Reactions have flowed into my inbox from Members of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation upon the passing of John Murtha.
From Joe Sestak:
"My thoughts and prayers go out to the Murtha family at this very difficult time. His service to our nation in Congress reflected an unyielding commitment to his constituents, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and our nation. However, he holds my greatest respect for the courage he showed in serving as a United States Marine and subsequently becoming the first Vietnam combat veteran elected to Congress. In doing so, he gave a voice to millions of men and women who fought in an unpopular war and were not afforded the respect and care they earned and deserved.
It was a privilege to work with him on a number of issues, and I am especially appreciative of the help he gave me as a mentor, whether it was on an approach within the halls of Congress, specific legislative items, or coming to my District to assist at key events. We should all be grateful for his commitment to public service for his District, Pennsylvania and this nation."
From Paul Kanjorski:
"As we mourn the loss of Congressman Murtha, I pass along my thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. Today, an era of Pennsylvania's history has sadly ended as the nation and Pennsylvania has lost one of its most determined and tireless public servants.
"Jack was a friend and colleague who I have looked up to throughout my time in Congress for his dedication to our country and our military troops, his strength to work in a bipartisan way, and his passion for his work and the Pennsylvanians he represented. Throughout his career in public service, Jack has been a symbol of the hardworking Pennsylvanians through the Commonwealth.
"While prone to criticism in Washington for his knack for securing federal funding for his Congressional district, that federal funding helped create thousands of jobs for Pennsylvanians and aided with needed economic development in his district. He was elected to help his district, which is exactly why we, as Members of Congress, are all elected. Jack was able to effectively balance the needs of his constituents with the needs of the country.
"The legacy that he has left will surely live on as a symbol of the great work that one man can do and as something that we can all strive to achieve. As the leader of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation, and as a close friend, he will be sorely missed."
Below is a statement for the Congressional Record that Congressman Kanjorski submitted on Friday on behalf of many Members of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation. On Friday, Congressman Murtha became the longest serving Member of Congress ever from Pennsylvania.
Marking a Milestone, Rep. John Murtha Becomes Longest Serving Member of Congress from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Remarks by Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski (PA-11)
February 5, 2010
Madam Speaker, on behalf of Rep. Jason Altmire, Rep. Robert A. Brady, Rep. Christopher P. Carney, Rep. Kathleen A. Dahlkemper, Rep. Charles W. Dent, Rep. Michael F. Doyle, Rep. Chaka Fattah, Rep. Tim Holden, Rep. Tim Murphy, Rep. Todd Russell Platts, Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz, Rep. Joe Sestak, Rep. Bill Shuster, Rep. Glenn Thompson, and myself, we rise today to acknowledge and celebrate a milestone in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Thirty-six years ago today, our colleague, Rep. John "Jack" P. Murtha (PA-12), was elected to the United States House of Representatives to fill the seat vacated by the death of former Rep. John P. Saylor.
Tomorrow, he surpasses the career of our former colleague, Rep. Joseph M. McDade (PA-10), and officially becomes the longest serving Member of Congress ever from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Jack has dedicated his life to serving our country both in the military and in the halls of Congress. A former Marine, he became the first Vietnam War combat veteran elected to the United States Congress.
When he arrived here in 1974, he quickly attracted the attention of then Majority Leader, and future Speaker, "Tip" O'Neill, who became Jack's mentor. Tip taught him that "all politics is local," which has enabled him to become an effective advocate for his own Congressional district and for initiatives throughout our state.
