Federal jury acquits ex-Marine in Iraqis' deaths
Verdict is the first time a civilian jury has weighed in on the law of war
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26443458/
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Airport Central to Development Use Technology to Inform All
The Fayette County/Joseph A. Hardy III airport had languished for years upon years before much action was initiated to even attempt to develop the property further than its miniscule runway permits. While we're not supportive of tax monies going towards that which private business can do best - such as providing bus service to area residents cross-county - we are supportive of those infrastructure projects that can only be accomplished with government involvement.
An airport that enables saftety and provides potential out-of-area travel accomodations is a must for any real economic development in the general area.
Articles note a bit of a glitch in engendering a spirit of cooperation among officials who all have a stake on behalf of constituents to see progress arrive at the airport, and soon, not just a continued round of talks upon talks we've seen for some decades now.
Joe Hardy has a long-standing relationship with the airport, maintaining a hangar there for many years. So interested in the progress there, Hardy over the past many years has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars and his political clout - well respected - to see the airport develop.
While often Hardy is criticized for desiring quick, quick, quick movement on projects that will benefit the county, he shouldn't be criticized on this one because development at the airport has been "talked" about for at least the past 25 years.
Hardy's connections in the political world have raised eyebrows particularly when he was a Fayette County Commissioner for a 4-year stint. Citizens should at all times question their public officials, and question when public officials meet in private with agencies or organizations.
The secrecy only engenders thoughts of near conspiracy or back-room deals in the works. Deals that along the way require a lot of public taxpayer monies.
Apparently, state Senator Richard Kasunic, on break from Harrisburg duties til September 15 as are all state legislators, wanted to be kept in the loop and informed of any further situations about the airport.
That obviously happened within a short period of time. similarly with at least two Fayette County commissioners. Chairman Vincent Zapotosky was notified via personal cell phone, while it's unknown how colleague Vincent Vicites was notified of the meeting, he, too was apprised and attended.
Not so with Commissioner Angela Zimmerlink.
It's unsettling enough the public wasn't invited or even informed of the "talk" about how to potentially move the 911 emergency agency from its current quarters (a county building) to the airport facilities.
Such a move seems a natural, but now the public has its eyebrows raised from the secrecy and worse from a lapse in notifying each Fayette commissioner, personally, of the quickly-called meeting.
Such activity puts the public in a really bad mood about whatever might in fact be a benefit and boon to economic development in Fayette.
And Fayette needs every boost it can get, having been in the category of "distressed" for some at least five or six DECADES.
While political egos should not have to be massaged, it's not only beneficial to board-of-commissioner-appointed airport officials to promptly inform each commissioner of such meetings, it's of crucial benefit to the county to have every commissioner participate in such meetings, even if such are not exactly open to the public. At least our representatives would be present to look out for our best interests. And potentially weigh in with perspectives as beneficial to the county as any others.
County commissioners don't just represent a particular category of citizens of the county, they represent all the citizens, no matter socioeconomic, political, status.
Personal cell phone numbers as well aren't absolutely necessary in the event normal channels of phone communication at the Courthouse aren't effective in reaching someone to notify of upcoming quickly-called meeting.
There's such a thing called email and that can be accessed by our elected public servants even on weekends, on vacation, at home, and in some cases, in the car in transit, or walking to the grocery store, or in the grocery store, etc.
Most cell phones are equipped with an optional email service. Our commissioners should by now have such phones and should make use of the optional service, within reason.
It's long been said Fayette County is at least a decade behind any other county in any other state in the USA.
Only attitude and action will change that perception sooner rather than later. Possibly when it's too late a perception to change.
Net the Truth Online
An airport that enables saftety and provides potential out-of-area travel accomodations is a must for any real economic development in the general area.
Articles note a bit of a glitch in engendering a spirit of cooperation among officials who all have a stake on behalf of constituents to see progress arrive at the airport, and soon, not just a continued round of talks upon talks we've seen for some decades now.
Airport meeting vexes Fayette County commissioner
By Judy Kroeger
DAILY COURIER
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/news/fayette/s_583936.html
Zimmerlink quizzes air authority members
By Amy Revak, Herald-Standard
08/20/2008
Updated 08/19/2008 11:02:39 PM EDT
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20081809&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=468520&rfi=6
Joe Hardy has a long-standing relationship with the airport, maintaining a hangar there for many years. So interested in the progress there, Hardy over the past many years has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars and his political clout - well respected - to see the airport develop.
While often Hardy is criticized for desiring quick, quick, quick movement on projects that will benefit the county, he shouldn't be criticized on this one because development at the airport has been "talked" about for at least the past 25 years.
Hardy's connections in the political world have raised eyebrows particularly when he was a Fayette County Commissioner for a 4-year stint. Citizens should at all times question their public officials, and question when public officials meet in private with agencies or organizations.
The secrecy only engenders thoughts of near conspiracy or back-room deals in the works. Deals that along the way require a lot of public taxpayer monies.
Apparently, state Senator Richard Kasunic, on break from Harrisburg duties til September 15 as are all state legislators, wanted to be kept in the loop and informed of any further situations about the airport.
That obviously happened within a short period of time. similarly with at least two Fayette County commissioners. Chairman Vincent Zapotosky was notified via personal cell phone, while it's unknown how colleague Vincent Vicites was notified of the meeting, he, too was apprised and attended.
Not so with Commissioner Angela Zimmerlink.
It's unsettling enough the public wasn't invited or even informed of the "talk" about how to potentially move the 911 emergency agency from its current quarters (a county building) to the airport facilities.
Such a move seems a natural, but now the public has its eyebrows raised from the secrecy and worse from a lapse in notifying each Fayette commissioner, personally, of the quickly-called meeting.
Such activity puts the public in a really bad mood about whatever might in fact be a benefit and boon to economic development in Fayette.
And Fayette needs every boost it can get, having been in the category of "distressed" for some at least five or six DECADES.
While political egos should not have to be massaged, it's not only beneficial to board-of-commissioner-appointed airport officials to promptly inform each commissioner of such meetings, it's of crucial benefit to the county to have every commissioner participate in such meetings, even if such are not exactly open to the public. At least our representatives would be present to look out for our best interests. And potentially weigh in with perspectives as beneficial to the county as any others.
County commissioners don't just represent a particular category of citizens of the county, they represent all the citizens, no matter socioeconomic, political, status.
Personal cell phone numbers as well aren't absolutely necessary in the event normal channels of phone communication at the Courthouse aren't effective in reaching someone to notify of upcoming quickly-called meeting.
There's such a thing called email and that can be accessed by our elected public servants even on weekends, on vacation, at home, and in some cases, in the car in transit, or walking to the grocery store, or in the grocery store, etc.
Most cell phones are equipped with an optional email service. Our commissioners should by now have such phones and should make use of the optional service, within reason.
It's long been said Fayette County is at least a decade behind any other county in any other state in the USA.
Only attitude and action will change that perception sooner rather than later. Possibly when it's too late a perception to change.
Net the Truth Online
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
DeWeese Not Asked to Open Closed Bonusgate Blast Email Website Contracts
Update September 14, 2008
Update found website also notes DeWeese blast emails as Net the Truth Online has done
Sights on Pennsylvania
emails may tie Bill DeWeese to Bonusgate
http://sightsonpennsylvania.blogspot.com/2009/03/e-mail-may-tie-bill-deweese-to.html
No mention in the Herald-Standard article DeWeese boasts about House reforms that DeWeese voted NO on an amendment to the House Bill 443 which would have removed language inserted in the bill which caused the newspaper publishers association to pull its support from the House bill and cast its own weight to Senator Pileggi's open records bill. We explain how as well the House open records bill supported by Rep. DeWeese did not apply to past records, and that feature was retained and also sent over to the Senate.
The Senate bill did not contain the language as in the House version which maintained "blanket exemptions for electronic communications" and it also applied retroactively, so the Senate bill differed dramatically from the DeWeese and company version of open records.
The one feature both House and Senate retained and the only feature the House can be credited with is the "flip of presumption." In other words all records are "open" well, except for the ones that are not.
Net the Truth Online
Update: Grassroots PA links to Local Lawmakers Voice Support for DeWeese and citizens make comments (a nod is given by RJF to our posting of Aug. 19 which you are now reading, thanks)
http://grassrootspa.com/?p=7158#comments
Notice the following Herald-Standard articles
appear within a mere few days after we pondered whether any Pennsylvania state lawmakers representing a portion of the same district (Fayette County) state Representative H. William DeWeese represents benefitted in any way from what has been called "tax-payer funded" campaign spam email mailings and "blast" emails which relied on email address lists acquired from a former PA state Democratic caucus staffer turned IT entrepreneur and later a competing outfit which secretly vied for the contract.
By the way, state contracts whose details remain unknown per the (pre-2008 General Election) current Attorney General Tom Corbett report on "bonus-gate". And Pennsylvania state Democratic caucus contract or contracts which remain secret and closed to the public even though the state passed a much-heralded open records act just months ago?
We covered the issue of the "bonusgate" spam or blast emails in our posting PA Bonusgate Lists Helped 2006 Winners and among our links posted this Little fish snag Pa Bonusgate immunity By RICHARD FELLINGER Public Opinion Harrisburg Bureau in addition to providing a link to the Attorney General site, noted as a PRESS RELEASE July 10, 2008
Attorney General Corbett announces charges in legislative bonus investigation - 12 suspects charged in 1st phase of the investigation
here
clip
pay attention to the information
Businessman James Rossell was granted immunity and testified that his company, Gravity Web Media, also did campaign work with state contracts. He told Keefer and Manzo that he could do a better job than Buxton of servicing Web sites and sending blast e-mails, and later was awarded a caucus contract with terms that are not disclosed in the grand-jury report.
Implied in the info is Buxton (Democratic Caucus aide) serviced "campaign" websites and sent blast e-mails... (using public resources). And at least for the contract awarded to James Russell/Gravity Web Media, terms of the contract are not disclosed in the grand-jury report.
At the very least, state Representative H. William DeWeese, and any other local state legislators touting open records legislation should be asked why this contract is not available to the public by way of the new open records legislation. Each should be asked why this contract or contracts remain off-limits to public disclosure now despite being the subject of a grand-jury investigation?
Also notice in the two articles the Herald-Standard publishes about Rep. DeWeese 'moving forward' and the support DeWeese retains among local district lawmakers, in DeWeese moves ahead despite scandal and Local lawmakers voice support neither article puts even one question to Rep. DeWeese about allegations made by former House Democratic Caucus staffer Eric Buxton concerning "setting up the House Democratic Campaign Committee Web site in 2004 on state time..." nor do the articles question DeWeese about what he knows of any "blast emails" or "servicing of websites" or email address listings provided to anybody in the legislative district DeWeese represents.
Isn't that simply astonishing?
Not one question about what DeWeese knew or didn't know about Eric Buxton "setting up the House Democratic Campaign Committee Web site in 2004 on state time..."
Not one question that might reveal whether DeWeese knew or didn't know of what Buxton testifies was a contract that appeared to be for legitimate government work but instead was for e-mail work for Democratic campaigns.
The House Democratic caucus paid Buxton's company $420,000 in taxpayer money between 2005 and 2007, the report states.
Not one bit of information in the article that DeWeese was asked anything about the monies from the House Democratic Caucus paid to Buxton's company or the contract/s with Buxton and/or Russell.
Not one question from our so-called reform-minded freshmen legislators, Deberah Kula and Timothy Mahoney, put to DeWeese about the Buxton contract, Russell contract, or a demand by the pair of reformers for the House Democratic Caucus to open the records despite the grand-jury withholding for whatever purposes.
Recall, not one question about Rep. DeWeese' lone among the Fayette Democratic contingency of state reps NO vote on the Josephs amendment, which occurred according to Brad Bumsted in October, 2007...
Recall, the open records bill as originally submitted by Rep. Tim Mahoney didn't apply to past records, and because DeWeese was among those voting NO on the Josephs amendment, the measure to remove language which authorized "blanket exemptions for electronic communications" was defeated in the House of Representatives. According to Pennsylvania Newspaper Association House Bill 443 would not make PA government more open and included:
broad exemptions for ‘correspondence’ and all ‘e-mail.’
It is simply beyond comprehension that the Herald-Standard would not do its own due diligence as a so-called 'political' watchdog and put questions to DeWeese about his own campaigns in 2004 and any contract between the House Democratic Caucus and Buxton and/or Russell. Likewise for 2006 the first year after the dramatic payraise 'scandal' when incumbent legislators faced nothing less than an 'angry' electorate.
Were any state Democratic campaign websites established on behalf of any state House of Representative Democratic candidates using the Buxton contract or the Russell contract?
It's not that difficult of a question to put to your own representative, let alone by a newspaper on behalf of all of the citizens the legislator or legislators represent.
DeWeese has not been shown to have been involved, but that doesn't mean he now cannot have knowledge of such contract or contracts especially since now Buxton's involvement is news. At least elsewhere, the extent of Buxton's involvement in generating taxpayer-funded blast campaign emails and political campaign websites is being questioned. Not at the Herald-Standard.
At the least since the Russell contract appears to remain closed to the public per the Attorney General report and grand-jury findings, DeWeese and all House Democrat area legislators who supported open records should be asked, no, it should be demanded of them - open the record of the contract or contracts noted to the public before the 2008 General Election.
Nor as we noted, does the newspaper to-date question whether any of our local state legislators, especially newcomers Deberah Kula and Timothy Mahoney were the recipients of any Democratic caucus gained or garnered email address listings to enable use of in the Primary and/or General elections of 2006.
