Take a look at this Editorial from today's Tribune-Review (by the way, it's titled "Ed the terrorist?":
Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell is so self-serving that he accepted apparently illegal payments for speeches supporting an Iranian-dissident organization that the State Department has listed as a terrorist group since 1997.
The Treasury Department has subpoenaed records related to payments that Mr. Rendell admits taking in exchange for advocating removal of the People's Mujahedeen of Iraq, aka Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK), from State's terror-group list.
He denies wrongdoing and says he and his agent are cooperating. Yet a Treasury spokesman told The Washington Times that "U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with or providing services to this group."
As always, when you peek into the details you'll see what Scaife's braintrust has decided you don't need to know. From there you can decide for yourself their credibility.
A letter by Patrick McMahon, President of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85, was hand-delivered to Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato on Tuesday, opposing Port Authority plans to "string-out" $45,000,000 in supplemental funding (by Gov. Ed Rendell) over the next eighteen months. The letter notes that these funds were intended to give the legislature six months -- not 18 -- to find a way prevent transit cuts next year and that stretching it out for triple that length of time will necessarily involve expedited cuts in services and routes.
According to the Post-Gazettearticle today, the union also believes that sunshine laws may have been violated:
Port Authority officials denied an allegation by a union spokesman that the board decided during a private conference call to cut service by 15 percent in March and close the Harmar bus garage.
AFL-CIO spokesman Marty Marks said such a call appeared to violate the state's open meetings law. "It's not fair to take the public out of the process," he said.
Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell says he is appalled that the state's Office of Homeland Security, unbeknownst to him, had been compiling and circulating information about protesters at peaceful gatherings.
Banging his fist on the podium Tuesday evening, a visibly angry Rendell called the practice "absolutely ludicrous."
"Let me make this as clear as I can make it. Protesting against an idea, a principle, a process, is not a real threat against infrastructure," he said at a news conference. "Protesting is a God-given American right, a right that is in our Constitution, a right that is fundamental to all we believe in as Americans."
A WTAE News report here includes video of Governor Ed Rendell apologizing for "what he calls the $125,000 waste of taxpayer dollars, spent to investigate the so-called alert."
And, it wasn't just Marcellus Shale protests which were put on the official bulletin to law enforcement from Pennsylvania Homeland Security:
Among the rallies that were mentioned in the lists were a candle light vigil against the oil company BP, a gay pride festival and protests against natural gas drilling.
"I apologize to the Marcellus Shale protesters. I apologize to the taxpayers protesters. I apologize to the lesbian and gay Pride Festival. I apologize to every single name that was on the list," Rendell said.
Another event whose protesters made the list was a rally in support of higher spending on public schools.
"Supporting my education bill? That was on the list," he said incredulously.
Ah yes, this is what happens when you give these clowns free reign -- everyone becomes suspect.
But, back to Marcellus Shale...
As far back as August 27th, there was a comment on this very blog by Gloria Forouzan of Lawrenceville Marcellus Action Group warning about Homeland Security's interest in those who oppose Marcellus Shale drilling:
This morning I rec'd notice that Homeland Security's been watching anti Marcellus chatter on the internet all summer long...
What a great use of our tax dollars.
And on September 9th, the Philadelphia City Paperposted an email authored by Pennsylvania Homeland Security chief James Powers which in part stated:
“We want to continue providing this support to the Marcellus Shale Formation natural gas stakeholders while not feeding those groups fomenting dissent against those same companies.”
The email was mistakenly sent to someone who participated in anti-drilling forums.
That same day, the Pittsburgh City Paper also posted a story at Chris Potter's Slag Heap blog about the Homeland Security "intelligence bulletin."
The origin for the bulletin story was a piece at ProPublica on September 8th:
Anti-drilling activists in the state say that public hearings and other events have been peaceful and that they see no evidence of violent opposition. Given the lack of evidence about "extremist" crimes, they say, the bulletin casts drilling opponents as criminals and threatens to stifle open debate.
"It may very well be designed to chill peoples' very legitimate participation in public decision making," said Deborah Goldberg, an attorney with Earthjustice, a national group pressing for stronger environmental protections [3]. "If people who have concerns fear that they are going to be treated as a security threat they may very well be afraid to go and express their views."
The advisory lists a series of public hearings on drilling permit issues across the state as potential flash points. It also mentions a Sept. 3 screening of the anti-drilling film "Gasland" in Philadelphia that went off without incident. Language describes "environmental activists and militants" on one side of the debate and "property owners, mining and drilling companies" on the other.
Finally, the bulletin groups the public hearings and film screening with protest rallies for anarchist clubs focused on "evading law enforcement," and with a Muslim advocacy group's rally for the release of suspects in an alleged terror plot at Fort Dix, N.J.