Jack's contributions to Pennsylvania are endless. When Pennsylvania's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was slated to be eliminated by federal regulations, Jack convinced the Clinton Administration to be more flexible and ultimately saved the program. When our steel industry was in crisis, he convinced the Reagan Administration to impose higher tariffs on foreign steel, giving domestic producers an edge. When the Philadelphia Shipyard was threatened with closure, he secured funding to keep ship production going. When the U.S. Army was forming Stryker Brigades, Jack helped convince Army leaders to field one within the Pennsylvania National Guard, creating the first and only brigade of its kind in the reserve component. When the National Park Service wanted to construct a new museum and visitor center at Gettysburg, he secured funding to make the project possible. When a decades-long mine fire threatened the residents of Centralia, PA, Jack worked to secure funding to buy the town and relocate the residents. When the healthcare benefits of retired miners were in trouble, he twice secured funding to help save their benefits from termination. When Flight 93 crashed in Stonycreek Township, PA, Jack was there the next day to survey the scene and later introduced legislation, which was enacted, establishing a national memorial to honor the passengers and crew. When he found out that diabetes was becoming an epidemic in the military and throughout Pennsylvania, Jack secured over $150 million for research, prevention, education and outreach programs.
As the Dean of our Congressional Delegation, Jack exemplifies the hard work and dedication seen throughout our Commonwealth. He has always been there when Pennsylvania needed him. Jack is emblematic of the hardworking Pennsylvanians that he has represented for 36 years, as well as those that each of us represent. He has led our delegation with passion and perseverance. We look forward to continue working with him, and congratulate him on this milestone.
From President Obama:
Michelle and I were deeply saddened today to hear about the passing of Congressman John Murtha. Jack was a devoted husband, a loving father and a steadfast advocate for the people of Pennsylvania for nearly 40 years. His passion for service was born during his decorated career in the United States Marine Corps, and he went on to earn the distinction of being the first Vietnam War combat veteran elected to Congress. Jack's tough-as-nails reputation carried over to Congress, where he became a respected voice on issues of national security. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife of nearly 55 years, Joyce, their three children, and the entire Murtha family.
Congressman Jason Altmire:
"It is with profound sadness that I recognize the life and legacy of Congressman John Murtha. While Congressman Murtha recently earned the distinction of the longest-serving Congressman from Pennsylvania, this was only one of the many ways in which he dedicated his life to serving his nation. He was the first Vietnam War combat veteran elected to Congress and went on to become a true champion for western Pennsylvania.
"His leadership will be sorely missed. My heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Joyce, and the rest of the Murtha family during this time."
From Ryan Bucchianeri, candidate for his seat:
I am deeply saddened to hear that Congressman Murtha has passed away. He had a long and distinguished history of service to our nation and Pennsylvanians. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones in this time of great sorrow.
Ryan Bucchianeri
The Pennsylvania National Organization of Women has endorsed Joe Hoeffel for Governor. Powerful organizations like NOW bring much more to an endorsement than individual county chairs. Jack Wagner has spent his time gathering endorsements from people from whom few votes can be amassed while earning a distinctively anti-woman record. Dan Onorato has also been anti-choice in the past though he said at the recent Pennsylvania Progressive Summit he would veto any state law outlawing abortion rights.
NOW is one of the key organizations statewide Democratic candidates must have for large voting blocks. They are among the first to weigh in on this contest. From PA NOW:
"We are pleased to inform you that you have received the endorsement of the Pennsylvania NOW PAC. We are delighted to have a strong candidate running for governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
"You have received the endorsement of the Pennsylvania NOW PAC due to your strong support of NOW's positions on full equality for all women including reproductive rights, economic equality for women, civil rights for all, constitutional equality for women, affirmative action, and the elimination of violence against women.
"Pennsylvania women need a governor with an unambiguous commitment to their rights- equal pay for equal work, better access to healthcare and education for women and their families, and an advocate for reproductive rights."
Tosti-Vasey's comments were echoed by Caryn Hunt, President of Philadelphia NOW.
"Joe has backbone, said Hunt. "He's not afraid to wade into issues that are paralyzing the state, like an antiquated and regressive tax code, and make the changes that have long been needed to grow Pennsylvania without penalizing the working class. He's is an extremely able politician, but he never lost that fire in his belly for the people. Joe will add family-sustaining jobs to Pennsylvania's economy, an economy that relies, like the rest of the country, equally on the contribution of women."