The question should be asked specifically of Kula, Mahoney, and DeWeese who should know of the email listings and spam or blast emails by now: are the materials obtained by the House Democratic Caucus open records under the legislation you all supported?
In other words, where are the email address listings acquired by the Democratic caucus DeWeese led (in part,) and why aren't these available to the citizens of Pennsylvania under the Freedom of Information Act and open records legislation much touted by DeWeese, Kula, Mahoney, (Daley), and the Herald-Standard?
In the article DeWeese moves ahead despite scandal By Rebekah Sungala, Herald-Standard 08/15/2008such legislation is noted by Rep. DeWeese as potentially preventing the "secrecy" of "bonusgate" had the open records legislation been in place during the bonus-gate episode/s.
This from the same guy who of all the local House Democratic contingency of state representatives voted NO on the Babette Josephs amendment to the 'open records' legislation originally submitted by Rep. Mahoney. That amendment would have removed language inserted into House Bill 443 which enabled "blanket exemptions for electronic communications."
A yes vote authorized the removal of the language. Mahoney, Kula, and Daley voted Yes. A No vote would deny removal of the language. DeWeese voted No. The measure was defeated according to Brad Bumstead's Shh! More State Secrets.
Coming in October 2007 as the vote did, one must question how DeWeese could be in actuality in support of open records when this blanket exemptions for electronic communications clause applied and the same bill (HB 443) also did not apply to past records.
It took Senate Bill 1 to remove the blanket exemptions for electronic communications and apply the legislation retroactively. The House then simply acquiesced to the Senate Bill sponsored by Pileggi because Democratic House legislators couldn't very well argue to keep the "blanket exemptions for electronic communications" nor could they argue to exempt past records.
Again, not one question to DeWeese about his recorded NO on an aspect of open records legislation - legislative electronic communications - that could be said to be at the "heart" of the subsequent "bonusgate" investigation carried out by Attorney General Tom Corbett.
Net the Truth Online
Note 1: Appearing in the 7-Day archives of the Herald-Standard are the following articles: Local lawmakers voice support DeWeese By Jennifer Harr, Herald-Standard 08/18/2008 Updated 08/19/2008 12:06:06 AM EDT
DeWeese moves ahead despite scandal By Rebekah Sungala, Herald-Standard 08/15/2008
Aside from our questioning the what is not in the content of both articles, notice the name of the CHECKING SERVICE at the side of the page which appears on both seemingly "positive" articles:
COMMUNITY BANK CASH COW CHECKING
Isn't that hilarious? Is that a subliminal message?
Net the Truth Online
Note 2: The Pittsburgh Tribune Review Whispers column (interestingly) questions in a cleverly-worded way whether state Rep. Timothy Mahoney (D-51st) did indeed string along the voters of the 51st District by the way, just two years back during the 2006 Primary and General election campaigns for the vacated seat of former state Rep. Larry Roberts. Roberts retired prior to the 2006 Primary election.
The (anonymously-penned) Whispers column reveals a portion of statements Mahoney made about how he himself would not be a "puppet on a string" in Harrisburg for a "disgraced" H. William DeWeese "one of the ringleaders of the 2005 pay-jacking" in its piece entitled "Dummy Up":
Related some amount of monies are included in this report
http://www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us/CFReport.aspx?CFReportID=61213&Section=IC
Note 3: From Brad Bumstead's Bonus bonanza: Hokum that has returned to haunt
While it's ok to point out a bonus received doesn't mean political work was done by the recipient on government time and money, and the bonus program itself was legal, the fact that "contracts" were reportedly entered into by the House Democratic caucus should be more fully investigated by any and all so-called journalists and newspapers purporting to be working on behalf of the public's right to know.
The public has a right to know, now, not later, all and everything, and there should be no acceptance of the excuse an investigation is underway, a criminal investigation.
Where are the real journalists, those who dig and keep on digging, despite what public officials or Attorney Generals tell them is public or isn't public at this time or any time?
Investigate, or become extinct and replaced by the new media. Otherwise, not noting the bonusgate spam or blast emails and websites (contracted) by a House Democratic Caucus, Bumstead's piece is par excellence.
Net the Truth Online
Note 4: Meanwhile, note the Herald-Standard's couple of articles do not question similarly as the Tribune-Review Whispers "Dummy Up" column does.
We remain unsure as everyone else just how far bonus-gate extends.
But at least our local newspaper should apprise us us what is now known.
It should question whether any state representatives, especially locally, may have been in receipt of Buxton or businessman James Rossell provided email address listings and any generated "blast e-mails" to help local 2006 political campaigns for state office or any and all campaign websites created potentially created using taxpayer funding and resources.
Yet not one question coming from those quarters. Not even one.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008 PA Bonusgate Lists Helped 2006 Winners
They are more than failing us there.
Note 5: House Democratic Majority material is inaccurate regarding similarity of the House version of open records to the Senate Bill 1 open records bill presented by Sen. Pileggi.
the statement is not wholly accurate. The Senate Bill 1 which was ultimately passed in the Senate firstly removed language in the House version of open records which contained the "blanket exemptions for legislative electronic communications." The House version of open records was the one originally presented by state Rep. Timothy Mahoney. The bill was entered in March 2007 with co-sponsorship of H. William DeWeese coming a month later, in April, 2007. It did entertain amendments to it which Rep. Mahoney himself admitted at one point were welcome by him since he was well aware of the exemptions he had included. Rep. Tim Mahoney's bill was tagged the "Corruption Protection Act" by Democracy Rising PA founder Tim Potts sometime in October, 2007. Only a direct question put to Potts would reveal whether Potts tagged the Mahoney bill the Corruption Protection Act as such due to its as Potts claimed two-dozen exemptions which were in the bill before the state government committee took action. Only a direct question to Potts would reveal whether Potts tagged the bill the Corruption Protect Act as such when the state government committee expanded the exemptions for the emails to "blanket exemptions for legislative electronic communications."
Secondly, there was non-existent similarity in the House version of open records upon its entrance in the record as presented in March 2007 and what the Senate received from the House prior to Nov. 2007. The original legislation submitted by state Rep. Timothy Mahoney did not apply to "past records" and even after House state government committee action, the open records legislation HB 443 still did not apply to past records.
so, the House version never applied the legislation to past records. There is no similarity to the Senate Bill 1 entered by Senator Pileggi because that bill did apply retroactively and to past records.
Now who is in control of what goes on the House Democratic Majority 2007 Accomplishmentspage?
Note 6: Don't forget there have been no questions about votes on raising the state's "debt ceiling," either.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
PA: Raise Debt Ceiling Soccer Stadium Give Tax-Forgiveness for Some
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/07/pa-raise-debt-ceiling-soccer-stadium.html
Net the Truth Online
Related
Pennsltucky Blog
http://blog.pennlive.com/pennsyltucky/about.html
related
Update found website also notes DeWeese blast emails as Net the Truth Online has done
Sights on Pennsylvania
emails may tie Bill DeWeese to Bonusgate
http://sightsonpennsylvania.blogspot.com/2009/03/e-mail-may-tie-bill-deweese-to.html
No mention in the Herald-Standard article DeWeese boasts about House reforms that DeWeese voted NO on an amendment to the House Bill 443 which would have removed language inserted in the bill which caused the newspaper publishers association to pull its support from the House bill and cast its own weight to Senator Pileggi's open records bill. We explain how as well the House open records bill supported by Rep. DeWeese did not apply to past records, and that feature was retained and also sent over to the Senate.
The Senate bill did not contain the language as in the House version which maintained "blanket exemptions for electronic communications" and it also applied retroactively, so the Senate bill differed dramatically from the DeWeese and company version of open records.
The one feature both House and Senate retained and the only feature the House can be credited with is the "flip of presumption." In other words all records are "open" well, except for the ones that are not.
Net the Truth Online
DeWeese boasts about House reforms
By Jennifer Harr, Herald-Standard
09/14/2008
...The July update lists accomplishments in the 2007-2008 legislative session.
In his update, DeWeese notes that the caucus had two objectives: to bring forth legislation that would improve the lives of those in the state, and to have legislation and other measures that would reform operations in the House.
DeWeese noted that the House enacted legislation to help citizens and businesses save money on the high cost of energy, a new funding formula for public schools and a smoking ban for businesses.
He said state representatives also compiled a solid reform record, including passage of open records legislation.
DeWeese indicated that House Democratic Caucus was "instrumental" in ensuring the passage of the new law.
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20120354&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=480247&rfi=6
Update: Grassroots PA links to Local Lawmakers Voice Support for DeWeese and citizens make comments (a nod is given by RJF to our posting of Aug. 19 which you are now reading, thanks)
http://grassrootspa.com/?p=7158#comments
Notice the following Herald-Standard articles
Local lawmakers voice support DeWeese By Jennifer Harr, Herald-Standard 08/18/2008 Updated 08/19/2008 12:06:06 AM EDT
DeWeese moves ahead despite scandal By Rebekah Sungala, Herald-Standard 08/15/2008
appear within a mere few days after we pondered whether any Pennsylvania state lawmakers representing a portion of the same district (Fayette County) state Representative H. William DeWeese represents benefitted in any way from what has been called "tax-payer funded" campaign spam email mailings and "blast" emails which relied on email address lists acquired from a former PA state Democratic caucus staffer turned IT entrepreneur and later a competing outfit which secretly vied for the contract.
By the way, state contracts whose details remain unknown per the (pre-2008 General Election) current Attorney General Tom Corbett report on "bonus-gate". And Pennsylvania state Democratic caucus contract or contracts which remain secret and closed to the public even though the state passed a much-heralded open records act just months ago?
We covered the issue of the "bonusgate" spam or blast emails in our posting PA Bonusgate Lists Helped 2006 Winners and among our links posted this Little fish snag Pa Bonusgate immunity By RICHARD FELLINGER Public Opinion Harrisburg Bureau in addition to providing a link to the Attorney General site, noted as a PRESS RELEASE July 10, 2008
Attorney General Corbett announces charges in legislative bonus investigation - 12 suspects charged in 1st phase of the investigation
here
clip
Eric Buxton, a former Democratic aide and son of Rep. Ronald Buxton, R-Harrisburg, testified under immunity about setting up the House Democratic Campaign Committee Web site in 2004 on state time. He also described how campaign e-mails were written and sent from inside the Capitol using an offsite server in Michigan to mask their origin.
Buxton testified that in 2005 he set up his own private company, Govercom, after negotiating a deal with Manzo and director of information technologies Steve Keefer to do work for the caucus.
Keefer, of Lebanon County, is also charged in the case. Buxton told the grand jury that the contract appeared to be for legitimate government work but instead was for e-mail work for Democratic campaigns.
The House Democratic caucus paid Buxton's company $420,000 in taxpayer money between 2005 and 2007, the report states.
Businessman James Rossell was granted immunity and testified that his company, Gravity Web Media, also did campaign work with state contracts. He told Keefer and Manzo that he could do a better job than Buxton of servicing Web sites and sending blast e-mails, and later was awarded a caucus contract with terms that are not disclosed in the grand-jury report.
"The subsequent contract made no reference to the performance of any campaign work," the grand jury report states. "Rossell testified that it was very clear, from the very beginning, that his work would not be limited to the language of the contract."
http://www.publicopiniononline.com/ci_10009637
pay attention to the information
Businessman James Rossell was granted immunity and testified that his company, Gravity Web Media, also did campaign work with state contracts. He told Keefer and Manzo that he could do a better job than Buxton of servicing Web sites and sending blast e-mails, and later was awarded a caucus contract with terms that are not disclosed in the grand-jury report.
Implied in the info is Buxton (Democratic Caucus aide) serviced "campaign" websites and sent blast e-mails... (using public resources). And at least for the contract awarded to James Russell/Gravity Web Media, terms of the contract are not disclosed in the grand-jury report.
At the very least, state Representative H. William DeWeese, and any other local state legislators touting open records legislation should be asked why this contract is not available to the public by way of the new open records legislation. Each should be asked why this contract or contracts remain off-limits to public disclosure now despite being the subject of a grand-jury investigation?
Also notice in the two articles the Herald-Standard publishes about Rep. DeWeese 'moving forward' and the support DeWeese retains among local district lawmakers, in DeWeese moves ahead despite scandal and Local lawmakers voice support neither article puts even one question to Rep. DeWeese about allegations made by former House Democratic Caucus staffer Eric Buxton concerning "setting up the House Democratic Campaign Committee Web site in 2004 on state time..." nor do the articles question DeWeese about what he knows of any "blast emails" or "servicing of websites" or email address listings provided to anybody in the legislative district DeWeese represents.
Isn't that simply astonishing?
Not one question about what DeWeese knew or didn't know about Eric Buxton "setting up the House Democratic Campaign Committee Web site in 2004 on state time..."
Not one question that might reveal whether DeWeese knew or didn't know of what Buxton testifies was a contract that appeared to be for legitimate government work but instead was for e-mail work for Democratic campaigns.
The House Democratic caucus paid Buxton's company $420,000 in taxpayer money between 2005 and 2007, the report states.
Not one bit of information in the article that DeWeese was asked anything about the monies from the House Democratic Caucus paid to Buxton's company or the contract/s with Buxton and/or Russell.
Not one question from our so-called reform-minded freshmen legislators, Deberah Kula and Timothy Mahoney, put to DeWeese about the Buxton contract, Russell contract, or a demand by the pair of reformers for the House Democratic Caucus to open the records despite the grand-jury withholding for whatever purposes.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
PA Bonusgate Lists Helped 2006 Winners
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/08/pa-bonusgate-lists-helped-2006-winners.html
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Bonusgate PA Spam Scam
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/08/bonusgate-pa-spam-scam.html
Recall, not one question about Rep. DeWeese' lone among the Fayette Democratic contingency of state reps NO vote on the Josephs amendment, which occurred according to Brad Bumsted in October, 2007...
