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Schenker's Lt. Gov. campaign bolstered by Pittsburgh Post Gazette Editorial |
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Written by Rick Schenker
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Sunday, 12 July 2009 13:23 |
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Mr. Schenker is one of many seeking the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor next spring, but he may be the only one who states the truth that this do-little post is essentially "a public relations position." He sees the sidekick position as a bully pulpit to push a specific reform or three and also to do some inside snooping to see which lawmakers are truly for shrinking the Legislature and who are merely paying the idea lip service to fool the voters back home. "Win or lose the Lt Gov race, my intention is to push for two constitutional amendments in PA," Schenker e-mailed the "Outside Erie" Web site shortly after announcing his candidacy in March. "One [amendment] to have term limits on state legislators and the other to reduce the size and cost of the state legislature."
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 July 2009 00:44 |
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Bonusgate Pre-Trial Begins today |
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Written by Rick Schenker
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Tuesday, 07 July 2009 12:40 |
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Pre-Trial hearings begin today for two former State House Members and ten legislative staffers charged with involvement in paying taxpayer funded bonuses to staff members who conducted political campaign work on state time with state resources. A bunch of subpoenas were delivered in the Capitol last week ordering as many as 100 to appear at the hearings in which former State House Democratic Whip Mike Veon attempts to make the case that "everybody" was engaged in this practice and not just him. Veon accuses State Attorney General Tom Corbett of "selective prosecution" Attorneys for the House Democratic and Republican caucuses filed documents to kill subpoenas issued to lawmakers Lawyers characterized the subpoenas as a desperate attempt by Veon and the other defendants to intimidate lawmakers and make a circus out of the proceedings. It seems to me that more people may be shown to have had their finger in the pie For BREAKING NEWS follow me on TWITTER |
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 July 2009 13:03 |
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More evidence that taxpayer funded grants were used to pay for "work for Demcrat Caucus" |
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Written by Rick Schenker
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Monday, 22 June 2009 13:40 |
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More details emerge about corruption charges against former state representative Mike Veon of Butler County. This is also more evidence that taxpayer funded grants were used to pay for work for the Democrat Caucus.Quoting from a the Conservative Reform Network Blog: “A witness for the prosecution, former state Representative. Terry Van Horne, a Democrat from Lower Burrell, admitted during the hearing that he committed a crime when he cashed a $5,000 check from BIG even though he did no work for the nonprofit. Testifying under immunity, Van Horne said he did work for the House Democratic Caucus, hadn’t been paid, and one day was called to stop by Veon’s office to pick up a check. The case had been dismissed by a DJ, but Attorney General Tom Corbett recently refilled charges. Get updates quickly by following me on TWITTER To open Conservative Reform Network Blog in a new window. |
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Last Updated on Friday, 17 July 2009 12:50 |
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As many as 100 subpoenas served at state Capitol |
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Written by Rick Schenker
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Friday, 03 July 2009 13:42 |
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BREAKING NEWS: July 3, 2009 As many as 100 subpoenas were served at the state Capitol yesterday in the bonusgate scandal. Corbett has said he is investigating Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate and that another round of charges will be filed. To open a new window with the full story
To see the timeline since 2005 click on this link
Attorney General Tom Corbett is being accused of using this scandal for his own political gain. In an interview he recently said, "The people who are in charge of this investigation are career prosecutors, career agents. The decisions that will be made — and I won't be making those decisions — are made in the best interests of the prosecution of those cases in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Regardless of whether I run or don't run (for Governor), that's not going to change." |
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Last Updated on Friday, 03 July 2009 15:03 |
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Taxpayer money is used for grants to win votes and favors for elected officials |
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Written by Rick Schenker
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Sunday, 21 June 2009 15:21 |
Taxpayer money is used for grants to win votes and favors for elected officialsThe AP article, New light shed on lawmakers’ secretive grants, is helpful in understanding the long hidden practice of legislative grant making. For most people, it has always been apparent that these grants were used to gain the favor of voters by individual legislators. What is missing from the story is the fact that these taxpayer’s funds are the private piggy bank of the legislative leadership and they are used as a political tool. I have seen over the years that grants are handed out by leadership in accordance with two criteria: Does or did the member vote with the wishes of the leadership, and/or does this member need political help in their next election. If there is money left over, other members may get a few dollars for their request just to keep peace in the caucus.The other thing this article misses is what is called “leadership grants.” These grants are large amounts—usually over $100,000. Legislative leadership uses these grants as special rewards. In some cases, I have heard of leaders giving these rewards to clients of lobbying firms.Someday, with the help of the sunshine law, we may be able to see the full extent of how these grants have been used to keep incumbent lawmakers elected, or to reward people that help with a verity of other matters: such as passing certain legislation, or raising money for campaigns.Over the years, this use of taxpayer’s money for political purposes has not been considered a form of corruption. If it is illegal to give taxpayer-funded bonuses to state employees for working on campaigns, then shouldn’t it be illegal to give away taxpayer’s money so the legislative leadership can win or maintain majority control of the legislature? There is a culture of corruption that is strangling our state government in Harrisburg. There is an aura of arrogance among some of the state’s top elected officials. And, there are three simple words that best describe many of the politicians in Harrisburg: out of touch.
I've got some ideas that will change Harrisburg. Please REGISTER as a user of this site, BECOME A SUPPORTER and Follow me on Twitter |
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Last Updated on Sunday, 21 June 2009 16:31 |
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