From Mr. Hoeffel:
"Pennsylvania NOW's endorsement means the world to me," said Hoeffel. "I believe in equality for all people and will work to advance the quality of life of all Pennsylvania women as governor. That means making sure we create good jobs, have adequate funding for essential services and eliminate discrimination related to employee wages, benefits, and rights.
"I also support reforming our health care system so that no one has to worry about affording routine health care or catastrophic illnesses," he said. "And I believe insurance plans that cover preventive medications and devices for men should also cover a full spectrum of contraceptive devices and medications for women."
Hoeffel added that as governor, he would "continue to trust women to make their own personal, private decisions regarding reproductive health issues."
The Washington Post is reporting the death of Congressman John Murtha. The Congressman underwent gall bladder surgery recently then re-entered the hospital last week because of complications from the operation. He appeared to be improving and was upgraded from intensive care.
NPR is also now reporting this. The Congressman's official website seems to be down so I haven't been able to contact anyone there.
My lasting image of the man is from 2006 when I traveled to Johnstown to cover the Veterans for Murtha Rally. It's a small town and I stayed, I believe, in the Holiday Inn. There's only one hotel close to downtown and the park. The Congressman came striding through the lobby and hallway of the hotel surrounded by aides acting as if he were king of all he surveyed. Powerful and arrogant he was still the far better choice than the war profiteer who opposed him that fall. CREW called him one of the most corrupt members of Congress yet he continuously brought tons of money back for his impoverished, rural District. The collapse of the steel industry hit the area hard and Murtha sought to replace jobs through contracts with defense contractors through his might on Capitol Hill.
This is the woman Republicans wanted to put a heartbeat away from the Presidency. She can't even cheat without getting caught. Any 8th grader can read the answers off their hand better then Ms. Palin. Perhaps they should have allowed her to email the First Dude for her answers. This is so pathetic it's tough to find the words to describe her utter stupidity. Of course she was at a convention of Birthers, Birchers, Deniers and Deathers so she likely figured no one would notice.
What would she have done if John McCain died in office, consulted her hand drawn cheat notes when dealing with other heads of state?
I'll be in Harrisburg today. This morning at the Capitol Rotunda to cover Rock the Dome and citizen lobbying for equality then this evening for Sen. Daylin Leach's debate with Maggie Gallagher about same sex marriage. My goal is to avoid eating at the Capitol Cafe. The Mouse Quiche doesn't sound appetizing. Has anyone yet explained if those are really chocolate chips in the muffins?
Update: I didn't make it to the 'Burg. I wound up stopping to refill my windshield washer fluid and the hood wouldn't close on the car. This is the third or fourth time this has happened and I can't seem to get our garage guys to replace the latch. It took three hours to wind my way home on the back roads of Lebanon and Berks counties.
The Federal Elections Commission has fined the Arlen Specter campaign for violations of the law from his 2004 campaigns against Pat Toomey and Joe Hoeffel. Specter is accused of violating the legal limits on contributions. The fine of $10,900 is due to the collection of about $740,000 in contributions he was prohibited from accepting. $37,950 of that remains to be returned to donors six years later. The legal limit for contributions in 2004 was $2,000 but Arlen Specter accepted more than that in violation of the law.
Specter has been refunding contributions to Republicans following his party switch last spring. Shouldn't he have refunded the illegal contributions first?
This is inexcusable. Campaign software widely available tracks all contributions, disbursements and refunds and alerts managers to excesses and limits. I found numerous similar violations in Rick Santorum's reports in 2006. What he did was accept three checks from contributors, all of $2200, from 81 donors right at the end of a reporting period. It was legal for him to accept two such checks at the time, one for the primary cycle and one for the general election cycle. The third checks were illegal. Santorum also accepted contributions from supporters who had maxxed out. These were for major events (such as a President Bush fundraiser) then returned the following days. These actions allowed him to pump up his numbers for the press. Was Specter doing the same things? Does he continue to violate the law? The fact we're six years later and Arlen Specter still hasn't come into compliance says many things about his honesty and integrity, none of them good.