Recall, the open records bill as originally submitted by Rep. Tim Mahoney didn't apply to past records, and because DeWeese was among those voting NO on the Josephs amendment, the measure to remove language which authorized "blanket exemptions for electronic communications" was defeated in the House of Representatives. According to Pennsylvania Newspaper Association House Bill 443 would not make PA government more open and included:
broad exemptions for ‘correspondence’ and all ‘e-mail.’
It is simply beyond comprehension that the Herald-Standard would not do its own due diligence as a so-called 'political' watchdog and put questions to DeWeese about his own campaigns in 2004 and any contract between the House Democratic Caucus and Buxton and/or Russell. Likewise for 2006 the first year after the dramatic payraise 'scandal' when incumbent legislators faced nothing less than an 'angry' electorate.
Were any state Democratic campaign websites established on behalf of any state House of Representative Democratic candidates using the Buxton contract or the Russell contract?
It's not that difficult of a question to put to your own representative, let alone by a newspaper on behalf of all of the citizens the legislator or legislators represent.
DeWeese has not been shown to have been involved, but that doesn't mean he now cannot have knowledge of such contract or contracts especially since now Buxton's involvement is news. At least elsewhere, the extent of Buxton's involvement in generating taxpayer-funded blast campaign emails and political campaign websites is being questioned. Not at the Herald-Standard.
At the least since the Russell contract appears to remain closed to the public per the Attorney General report and grand-jury findings, DeWeese and all House Democrat area legislators who supported open records should be asked, no, it should be demanded of them - open the record of the contract or contracts noted to the public before the 2008 General Election.
Nor as we noted, does the newspaper to-date question whether any of our local state legislators, especially newcomers Deberah Kula and Timothy Mahoney were the recipients of any Democratic caucus gained or garnered email address listings to enable use of in the Primary and/or General elections of 2006.
The question should be asked specifically of Kula, Mahoney, and DeWeese who should know of the email listings and spam or blast emails by now: are the materials obtained by the House Democratic Caucus open records under the legislation you all supported?
In other words, where are the email address listings acquired by the Democratic caucus DeWeese led (in part,) and why aren't these available to the citizens of Pennsylvania under the Freedom of Information Act and open records legislation much touted by DeWeese, Kula, Mahoney, (Daley), and the Herald-Standard?
In the article DeWeese moves ahead despite scandal By Rebekah Sungala, Herald-Standard 08/15/2008such legislation is noted by Rep. DeWeese as potentially preventing the "secrecy" of "bonusgate" had the open records legislation been in place during the bonus-gate episode/s.
This from the same guy who of all the local House Democratic contingency of state representatives voted NO on the Babette Josephs amendment to the 'open records' legislation originally submitted by Rep. Mahoney. That amendment would have removed language inserted into House Bill 443 which enabled "blanket exemptions for electronic communications."
A yes vote authorized the removal of the language. Mahoney, Kula, and Daley voted Yes. A No vote would deny removal of the language. DeWeese voted No. The measure was defeated according to Brad Bumstead's Shh! More State Secrets.
Coming in October 2007 as the vote did, one must question how DeWeese could be in actuality in support of open records when this blanket exemptions for electronic communications clause applied and the same bill (HB 443) also did not apply to past records.
It took Senate Bill 1 to remove the blanket exemptions for electronic communications and apply the legislation retroactively. The House then simply acquiesced to the Senate Bill sponsored by Pileggi because Democratic House legislators couldn't very well argue to keep the "blanket exemptions for electronic communications" nor could they argue to exempt past records.
Again, not one question to DeWeese about his recorded NO on an aspect of open records legislation - legislative electronic communications - that could be said to be at the "heart" of the subsequent "bonusgate" investigation carried out by Attorney General Tom Corbett.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
PA House Leader DeWeese No Questions on Open Records Email Blanket Exemptions
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/04/pa-house-leader-deweese-no-questions-on.html
DeWeese voted No while Mahoney, Kula and Daley voted yes.
Bumstead's Shh! More State Secrets November 11, 2007 Yes vote would have removed "blanket exemptions for legislative emails."
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/bumsted/s_537390.html
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Will DeWeese Face Electoral Defeat for Wrong Understanding?
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/08/will-deweese-face-electoral-defeat-for.html
Net the Truth Online
Note 1: Appearing in the 7-Day archives of the Herald-Standard are the following articles: Local lawmakers voice support DeWeese By Jennifer Harr, Herald-Standard 08/18/2008 Updated 08/19/2008 12:06:06 AM EDT
DeWeese moves ahead despite scandal By Rebekah Sungala, Herald-Standard 08/15/2008
Aside from our questioning the what is not in the content of both articles, notice the name of the CHECKING SERVICE at the side of the page which appears on both seemingly "positive" articles:
COMMUNITY BANK CASH COW CHECKING
Isn't that hilarious? Is that a subliminal message?
Net the Truth Online
Note 2: The Pittsburgh Tribune Review Whispers column (interestingly) questions in a cleverly-worded way whether state Rep. Timothy Mahoney (D-51st) did indeed string along the voters of the 51st District by the way, just two years back during the 2006 Primary and General election campaigns for the vacated seat of former state Rep. Larry Roberts. Roberts retired prior to the 2006 Primary election.
The (anonymously-penned) Whispers column reveals a portion of statements Mahoney made about how he himself would not be a "puppet on a string" in Harrisburg for a "disgraced" H. William DeWeese "one of the ringleaders of the 2005 pay-jacking" in its piece entitled "Dummy Up":
DUMMY UP. Did Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Uniontown, string along the voters?
During his 2006 campaign, Mahoney usually bashed House Minority Leader H. William DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, one of the ringleaders of the 2005 pay-jacking.
Mahoney had told voters he would not be a "puppet on a string" for the disgraced DeWeese. He also said he wouldn't back DeWeese for a leadership position in the Legislature.
We guess Mahoney never said anything about accepting money from DeWeese. Since 2007, campaign finance records show Mahoney has received $8,000 in campaign contributions from DeWeese.
Mahoney's predecessor in the 51st District, Larry Roberts, D-South Union, said he doesn't remember ever receiving contributions from the Greene County puppet master.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/whispers/s_583249.html
Related some amount of monies are included in this report
http://www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us/CFReport.aspx?CFReportID=61213&Section=IC
Note 3: From Brad Bumstead's Bonus bonanza: Hokum that has returned to haunt
Keep in mind that just because a caucus gave out bonuses doesn't mean it engaged in illegal activity. And just because someone got a bonus doesn't mean he or she did anything wrong. Bonuses are legal. Giving them for political work isn't.
DeWeese obviously knew about the bonuses but he was not aware of bonuses being paid for campaign work in recent years, Williams said.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/bumsted/s_583187.html
While it's ok to point out a bonus received doesn't mean political work was done by the recipient on government time and money, and the bonus program itself was legal, the fact that "contracts" were reportedly entered into by the House Democratic caucus should be more fully investigated by any and all so-called journalists and newspapers purporting to be working on behalf of the public's right to know.
The public has a right to know, now, not later, all and everything, and there should be no acceptance of the excuse an investigation is underway, a criminal investigation.
Where are the real journalists, those who dig and keep on digging, despite what public officials or Attorney Generals tell them is public or isn't public at this time or any time?
Investigate, or become extinct and replaced by the new media. Otherwise, not noting the bonusgate spam or blast emails and websites (contracted) by a House Democratic Caucus, Bumstead's piece is par excellence.
Net the Truth Online
Note 4: Meanwhile, note the Herald-Standard's couple of articles do not question similarly as the Tribune-Review Whispers "Dummy Up" column does.
We remain unsure as everyone else just how far bonus-gate extends.
But at least our local newspaper should apprise us us what is now known.
It should question whether any state representatives, especially locally, may have been in receipt of Buxton or businessman James Rossell provided email address listings and any generated "blast e-mails" to help local 2006 political campaigns for state office or any and all campaign websites created potentially created using taxpayer funding and resources.
Yet not one question coming from those quarters. Not even one.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008 PA Bonusgate Lists Helped 2006 Winners
They are more than failing us there.
Note 5: House Democratic Majority material is inaccurate regarding similarity of the House version of open records to the Senate Bill 1 open records bill presented by Sen. Pileggi.
House Democratic Majority is proud of the following accomplishments that were achieved in 2007. With 116 bills signed into law and 261 bills passed by the House, great strides were made on behalf of all Pennsylvanians. Below are highlights.
A new day in Pennsylvania
The right to know
S.B. 1, awaiting Senate action
The legislation, very similar to the bill authored by Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Fayette, would improve the state's Right-to-Know Law by, among other things, establishing a presumption of openness, including the legislature in the law, applying financial accountability to all three branches of government, and creating a uniform appeals process for the public.
http://www.pahouse.com/accomplishments.asp
the statement is not wholly accurate. The Senate Bill 1 which was ultimately passed in the Senate firstly removed language in the House version of open records which contained the "blanket exemptions for legislative electronic communications." The House version of open records was the one originally presented by state Rep. Timothy Mahoney. The bill was entered in March 2007 with co-sponsorship of H. William DeWeese coming a month later, in April, 2007. It did entertain amendments to it which Rep. Mahoney himself admitted at one point were welcome by him since he was well aware of the exemptions he had included. Rep. Tim Mahoney's bill was tagged the "Corruption Protection Act" by Democracy Rising PA founder Tim Potts sometime in October, 2007. Only a direct question put to Potts would reveal whether Potts tagged the Mahoney bill the Corruption Protection Act as such due to its as Potts claimed two-dozen exemptions which were in the bill before the state government committee took action. Only a direct question to Potts would reveal whether Potts tagged the bill the Corruption Protect Act as such when the state government committee expanded the exemptions for the emails to "blanket exemptions for legislative electronic communications."
Secondly, there was non-existent similarity in the House version of open records upon its entrance in the record as presented in March 2007 and what the Senate received from the House prior to Nov. 2007. The original legislation submitted by state Rep. Timothy Mahoney did not apply to "past records" and even after House state government committee action, the open records legislation HB 443 still did not apply to past records.
so, the House version never applied the legislation to past records. There is no similarity to the Senate Bill 1 entered by Senator Pileggi because that bill did apply retroactively and to past records.
Now who is in control of what goes on the House Democratic Majority 2007 Accomplishmentspage?
Note 6: Don't forget there have been no questions about votes on raising the state's "debt ceiling," either.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
PA: Raise Debt Ceiling Soccer Stadium Give Tax-Forgiveness for Some
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/07/pa-raise-debt-ceiling-soccer-stadium.html
Net the Truth Online
Local lawmakers voice support DeWeese
By Jennifer Harr, Herald-Standard
08/18/2008
Updated 08/19/2008 12:06:06 AM EDT
While some state legislators would like to see state House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese step down or abandon his re-election campaign, his local Democratic colleagues are standing behind him.
Reps. Peter J. Daley, Deberah Kula and Tim Mahoney all said they feel calls for his resignation are unwarranted...
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20079708&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=468520&rfi=6
DeWeese moves ahead despite scandal
By Rebekah Sungala, Herald-Standard
08/15/2008
State Rep. Bill DeWeese said he is moving forward despite an unfolding political scandal in Harrisburg. The Democratic House majority leader met with the Herald-Standard editorial board Thursday to discuss the ongoing Bonusgate scandal and talk about his plans for the future.
DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, brushed off attacks from fellow House Democrats who have called on the 12-year leader of the Democratic caucus to step down following an investigation by the state attorney general's office.
In July, Attorney General Tom Corbett announced charges were filed against 12 people connected to the House Democratic caucus. The grand jury that reviewed the evidence accused the defendants of illegally diverting millions in taxpayer dollars to underwrite political campaigns and personal perks.
Among those charged was DeWeese's former chief of staff, Michael Manzo.
DeWeese, who was not charged following 16 months of investigation, said he "wasn't aware" of the alleged actions of his employees and said he regrets not supporting open records legislation sooner, saying the situation would not have occurred if the legislation had been in place to prevent the secrecy.
DeWeese said he can't justify Bonusgate, but said the Democratic Caucus took immediate action after being appraised of the situation.
According to DeWeese, the staff members accused of diverting money were terminated months before being indicted by the grand jury.
"I can't justify what they did allegedly, and I'm not happy about it. I'm sorry it happened on my watch," he said.
DeWeese said people will see that the Democratic Caucus handled Bonusgate effectively once the dust settles, noting that staff members were instructed to cooperate 100 percent with the attorney general's office during the investigation.
"Staff members were told to destroy nothing, save everything and cooperate," DeWeese said.
DeWeese said he was disappointed and surprised by attacks from his fellow Democrats following Bonusgate, and said he believes the attacks were politically motivated.
"They're political people, and I do not hold it against them," he said.
State Rep. Josh Shapiro, who holds the largely ceremonial title of deputy speaker, was the latest Democrat to call for DeWeese to step down...
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20018313&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=480247&rfi=6
Related
Pennsltucky Blog
http://blog.pennlive.com/pennsyltucky/about.html
related
Shed no tears for DeWeese
08/20/2008
Updated 08/20/2008 12:12:23 AM EDT
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At a time that it would be easy to tar the entire Pennsylvania General Assembly with the label of corruption, there is a glimmer of hope.
