Monday, April 06, 2009

PA: Rep. Bill DeWeese Not Yakkin about Blasted E-mails

After 30-years being an enabler at keeping the state legislature exempt from state Sunshine Laws other government entities were subject to, according to supporters, H. William DeWeese, PA state Representative did a complete turn-around and supported opening up state records which had not been subject to opening, before. But Mr. Sun-ny-shine himself, isn't yakking about the blast (in his mind surely blast-ed) e-mails that have become part of the focus of state AG Corbett's investigation into alleged improprieties of state staffers doing campaign work whilst on the state payroll.

No less than DeWeese's former staffer, now indicted, Mike Manzo, had made a statement during testimony regarding DeWeese's (alleged) knowledge of such potentially in his own campaigns for re-election.

Uh oh, maybe somebody on the inside whilst in and around H. William DeWeese's in-House office will leak what hasn't been leaked before...

Such has happened before...

they're usually called whistleblowers, somebody who works from within a firm or government agency, when they see something amiss first-hand, something potentially illegal and/or harmful to the public, they speak and leak it to the so-called mainstream Press's investigative journalist/s.

Many such whistleblowers might have to wait for months or egads years, until the timing is just right, daring not to whisper until some direct evidence is gained, then wallop.

The truth is out there.

In this day and age, with the decline of in-print news media we're observing daily, it might take some anonymously posted material complete with "Smoking Gun" evidence to out the Harrisburg entrenched.

Note: nobody is claiming such with state Rep. DeWeese will happen, but the article Bonusgate records contradict DeWeese from reputable journalists Mario F. Cattabiani and Angela Couloumbis prompted the thought of what it would take to happen.

Citizen Investigator Anonymous posts at Grassrootspa

http://grassrootspa.com/2008/08/19/local-reps-reps-daley-kula-and-mahoney-voice-support-for-deweese/

Posted on Mon, Apr. 6, 2009
Bonusgate records contradict DeWeese
By Mario F. Cattabiani and Angela Couloumbis Inquirer Staff Writers

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/42514192.html?viewAll=y


Records show DeWeese knew of staff misdeeds
Democratic leader was never charged in Bonusgate probe
Monday, April 06, 2009
By Mario F. Cattabiani and Angela Couloumbis, Philadelphia Inquirer

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09096/960847-454.stm


After all 'watergate' happened, and to some 'watergate' was among the most, if not the most, important thrust for seekers of the truth to do as much within their power to expose the truth.

No matter what the truth turns out to be, and no matter whom the truth hurts.

Previous postings of ours questioned why DeWeese wasn't point blank asked about the blast emails during any campaign interviews with editorial boards of the local newspaper.

What’s missing from the Harr article? Any notice or info of a call by new-leaf DeWeese, or any others who touted their own horns on delivering open records reform, to release all the details pertaining to those House Democratic Caucus (alleged)(campaign) spam or blast emails, and the electronic addresses on which they are based, and any and all related political campaign websites. Un-released to the public as of yet are the particulars of those contracts engaged in between the House Democratic Caucus and either/or/and Eric Buxton and businessman James Russell (who allegedly according to the Corbett Bonusgate Grand Jury report actually secretly vied for the contract for those services).

Tuesday, August 19, 2008
DeWeese Not Asked to Open Closed Bonusgate Blast Email Website Contracts

http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/08/deweese-not-asked-to-open-closed.html


Many of our postings have highlighted a little-publicized vote that took place in the state House of Representatives on an amendment submitted by Babette Josephs.

H. William DeWeese was among those who voted NO on the amendment, which as described by Brad Bumstead of the Tribune-Review, would have removed language in the then supported House bill introduced by state Rep. Timothy Mahoney. Language which enabled 'blanket exemptions for legislative emails.

View our Archives

http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/search?q=h.+william+deweese+emails

Net the Truth Online

Posted on Mon, Apr. 6, 2009
Bonusgate records contradict DeWeese
By Mario F. Cattabiani and Angela Couloumbis

Inquirer Staff Writers

HARRISBURG - Since the Bonusgate corruption probe was launched two years ago, Rep. Bill DeWeese has adamantly and repeatedly denied knowing that taxpayer money secretly had been used to underwrite political campaigns.

But records turned over to defendants in the case by Attorney General Tom Corbett appear to paint a different picture of the onetime House Democratic leader, who has not been charged in the ongoing investigation.

Documents show that in 2006, facing a stiff challenge in an election that DeWeese nearly lost, his campaign tapped a state-paid computer consultant - a key figure in the Bonusgate probe - to perform a long list of political tasks.

Among other duties, that consultant crafted fund-raising invitations and sent out blast e-mails to constituents in DeWeese's district in the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania.

The documents, provided to The Inquirer by a defendant, also indicate that the Greene County Democrat exchanged campaign-related messages with his legislative staffers on state e-mail accounts.

"I love it," DeWeese responded in September 2006 to a legislative aide of his who had just drafted a letter for a constituent to send to the local newspaper supporting the representative's campaign.

"Great work," DeWeese wrote with 44 exclamation points when told by campaign operatives in April that party canvassers had knocked on nearly 600 doors.

State law prohibits public money from being used for campaign-related purposes.

DeWeese, who has served in the House for three decades and is now majority whip, declined to be interviewed. In a statement, he said it would be inappropriate to comment on individual documents.