Former State House Speaker Bill DeWeese is under investigation again. This time it has to do with a half million state contract given to Gravity Web Media. Originally conceived of as a grant their request was denied for not following the proper guidelines. Mike Manzo, who has been on the witness stand in Mike Veon's BonusGate trial for four days and was DeWeese's Chief of Staff, is also implicated in this probe. A non profit company called Greene County (DeWeese represents part of Greene County) Industrial Developments applied for the $500,000 grant and was denied. Somehow DeWeese's office intervened and the money was given to Gravity Web Media without ever signing a contract.
No contract, no oversight, this has BonusGate written all over it. How did the web company gain access to the $243,000 it has already spent, channeled through the Greene County non profit? Do you think, maybe, this outfit did campaign work? I wonder how many campaign web sites were designed by these people at public expense? The story as reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has BonusGate written all over it. Tom Corbett is now investigating this deal. Gravity Web Media received money from the House Democratic Caucus.
Manzo testified last week that the legislative slush fund was used to bankroll political activity, pay bonuses to staffers running campaigns and numerous other prohibited political activities. All four legislative caucuses dealt in this corruption but only House Democrats are being prosecuted by the Attorney General while he's running for Governor. Some Republicans have been indicted but not for these same offenses because Corbett gave them two years to destroy evidence.
I've been calling for an end to these slush funds for several years. There is no accountability for how this money is spent because the Auditor General is not allowed to audit these public funds. It is illegal to use public funds for political or campaign activity. The leadership of both parties use these legislative budgets as iron clubs to threaten their rank and file and keep them in line. This is the biggest problem in Harrisburg. Reformers are elected and get to Harrisburg to discover they either have to toe their Party line or be severely punished. If their Majority Leader or the Speaker, who controls all these funds, decides they aren't team players they lose their staffs, offices and any access to re-election help. This either corrupts them or so frustrates them the good ones leave. Guess who remains? People like Bill DeWeese. We get what we deserve when we do not demand better.
After thirty years in the Senate working against Democratic legislation and campaigning against Democratic candidates Pennsylvania Democrats today illustrated a knack for short memories, or for dementia, by endorsing a man who one year ago was a registered Republican. Who knows what he'll be one year from now? If he flip flops yet again, as his his want, all these Democrats will have more than egg on their faces. Maybe a few too many got sh*t faced last night.
In the Governor's race Chris Doherty's name wasn't put into nomination implying he is out of the contest. There was no endorsement in the Governor's race as expected. Jack Wagner received over half the votes however, temporarily derailing the Onorato Express.
For Lt. Governor Jonathon Saidel won the endorsement.
Final update: In other business the Pennsylvania Democratic Party unanimously endorsed state level single payer healthcare, "Medicare for all," HB 1660 and SB 400. From Healthcare4AllPA:
Lancaster - The Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee today unanimously endorsed a resolution calling for passage of single payer healthcare, Senate Bill 400 and House Bill 1660, also known as the "Family and Business Healthcare Security Act."
Given the healthcare reform deadlock in Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania's nation-leading status in the battle for state-based "Medicare for All," is all the more significant.
"Not only does Pennsylvania now have the Democratic Party on board with the Single Payer healthcare for all," said Healthcare for All PA executive director Chuck Pennacchio, "we also have the promised signature of our governor and the active support of Republican and Democratic leaders in both the State Senate and State House."
Added Pennacchio, "Pennsylvania is clearly 'ground zero' for cost-saving, life-enhancing, job-creating, quality, comprehensive, publicly-funded, privately-delivered, healthcare for all. Once PA adopts the proven single payer solution, our neighboring states will move rapidly to adopt the same answer, and congress will quickly follow suit."
Things have gotten very interesting in the Governor's race. As another of Tom Corbett's BonusGate trials unravels on allegations of perjury and prosecutorial misconduct Mike Veon may get off just as did Sean Ramaley. Chris Doherty's wife sent an email promoting an Onorato/Doherty ticket before anyone thought of the consequences. Such a screwing of Philadelphian Jonathon Saidel would have guaranteed a Corbett victory in November. No Democrat can win without Philadelphia and Dan Onorato, a Pittsburgh native (and we all know much the 'Burghers hate Philly) forgot the AFL-CIO is squarely behind Saidel. Lose both organized labor and Philadelphia and Dan might not beat a Green Party candidate. That would have been a legendary mistake.