Several honorable House Democrats (Reps. Shapiro, Levdansky, Readshaw, Keller, Yudichak and Matt Smith) have exhibited the courage and character to publicly call for long-time party "leader" H. William DeWeese to either step down from his leadership post or to resign.
Rep. DeWeese is reminiscent of the character Captain Renault in the movie "Casablanca," who was shocked, shocked to learn that gambling was occurring in a speakeasy. He claims no knowledge that right under his nose, highly compensated legislative aides were receiving fat bonuses which it is alleged were additional compensation for performing political work on state time.
He also claims that he knows nothing about a letter which went out under his signature, directing the dozens of recipients of the booty not to tell anyone of their good fortune. Let us recall at this time other actions with which DeWeese is "credited": being a primary architect of the sneaky, slimy, middle-of-the-night July 2005 legislative pay raise, punishing members who did not vote in the manner in which they were instructed by stripping them of their committee posts, and a long history of standing in the way of every meaningful reform demanded by an informed electorate.
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20081655&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=468562&rfi=6
Time for DeWeese to go
08/21/2008
Updated 08/20/2008 11:04:23 PM EDT
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I think the term "Leadership Fund," referring to state Rep. Bill DeWeese's pot of taxpayer money, needs a new name. Perhaps we should call it the "Lack of Leadership Fund," or the "My Campaign Enrichment Fund," or the "Keep Me In Office No Matter How Many Illegal Bonuses I Oversee Fund," or several other titles.
It is long past the time for DeWeese to go. I believe he should not only be relieved of his Democratic leader position, but be banished from the Legislature and be incarcerated. We have the opportunity in November to accomplish the first two; hopefully, the state attorney general will pursue the third.
The only thing he leads in - in my opinion - is in misappropriating funds, deceiving the public and filling his own pockets. Jane Sheehan
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20083433&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=468562&rfi=6
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Morganelli Doesn't Dispute Ron Klink PA Constitutional Convention Way to Changes
Ron Klink, hosting for Marty Griffin on Pittsburgh News Radio 1020 talk program, The Real Deal with Marty Griffin - Ron Klink talks to John Morganelli-Part 2 Jul 23, 2008
Ron Klink and District Attorney John Morganelli talks "Bonus Gate" and comments on the actions of Attorney General Tom Corbett
Other than responding he is aware of the reps calling for DeWeese's step down from leadership, Morganelli is absolutely silent on Klink's portrayal that a PA Constitutional Convention is a way to make all of these changes and a way to "talk about" lowering the size of the state legislature.
Not one peep from Morganelli. Total silence.
Has Morganelli read the PA Constitution's Declaration of Rights Section 2? Is he aware that section could be used not only to convene a convention, but could be used to alter OR ABOLISH state government?
Contrary to what Klink says - a Con-Con is a way to make all of these changes, the state legislators have every opportunity and power to make all of these changes in session, regular session, of the General Assembly by legislation and/or individual or a series of amendments to the PA Constitution, without need of calling a PA Constitutional Convention.
Net the Truth Online
Ron Klink and District Attorney John Morganelli talks "Bonus Gate" and comments on the actions of Attorney General Tom Corbett
at 6:11 Ron Klink: Dems could clearly take charge here... don't know if you got this or not John Morganelli at least four state Democratic reps calling for H. William DeWeese to step down... courage to do that and could also want a PA Constitutional Convention... we're going to talk about making all these changes talk about lowering the size of the state legislature... change the way we do business...
http://search.everyzing.com/viewMedia.jsp?dedupe=1&index=41&col=en-aud-public-ep&e=20480192&channelTitle=Governor&num=10&start=40&q=Governor&ci=43&expand=true&match=query,channel&channel=99&bc=90,99&filter=1
Other than responding he is aware of the reps calling for DeWeese's step down from leadership, Morganelli is absolutely silent on Klink's portrayal that a PA Constitutional Convention is a way to make all of these changes and a way to "talk about" lowering the size of the state legislature.
Not one peep from Morganelli. Total silence.
Has Morganelli read the PA Constitution's Declaration of Rights Section 2? Is he aware that section could be used not only to convene a convention, but could be used to alter OR ABOLISH state government?
Contrary to what Klink says - a Con-Con is a way to make all of these changes, the state legislators have every opportunity and power to make all of these changes in session, regular session, of the General Assembly by legislation and/or individual or a series of amendments to the PA Constitution, without need of calling a PA Constitutional Convention.
Net the Truth Online
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Will DeWeese Face Electoral Defeat for Wrong Understanding?
Wonders never cease from Herald-Standard. Why the following "DeWeese's use of map a scare tactic," yet, the editor has yet to publish any opposing responses per glowing comments in Give Mahoney Credit, Re-election?
Word is many opposing views have been made, but remain unpublished to the page at the Herald-Standard, and they are circulating around the internet.
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20087803&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=468562&rfi=6.
PennLive Forum linked to the Herald Standard opinion
http://www.pennlive.com/forums/capitol/
Lays out what's wrong with the view Give Mahoney Credit, Re-election
Grassroots PA continued discussion
http://grassrootspa.com/?p=7158#comments
Update
Updated below with response to a letter-to-the-editor writer who supports the re-election of Rep. Tim Mahoney.
Posting as Hold Them All Accountable, our commentary remains unpublished at the Herald-Standard possibly because references and links to document our material contains nothing from the Herald-Standard. That's because the Herald-Standard has not published anything pertaining to Rep. Tim Mahoney's legislation on open records that includes the original didn't apply to past records, and the Democratic controlled House version of open records was broadened to include "exemptions for electronic communications":
Update:
Grassroots PA continued discussion
http://grassrootspa.com/?p=7158#comments
Update: Not on the DeWeese leadership books???
$ for Green advice??
Post Will DeWeeese Face Electoral Defeat for Wrong Understanding
In response to a Pittsburgh Post Gazette article Top bonus recipients aided top Dems
80 of 100 largest raises went to staff who worked for or gave money to Veon, DeWeese campaigns Sunday, February 11, 2007 By Tracie Mauriello and Jon Schmitz, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pennsylvania state Representative H. William DeWeese apparently penned or emailed or texted the following:
In praise of state bonuses Pennsylvania House Majority Leader BILL DEWEESE says bonuses for Democratic employees reward hard work and save money long term Sunday, February 11, 2007
Bolded segment highlighted for discussion and review.
Brad Bumstead opinion as retained at fixpa also reprinted here for discussion purposes.
DeWeese's statement upon (July 2008) indictments handed down by Tom Corbett.
Veon, Ramaley charged in bonus scandal
By Brad Bumsted STATE CAPITOL REPORTER Friday, July 11, 2008
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_577061.html
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Timeline inclusive of the following
November 2006 election results
An "internal" "in-house" "investigation" conducted by Chadwick Associates at the behest of DeWeese as revealed by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. An internal, in-house investigation begun, according to the article, in March, (2007) (as the article is written Dec. 16, 2007)
DeWeese, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's December 2007 article E-mails show how Dems tied staffers' bonuses to campaign work Sunday, December 16, 2007 By Dennis B. Roddy and Tracie Mauriello, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had hired Chadwick Associates who combed through legislative electronic communications prior to AG Tom Corbett's announcement of an investigation into staff bonuses and campaign work.
DeWeese promotional website
http://www.billdeweese.com/content/page/id/198
and here
DeWeese asserts the AG determined a letter sent on DeWeese's behalf to staffers was forged.
DeWeese promotional site states DeWeese took action.
fired key people
eliminated staff bonuses
12 indictments announced Veon, Ramaley charged in bonus scandal By Brad Bumsted STATE CAPITOL REPORTER Friday, July 11, 2008
Said DeWeese: "Today's announcement is an indictment of a culture that has existed in all four caucuses of the General Assembly for far too long, and which I committed to changing upon my re-election in 2006. I share the outrage felt today by taxpayers across the state; however, I can assure Pennsylvanians that the reforms we implemented this session will safeguard against future abuse of tax dollars."
Open Records PA
(Patriot News) request to release employee payroll and staff bonuses (Also see Post-Gazette Timeline which gives the nod to the Patriot-News on the request for info)
DeWeese voted No while Mahoney, Kula and Daley voted yes.
Bumstead's Shh! More State Secrets November 11, 2007 Yes vote would have removed "blanket exemptions for legislative emails."
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/bumsted/s_537390.html
Net the Truth Online
An aside
Word is many opposing views have been made, but remain unpublished to the page at the Herald-Standard, and they are circulating around the internet.
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20087803&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=468562&rfi=6.
PennLive Forum linked to the Herald Standard opinion
http://www.pennlive.com/forums/capitol/
Lays out what's wrong with the view Give Mahoney Credit, Re-election
Grassroots PA continued discussion
http://grassrootspa.com/?p=7158#comments
Update
DeWeese's use of map a scare tactic
08/19/2008
Updated 08/19/2008 12:09:26 PM EDT
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As he did two years ago on the campaign trail, state Rep. Bill DeWeese is flashing a laminated postcard-sized map of the state with lines showing where "Pennsylvania Budget Leaders" are from. The card is designed to visualize two things: How eight of the 13 are from the southeastern area of the state (including Philadelphia), and how DeWeese is the only one from southwestern Pennsylvania.
To the extent that one man's voice can make a strong difference among 13 equals, it's fair to say that DeWeese is the region's only presence at the budget table. But any implication that without DeWeese the three counties he represents, or the region in general, would fall into disarray or neglect is at best untrue imagery. At worst, it's nothing more than a scare tactic.
Looking at DeWeese's little map, the Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Erie areas have zero representation at the all-important budget table. Are we to take from that omission a belief that they get nothing, in terms of state assistance or projects? A look at Pittsburgh's new sports stadiums, built with significant state tax money, shows quite handily that a region can do quite well without someone actually sitting at the budget table.
Certainly, it's indisputable that DeWeese has gotten two state prisons (in Franklin and Luzerne townships) for his 50th Legislative District, and the possibility exists of adding a third in German Township. But truthfully, while those jobs are much needed and welcomed here, they are not the type of employment some other areas will accept.
DeWeese is also telling anyone who will listen that he served as Speaker of the House from 1993-94, a rare distinction for his district and rural areas in general. He's correct on both counts, and we can't and won't dismiss the magnitude of that accomplishment.
But what DeWeese isn't quick to reveal is this: He lost the speakership in 1994 because of a defection within his own Democratic Party - and he couldn't reclaim the prize when Democrats regained control in 2007 for the very same reason. In both cases, fellow Democrats fed up with DeWeese's leadership style lined up against him. That, too, appears to be a historical rarity for his district and the region in general, if not the entire state.
Granted, as majority leader for the current session, DeWeese has had to focus on big-picture issues that advance his caucus' agenda, things like education funding, energy strategy, mine safety reform and revamping the state's open records law. But those are items the caucus would likely advance anyway, no matter who was their floor leader. We can't imagine Democrats abandoning their core principles on governance should DeWeese no longer sit at the budget table,...
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20079722&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=468517&rfi=6
Updated below with response to a letter-to-the-editor writer who supports the re-election of Rep. Tim Mahoney.
Posting as Hold Them All Accountable, our commentary remains unpublished at the Herald-Standard possibly because references and links to document our material contains nothing from the Herald-Standard. That's because the Herald-Standard has not published anything pertaining to Rep. Tim Mahoney's legislation on open records that includes the original didn't apply to past records, and the Democratic controlled House version of open records was broadened to include "exemptions for electronic communications":
Leading Dem calls on DeWeese to resign post
By Brad Bumsted
STATE CAPITOL REPORTER
Thursday, August 21, 2008
...Dermody became the 13th House Democrat to call on DeWeese to step down. But none has done so since the first week of August. Asked why he waited, Dermody said he wanted to give DeWeese "every opportunity to see what he'd do."
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_584067.html
August 6, 2008 - 4:34pm
Tally board on DeWeese resigning leadership postionBy Wally Edge
http://www.politickerpa.com/wallyedgepa/1129/tally-board-deweese-resigning-leadership-postion
Update:
Grassroots PA continued discussion
http://grassrootspa.com/?p=7158#comments
Update: Not on the DeWeese leadership books???
$ for Green advice??
William J. Green, a Pittsburgh public relations consultant, has worked for House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese and the Democratic Caucus since last year, but the taxpayer-paid bills don't show up in leadership expense accounts.
"(Green) has advised us," said William Chadwick, a Washington lawyer paid by the House Democratic Caucus to oversee legal representation for a grand jury investigation of alleged corruption at the Capitol. Chadwick's firm, which is paid more than $800,000 in tax money, pays Green for public relations work. The caucus payments to Chadwick are public record...
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_582560.html
vial link from http://grassrootspa.com/
Post Will DeWeeese Face Electoral Defeat for Wrong Understanding
In response to a Pittsburgh Post Gazette article Top bonus recipients aided top Dems
80 of 100 largest raises went to staff who worked for or gave money to Veon, DeWeese campaigns Sunday, February 11, 2007 By Tracie Mauriello and Jon Schmitz, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pennsylvania state Representative H. William DeWeese apparently penned or emailed or texted the following:
In praise of state bonuses Pennsylvania House Majority Leader BILL DEWEESE says bonuses for Democratic employees reward hard work and save money long term Sunday, February 11, 2007
Bolded segment highlighted for discussion and review.
When initially questioned about the staff payments by the media, I believed that the information already was a matter of public record, just like all staff salaries have been for years. However, my understanding of this matter was wrong. This was in no way an attempt to keep anything from the public; rather I misunderstood what information already was available to the public.
(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 11, 2007, H. William DeWeese, "In praise of state bonuses" http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07042/760842-109.stm )
Brad Bumstead opinion as retained at fixpa also reprinted here for discussion purposes.