He called the e-mails "a desperate attempt by the criminal defendants to try their case in the media by cherry-picking documents they received in discovery and leaking them."

The documents - more than 100 in all - were given to The Inquirer by Brett Cott, a former top aide to House Democrats who faces 42 corruption counts. As required by law, state prosecutors provided the documents to Cott and the other defendants as part of the discovery phase of the case.

Cott was among a dozen caucus insiders charged in July in the first wave of Bonusgate indictments. The 12 are accused of carrying out a conspiracy to use millions in state resources and staff to further the campaigns of House Democrats.

His attorney, Bryan Walk, said the documents "speak for themselves."

Asked to elaborate, Walk said: "We're disappointed that Brett is charged for allegedly doing political work on state time when it appears that there were other people who did the same - or more things - on state time who weren't charged."

DeWeese, in his prepared statement, said prosecutors had decided not to charge him "based on the totality of the evidence over a two-year period, which included thousands of e-mails and other documents that we turned over to them and the sworn testimony of hundreds of witnesses whom we urged to cooperate."

Corbett has said that the fact that DeWeese was not charged does not indicate he is in the clear and that the investigation continues. Corbett spokesman Kevin Harley reiterated that last week, but declined to comment further....

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20090406_Bonusgate_records_contradict_DeWeese.html

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/42514192.html?viewAll=y




Bombshell Bonusgate testimony: Manzo says DeWeese knew about bonuses
By Alex Roarty, PolitickerPA.com Reporter
UPDATED: House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese knew bonuses were illegally being paid to legislative staffer in exchange for political work, according to testimony given Wednesday by his former chief of staff Michael Manzo.

"I believe he did, yes," Manzo said.

DeWeese has repeatedly denied any involvement in "Bonusgate."

Manzo, along with Patrick Lavelle Jr., were two of 12 people indicted as part of the "Bonusgate" investigation, but both cut a deal with prosecutors to testify Wednesday.

Manzo testified the House Democratic Caucus began a concerted effort in 2002, the year Gov. Ed Rendell took office, to get more legislative staffers volunteering for Democratic candidates.

Manzo said his former boss DeWeese, along with ex-House Minority Whip Mike Veon (D-Beavery County), made the decision collectively to expand what at that point had just been a "core group" of 20 or 30 staffers who volunteered.

"The folks in leadership knew we were going to be badly outspent," he testified. "(Republicans) raise more money. Our goal was to have more feet on the ground. It was the only way we could compete."

His testimony also mentioned efforts made by Democrats to throw presidential candidate Ralph Nader off the ballot in Pennsylvania in 2004.

http://www.politicker.com/pennsylvania/20980/bombshell-bonusgate-testimony-manzo-says-deweese-knew-about-bonuses


Bonusgate: Dozen indicted in probe; more possible
By MARK SCOLFORO
Associated Press Writer
Posted: 07/11/2008 HARRISBURG -- Twelve people connected to the state House Democratic caucus, including a state representative and the former caucus whip, were charged Thursday after grand jurors concluded that millions of taxpayer dollars were illegally siphoned from the public treasury to underwrite political campaigns.

Grand jurors reported that public funds were used to dole out hefty taxpayer-financed bonuses under a system in which employees were ranked according to their willingness to pitch in on campaigns; state computers and equipment were commandeered for election purposes; and lucrative public contracts were issued for partisan purposes.

"It's a very sad day in Pennsylvania," Attorney General Tom Corbett said in announcing the charges.

Former Democratic whip Mike Veon; Rep. Sean Ramaley, a Beaver County Democrat currently running for state Senate; and Michael Manzo, forced out in November as chief of staff to House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, D-Greene, were among the 12 people who were charged.

Corbett, a Republican and potential 2010 gubernatorial candidate, said more charges are expected. He declined to say whether the investigation has uncovered evidence of similar illegal acts within the House Republican, Senate Republican or Senate Democratic caucuses.

http://www.eveningsun.com/ci_9850117


What all a search turns up, hey?

Ummm ... OK ...
Total People in Discussion: 2
Categories: Current Affairs
So Here's Something ...... you don't see every day.Paul Sunyak, a veteran reporter and editorial page editor for the Herald-Standard of Uniontown has joined the staff of House Majority Whip Bill DeWeese, D-Greene.
Sunyak, who was once a professional colleague during our days covering Harrisburg for Calkins Media, has spent much of the last decade specializing in giving DeWeese fits, and was on the staff of the H-T when DeWeese sued the newspaper for libel in the early 2000s...

http://blogs.mcall.com/capitol_ideas/2009/04/ummm-ok-.html


DeWeese pens letter explaining Bonusgate to constituents, supporters…

http://blogs.mcall.com/capitol_ideas/2008/07/look-whats-maki.html

http://grassrootspa.com/?p=5390


Grassroots.pa talkin

http://grassrootspa.com/?p=26959#comments

Sun, Apr 05, 2009 - 5:05 PM

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsb urghtrib/opinion/s_619188.html

Posted by Ugarte at 3:52 PM

http://casablancapa.blogspot.com/2009/04/paul-sunyak-hypocritical-h.html

Tribune-Review speculates but doesn't read Casablancapa's comments page? Or they'd have caught self-flagulation?

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/columns/heyl/s_619303.html

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