So now we have a five party race in the Democratic Party as Sen. Tony Williams launched his campaign on the eve of the state endorsement meeting. With a half million war chest he threatens Joe Hoeffel as a liberal candidate from southeastern Pennsylvania.
Meanwhile Jack Wagner has been rolling up key endorsements for weeks. He has the momentum and rumors swirling around Onorato's screwing of past statewide Democratic candidates might negate his advantage in money. Of course these are the same Democrats who have sudden amnesia about how Arlen Specter screwed Democrats for thirty years. Perhaps the average age of State Committee persons is having an effect on their memories. Clairol and Just For Men could sponsor these meetings and make a fortune.
Three years ago I wrote this article about one of my fundamental differences with Senator Arlen Specter. It was just at the beginning of what I called GonzalesGate: the firing of nine U.S. Attorneys for refusing to politicize their offices and prosecutions. It was possible for then Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and White House Political Adviser Karl Rove to do this because Specter had inserted a clause into a conference committee version of legislation. That provision allowed then President Bush to fire prosecutors and replace them without the Senate's "advise and consent."
The constitution divided our federal government into three equal but separate branches and the Founding Fathers worked very hard to design various checks and balances so as to insure no single branch gained too much power. The assignment of "advise and consent" powers to the Senate was a key part of this arrangement. Unfortunately since World War II the powers of the Executive have grown increasingly out of proportion to what the Founders believed was safe for a democracy.
The House and Senate have gradually eroded their own power, none quite as expansively as during the regime of George W. Bush. The scary "unitary executive" doctrine concentrates far too much power in the occupant of the White House. It is there because Senators like Arlen Specter have abdicated theirs.
While those hardy (and those willing and able to pay for two nights at the Host) souls who traveled to Lancaster are snowed in this morning they have these neat buttons saying "I got snowed in with Arlen Specter." Snowed by him is more like it. Sen. Specter squared off with Congressman Sestak last evening and the sparks flew. Following last week's performance at the Pennsylvania Progressive Summit there are serious reports about the elderly Senator's mental acuity. Mike Stark is reporting on an encounter he had recently which is cause for concern.
Last week he mounted the stage while Joe Sestak was making his closing statement and had to be asked to exit. He then spent his time telling jokes and stories instead of answering questions on serious issues. When he did make a response he got his own record all wrong. What sane person goes before hundreds of labor people and their friends with a 61% voting record then claim it was over 99%?
If you believe Sen. Specter is a Democrat you've been snowed by him. His record actually shows he has voted with Republicans 85% of the time. This isn't the only serious issue upon which Arlen Specter is either lying or cannot keep straight. The Sestak people issued this laundry list of issues yesterday about his actual record, not the one he's snowing Democrats on.
(This is important stuff. Believe it or not it's time for the budget again! - promoted by John Morgan)
Governor Ed Rendell will release his proposed state budget for 2010-11 on Tuesday, February 9 at 11:30 a.m. The new spending plan has been crafted in the midst of a continuing recession, a growing current year budget deficit, and higher demand for basic services.
Look to the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center for ongoing information and strategy around the state budget:
• See our news release which puts the state budget in perspective and frames the choices facing state lawmakers;
• View a PowerPoint presentation on funding essential services in Pennsylvania; and
• On Tuesday, February 9, go to http://www.pennbpc.org/state-budget-2010-11 to access a detailed analysis of the proposed 2010-11 state budget.
Join Pennsylvanians working together for a budget that meets the growing demand for services, is resolved on time, and contains sufficient revenue to be sustainable over time.
January Collections Bring Revenue Deficit to $374 Million
January marked a significant shortfall in General Fund revenue collections for the Commonwealth, bringing the 2009-10 fiscal year-to-date deficit to $374 million and raising doubt about Rendell Administration targets for the remainder of the year.