DeWeese's statement upon (July 2008) indictments handed down by Tom Corbett.
Veon, Ramaley charged in bonus scandal
By Brad Bumsted STATE CAPITOL REPORTER Friday, July 11, 2008
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_577061.html
Said DeWeese: "Today's announcement is an indictment of a culture that has existed in all four caucuses of the General Assembly for far too long, and which I committed to changing upon my re-election in 2006. I share the outrage felt today by taxpayers across the state; however, I can assure Pennsylvanians that the reforms we implemented this session will safeguard against future abuse of tax dollars." [21] Thursday's "announcement is an indictment of a culture that has existed in all four caucuses of the General Assembly for far too long, and which I committed to changing upon my re-election in 2006," said DeWeese, a previous House speaker who was first elected in 1976.[20]
Mr. DeWeese issued a statement calling the charges "an indictment of a culture that has existed in all four caucuses of the General Assembly for far too long."[2]
Pennsylvanians deserve nothing less," DeWeese said. Although he was in charge of all the employees indicted, DeWeese said he did not have in-depth knowledge of all that they did.[4]
http://newsfeedresearcher.com/data/articles_n29/idn2008.07.14.00.14.35.html#hdng7
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Timeline inclusive of the following
Jan. 27, 2007
The Harrisburg Patriot-News reports that some Democratic House employees received hefty bonuses accompanied by letters saying: "Since this bonus payment is of an extraordinary nature not widely received by your colleagues, we cannot stress strongly enough the need for you not to discuss this with any other person or member."
Jan. 28, 2007
Mr. DeWeese's office tells reporters that the bonuses are an "internal caucus matter" and won't discuss them or release copies of the letters sent to employees. Meanwhile, House Speaker Dennis O'Brien, R-Philadelphia, says he will order salary lists to be released.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08162/888801-85.stm
November 2006 election results
An "internal" "in-house" "investigation" conducted by Chadwick Associates at the behest of DeWeese as revealed by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. An internal, in-house investigation begun, according to the article, in March, (2007) (as the article is written Dec. 16, 2007)
E-mails show how Dems tied staffers' bonuses to campaign work
Sunday, December 16, 2007
By Dennis B. Roddy and Tracie Mauriello, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
HARRISBURG -- E-mail messages exchanged by top aides in the Democratic caucus starting in 2004 make clear that taxpayer-funded bonuses were given to legislative employees for their work on election campaigns.
The messages, obtained by the Post-Gazette, are a key component in an investigation by Attorney General Tom Corbett into the bonuses and whether they constituted an illegal use of state money for political work...
...DeWeese investigation
Most of the e-mails and spreadsheets were first uncovered by House Majority Leader H. William DeWeese, of Waynesburg, who had delegated much of the day-to-day operation of the caucus to Mr. Veon. Mr. DeWeese, after accumulating information from state computers, provided thousands of e-mail exchanges, which are now at the core of the state attorney general's case.
None of the materials obtained by the Post-Gazette suggests that Mr. DeWeese was aware of the scheme. Mr. Veon did not respond to a message seeking comment.
After initially being told by staff that the bonuses were routine seniority and holiday awards, Mr. DeWeese said he discovered that the bonuses amounted to $1.9 million. He then ordered an internal inquiry, calling in William Chadwick, a former prosecutor, in March, prior to the announcement of a criminal probe by the attorney general.
Mr. Chadwick's in-house probe resulted in the accumulation of tens of thousands of e-mails that had been automatically archived but which most employees thought had been deleted long ago.
In all, 31,000 archived e-mails thought to have been deleted were later recovered.
The inquiry also found that virtually every e-mail regarding pay bonuses sent on the caucus computer system in 2006 had been erased, as had all record of Mr. Veon's e-mails. What investigators later uncovered were e-mails from 2004 and 2005 that included an outline of the scheme that suggested it had been ongoing for several years.
The Post-Gazette obtained copies of some 2006 e-mails -- most of them sent by Stephen Keefer, director of the Democratic House Information Technologies department which oversaw the computer system used by caucus members. They reflect the level of political activity apparently taking place inside the Capitol offices, a place where partisan campaigning is legally forbidden.
They begin with a Feb. 27 dispatch to information technologies employees pressing them to work for Mr. Veon's primary campaign. In subsequent e-mails, Mr. Keefer speaks of "locking myself in the office today" to focus on Veon duties, and one week before the primaries assures colleagues who can't reach him, "sorry folks, only one more week." Mr. Veon's political committee, in fact, sent blast e-mails into the caucus accounts pressing for volunteers to come forward and work on his campaign.
The deletion of the 2006 e-mails and attempted destruction of documents in the Democratic Office of Legislative Research are among matters under investigation by the attorney general.
While the e-mails focus entirely on what appears to be a Democratic caucus practice of using state funds to pay volunteers for political work, Mr. Corbett's office is also investigating complaints of similar activities in the Republican caucus.
On Nov. 13 Mr. DeWeese forced out seven top House Democratic aides, including his chief of staff, Michael Manzo. He acted after receiving information from Mr. Chadwick, the Washington attorney and security consultant he had hired months earlier...
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07350/842079-85.stm
November 14, 2007
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/press.aspx?id=3117
Pennsylvania AG Tom Corbett's statement announcing LaGrotta’s indictment
Corruption As Far As The Eye Can See
Let Freedom Ring (Free subscription) | 11/15/2007
http://www.wikio.com/us/states/pennsylvania/cities_and_towns/delaware_county
Former state Rep. LaGrotta indicted in corruption case
By Kori Walter, Times Capital Bureau
Published: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 11:00 PM EST
http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2007/11/14/news/top_stories/doc473bb47eeb1b2384764719.txt
DeWeese, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's December 2007 article E-mails show how Dems tied staffers' bonuses to campaign work Sunday, December 16, 2007 By Dennis B. Roddy and Tracie Mauriello, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had hired Chadwick Associates who combed through legislative electronic communications prior to AG Tom Corbett's announcement of an investigation into staff bonuses and campaign work.
The messages, obtained by the Post-Gazette, are a key component in an investigation by Attorney General Tom Corbett into the bonuses and whether they constituted an illegal use of state money for political work.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07350/842079-85.stm
PennPatriot: DeWeese may just weasel his way out of bonus investigation
05 December 2007
In November the bonus investigation was front page news as DeWeese suddenly fired seven top democratic caucus staffers including his Chief of Staff, Mike Manzo. Apparently Manzo was the staffer who approved the hiring of former state Rep. Frank LaGrotta's, D-Ellwood City, sister and niece for phantom consulting jobs. The other members of the caucus staff were heavily involved in 2006 political campaigns and were responsible for distributing the 1.9 million dollars worth of staff bonuses. The same bonuses that came with a letter from DeWeese urging the recipients not to disclose them to anyone.
http://pennpatriot.blogspot.com/2007/11/deweese-may-have-found-way-to-weasel.html
DeWeese promotional website
http://www.billdeweese.com/content/page/id/198
and here
Letters to the recipients that bore DeWeese's signature instructed them to keep quiet about the supplemental payments. DeWeese has said he did not know about the letters or the scope of the bonuses. DeWeese was not charged, and Corbett declined to comment about him.
http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=104&sid=1438282
DeWeese asserts the AG determined a letter sent on DeWeese's behalf to staffers was forged.
Why should voters believe that Bill was not involved?
The Pennsylvania Attorney General's office reviewed tens of thousands of documents, read thousands of email communications, and interviewed more than 200 people, including those who worked most closely with Bill. The Grand Jury findings did not contain any indication that Bill knew about the behavior. In fact, the Grand Jury found that these people took great pains to conceal their activity - as would anyone committing a crime. Prosecutors alleged they even falsified a letter in Bill's name telling everyone to keep quiet...
http://www.billdeweese.com/content/page/id/198
DeWeese promotional site states DeWeese took action.
fired key people
eliminated staff bonuses
12 indictments announced Veon, Ramaley charged in bonus scandal By Brad Bumsted STATE CAPITOL REPORTER Friday, July 11, 2008
Said DeWeese: "Today's announcement is an indictment of a culture that has existed in all four caucuses of the General Assembly for far too long, and which I committed to changing upon my re-election in 2006. I share the outrage felt today by taxpayers across the state; however, I can assure Pennsylvanians that the reforms we implemented this session will safeguard against future abuse of tax dollars."
Bill DeWeese, ahead of the avalanche
Sunday, November 18, 2007
By Brian O'Neill, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
With a former colleague indicted and seven of his top aides thrown over the side last week, state House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese would seem to have roughly the survival odds of General Custer...
...It's hard to see how Mr. DeWeese survives "Bonusgate.'' As this newspaper reported nine months ago, 80 of the 100 Democratic House staffers who were awarded big state bonuses last year either donated money to or worked on the campaigns of Mr. DeWeese or his right-hand man, former Rep. Mike Veon. Mr. Veon's Beaver County constituents booted him in the November 2006 election, before the $1.9 million tab for all these election-year bonuses even came to light.
But Mr. DeWeese does not intend to be buried by an avalanche of bad press. He characterizes himself as cooperating with Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett "since Day One'' of his investigation. After he felt misled by staff on the bonuses, Mr. DeWeese said, he hired William G. Chadwick, a former Philadelphia prosecutor and inspector general for Gov. Robert P. Casey, "to assess our operations and improve our internal controls.''
Mr. Chadwick's findings led to the sacking of the top aides, Mr. DeWeese said, and his office provided the evidence that led to Thursday's arraignment of former Rep. Frank LaGrotta. An Ellwood City Democrat who had been a reliable DeWeese ally for 20 years before his defeat in 2006, Mr. LaGrotta has been charged with two felony counts for hiring his sister and niece as "ghost employees.''
Mr. DeWeese pointed out that he fired Mr. LaGrotta from doing legislative research four months before charges were brought.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07322/834600-155.stm
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
PA House Leader DeWeese No Questions on Open Records Email Blanket Exemptions
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/04/pa-house-leader-deweese-no-questions-on.html
Open Records PA
(Patriot News) request to release employee payroll and staff bonuses (Also see Post-Gazette Timeline which gives the nod to the Patriot-News on the request for info)
DeWeese voted No while Mahoney, Kula and Daley voted yes.
Bumstead's Shh! More State Secrets November 11, 2007 Yes vote would have removed "blanket exemptions for legislative emails."
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/bumsted/s_537390.html
Absence of re-elected DeWeese's name from a December 2006 PA Newspaper Association's Brighter Pennsylvania "open records" effort
https://www.pa-newspaper.org/web/2006/09/brighter_pennsylvania_supporters.aspx
Bill DeWeese, ahead of the avalanche
Sunday, November 18, 2007
By Brian O'Neill, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Mr. DeWeese pointed out that he fired Mr. LaGrotta from doing legislative research four months before charges were brought...
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07322/834600-155.stm
Brain Scans Make for More Accurate Lie Detector Tests
by Noah Adams and Ira Flatow
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4197049
Don't Even Think About Lying
How brain scans are reinventing the science of lie detection.
By Steve Silberman
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.01/lying.html
Net the Truth Online
Forum: In praise of state bonuses
Pennsylvania House Majority Leader BILL DEWEESE says bonuses for Democratic employees reward hard work and save money long term
Sunday, February 11, 2007
In an effort to return the media and public focus on state government back to where it should be -- on important policy initiatives such as health-care reform, property-tax reductions, education and the development of alternative-energy sources, I offer the following background and explanation regarding House Democratic Caucus employee incentive compensation that was awarded under my watch.
The state budget provides each political party caucus leader with an annual allocation for staff compensation. Further, the 3rd Circuit Federal Court of Appeals has ruled that the Legislature has given caucus leaders the responsibility and discretion to spend the money needed to operate each respective caucus. The House Democratic Caucus pay scale is the lowest of all four legislative caucuses. In accordance with state law and House rules, the checks for last year were paid out of the annual appropriation allotted for House employee salaries, benefits, unemployment compensation and pensions.
Compensation in any organization is a very personal, emotional and divisive subject that lends itself to a plethora of subjective judgments. In the public sector, this is compounded by the additional challenge that our compensation is a matter of public record.
When initially questioned about the staff payments by the media, I believed that the information already was a matter of public record, just like all staff salaries have been for years. However, my understanding of this matter was wrong. This was in no way an attempt to keep anything from the public; rather I misunderstood what information already was available to the public.
It is my hope that the bipartisan Speaker's Commission on Legislative Reform will consider this issue in the coming weeks as they undertake a serious review of House rules. The full House of Representatives is expected to debate and vote on the group's recommendations during the week of March 12, and I fully expect that increased public access to House records will be part of that debate.
As the House Democratic leader, several years ago I instructed my staff to undertake a top-to-bottom study of the pay scales of all four legislative caucuses and the executive branch. As I said earlier, the House Democratic Caucus was, and continues to be, at the bottom of that list. Compensation incentives are one way to promote higher levels of productivity. I'm told that even the U.S. Department of Justice uses such payments to reward exceptional performance in U.S. attorneys' offices.
Compensation incentives to staff are but one tool organizations use to reward employees. We are no different. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, many other states make use of incentive payments because they can save on long-term payroll costs: They do not elevate base pay and, therefore, are not carried forward in perpetuity through pension increases. Most compensation analysts recommend incentive payments as a tool to drive increased productivity.
To recognize employees' efforts each year, the House Democratic Personnel and Procedures Manual allows special meritorious incentive payments to be awarded. These payments may be awarded upon the recommendation of mid- and higher-level managers to those employees whose salaries are capped, yet who still provide valuable service to the caucus, and for those who have done exceptional work.
