congress in 2006, Candidate Carney filled out a Project Vote Smart survey that said he supported an immediate citizenship for illegal aliens if they paid their back taxes, leaned English, and gained employment (see attached). Candidate Carney’s plan would amount to amnesty for those who came here illegally. It also lacked any kind of touch back provision or fine, making it even more liberal than the recent bill considered by the Senate to grant amnesty.

Congressman Carney has voted against securing our borders time and time again, despite his tough on immigration rhetoric back at home. Congressman Carney has voted with his party’s leadership rather than the values of his district.

Congressman Carney’s record on securing the borders:

· Chris Carney voted against increasing funding for border security. (House Roll Call 471) June 15, 2007

· Chris Carney voted against full funding for the construction of the border fence as mandated by Congress. (House Roll Call 490) June 15, 2007

· Chris Carney voted against prohibiting taxpayer funding for cities that harbor illegal immigrants or "sanctuary sites". (House Roll Call 485) June 15, 2007

“Congressman Carney can attack Dan Meuser all he wants, but the fact is that Dan Meuser is committed to securing our borders and protecting our economy from the drain of illegal immigration,” Eric Wallace, Meuser for Congress campaign manager said. “Candidate Carney supported a more liberal amnesty proposal than Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, while Congressman Carney voted against securing the borders.”

“Chris Carney talks like a moderate and votes like a liberal, and that’s why the people of the 10th District are going to elect Dan Meuser, a conservative Republican, to Congress in November.”

Former DA says Meuser's numbers don't add up

SERIOUS QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT MEUSER’S STORY ON HIRING ILLEGAL ALIENS


Ex-Wayne County DA casts doubt on Meuser claims;
Research documents show far broader and intentional violation of immigration laws;
Meuser called upon to release legal documents


Dallas, PA – Today, former Wayne County District Attorney Mark Zimmer, raised serious questions about the account Dan Meuser gave of his company’s violations of immigration law in a recent Scranton Times article.

In the March 7, 2008 article entitled “Meuser firm fined in ’97 over illegals,” Dan Meuser is quoted as claiming that the hirings were “unintentional” and the result of “phony identification,” and limited to only three illegal aliens. Meuser repeated those claims in a debate that took place yesterday (see CitizensVoice.Com, “First Meuser-Hackett debate focuses on conservative values,” March 18, 2008).

In a letter to Meuser (attached), District Attorney Zimmer outlined two salient points about immigration law. First, employers can only be fined if they knowingly hire illegals. Second, at the time, the fine for a first offense was limited to a maximum of $2,000 per illegal alien. Meuser’s company was fined $41,000, suggesting significantly more than three illegal hirings.

In his letter, Zimmer went on to cite a report by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) about the case against Meuser’s company. The CIS report indicates that Meuser’s business was fined for 58 instances of continued violations of immigration laws, which is defined as “The continued employment of an unauthorized worker after the worker’s unauthorized status came to the attention of the employer.”

This degree of pervasive violation of the law would represent 39% of the entire workforce of Meuser’s company at the time; and indeed, the $41,000 fine is the second largest illegal alien employment fine on record for a Pennsylvania manufacturing company. Zimmer concludes his letter by asking Meuser to release all legal documents pertaining to this case.


CIS sanctions database has the details.

Meet the candidate

Congressman Paul Kanjorski (PA-11) and staff from his office will provide assistance to senior citizens and disabled veterans throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania who have questions about receiving payments from the economic stimulus package.
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Wednesday, March 19 –
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre Senior Citizens Center
5 East Market Street (just off of Public Square)
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
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Thursday, March 20 –
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Hazleton Senior Citizens Center
24 E. Broad Street
Hazleton, PA 18201
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Chris Hackett has a meet and greet in Wayne County tonight.

Tue Mar 18 7pm – 9pm South Canaan Twp building on Rte 296
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Congressman Chris Carney has announced his next Listening Tour Town Hall Meeting at 5:00PM on Wednesday, March 19th at the Clarks Summit Fire Station at 321 Bedford St.

Carney slams opponents

From a press release:

CARNEY SAYS HACKETT AND MEUSER OFFER PHONY LEADERSHIP ON IMMIGRATION


Clarks Summit, PA—Congressman Chris Carney is setting the record straight after Dan Meuser sought to distort Rep. Carney's record and position on illegal immigration in the Sunbury Daily Item (3/16):


"Dan Meuser is flat out lying about my position on immigration and my record securing the border. My opponents can talk about border security, but I've been to the border, I've been on patrol with border guards.


"These attacks are negative distortions on my record were a vain attempt to hide my potential opponents' hypocrisy on immigration. Just last week, I stood up to House Leadership and joined over 170 of my colleagues to push for action on the SAVE Act, so we can provide nearly 8,000 new border patrol agents.


"Leadership does matter, as my opponents like to say. But the people in this district judge leadership by the consistency of actions, not just words on the campaign trail. Dan Meuser's company was fined $41,000 for his hiring of illegal immigrants, one of the biggest fines in Pennsylvania history, according to the Center for Immigration Studies. Meuser should be ashamed, trying to spin his own company's actions breaking the law into his soapbox for illegal immigration. By his own admission, Chris Hackett's company sponsored the president of Mexico to come to Pennsylvania, but then also publicly campaigned against the visit.


"Like the Administration, my opponents only pay lip-service to border security and immigration reform. I've lead hearings to ask the tough questions about why the Administration has failed to secure our borders—and we've taken action to assure taxpayer dollars are not wasted on technology that doesn't make our borders any more secure.


"My opponents talk tough, but their actions suggest phony leadership. The people of the district tell me they want to see illegal immigration stopped, and I'm working hard to make that happen.

Barack Obama in Scranton

What a charmer he is.

Obama speech in Scranton, St. Patrick's Day.

Pennsylvania 10th CD Republican debate

I missed the latest version of Lincoln/Douglas tonight but I was able to listen to it courtesy of WKOK. The beginning and end suggested it was well attended. If you were there give me some feedback. How many people were there? Your take on the candidates? Were there any fights?



I listened to the replay and thought both gentlemen did well. Dan Meuser started out sounding a bit nervous and tripped over his words by talking too fast just like any New Yorker. Chris Hackett said some things that require another listen to be sure that is what he meant.

The Susquhanna U College Republicans did a great job of putting this event together. I've asked them and the Daily Item, WKOK and the campaigns for a transcript before I critique it. I always want to be fair and balanced. Dittos. Plus I don't want to have to listen to it 5 more times to get it right.

The early review from our friend kar said Mueser carried the day. Imagine that.

The CV write-up.

The Daily Item.