The advisory was sent to state law enforcement and local government groups, as well as businesses with a specific concern addressed in the bulletin. It was not intended to be distributed to the public.
What other events were listed as needing observation? According to Chris Potter:
These include such radical gatherings as a Pittsburgh City Council hearing on drilling slated for Sept. 13, and a zoning hearing in Upper St. Clair scheduled for Oct. 4.
Participating in democracy -- what a radical notion!
Here's a video from Monday's dangerous, dangerous protest:
Obviously peacefully protesting out in full view on the very steps of City Hall and speaking at a public hearing constitutes crazy, militant terror activity.
If you too desire to be among dangerous "environmental extremists" terrorist types, you might want to take militant action by joining the MarcellusProtest Facebook page (so very subversive to put their activities there) or visit the Marcellus Shale Protest website (because plotting in secret is so 9/10).
UPDATE: Here's a thought: How frightening is it that the Pennsylvania Homeland Security chief mistakenly sent that email to "the other side." If they really believe that environmentalists are such security threats, wouldn't this be (in his mind) the equivalent of, oh say, cc'ing an al qaeda sympathizer on an email detailing how they're secretly tracking al qaeda events? What a putz!
UPDATE: 2: Bob Mayo also did a story on the intelligence bulletin on September 9th on WTAE.
You can see the intelligence bulletin on Pro Publica's site here.
It's great to hearthat Barbara Hafer will be in the running for Rep. Jack Murtha's seat in the 12th Congressional District. Currently, only 2 out of 19 US Representatives from Pennsylvania are women.
Let's change that!
From Jeanne K. C. Clark:
Barbara is a strong women's rights supporter, as I'm sure you know. She has served the Commonwealth well, for two terms as State Auditor General and two terms as State Treasurer. She has amazing crossover appeal, always attracting both Democratic and Republican support, and strong name recognition. She is an amazing campaigner and terrific fundraiser. And she would be a formidable opponent to any of the Republicans who are currently eyeing the race.
Unexpected opportunities like this seat don't come around often, and they usually go to the most likely white male insider. This time, it can be different. But we need to act fast. You can be sure the that the usual guys are lining up their supporters. We need to make our voices heard -- right now.
Please join me in writing to TJ Rooney, Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and Governor Ed Rendell, urging them to support Barbara Hafer for the 12th Congressional District. Urge them to do everything they can to make Barbara Hafer the next member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
First, PCN-TV (Channel 48 on Comcast) will broadcast yesterday's 14th Ward Independent Democratic Club Democratic Gubernatorial Candidates Forum (pictured above) tonight at 8:00 PM.
Next, Chris Potter blogs at Slag Heap on reports that gubernatorial candidate -- and current Scranton mayor -- Chris Doherty may be dropping out of the race, but taking a run at lieutenant governor while backing Dan Onorato (in a deal being brokered by Gov. Rendell). Potter notes:
Doherty was emphasizing a progressive platform ... his departure from the race would, in theory, help solidify progressive voters behind Joe Hoeffel, the Montgomery County Commissioner who has been the most strident voice on the left so far. Onorato and Auditor General Jack Wagner would be left to fight over moderate-to-conservative Dems in the western part of the state. That said, the stars seem to be aligning in Onorato's favor lately.
Early Returnsposts on Dan's stars that Onorato has lots of cash -- double that of likely GOP candidate Tom Corbett.
And, speaking of Corbett, PoliticsPAreports that, "Former Democratic Attorney General candidate John Morganelli said Thursday that Dan Onorato, the party’s gubernatorial front-runner, secretly supported a Republican during the 2008 attorney general’s race."
The undercover bff Republican in question? Tom Corbett. .
The chartered plane carrying the 53 orphans from earthquake-ravaged Haiti has arrived at Pittsburgh International Airport and the children are en route to Children's Hospital.
The plane arrived from Orlando, Fla., at about 9:30.
The rescue mission came in response to messages last week from sisters Jamie and Ali McMutrie of Ben Avon, who said this month's devastating earthquake endangered the health of 130 children in their care at the BRESMA orphanage in Port-Au-Prince.
While Ali McMutrie arrived in Pittsburgh today, one child -- Emma --couldn't be found during the rush to leave. She has since been found and she and Jamie McMutrie -- who refused to leave without her -- and the rest of the McMutrie family are coming back to Pittsburgh on a later plane.
Ali McMutrie verified that the other 90 children from the orphanage were being taken in similar rescue missions conducted by the Dutch and French governments.
The rescue mission also brought 2.5 tons of medical supplies, two doctors and a nurse with them to stay in Haiti.
Again as wonderful as this is, it bears keeping in mind that there's millions of Haitians who still need help.
UPDATE 5: Most recent news here (1/18/10, 6:30 AM ET).
