Free Republic

HARRISBURG -- If the grand jury is correct, the 12 people indicted in a sprawling political corruption case aren't just the center of a court battle. They're the opening shots of a cultural conflict. The grand jury empanelled by state Attorney General Tom Corbett portrayed Suite 626 in the state Capitol as the center of a taxpayer-financed political machine aimed at helping former Rep. Mike Veon and other House Democrats get re-elected. Allegations in the 90-page report, anticipated for more than a year by state lawmakers and their employees, are "a symbolic event of a much larger picture," said...

Those ever-vigilant, ever-principled, non-partisan politicos known as Democrats were caught with their hands in the cookie jar in Pennsylvania. Twelve of them, to be exact. Philly Daily News: A SORDID TANGLE of corruption, cash and sex rocked the Statehouse yesterday in a political scandal that left one current and one former legislator and 10 current and former staff members facing criminal charges. Among the accusations leveled by two state grand juries: Former top legislative staffer Mike Manzo got his lover, a twenty-something former rural beauty queen, a $29,000 job and $7,000 bonus mostly for doing her schoolwork. State Attorney General...

It's the top story in Pennsylvania. Twelve Democrat state leaders facing corruption charges in a massive scandal dubbed "Bonusgate." If it were twelve Republican state leaders, I guarantee you would have heard all about it by now. Via the Philly Daily News: A SORDID TANGLE of corruption, cash and sex rocked the Statehouse yesterday in a political scandal that left one current and one former legislator and 10 current and former staff members facing criminal charges. Among the accusations leveled by two state grand juries: Former top legislative staffer Mike Manzo got his lover, a twenty-something former rural beauty queen,...

"I believe we are witnessing the beginning of a new race of men" Anonymous British Officer after the Battle of Saratoga, 1777 This comment, made by a soldier now forgotten by history, was more prophetic and more significant than he probably realized at the time Here is the link to the rest Or click The Bulletin link: http://www.thebulletin.us/site/index.cfm?newsid=19842763&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=8

One signed all three bulwarks of the Republic. The other was second only to James Madison as the architect of the Constitution. Robert Morris and James Wilson were two of the most important, yet least publicized, of the Founding Fathers. Why has Philadelphia not commemorated some of its most important citizens? Wilson was according to American Heritage magazine, one of the most underrated Americans in history. Historian Gary Wills wrote, "A signer of the Declaration, a principal drafter of the Federal Constitution, the principal ratifier, and the profoundest theorist of it, Wilson is the least known of the Founding Fathers."...

Drawing the sharpest distinctions yet between himself and the man he hopes to replace, Sen. John McCain said Tuesday his presidency would focus on climate change issues, reducing federal spending, closing the Guantanamo Bay detention center and eliminating torture by the U.S. government. In a meeting with the Tribune-Review's editorial board, McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, said "spending got out of control" under the Bush administration. He blamed Congress for pushing spending and the administration for failing to halt it.

The Coatesville Police Department continues to receive reports of black city residents robbing, assaulting and raping Hispanic immigrants, according to Police Chief William Matthews. And, if the activity is not stopped, police say it could trigger the formation of violent Hispanic gangs as a type of cultural protection. With the city's black community, growing immigrant population - many of whom do not speak English - combined with the city's social issues, "It's not long before you have black-on-brown crime," said Matthews. "And we're seeing the beginning of that." Matthews, who first spoke publicly about the problem last fall, spoke candidly...

Church Youth Leader Accused Of Touching Girl, 13Group Leader Was Helping Girl With Sacrament Classes   NORRISTOWN, Pa. -- A youth group leader from a local church has been arrested, accused by prosecutors of inappropriately touching a 13-year-old girl. Video Report Members of the Carmel Presbyterian Church found it difficult to believe an employee there was arrested.   "I'm surprised, a little disappointed if it is true," Denise Bottinger, a church member, said.  Montgomery County prosecutors charged 61-year-old Norman Brooks with indecent assault. Investigators said Brooks inappropriately touched a 13-year-old girl.  Investigators said Brooks was the girl's church youth group leader...