Many individuals have received payments because they developed new tools to help our caucus members perform their jobs better for their constituents, spent late nights working when the House was in session, worked on holidays and weekends, and helped us to implement important policy initiatives including, but not limited to, such things as increasing the minimum wage, making historic investments in education and continuing our fight to provide health-care coverage for every child in Pennsylvania.
Also, near the end of each year, we have provided scaled "years-of-service payments" to every House Democratic Caucus employee who has been employed at least one year to recognize their faithful service to the caucus. I don't expect everyone to agree that compensation incentives are a useful management tool. Nevertheless, all of these payments have had a positive effect on morale and teamwork, and, I believe, have enhanced overall employee productivity.
First published on February 11, 2007 at 12:00 am
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07042/760842-109.stm
House miserly with payroll records By Brad Bumsted, STATE CAPITOL REPORTER, February 3, 2007
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_491624.html
HARRISBURG -- While lawmakers tout reform and transparency in government, the state House refuses to let the public fully examine its taxpayer-financed payroll.
A long-standing policy permits citizens to review only 15 salaries at a time. That means it would take more than three months to review all 1,700 House salaries if the chief clerk's office agreed to accommodate such a request each day.
Not releasing the full payroll has "just always been the policy of this office since the beginning of time," said Denise Johnson, executive secretary of the clerk's office. It's an "inner-office policy," said Johnson, who might release 20 names a day on a large request.
Asked how long it would take to get the first 15 House salaries, Johnson said Friday: "It would not be today."
Transparency emerged as an issue this week when House leaders disclosed that bonuses paid to staffers exceeded $3.6 million during the past two years, including more than $2.3 million for Democrats alone.
"No way," said Mable Mazza, of Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County, a retiree. "You should be able to see it, because it's public record."
She said the bonuses paid to legislative staffers amount to "theft by deception."
"There should be a better accounting. They should account for every dollar they get," said Stanley Shutok, 85, of Canonsburg, Washington County, a retired Air Force major. He thinks the House payroll policy and legislative staff bonuses are wrong.
"How do they get away with it? I thought it was supposed to be out in the open," Shutok said.
The Senate provides a complete payroll for inspection in Harrisburg, but typically after a delay of a few days or weeks.
This week, Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, a Jefferson County Republican who has pledged to operate the Senate with transparency, made available in about five minutes the full payroll for Senate employees. Senate Republicans were the first caucus to release a list of staff bonuses.
Neither House Democrats nor House Republican leaders released their payrolls when producing the bonuses. Such records show how much staff members are paid annually, the legislators to whom they are assigned, where and what hours they work, and whether they are provided certain benefits.
Tom Andrews, spokesman for House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, D-Greene County, argued that payroll records are available in the House Chief Clerk's Office, even if they must be requested 15 at a time. Andrews, who received a $12,750 bonus last year, told reporters who wanted the information to check with the clerk's office.
The information House Republicans released on bonuses included a number that officials said showed what percentage of an employee's salary the bonus represented. There were 264 bonuses on the House GOP list -- only a fraction of the caucus' employees.
"They are just trying to make the process harder," said Rep. Tim Mahoney, a Uniontown Democrat who advocates open records.
Yet, House and Senate leaders say they'll support legislation to apply the state's Right to Know Law to the Legislature, which exempted itself when writing the law.
House Speaker Dennis O'Brien, R-Philadelphia, said a commission he formed to study legislative reforms should consider the policy allowing only piecemeal review of payroll information.
"I'm not trying to dodge this," O'Brien said in an interview this week. "They are issues we will submit to the reform commission for a recommendation and a response. I don't want to pre-judge. It's a policy issue they should look at."
The disclosure of staff bonuses was "almost a slap in the face, at a time when you are trying to put confidence back in the system," said Rep. Mark Mustio, R-Moon, who supports full release of payroll information. "I am for showing everything."
Brad Bumsted can be reached at bbumsted@tribweb.com or (717) 787-1405.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_491624.html
http://fixpa.wikia.com/wiki/Payroll
House leaders OK release of staff bonuses data
April 06, 2007
BY JAN MURPHY
Of The Patriot-News
HARRISBURG — The state Treasury is compiling House of Representatives payroll records relating to this year's staff bonuses that were requested by The Patriot-News, and it might release the information by next week, officials said...
http://www.openrecordspa.org/news11.html
Said DeWeese: "Today's announcement is an indictment of a culture that has existed in all four caucuses of the General Assembly for far too long, and which I committed to changing upon my re-election in 2006. I share the outrage felt today by taxpayers across the state; however, I can assure Pennsylvanians that the reforms we implemented this session will safeguard against future abuse of tax dollars." [21] Thursday's "announcement is an indictment of a culture that has existed in all four caucuses of the General Assembly for far too long, and which I committed to changing upon my re-election in 2006," said DeWeese, a previous House speaker who was first elected in 1976.[20]
Mr. DeWeese issued a statement calling the charges "an indictment of a culture that has existed in all four caucuses of the General Assembly for far too long."[2]
Pennsylvanians deserve nothing less," DeWeese said. Although he was in charge of all the employees indicted, DeWeese said he did not have in-depth knowledge of all that they did.[4]
http://newsfeedresearcher.com/data/articles_n29/idn2008.07.14.00.14.35.html#hdng7
An aside
Two House Democratic leaders -- Minority Leader Bill DeWeese of Greene County and Minority Whip Mike Veon of Beaver County -- secured apparent primary victories despite their roles as architects of the pay raise. Veon was the sole legislator to vote against repealing the raises.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_454252.html
Give Mahoney credit, re-election
08/21/2008
Updated 08/20/2008 11:04:35 PM EDT
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For the past few months I have listened to and read comments by political has-beens and wanna-bes making adverse remarks about our state representatives of the 51st and 52nd districts.
They have been especially critical of Mr. Tim Mahoney of the 51st district. His predecessor stated that Mr. Mahoney is not the author of the open records law that was recently passed by this Legislature.
He is correct. The present law is not as restrictive as the bill proposed by Mr. Mahoney.
There was no way that the powers-that-be in Harrisburg were going to permit an audacious freshman legislator to be the author of a law that should have been enacted years earlier. Therefore, they eliminated parts of Mahoney's bill, thereby changing it and creating a new authorship.
No matter how you cut it, Mr. Mahoney was the driving force behind getting the open records law passed. This has been acknowledged by newspapers throughout the state, including the Herald-Standard. Mr. Mahoney is more interested in results than who gets credit for them.
Mr. Mahoney is concerned more with the legislators representing our area joining together to benefit the people of our area than he is in personal recognition. For the first time in my memory, they are working in unison. I think they deserve re-election.
Ralph A. Mazza
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20083432&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=468562&rfi=6
Submitted August 21, 2008 as comment to Give Mahoney credit, re-election
08/21/2008 remains unpublished in the commentary section
The original Mahoney bill didn't apply to "past records." It was entered into the legislative record March, 2007.
Note by the time Bumsted's article appeared - October, 2007) the original Mahoney legislation still only applied to "future records."
Pennsylvania pushes to open records By Brad Bumsted Tribune Review Tuesday, October 16, 2007 Lawmakers said they are working on the exemptions to records that would be publicly released, such as those containing trade secrets, Social Security numbers, credit reports and details of ongoing police investigations.Advocates are concerned about a provision in Mahoney's bill that would limit release to future records, Wilson said. Any records from the past would be covered by existing law, Mahoney said. "Why do we want to go backward when we should go forward?" he said.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_532821.htmlWednesday, January 30, 2008
PA Open Records Reform: Exemption Central
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/01/pa-open-records-reform-exemption.html
In the same October , Tim Potts, Democracy Rising PA, tagged HB 443, the "Corruption Protection Act." It's unclear whether the critic commented when identifying the original bill contained over 2-dozen exemptions, retained application only to "future records," unlike comparable open records bills in other states, or after the House state government committee attached an amendment which broadened the bill's exemption for electronic communication.
The PA Newspaper Association didn't quite accept the bill in its entirety to begin with, though it did support and pushed for the "flip of presumption," in other words the records' requester had to show the record was accessible before but the legislation flipped that presumption.
Even with that, the PNA complained about the orginal bill's not applying to past records. And it was Potts who continued to query, along with a few others, unnoticed, what's to hide?
Right after the State Government Committee action, however, the PNA not only pulled its support from HB 443, it urged citizens to contact legislators to vote against the bill.
In October, 2007:
The PNA urges citizens to contact their legislators and tell them to vote “no” on House Bill 443. The public has a right to access its government. This bill closes more records than it opens and is not in the best interest of Pennsylvania citizens.
http://passopenrecords.org/2007/10/19/proposed-amendments-to-hb-443-would-not-make-pa-government-more-open/
According to Brad Bumsted in Shh! More State Secrets November 11, 2007 another amendment, the Josephs amendment was presented which would have removed the broad language - the "blanket exemptions for legislative electronic communications."
While Rep. Mahoney voted yes, to remove the language, as did Kula, and Daley, colleague and Majority Leader, H. William DeWeese voted No.
The measure was defeated.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/bumsted/s_537390.html
DeWeese was never asked to explain this NO vote nor was he asked after his re-election in 2006, in December, to explain his lack of support for PNA's Brighter Pennsylvania project.
Absence of re-elected DeWeese's name from a December 2006 PA Newspaper Association's Brighter Pennsylvania "open records" efforts.
http://www.pa-newspaper.org/web/2006/09/brighter_pennsylvania_supporters.aspx
Therefore the bill the Democratic-majority-controlled House sent over to the Senate both didn't apply to past records and "closed more than it opened."
After the PNA pulled its support from HB 443, it pushed for some changes to Republican Senator "Pileggi's decent bill.
Key Pa. Senate leader backs wider state open-records law June 4, 2007 By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press Writer
http://www.openrecordspa.org/news21.html
The "flip of presumption" is one thing the House version can be credited with as comporting with Pileggi's Senate Bill 1. It's SB 1 that removed the House language pertaining to "blanket exemptions for electronic communication," and was retroactive, thus removing the House version's non-application to "past records."
http://senaterepublicannews.com/news/archived/2007/1107/pileggi-111407.htm
http://www.pasenategop.com/news/archived/2007/1107/pileggi-112807.htm
Recall in October, 2007, Mahoney stated at a Pass Open Records Press Conference:
"We don't need no more investigations..."
He has never been asked by this newspaper what he meant by the statement.
He's never been asked why the discrepancy in Yes votes among himself, Daley, and Kula and the No vote of DeWeese on Babette Josephs amendment.
It's as if these documented events and actual contents of both the original Mahoney HB 443 not applying to past records, and the broadened version which retained "blanket exemptions for electronic communication" (due in part to DeWeese's No vote) never happened.
Thing is, the actual record - open to the public - shows they did.
Hold Them All Accountable
Army Lt. Col. Russell As Mis-Representative a Newcomer as Veteran Murtha
Our site does not endorse candidates for political office. We simply want the truth whatever that truth reveals.
A challenger to incumbent U.S. Representative John Murtha made a campaign stop and guested on a local radio program August 1, 2008.
Army Lt. Col. William Russell was interviewed on WMBS 590's Let's Talk by Bob Foltz. The session was paid for by the candidate and lasted about one hour.
Foltz begins with a comment regarding Rep. John Murtha... he has said publicly he has not forgiven Congressman Murtha and has nothing but disdain for him regarding his comments about our Marines in Iraq, calling them cold-blooded murderers...
After some niceties, and a rundown of some local scheduled appearances, during the beginning of the program, Russell makes some remarks about the role of the United States government and the economy
Callers to the program made comments and asked some questions.
The second caller, identifying himself as Iceman, mentioned the recent reports of electrocutions of our United States servicemen, in Iraq.
See a selection of articles that had been making the rounds prior to or at the time of Russell's appearance on the radio program.
Russell made remarks which caused a few more calls about the situation of how the electrocutions were able to occur and who is ultimately responsible and should be held accountable.
Bill Russell needs to be asked point blank whether he is comfortable with no-bid contracts for plumbing work, electrical work, installment of hot water heaters, or any other work, etc. in Iraq, and whether the code regulations and any other government regs which U.S. companies conducting such work in the United States must follow should also be "immediately" employed in any other country, particularly one or more where there is continued "discontent" with America.
It was shocking Russell appeared to make an excuse for the inexcusable potential for electrocutions based on inadequate or even lack of proper government rules and regulations of the Pentagon of these United States of America.
Note: We made postings about Rep. Murtha's comments about U.S. troops in Haditha being cold blooded murderers.
His comments should be rejected and evidence of his actual MIS-Representation of all of his constituents.
Search results
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/search?q=john+murtha+haditha
Net the Truth Online
Selected articles from google search
A challenger to incumbent U.S. Representative John Murtha made a campaign stop and guested on a local radio program August 1, 2008.
Army Lt. Col. William Russell was interviewed on WMBS 590's Let's Talk by Bob Foltz. The session was paid for by the candidate and lasted about one hour.
Foltz begins with a comment regarding Rep. John Murtha... he has said publicly he has not forgiven Congressman Murtha and has nothing but disdain for him regarding his comments about our Marines in Iraq, calling them cold-blooded murderers...
After some niceties, and a rundown of some local scheduled appearances, during the beginning of the program, Russell makes some remarks about the role of the United States government and the economy
Bill Russell ...set perameters for security and protection... provide infrastructure... it is a path of destruction when government sets out to create jobs... interferes with the natural economy...
Russell addresses ANWR... supports drilling there... refusing allowing us to use our own resources hurts the local economy and the people struggling there... it would make such a difference...