UPDATE 4: 10/17/10, 4:30 AM ET, from the sister-in-law of the McMutrie sisters: UPDATE 3: 10/16/10, 10:27 PM ET: UPDATE 2: They are now out of water. Contact anyone you can to help.
UPDATE: Very lastest update from the family via Facebook is here:
i'm sure you all know that the girls were on CNN (Anderson Cooper) last night. even though the show was on at night, they talked to the girls much much much earlier in the day. since then the babies have started to get very sick. the girls have started to get sick. the fact that CNN has found and interviewed them, unfortunately, doesn't mean much...call your senators. and donate. the senators and political higher ups are now involved. but, that doesn't mean that you should stop harassing them. we need them to stay involved. we need them to stay passionate about this cause. especially now that it's the weekend. so please just keep calling. call and call and call and call. email and email and email.
Stories in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review this morning agree that former U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan claims that she has obtained "a humanitarian parole"/"one of two key permits" to allow the children of the BRESMA orphanage in Haiti to come to the US. Both articles also quote Rep. Jason Altmire on his efforts (along with Gov. Ed Rendell, Sen. Bob Casey, Sen. Arlen Specter and Rep. Mike Doyle) to secure passage for the children.
However, the P-G positions Buchanan's efforts as "one part of a two-prong push to get permission for the children to enter the country early" (with Altmire & others as the other prong), while the Trib has a somewhat different slant:
...Rep. Jason Altmire said he and other government officials -- including those in the White House -- knew nothing of such plans [speaking of Buchanan's efforts] and still were trying to secure the permits.
Bram Reichbaum of The Pittsburgh Comet blog was assisting Mary Beth Buchanan last night. I asked him (via email) if the two factions were working at cross purposes or if it's just a matter of everyone attacking the problem from different angles with their own resources (which could maximize the chances of pulling off a rescue). Bram answered as follows:
It was DEFINITELY different channels and not cross-purposes. We definitely got the impression that some Dems weren't thrilled with our attempts, but I never once got the impression either effort was screwing up the other one. If anyone succeeds in getting some aid thru it'll all be worth it.
For the record though we didn't know about what Jason Altmire was doing any more than he knew about our effort. ;) Cong. Tim Murphy was our man on the inside, called us every hour or so.
For those who don't know it, Buchanan -- a Republican -- may be a challenger for Democrat Altmire's House seat.
I say: The more the merrier.
I'm trusting that everyone has the best intentions and KUDOS to all of them for trying to work a miracle. However, it's likely going to be easier -- and nothing is the least bit easy in any of this -- to get the 30 children who are already well into the adoption process with American sponsors into the country than the 120 who don't already have future US homes. Jamie and Ali McMutrie have expressed their intentions to get all 150 children out together as a group because any child left behind would face a high risk of death.
BRESMA is running out of water and food and the children and staff are not safe. Let's hope all the parties involved can work some magic and that all of you reading this who have called and emailed these public leaders keep up the pressure.
NOTE: Photo removed at the request of the tweeter/photographer.
On Friday, some workers were not paid and others got checks for smaller amounts than their normal pay. By July 31, paychecks will stop altogether.
Meanwhile, in Harrisburg, state lawmakers are still at an impasse and Pennsylvania continues to operate without a budget that is already two weeks overdue
Tell me that when The Powers That Be promised Arlen Specter that they'd clear the way for him to win the Democratic primary in 2010, that they also got some promises from him -- and that they made him sign it in blood -- cause Arlen is real good at pulling that football away at the last moment. .
If you've been reading the Pittsburgh Women's Blogging Society (hereand here), you know that PA Gov. Ed Rendell recently created an Oversight Commission to monitor stimulus spending. There are 14 members and of those 14 there's only one woman member and one minority member.
In about a half hour, there will be press conference at the United Steelworkers building hosted by State Rep. Chelsa Wagner to insist that the committee be geographically, racially, and gender balanced. Others scheduled to speak on this issue include State Rep. Jake Wheatley, 19th District; Heather Arnet, Women and Girls Foundation; and Doris Carson Williams, African-American Chamber of Commerce.
According to Wagner, “Allegheny County easily has the second largest population in the state, but has zero representatives on the Oversight Commission.”
Hey! Even if you're one of our trolls who doesn't care about racial or gender makeup, you might be peeved that your piece of the state is not being represented.
Please contact Rendell and let him know that you're not happy with the composition of this board:
Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll, a much-beloved figure in Pennsylvania politics who helped forge a path for women and whose head-on bluntness made her one of the most colorful figures in Allegheny County and Harrisburg, died yesterday after battling cancer for several months.
She was 78.
The daughter of a McKees Rocks baker, Mrs. Knoll entered politics through Allegheny County's old Democratic machine, but then had to fight her way onto tickets, overcoming party leaders' questions about her intellect and concerns about whether a woman could win a statewide election.