Sen. Barack Obama did patriotism yesterday, today it is faith and by the end of the day both speeches will have been done in back-to-back states that swing: Missouri and Ohio. The Obama campaign said the Illinois senator plans to go to Zanesville, located in eastern Ohio, to visit a church program that provides food and clothing assistance to those in need.

DURAGI, Afghanistan -- Early morning, and 14 U.S. soldiers stand in a semi-circle for a mission briefing. Four Humvees, engines running, rumble beside them. "We're going to Warshallah today," Army Capt. Sam Karr, 28, of Manhattan, Kan., tells his platoon. "I guess it has, like, 200 bad guys in it. That's nothing, dudes -- we've got 14, so we're good."

By all accounts, Barack Obama should win this election. He and his brand control the image, the message and, to a large extent, the media of this election cycle. Yes, the media. He has enough money to buy ads every day from now to election day, glossy magazines cannot wait to put his image on their covers, Hollywood types are so smitten that they wear his image on their clothing and YouTube is bursting at the seams with homages to him. It is definitely his to win -- or to lose. It all hinges on two things: likability and character.

Sen. Barack Obama began a panel discussion at Carnegie Mellon University this morning with a bunch of really smart panelists from MIT, General Motors, AOL and the SEIU. Today marks Obama's first visit to the Steel City since April 21, the eve of the Pennsylvania primary; Obama won the city of Pittsburgh proper in the spring primary, but not the state.

You've probably gotten angry when you think some big company did you wrong. The NBC 10 investigators spoke with one local man who decided he had enough and he was going to tell the world about his experience. He was angry and wasn't going to take it anymore, but instead of going to his window and yelling, the Fishtown man decided on another way to let everyone know. "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore," Avi Oslick said. In 1976, a fictional broadcaster in the movie "Network" told people to go to their window when...

Who knew that newbie Democrat congressman Jason Altmire (4th District) and Republican congressman Tim Murphy (18th District) would ever "town hall" together? The reason there are no answers is because there were none to be found. Today Murphy and Altmire sent out a news release announcing that they would host two joint town hall meetings together:

Go to http://my.barackobama.com/uniteforchange and enter zip code 18702 (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a city of 50,000 or so that is almost entirely blue collar DEMOCRATIC in terms of its politics). The map shows Unite for Change events within 50 miles. Unite for Change events in Wilkes-Barre: ZERO Unite for Change events in Scranton (90,000 people): ONE In other words, the Obama campaign could not find one single person in DEMOCRATIC Wilkes-Barre who would associate his or her name with this phony smile on top of an empty suit. In nearby Scranton, which also is blue collar Democrat, only one person was willing...

Obama ends swing state tour in the 'Burgh Pittsburgh Tribune-Review By Salena Zito Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama will conclude his three week swing-state-road trip in Pittsburgh Thursday by holding an "America's competitiveness in the global economy" summit at Carnegie Mellon University. An "A" list of attendees will participate in the summit, some of these brainiacs include: Richard Wagoner, chairman of General Motors, AOL founder Steve case, MIT president Susan Hockfield and Andy Stern president of SEIU, whose union committed to dropping over $85 million to be parsed out in states like Pennsylvania for the November election. While...

Hey, swing state Florida, I will not offshore drill The Sen. Barack Obama press machine issued this statement that Obama will deliver at his media avail this afternoon, in which he pledges (where have we heard that word before?) to keep the federal moratorium against offshore drilling in place: "When I am president, I will keep the moratorium in place and prevent oil companies from drilling off Florida's coasts," the statement reads. "That's how we can protect our coasts and still make the investments that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and bring down gas prices for good."

Bill and Jill Bill Burton, communications director extraordinaire for the Obama campaign reached out and touched someone today on the McCain campaign: his counterpart, Jill Hazelbaker. Here is the content of the email he sent out to reporters before the McCain conference call: “Jill – hope you’re well. We’d like to add our campaign counsel, Bob Bauer to your conference call with Trevor Potter so that we can arbitrate some of the disagreements that the two of them have over the meeting they recently had. If you can please shoot me the dial-in, Bob is available to join for the...