January collections, which were announced on Monday, fell short of estimate by $120 million, with 85% of the shortfall due to lower-than-expected collections from the state's two largest tax streams - the personal income tax and the sales tax. Only "sin taxes" on tobacco, liquor, and beer exceeded monthly estimates.
Resources Available on Economy, Federal Recovery Act
On January 15, the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, the Keystone Research Center, PA Works! and our partners sponsored a conference in Harrisburg examining how the federal Economic Recovery Act has been implemented in Pennsylvania and the impact those investments are having on the Pennsylvania economy. If you missed the conference, we've got you covered. Check out our conference web page, which includes conference materials, an overview of the conference and workshop sessions, PowerPoint presentations, video clips and more.
PBPC also has launched a new web site feature titled Economy Watch, which tracks key economic indicators like Pennsylvania jobs and unemployment and how those figures compare to past recessions. You can also link to several other resources from the Economy Watch page, including pages discussing poverty and uninsured rates in Pennsylvania, growth in enrollment for public safety net programs and more.
Congressman Joe Sestak introduced legislation to day which would unravel the recent shocking Supreme Court decision in Citizens United. Saying "I thoroughly disagreed with the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision because it gives the same status to corporations as to individual citizens in society by removing decades-old precedents that protected the electoral process from the influence of money. Corporations are not equal members of society as an individual citizen, and I agree with Justice Stevens, who authored the case's dissent, that the ruling could undermine the integrity of our Nation's elected institutions."
The Sestak bill would impose the following restrictions:
It would require annual voting by shareholders of a corporation if:
* The total campaign spending for the year would be over $8,000 for companies with under 100 employees.
* The total campaign spending for the year would be over $20,000 for companies with over 100 employees.
The bill also requires that if a corporation makes such a disbursement without shareholder approval, each responsible officer and director of the corporation will be personally liable for the amount of the unauthorized expenditure.
This isn't exactly shocking for a "loyal Bushie" who pledged his loyalty to Karl Rove and Alberto Gonzales over the constitution but it is disturbing. Congressional candidate and former U.S. Attorney in Philadelphia Pat Meehan announced his condemnation for the concept of trying criminals in a court of law. I thought that was the basis for our constitutional democracy. Where are those constitution loving Teabaggers protesting this abomination of our cherished document? From Meehan today:
The 9/11 attacks on our country were one of the most devastating events in the history of our nation. They were an act of war against the American people and our way of life. But now the Obama Administration wants to provide the mastermind of those attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and his co-conspirators a civil trial in federal court here in the United States. In the process, they will afford these war criminals the same constitutional rights each of us enjoys as American citizens.
The constitution and the Bill of Rights don't discriminate between citizens and non- citizens. It says every person is endowed with these inalienable rights. Perhaps Pat should spend some time over at The National Constitution Center. It is just up the street from Independence Hall where our Founding Fathers crafted the document insuring that every person have a fair trial in front of a jury of their peers.
The terrorist attacks claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 Americans and the perpetrators should be tried as war criminals before military tribunals, not afforded the legal rights and protections afforded the American people. Trying these individuals in civilian court gives them unnecessary access to investigative information and the capacity to try to suppress legitimate evidence that will be used against them.
Yes Pat that is called a fair an dopen trial. Defendants have the right to confront the evidence used against them, they have the right not to have hearsay evidence used against them, they have the right not to be tortured, they have the right to open trials where anyone can come and witness any prosecutorial misconduct. In America we accuse and prosecute everyone the same. 9/11 wasn't an act of war for several reasons. First, acts of war, by definition can only be committed by states. Secondly no state of war has yet been declared by Congress, the only constitutional method for doing so.
I find it shocking that a major candidate for Congress is so ready to throw aside our constitution, our long history of civil and criminal jurisprudence and our Bill of Rights. The fact he served as a major prosecutor makes him wholly unqualified for anything other than a medieval agent of the King. Fortunately those dark old days are past.