Russell says he was among those in the Pentagon on September 11, 2001... son youngest survivor... wife also there that day... ...he knows and understands the costs... the price that was paid numerous times, but especially Sept. 11... less than 50 meters from office he was in... as soldiers in Iraq... we know and understand the price we have to pay... the American sheep dog... protection... much rather take on the enemy over there rather than over here... this is always a challenge... best when we can establish the initiative... take on the enemy over there rather than over here...
talked about illegal immigration... get the wall done... what is our national identity... a large piece is the language we speak... the language we speak drives how we think... words such as liberty and freedom that have a specific meaning to us... supports making English the official language of United States... the language of liberty... foreign language locks our youth into a certain status...
Callers to the program made comments and asked some questions.
The second caller, identifying himself as Iceman, mentioned the recent reports of electrocutions of our United States servicemen, in Iraq.
See a selection of articles that had been making the rounds prior to or at the time of Russell's appearance on the radio program.
Russell made remarks which caused a few more calls about the situation of how the electrocutions were able to occur and who is ultimately responsible and should be held accountable.
Here's an unofficial transcript of the segment.
Caller ... thanks Russell for his service to his country... for his sacrifice... asks about reports about servicemen and women being electrocuted in Iraq while taking showers... KBR, a military contractor... what saddens him government stooping to new low... uncovered, according to documents, some personnel in Defense department, Congress and members of United States House and Senate actually knew about the electrocutions but were dragging feet... military people being electrocuted... bad enough being bombed and shot at... we have our own government dragging its feet and almost like a conspiracy covering it up... hot water tanks put in were shipped from China and not allowed in U.S. didn't meet our specifications... defects... how could anyone let them install a defective product...but it's OK over there... how could anyone permit this... as low as you can get...
Russell... an issue he dealt with in his job in Iraq... Division Force Protection Officer a security and safety detection officer... there is no conspiracy when you set up entire new cities in a system broken infrastructure... there are inherent dangers... one electrocution when the serviceman was going by lamp post... some in abolition units electrocuted from shower and toilet units ... when moved... these get jerry rigged... in two cases he remembers, one in shower... not properly grounded... soldiers had actually jerry rigged or contractor may have been iraqi or foreign nationals had not properly bolted or not installed according to code... when have a choice not having a shower at all... they will take the shower...
some subcontractors bring a lot of skills...
Debbie Rhodes (guest with Russell) says Russell decorated for his service on security and safety in Iraq...
Third caller ...has comment and question... status quo a lot of what you're speaking of... Murtha failed American people, not supporting but we need someone who does not support the status quo... other caller why water heaters allowed in Iraq, but not in America... illegal immigration... we need someone to stand up and stop the status quo... how are you going to be different...
Russell... slams the continuation of earmarks, undermining our troops, hidden expenditures... change is about setting people free economically and not being disturbed by these earmarks... wants small companies to thrive and do so on basis of the market... winning war on terror must use every tool at our disposal... supporting the current strategy... as outlined General Petraes...
not calling our soldiers cold-blooded murderers...
when heard Murtha's remarks... and the injuries of our men and women... couldn't let Murtha's comments stand unchallenged...
Foltz ... as a former Marine take offense at that... doesn't understand how Murtha could say such and calls himself a Marine...
End unofficial transcript and excerpts
Russell Brigade
russellbrigade.com noted as official website
(unofficial transcript by Net the Truth Online of WMBS 590 LET'S TALK AUGUST 1, 2008 from CD recording noted as Paid Political Announcement William Russell)
Bill Russell needs to be asked point blank whether he is comfortable with no-bid contracts for plumbing work, electrical work, installment of hot water heaters, or any other work, etc. in Iraq, and whether the code regulations and any other government regs which U.S. companies conducting such work in the United States must follow should also be "immediately" employed in any other country, particularly one or more where there is continued "discontent" with America.
It was shocking Russell appeared to make an excuse for the inexcusable potential for electrocutions based on inadequate or even lack of proper government rules and regulations of the Pentagon of these United States of America.
Note: We made postings about Rep. Murtha's comments about U.S. troops in Haditha being cold blooded murderers.
His comments should be rejected and evidence of his actual MIS-Representation of all of his constituents.
Search results
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/search?q=john+murtha+haditha
Saturday, February 23, 2008
PA U.S. Rep. John Murtha Unopposed in Primary Possibility General Should Challenge Stand
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/02/pa-us-rep-john-murtha-unopposed-in.html
Sunday, September 30, 2007
John Murtha Ordered to Talk in Defamation Case
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2007/09/john-murtha-ordered-to-talk-in.html
Former angelfire blog disagreed with Herald-Standard editorial on Haditha Marines
Sunday, 4 June 2006
Should John Murtha and the media prove wrong, they should suffer consequences. The situation is that Iraqi witnesses in Haditha have accused Marines of killing innocent civilians. Haditha is a stronghold of so-called Insurgents, and one group has been deemed terroristic. What do you think poor and fearful Iraqis are going to say? Are they going to say, by the way, the terrorists have put the fear of death in us, holding guns and bombs to our heads, so we better not tell you what happened here that makes the U.S. Marines look like heroes.
See my new blogspot postings (links here unable to highlight to click)
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/
Net the Truth Online: Should the Iraqis' Accounts of Marines Killing Innocents Prove False Rep. Murtha and Media Using anonymous sources should suffer
Herald-Standard
Bad situation: Marines accused of killing Iraqi civilians
War is a messy business where mistakes can be made, but if it's true that U.S. Marines killed two dozen Iraqi civilians last November, including women and children, that misstep will only serve to further undermine an increasingly shaky U.S. mission.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.asp?brd=2280&pag=460&dept_id=468517
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/truthonline/nettruthonline/
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
John Murtha & Haditha Incident Update Report
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2007/04/john-murtha-haditha-incident-update.html
Search site results
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/search?q=john+murtha+marines
Net the Truth Online
Pentagon says shock reports exaggerated
Published: July 29, 2008 at 9:08 PM
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/07/29/Pentagon_says_shock_reports_exaggerated/UPI-84791217380121/
We are Shocked! We are Shocked!
(No, Really, We’re Shocked)
By Jim Washburn
Published: 07/23/2008
http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/we_are_shocked_we_are_shocked/7293/
07/30/2008 - CBS News
Contractor Cleared In Iraq Electrocution
An interim Defense Department report has found no evidence KBR was involved in the death of at least one U.S. soldier electrocuted in Iraq. The inspector general's report said while electrical systems in Iraq were known to 'pose a hazard to personnel,' there is no evidence Houston-based KBR Inc. was aware of any life-threatening hazards at the Army barracks where Sgt. Ryan Maseth died. Maseth, an Army Ranger and Green Beret from Pittsburgh, was electrocuted in January while showering.
http://www.silobreaker.com/DocumentReader.aspx?Item=5_885753105
House Committee Members Grill KBR On 16 Electrocutions of Troops in Iraq
7/31/2008
By Bruce Buckley
http://enr.construction.com/news/intl/archives/080731.asp
Selected articles from google search
Lawmakers Press KBR, DOD About Electrocution Deaths - ENR | McGraw-Hill Construction
Publication Date: 06-AUG-08
Author: 0271-52219
Description
Members of Congress continue to pose tough questions for contractor KBR and Dept. of Defense officials about the deaths of soldiers in Iraq from faulty wiring at military facilities. At a heated July 30 hearing, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee members sought to determine responsibility for the Jan. 8 death of Army Sgt. Ryan Maseth. He was electrocuted while showering in a KBR-maintained facility. An ungrounded water pump was cited as the source of the incident.
http://enr.ecnext.com/coms2/article_nefiar080806b
NEW BATTLEGROUND
By David M. Brown
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Moments after Army Lt. Col. William Russell ended his 28-year military career, the Iraq war veteran revved up his Harley-Davidson and set out on an improbable journey.
In his first political outing, Russell is trying to topple a political giant.
The 45-year-old Republican this weekend kicked off his campaign against U.S. Rep. John Murtha, 76, of Johnstown, a powerful Democrat and decorated Vietnam War veteran seeking a 19th term.
"Murtha has a lot of issues on his hands, in terms of keeping his seat this November. There are chinks in the armor," contended Russell, who rode a motorcycle to greet supporters at a rally in Uniontown. The event at 12:01 a.m. Friday marked the start of Russell's civilian life and the end of military restrictions on his campaign.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/search/s_581186.html
U.S. Grants from on High Public Taxpayer Ignored Again
Watch for the earmark
Fox News Network did an entire program on the Congressional earmark scams in the U.s. House of Representatives.
Where's the public outcry? Few and far between. Guess it's ok if we don't call the monies taxpayer money, but like the following portrays...
Fox News Network did an entire program on the Congressional earmark scams in the U.s. House of Representatives.
Where's the public outcry? Few and far between. Guess it's ok if we don't call the monies taxpayer money, but like the following portrays...
Murtha opens facility
08/12/2008
Updated 08/12/2008 12:15:35 AM EDT
MOUNT PLEASANT - U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha, D-Johnstown, and chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Monday opened the new Pittsburgh Electric Engines Inc. (PEEI) research and manufacturing facility in Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County.
PEEI is developing a Turbo Fuel Cell Engine for transportation and mobile power applications.
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19904054&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=468520&rfi=6
PA Bonusgate Lists Helped 2006 Winners
Will the same "taxpayer funded" email addresses and listings (noted as a little known part of the Corbett bonus-gate investigation) - which were reportedly in 2006 used to help legislators' election bids according to this
$1.7 million Pa. spam scam outlined
Prosecutors say House Democrats used public funds for e-mail with campaign themes.
By Mario F. Cattabiani
and this 'Little fish' snag Pa. Bonusgate immunity By RICHARD FELLINGER Public Opinion Harrisburg Bureau
and according to the PA Bonusgate Grand Jury Report as summarized (posted by oldconservative hippie) here )
and details straight from the AG, accessible here
- be utilized again in this election cycle?
Were any incoming winners of the 2006 Pennsylvania General Election, freshmen, given any such allegedly taxpayer-funded lists by anyone in Harrisburg to help them win in their local districts, for instance, locally, Deberah Kula and Timothy Mahoney?
H. William DeWeese should be asked about the email address listings and whether these lists were used to help the campaign bids of anyone within his legislative representative district.
If these same lists remain accessible to state incumbents, (just because the lists are under investigation doesn't mean copies have not been made using high-tech methodology) should these same lists be subject to the current new and improved open records law? That legislation has been touted as making PA history, forever more. Let's test it.
There's more. What about political campaign websites as noted in a Tribune-Review article the state grand jury's report alleges were created/maintained using taxpayers' monies.
And summarized in part in the report (posted at the old conservative hippie site)...
Where's the specific public report on all of these public matters? Whose political websites were created for political campaign purposes using potentially Pennsylvania taxpayers' monies? Name of domain creator, site, cost, what were or potentially remain as the contents of the political campaign websites created or maintained by firms or connected firms mentioned in the Bonus-gate Grand Jury material?
Many domains are pulled when they expire, but others are simply hidden from view. Were any Pennsylvania incumbents or wannabe legislators' political campaign websites maintained or created using taxpayers monies prior to 2006 Primary Election or General Election?
The Grand Jury could take years to wrap up an investigation into Bonusgate. It would be a shame if the public didn't have access to all of the information it needs to make informed choices for the 2008 statewide elections. Most notably, what is at stake the status quo, corrupted, vs real change.
We often wonder if such can become reality given the entrenched two-political party majority which in Pennsylvania salivates every time third party or independent equal access to the ballot is even whispered.
No matter which side did how much when, sometimes it's a matter of voters having a better choice than neither of the two, or none of the above.
Net the Truth Online
And don't forget to wonder just exactly who Veon may have helped to get elected... using taxpayer funded "resources." Whose campaigns exactly did Veon employees work on?
Don't forget to ask additional questions of Rep. DeWeese related to Democratic state House staffers who...
(this post was inspired by fellow citizen investigators who encouraged us with their insight and pertinent questions)
$1.7 million Pa. spam scam outlined
Prosecutors say House Democrats used public funds for e-mail with campaign themes.
By Mario F. Cattabiani
and this 'Little fish' snag Pa. Bonusgate immunity By RICHARD FELLINGER Public Opinion Harrisburg Bureau
and according to the PA Bonusgate Grand Jury Report as summarized (posted by oldconservative hippie) here )
and details straight from the AG, accessible here
July 10, 2008
Attorney General Corbett announces charges in legislative bonus investigation - 12 suspects charged in 1st phase of the investigation
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/press.aspx?id=3771
- be utilized again in this election cycle?
Were any incoming winners of the 2006 Pennsylvania General Election, freshmen, given any such allegedly taxpayer-funded lists by anyone in Harrisburg to help them win in their local districts, for instance, locally, Deberah Kula and Timothy Mahoney?
H. William DeWeese should be asked about the email address listings and whether these lists were used to help the campaign bids of anyone within his legislative representative district.
If these same lists remain accessible to state incumbents, (just because the lists are under investigation doesn't mean copies have not been made using high-tech methodology) should these same lists be subject to the current new and improved open records law? That legislation has been touted as making PA history, forever more. Let's test it.
There's more. What about political campaign websites as noted in a Tribune-Review article the state grand jury's report alleges were created/maintained using taxpayers' monies.
And summarized in part in the report (posted at the old conservative hippie site)...
Buxton testified that his contract appeared to be for legitimate legislative work performed by his company, but that the contract was for services completely unnecessary to the Caucus and was a vehicle for the House Democratic Caucus to pay for campaign e-mail communication.