Of the eight Marines charged in connection with the battle of Haditha, six have had all charges dropped and one has been exonerated in a military court. The last Marine remains to face charges related to the handling of the incident. In our experience, Marines - including retired Marines - do the right thing. So we expect John Murtha to issue a serious, responsibility-taking apology to the eight Marines he publicly defamed following the battle. We expect it to look like this:I am sorry. I accused United States Marines in a wartime situation of "cold blooded murder" that I said...

Congressman Altmire hearts McCain PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW By Salena Zito Rep. Jason Altmire, whose congressional district went overwhelmingly for Sen. Hillary Clinton in the six-week primary that was Pennsylvania, kind of likes Republican presumptive nominee Sen. John McCain’s proposal to invest in nuclear energy and clean coal. Here is the statement that he released today on McCain’s proposal to construct 45 nuclear reactors by 2030 and spend $2 billion a year in federal funding on clean coal. “I have always been a strong supporter of nuclear energy and clean coal technology, and I welcome Senator McCain’s announcement today that he is...

Governor Ed Rendell was just asked by John Scott if he would take the VP spot if offered. He said no he would not make a good choice. This is that old "Clinton loyaltly" that Strickland is also abiding by. The Democrat Party is NOT united. Rendell doesn't want to be asked by Obama to be the VP. Rendell continued on that he doesn't have foreign policy experience. And was about to say more on why he wasn't qualified. But John Scott cut him off because of a commercial break.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - For the first time, White House hopeful Barack Obama leads his Republican rival John McCain in three of the biggest battlegrounds of November's election, according to a new poll Wednesday. The surveys by Quinnipiac University also found independent voters are opposed to defeated primary contender Hillary Clinton running as Obama's running mate on the Democratic ticket. Another poll out Wednesday by Zogby had Obama leading McCain by 47 percent to 42 nationally, with a 22-point lead among all-important independents. The Quinnipiac polls had Obama besting McCain 52-40 percent in Pennsylvania, 48-42 percent in Ohio, and 47-43 in...

Pennsylvania’s Governor Ed Rendell (D) says lying under oath is “necessary in some circumstances.” The Governor said “however, perjury must be used judiciously, not indiscriminately.” To illustrate this distinction, Rendell argued that it would “never be permissible for an ordinary citizen to lie, but it might be for public officials such as myself. We have broader obligations that could require such prevarication.” “Take the issue of adultery, for example,” Rendell said. “There would be no need for an ordinary person to lie about this under oath. The same isn’t true for a public official like me. An admitted instance of...

A sleepover at a Bucks County home turned into a sex party between a 38-year-old woman and five boys as young as 14, Lower Makefield Township police said. Police Chief Ken Coluzzi said that the woman, identified as Angela Honeycutt, had sex with a 15-year-old boy in a bathroom. Afterward, she took a 14-year-old boy into the shower where she masturbated him and allowed him to penetrate her with his finger. Coluzzi said that the "sleepover" took place April 14 at the home of Lynne Long, 45, whose son invited the five other boys but was not present when the...

Another in an occasional series of great state parks. Ricketts Glen is a fairly large state park west of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre; apparently chock-full of waterfalls (24 named on the Falls Trail). Here's a couple: This one's called Ganoga Falls; nice change-of-pace with black-and-white. At 94 feet, it's the tallest in the park. Nice small picture, no name given. Could be the same fall as the one below it (Murray Reynolds Falls). Murray Reynolds Falls: This last one was also taken at Ricketts Glen, not a waterfall, and it's 1/4 size (click for full-size). Nice desktop candidate.

iGate isn't only 'villain' hiring foreign high-tech workers By Mark Houser TRIBUNE-REVIEW A local high-tech company has put a Pittsburgh face on a national debate about hiring foreign workers. Computer consulting firm iGate Corp. of Findlay paid the Justice Department $45,000 in April to settle charges it discriminated against U.S. workers by posting online job ads seeking foreigners with special visas. The fine for favoring holders of H-1B visas, which go primarily to computer and engineering specialists, is the highest yet, said Justice Department spokeswoman Jamie Hais. Critics say cases such as iGate's are not the only problem with the...