A 40-year veteran of county political wars, Mrs. Knoll served two terms as state treasurer and made a strong third-place finish among seven candidates in the 1994 Democratic primary for governor. Eight years later she went on to win her highest post, lieutenant governor in the administration of Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell. She was the first woman to be elected to the office.
[snip]
Mrs. Knoll will be succeeded as lieutenant governor by the current president pro tempore of the state Senate, Republican Joseph B. Scarnati III of Jefferson County.
The P-G article also mentions her frequent malaprops including referring to Gov. Edward G. Rendell as "Edward G. Robinson."
She was much loved in Western PA and while I was no real fan, I very much admire the fact that she was able to go as far as she did in a state that has a dearth of female politicians in top spots, especially coming from this region of the state.
The Bronze goes to Walmart. Here's the story from CNN. Go read it and then try to tell yourself that Walmart is a good company that has the best interests of its "associates" at heart. I especially like the part where Walmart claims to be doing this "out of fairness" to it's other associates.
But even with all that, our Governor takes the cake.
Here's a transcript:
But our winner? Governor Ed Rendel of Pennsylvania, who was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee when it lost the White House to George Bush in 2000.
He went on "Fixed News" this morning and first said, "During this entire primary coverage starting in Iowa and up to the present, Fox has done the fairest job, has remained the most objective of all the cable networks. You hate both our candidates, no I'm only kidding." And unfortunately he did not stop at, "I'm only kidding." Going on to tell the Fox Noise people that, "You actually have done a very balanced job of reporting the news."
Governor, seriously. If you think the network that still brings up Vince Foster as if his death was Senator Clinton's fault has been balanced towards your candidate, if you think the network on which Dick Morris regularly says Senator Clinton completely fabricated a story about her daughter and 9/11 has been balanced, if you think the network whose commentators speculate whether Senator Clinton as president would be subject to, quote, "PMS and mood swings" has been balanced to her, if you think that the network whose supposed newscaster asked Senator Clinton about Iraq, quote "Why are you so determined to declare defeat?" as been balanced towards her, if you think the network which suggested Senator Clinton's moment of emotion in New Hampshire made her likely to break down during a time of national crisis has been balanced towards her, if you really think Fox News which has done all of that in just the last three months has been "very balanced" about reporting the news about Senator Clinton, then Governor Rendell you are not only no friend of Senator Clinton's, but you are also an idiot.
Governor Ed Rendell and Fox News, today's worst persons in the world.
Fox "News" fair and balanced. Even Ed Rendell says so!
1. For the record, we don't think that Jon Delano is "nuts" either.
2. While Bram and The Burgher link to The Trib'sreporting on Lil Mayor Luke's latest paronoid power play management stylings, to give credit where credit is due, Early Returns had it first.
3. And speaking of the P-G, they have a poll where you can express your frustrations opinions on the Mon-Fayette Expressway (link to the poll at Progress Pittsburghhere) and The Angry Drunk Bureaucrat weighs in on the subject here.
5. Finally, can we note the irony of the petition to make the boyhood home of Pittsburgh native son August Wilson into a designated historic structure languishing in City Council's Planning, Zoning and Land Use Committee (falling through the cracks or sat on depending on who you talk to or who won't talk) at the same time that The Kennedy Center is celebrating his work with their "August Wilson's 20th Century" festival (the first time all ten plays in the Pittsburgh cycle are being performed together) and at the same time that Lil Mayor Luke was lauding Pittsburgh as "the hometown of Gene Kelly, Andy Warhol and August Wilson"? I guess we just did. (Pittsburgh City Council will hold a public hearing on the designation on Feb. 18, at 1 p.m.)
Yeah, I don't believe that I've mentioned it here before, but on the off chance that anyone reading this blog lives in my district (16-2) I'm running for Allegheny County Democratic Committee female member.
In case you don't know what a committee member does, their official duties are to vote on committee endorsements and hand out slate cards on election day. It's an unpaid position.
So if you vote in the first room at Morse Garden on Sarah & 24th Streets on Pittsburgh's South Side, vote for:
Maria T. Lupinacci
My opponent has been in office for quite some time so this ain't gonna be a walk in the park.
Oh yeah, in case you haven't noticed, I'm for these folks as well:
Allegheny County Democratic Committee: (About 50 new folks running this year. WDUQ interviewed some of them and it will be replayed throughout the day.)
Mark DePasquale, ? Janis Williams, ? (North Side) Matt Preston, 9-2 John Riegert, 9-3 Erika Fricke, 9-4 Gloria Forouzan, 9-5 Josh Punchur, 9-5 Rebecca White, 9-6 Heather Sage, 9-7 Maria T. Lupinacci, 16-2 Benjamin Ragheb, 16-2