From subpoenaed contracts, invoices and Buxton's records, the grand jury found that the House Democratic Caucus paid $420,000 to Buxton's company between August 2005 and October 2007. Additionally, the grand jury discovered a second vendor, Gravity Webb Media, who was engaged in campaign work by providing candidate websites and mass e-mails. This cost the taxpayers more than $82,000 in 2006. This amounted to more than a half million dollars in taxpayers' funds used solely for campaign work...
http://www.oldhippie.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=783;sa=showPosts
Where's the specific public report on all of these public matters? Whose political websites were created for political campaign purposes using potentially Pennsylvania taxpayers' monies? Name of domain creator, site, cost, what were or potentially remain as the contents of the political campaign websites created or maintained by firms or connected firms mentioned in the Bonus-gate Grand Jury material?
Many domains are pulled when they expire, but others are simply hidden from view. Were any Pennsylvania incumbents or wannabe legislators' political campaign websites maintained or created using taxpayers monies prior to 2006 Primary Election or General Election?
The Grand Jury could take years to wrap up an investigation into Bonusgate. It would be a shame if the public didn't have access to all of the information it needs to make informed choices for the 2008 statewide elections. Most notably, what is at stake the status quo, corrupted, vs real change.
We often wonder if such can become reality given the entrenched two-political party majority which in Pennsylvania salivates every time third party or independent equal access to the ballot is even whispered.
No matter which side did how much when, sometimes it's a matter of voters having a better choice than neither of the two, or none of the above.
Net the Truth Online
And don't forget to wonder just exactly who Veon may have helped to get elected... using taxpayer funded "resources." Whose campaigns exactly did Veon employees work on?
Veon's Capitol Campaign Organization
The grand jury found that Veon, who had one of the largest Capitol and legislative staffs of any member, ran an illegal campaign organization from his offices which included fundraising, opposition research, the preparation and distribution of campaign mailings, blast e-mail messages and nomination petition challenges.
The grand jury found that Veon, through Foreman and Cott, directed Veon's employees to "volunteer" for work on specific political campaigns. Veon's employees accumulated days or weeks of fraudulent comp time so they could spend time away from their legislative offices and still be paid their taxpayer-funded salaries while they worked on campaigns.
The grand jury also heard how Veon turned his Beaver County district office into a campaign machine. The office equipment including the copy machine, computers and printers were all used to create and print campaign material.
http://www.oldhippie.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=783;sa=showPosts
Don't forget to ask additional questions of Rep. DeWeese related to Democratic state House staffers who...
Top bonus recipients aided top Dems
80 of 100 largest raises went to staff who worked for or gave money to Veon, DeWeese campaigns
Sunday, February 11, 2007
By Tracie Mauriello and Jon Schmitz, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
HARRISBURG -- Eighty of the 100 Democratic state House staffers awarded the biggest bonuses in their government paychecks last year either donated money to or worked on the political campaigns of the two powerful Democratic leaders who controlled the bonuses.
Those staffers, all of whom received bonuses of $5,700 or more, gave money to or campaigned for House Democratic Leader Bill DeWeese of Waynesburg; his former second-in-command, Rep. Mike Veon of Beaver Falls; or the House Democratic Campaign Committee, which Mr. DeWeese chairs. Some gave to or worked for all three.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07042/761218-85.stm
Forum: In praise of state bonuses
Pennsylvania House Majority Leader BILL DEWEESE says bonuses for Democratic employees reward hard work and save money long term
Sunday, February 11, 2007
In an effort to return the media and public focus on state government back to where it should be -- on important policy initiatives such as health-care reform, property-tax reductions, education and the development of alternative-energy sources, I offer the following background and explanation regarding House Democratic Caucus employee incentive compensation that was awarded under my watch...
First published on February 11, 2007 at 12:00 am
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07042/760842-109.stm
State corruption went high-tech, grand jury says
By Brad Bumsted
STATE CAPITOL REPORTER
Saturday, July 19, 2008
High-tech corruption emerged at the Capitol in 2005, according to a state grand jury report.
House Democrats spent more than $1.7 million in taxpayers' money on "blast e-mails" for political purposes, for work on campaign Web sites and to acquire the e-mail addresses, the grand jury alleged.
The operation was so sophisticated that the company doing the work used a computer server in Michigan to hide the fact that the e-mails came from taxpayer-paid computers in the Capitol.
The computer-generated efforts to reach voters on behalf of Democratic candidates was a little-noticed aspect of the July 10 grand jury presentment that resulted in criminal charges against former Democratic House Whip Mike Veon of Beaver Falls; a sitting lawmaker, Rep. Sean Ramaley of Economy; and 10 legislative aides. They are charged with conflict of interest, theft and conspiracy.
Two owners of computer companies hired by the Democrats testified under grants of immunity. A Churchill businessman hired by the House Democratic Caucus to provide Internet technology for use in political campaigns was paid $82,500 in state tax money, according to the grand jury report. James Rossell, owner of Gravity Web Media, confirmed he testified before the grand jury but declined other comment.
Rossell replaced Eric Buxton and his company, Govercom, after Democrats became dissatisfied with Buxton's work. Buxton's company was paid $420,000 -- solely for campaign work, the grand jury report said. Buxton could not be reached for comment. He is the son of Rep. Ron Buxton, D-Harrisburg, chairman of the House Ethics Committee. His office said he was unavailable for comment...
... Investigators eventually recovered about 17,000 e-mails from Buxton's computer. "Indeed, every e-mail reviewed was for campaign purposes," the report said.
Virtually all of the campaign communication with Buxton occurred through use of the taxpayer-funded e-mail system, the grand jury alleged. DeWeese was an exception. He used his campaign e-mail account.
Ideas for the campaign e-mails came from Veon or staffer Brett Cott, who also is charged with crimes, the grand jury said. These would be crafted into a draft e-mail. The final product would be approved by Veon, Cott or Manzo, the report alleged.
The e-mails contained formatting that made it appear they were being sent by the House Democratic Campaign Committee or a candidate's campaign committee. They would be "blasted" to targeted voters. In 2006 alone, more than 300 group e-mails were created within the Capitol and sent by Buxton, according to the grand jury.
Veon, Manzo and Keefer became dissatisfied with Buxton between the primary and the general election of 2006, Bob Caton, Veon's former press secretary, told the grand jury.
That's when they turned to Rossell, to "contract with him to obtain his assistance on campaign Web sites and blast e-mails for the caucus leadership," the grand jury said. Rossell testified the state officials insisted on preparing the contract themselves. The contract made no reference to campaign work.
Dan Reese, the Democrats' program Web supervisor, told the grand jury he was "unaware of any legitimate work ever performed by Gravity Web Media."
Rossell told the grand jury that Keefer bragged about a large budget for information technology, with no oversight...
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/search/s_578429.html
Posted on Sun, Jul. 27, 2008
$1.7 million Pa. spam scam outlined
Prosecutors say House Democrats used public funds for e-mail with campaign themes.
By Mario F. Cattabiani
Inquirer Staff Writer
HARRISBURG - They cost only a dime each, but it added up quickly.
Over more than two years, as they toiled in the minority, Democrats in the state House allegedly purchased millions of e-mail addresses to send campaign-related propaganda to Pennsylvania voters who were stuck paying the political tab - $1.2 million.
And that's not including several hundred thousand more in public funds that went to a tech consultant - the son of a state representative - who allegedly made it all look like a legitimate legislative endeavor.
Details of the conspiracy were laid out recently in the 74-page grand-jury indictments against a dozen Harrisburg insiders in what has become known as Bonusgate.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20080727__1_7_million_Pa__spam_scam_outlined.html
'Little fish' snag Pa. Bonusgate immunity
By RICHARD FELLINGER Public Opinion Harrisburg Bureau
For some aides with firsthand knowledge of the inner workings of the House Democratic caucus, the truth will apparently keep them free.
As Attorney General Tom Corbett pursues the "Bonusgate" case against 12 House Democrats, including former House Minority Whip Mike Veon, several staffers have been granted immunity to tell their stories about campaigning with public resources.
Chief among them is Eric Webb, former director of member services for House Democrats and a driving force behind the bonus scheme that sparked the case.
A grand jury report states that Webb was granted immunity and provided "extensive and detailed" testimony about a list of staffers who did campaign work for House Democrats and were rewarded with taxpayer-funded bonuses.
The 72-page report also details Webb's testimony about opposition research conducted on state time by Democratic aides, and increased efforts by aides who helped Democratic lawmakers in the 2006 elections that followed the 2005 pay raise.
At least four other Democratic staffers were given immunity, according to the grand jury report. They testified before the grand jury about being assigned to work on the campaign trail with bogus leave time and receiving state-funded contracts for campaign work, among other things...
http://www.publicopiniononline.com/ci_10009637
4/30/2006 donation to Veon campaign from Eric R. Buxton
http://www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us/CFReport.aspx?CFReportID=42878&Section=IIG
Political bonuses under fire
Attorney general might investigate if campaign work led to staffers' bonuses
By RICHARD FELLINGER
Harrisburg bureau
Article Last Updated: 07/10/2008 10:26:31 AM EDT
http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_5204722
Next blow to one-time 'rising star' Mike Veon
By Debra Erdley
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, July 11, 2008
Friends and foes describe Mike Veon as the consummate political strategist, and organized labor's best friend.
On Thursday, a state grand jury recommended prosecution of Veon, 51, and 11 other Harrisburg insiders on multiple counts of theft, conspiracy and conflict of interest for spending millions of taxpayer dollars on political campaigns, ghost employees, bonuses for political work and perks...
... Voter resentment began building in 2005 when Veon championed the controversial legislative pay raise that boosted his salary by 33 percent.
When the shell-shocked Legislature repealed the pay raise in November 2005, Veon was the sole member to vote no.
"He gave his word on the pay raise. He did what he thought was right," said Beaver County Commissioner Joe Spanik, who has known Veon for years.
Veon's heavily Democratic district was considered "safe." But a safe district and a million-dollar campaign could not surmount the voter discontent. In November 2006, voters ousted Veon in favor of Republican unknown Jim Marshall.
DeWeese was stunned by the loss of his longtime lieutenant. But gratified by Veon's final gift -- a campaign strategy that produced a Democratic House majority for the first time in 12 years -- he dubbed Veon "the lion of the Legislature."
Although Veon disappeared from public view after his defeat, his name surfaced a couple of months later when news reports revealed members of the House Democratic legislative staff had drawn hefty bonuses. The four legislative caucuses paid $3.6 million in bonuses in 2005 and 2006, with $2.2 million going to staffers with the House Democratic Caucus.
At 50, with 22 years in the Legislature, he took a $126,000 lump sum payout, began drawing $50,000 a year from his state pension and moved to Harrisburg.
He partnered with Colleen Kopp to start a lobbying firm and promptly attracted a stable of prestigious clients, including Independence Blue Cross and PNC Bank, among others. The firm closed in April amid reports of the grand jury investigation.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/state/s_577065.html
Veon indicted on 59 counts
J.D. Prose, Calkins Media
07/10/2008
State Rep. Sean Ramaley of Economy, a state Senate candidate, and former state Rep. Mike Veon were two of 12 people connected to the state House Democratic Caucus charged Thursday after grand jurors concluded that millions of taxpayer dollars were illegally used to support political campaigns...
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19844579&BRD=2724&PAG=461&dept_id=563781&rfi=6
July 10, 2008
Attorney General Corbett announces charges in legislative bonus investigation - 12 suspects charged in 1st phase of the investigation
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/press.aspx?id=3771
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Posted 9:35 PM by Dave Ralis
Connect the Mike Veon dots in Slotsylvania
http://www.daveralis.com/dailyrant/2008/02/connect-mike-veon-dots-in-slotsylvania.shtml
Democratic panel pays off Veon's campaign debt
By Brad Bumsted and Debra Erdley
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, February 21, 2008
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_553456.html
Veon loss pays off for aides
Ousted legislator handed out $80,000 in bonuses
Sunday, November 11, 2007
By Tracie Mauriello and Dennis Roddy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
HARRISBURG -- At the close of a 22-year legislative career derailed by voter anger over a midnight pay raise, departing state Rep. Mike Veon last year dispensed payroll bonuses of nearly $80,000 in state funds to a dozen staff members at his district office in Beaver Falls, one of whom had spent only three months on the job.
The bonuses, which ranged from $250 to more than $20,000, were part of a nearly $2 million payroll bonus package that is now the subject of a state grand jury investigation into whether state money was used to pay for campaign work, which would be illegal.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07315/832942-85.stm
Nov 8, 2006 6:25 pm US/Eastern
Long-Time State. Rep. Veon Loses Re-Election
BEAVER FALLS (KDKA) ― It appears that voters in Beaver County didn't forget about the pay raise state legislators gave themselves in July 2005.
Democrat Mike Veon, who served in the State House for 22 years, lost his bid for re-election to Republican Jim Marshall by a little more than 1,500 votes.
Veon was the second-ranking Democrat in the House and was the only legislator who voted against repealing the pay raise.
Marshall made the pay raise a major campaign issue.
Veon was known for using his strong political position to bring money into the county.
But Marshall attacked Veon on other issues, including the struggling financial state of the district, the size of his staff and the bookkeeping and use of funds by the Beaver Institute of Growth, a development company run by Veon.
http://kdka.com/topstories/Mike.Veon.Jim.2.385859.html
14TH DISTRICT
Veon renominated
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06137/690792-179.stm
(this post was inspired by fellow citizen investigators who encouraged us with their insight and pertinent questions)
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