Joyce Susick is the type of voter who might carry Barack Obama to the White House — or keep him out. A registered Democrat in a highly competitive state, she is eager to replace George W. Bush, whom she ranks among the worst presidents ever. There's just one problem. "I don't think our country is ready for a black president," Susick, who is white, said in an interview in the paint store where she works. "A black man is never going to win Pennsylvania." Susick said her personal objection to Obama is his inexperience, not his color. "It has nothing...

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Dwight White, part of the Steel Curtain defense that led the team to four Super Bowl championships in the 1970s, has died following surgery at a Pittsburgh hospital. He was 58.The team announced White's death Friday.Team president Art Rooney II is calling White "an important member of the Steelers family."Chairman Dan Rooney praised White's "relentlessness" on the field and his caring nature off it. Rooney notes White scored the team's first ever Super Bowl points in Super Bowl IX with a safety against Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton.

Hillary to suspend campaign in DC Saturday By Salena Zito TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, June 5, 2008 Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will announce the suspension of her campaign and her endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama as the Democratic Party's nominee, Saturday, in Washington D.C according to a statement issued Wednesday evening. The statement did not officially confirm her decision but said Clinton would be hosting an event in Washington, DC to thank her supporters and express her support for Senator Obama and party unity. According to the statement, the event will be held on Saturday to accommodate more of Senator Clinton's supporters...

The White House announced Friday that a Pennsylvania soldier who jumped on top of a grenade in Iraq and saved the lives of his comrades will posthumously receive the Medal of Honor. The nation's highest military honor will be given to 19-year-old Army Pfc. Ross McGinnis of Knox, Pa., on June 2. McGinnis "distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism," said White House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto. McGinnis was perched in the gunner's hatch of a Humvee when a grenade sailed past him and into the truck where four other soldiers sat. He shouted a warning to the others, then jumped...

The House that Rahm built Tribune-Review By Salena Zito Just before the 2006 midterm elections, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Rep. Rahm Emmanuel was asked why he chose such moderate candidates for the House races -- breaking rank with liberal bloggers who were demanding liberal candidates. "Because we want to win," Emmanuel said, promptly ending the interview. Win he did, big time, taking out four Republicans in Pennsylvania alone, making the Keystone State's delegation the House that Rahm built. While the country was distracted by the Democratic presidential nomination battle between Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama, the Democrats...

A Spanish toll-road operator won the bidding war to operate the Pennsylvania Turnpike, offering $12.8 billion for a 75-year lease, Gov. Rendell said today. The proposal by Abertis Infraestructuras, of Barcelona, must be approved by the Pennsylvania legislature, and legislative leaders in Harrisburg have said the plan faces tough sledding with lawmakers. In making the largest bid ever for the private operation of a U.S. toll road, Abertis partnered with a subsidiary of U.S. investment bank Citigroup, and Spanish investment firm Criteria CaixaCorp. Abertis operates toll roads in Spain, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Argentina and Puerto Rico. The company...

HARRISBURG -- Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld Indiana's law requiring voters to present photo identification, state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe wants to enact the same kind of law in Pennsylvania. The Cranberry Republican has introduced House Bill 2519, which would require anyone wishing to vote to show one of several forms of photo ID when arriving at a polling place: a valid driver's license issued by PennDOT; a valid state or federal government employee ID; a valid employee ID card issued by an employer; a valid U.S. passport, student ID or armed forces ID; a voter ID card...

McGinnis was no stranger to combat. The Middle East edition of Stars and Stripes for Nov. 30, 2006, has a picture of McGinnis on its cover. His unit had been involved in a fierce firefight on Nov. 5 and had killed 38 attackers. His superiors were quick to recognize the special nature of McGinnis’ actions. He was awarded a posthumous Silver Star, America’s third-highest award for valor in combat, and nominated for the Medal of Honor. Eighteen months later, McGinnis will receive his medal. Speaking anonymously, sources at the Department of Defense have confirmed this with reporters from the Army...

Minnesota may call itself “The State of Hockey,” but right now Pennsylvania is challenging that title. While the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins open the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday in Pittsburgh, the franchises’ American Hockey League affiliates, the Philadelphia Phantoms and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, are battling in the East Division final of the Calder Cup Playoffs. It’s not the first time Philadelphia and Pittsburgh squads have met in the crucible of the playoffs. In fact, some of the same players who take to the ice Friday night in Pittsburgh (7:30 p.m. ET, VERSUS, CBC, RDS) skated in the last “Keystone...

Obama trolls House, but Altmire remains neutral TRIBUNE-REVIEW By Salena Zito Rep. Jason Altmire said his baseline for a decision to endorse Sen. Hillary Clinton over Sen. Barack Obama would be if Clinton managed to reach somewhere close to a delegate tie with him when the primaries were over. "She earned her right to continue the campaign when she won in Pennsylvania and won my district," he said. Altmire said even after her loss in North Carolina and slim win in Indiana, she still has that right. "It's a long shot, I understand that, but I still want to give...

The state Senate this evening voted to table a bill that would have amended the state constitution to ban gay marriage. The main sponsor, Sen. Michael Brubaker, R-Lancaster, said it had become clear to him that the bill would not pass in the House and he therefore saw no point to a lengthy debate in the Senate. Up to 14 amendments were planned on the bill, which would have meant a long night. One of the amendments was by Sen. Vincent Fumo, D-Philadelphia, who proposed that Pennsylvania outlaw most divorces. His amendment would "outlaw the dissolution of most marriages in...

A Knoxville man shot and killed a Pittsburgh police dog Tuesday before the canine's handler returned fire, killing the man in what city police Chief Nate Harper called "an unfortunate" but justifiable action. The shooting outraged and angered the family of the 19-year-old man, Justin Jackson. He was pronounced dead by a passing paramedic almost immediately after the shooting that occurred at 6:53 p.m. in front of the UPMC facility on Arlington Avenue on the border of Knoxville and Mt. Oliver. Harper said the dog's handler ordered the canine -- a 6-year-old German shepherd named Aulf -- to attack after...

For school officials in Haverford Township, the challenge was daunting: What do you do when a 9-year-old student, with the full support of his parents, decides that he is no longer a boy and instead is a girl? Parents of a third-grade student at Chatham Park Elementary School approached the administration on April 16 to ask for help in making a "social transition" for their child. (Excerpt) Full story: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/chester/20080503_School_challenge__Transgender_student_is_age_9.html The Haverford School District consulted experts on transgender children, then sent letters to parents advising them that the guidance counselor would meet with the school's 100 third-grade students to explain...

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A state senator told a black pastor testifying at a committee hearing that, given the chance to cast secret ballots, his fellow legislators would vote to legalize slavery. Sen. Vincent J. Fumo, D-Philadelphia, made the comments Tuesday during a hearing on a Republican-sponsored bill to amend the state Constitution to outlaw same-sex marriages and civil unions, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on its Web site Wednesday. “What you are advocating here is that we take away the rights of a minority. And I don’t think that’s right,” Fumo, a staunch defender of gay rights, told the witness,...

BURLINGTON COUNTY, N.J. - In South Jersey, the discovery of unexploded artillery shells from World War II has stalled plans to develop a new expo center. The sheer number of artillery shells staggered the mayor. It was found at the now closed Palmyra Drive-In Theater on Route 73. "We were hoping, hoping to only find one or two or three maybe. We're now up to nearly 200, or 181 as reported to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, but there's since been another 20," Palmyra Mayor John Gural, Jr. said. The Army was anxious to develop new anti-tank rounds...

Friday, April 25, 2008 This week’s outrage comes courtesy of Philadelphia Police Commissioner, and former Washington, D.C. police chief, Charles Ramsey. As we recently reported, the Philadelphia City Council passed five gun control measures, which were subsequently signed by Mayor Michael Nutter in direct violation of Pennsylvania’s state preemption law. A Philadelphia County court granted NRA’s motion for a temporary restraining order against the new gun control regulations and ruled that Philadelphia is barred from enforcing the ordinances and moving forward on promulgating regulations. But the City opposed the injunction, saying they believed that the ordinances are both necessary and...

(2008-04-22) — Democrats in rural Pennsylvania, still bitter about the state of the economy, will receive helpful voters’ guides today, published by Obama for America, with tips on how to cast a primary ballot while clinging to a Bible, a gun or both. “We don’t want anything to stand in the way of your desire to vote for change,” according to the pamphlet distributed at polling places by Obama volunteers. “With a little planning and flexibility you can cling to your firearm and the Word of God, and still operate a touchscreen voting machine.” Here’s an excerpt from the tract...

Bitter Small Town Democrats hand Obama 75-25 Loss in Northeast Pennsylvania We enjoyed watching Barack Obama lose the Pennsylvania primary 55-45, noting especially that Pennsylvania is a Blue State whose electoral votes will be decisive in the November election. The Democratic superdelegates would be well advised to note that Obama lost despite spending three dollars for every dollar that Clinton spent, thus underscoring the fact that most voters can recognize a phony smile on top of an empty suit when they see one. Obama’s camp claims, despite its catastrophic defeat, that Hillary Clinton is still behind in delegates and therefore...

As the Democratic race continues, here are four things conservatives should keep in mind. First: Today’s Democratic party is well to the Left of where it was in 2000: on health care, on taxes, on trade, on foreign policy. On social issues it has moved right only cosmetically. A very few conservatives have flirted with endorsing the Democrats this year, out of their frustration with President Bush or Senator McCain. Their cases are fanciful. Second: Even though he just lost Pennsylvania decisively, Senator Obama is still likely to win the Democratic nomination. Hillary Clinton’s supporters will argue that she is...

Hillary Clinton wins Pennsylvania Democratic primary: Fox 8:46pm EDT 20:51 ETNBC projects Pennsylvania victory for Clinton

Garin: Fewer Whites See Themselves In Obama's Story By JONATHAN TILOVE — Monday April 21, 2008WASHINGTON — Democratic pollster and strategist Geoffrey Garin, in an interview with Newhouse News Service while he was still unaffiliated with any candidate, extolled Sen. Barack Obama's broad cross-racial appeal."While Sen. Obama is a person of color, he is also at the same time an incredibly unifying figure,'' Garin said early last year. "I think there are lots of Americans, including a lot of white Americans, who can see themselves somewhere in the Obama story.'' Now Garin is chief strategist for Sen. Hillary Clinton, and...

MUNCY VALLEY, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - Barack Obama's efforts to woo white voters in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary have been hurt by his comments on small town bitterness and his association with an outspoken pastor, some residents of Muncy Valley say. Local people called the Illinois senator arrogant, unpatriotic and un-Christian after his remarks that residents of small towns in Pennsylvania and elsewhere are bitter because of job losses, and so have turned to traditions like guns, religion and anti-immigrant sentiment. "He is saying people are weak, dumb and naive, and they are seeking religion as a way of getting through,"...

PHILADELPHIA - A six-week, increasingly caustic Pennsylvania primary contest between Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama culminated Tuesday as voters registered their choice — a decision that could save or sink Clinton's flagging candidacy. The candidates questioned each other's character and readiness to be commander in chief in last-minute television ads and barnstormed the state in a final pitch for votes in the most populous and delegate-rich state remaining in the nominating contest. Some 4 million Democrats were eligible to cast ballots, with 158 delegates at stake. Clinton was relying on a decisive win to reinvigorate her candidacy, while...

Did a search and see nobody has posted a live thread. My wife and I were in to vote about 8 a.m. Turnout is light but steady, about 100 people had voted before us. Voted against all the party endorsed candidates. My wife was adamant about not wanting to vote for Obama, but admitted she finally did when the news came out this morning that Hillary had opened a double digit polling lead.We are in suburban Pittsburgh, our precinct actually had a small edge in Republican registration, but unclear if this is still the case with many of us participating...