|
|
Home | Contents | Search | Post | Issues| Solutions ]
Copyright (c) 12/2000 http://www.h1bvisasucks.com/ All Rights Reserved
Remember the Budd Dwyer Incident in Pennsylvania
PA State Treasure Shoots Himself on National TV
Asher Convicted for the Bribes
FBI Indicates Mob Owned Firm
|
|
Associated Press 1996 Peter Durantine - Harrisburg PA "Dwyer Remembered 10 Years After Suicide" - Reporters were shouting "Don't Budd Don't"...Bud Dwyer ignored their pleas that snowy morning ten years ago today. as he stood before a flank of cameras in the state Treasurers ornate office with a 357 caliber Magnum in his mouth. Then he pulled the trigger. It was a scene that would appear nationwide in newspapers and on network television news. It shocked reporters who appeared at his news conference, unaware of Dwyer's intentions. It shook Pennsylvania's political world. For eight years from her desk in Dwyer's former office outgoing Treasurer Catherine Baker Knoll www.patreasury.org has faced the wood paneled wall that caught the ricocheting bullet after it exited Dwyer's head. She said it reminded her how bad politics can be. " I look at that bullet hole every day and I say, 'Never Me'". Knoll said last week "No one can buy me." Dwyer made the same claim as treasurer and most people who knew him believed he was incorruptible. Hew was an affable burly man with jowls. He came from a rural county and considered himself a country boy, an idealist. But more than a month before his suicide a federal jury found Dwyer guilty of agreeing to accept a $300,000 bribe in exchange for awarding a $4.6 million contract to a California firm Computer Technology Associates www.cta.com . No money changed hands because the conspiracy collapsed weeks after the contract have been signed. Dwyer facing a maximum term of 56 years in prison swore his innocence until the end. Before pulling the trigger, white-faced and sweating profusely claimed the justice system unfair. He read from a 20 page statement, the last page of which was delivered to reporters after he killed himself. In the final page he urged his wife Joanne and his supporters to "fight for a true justice system here in the United States." "Goodbye to all of you on the count of three." he said "Please make sure that a sacrifice of my life is not in vain." A supporter from his hometown in Blooming Valley, Crawford county PA answered that call. Loraine Yuhasz has written a book about the 47 year old Republican's life.....
(Shown here is Bob Asher)
Note: CTA is a large Aerospace Vendor now www.cta.com Note the articles on 1706 (See Issues Arlene Spector this shows the entry point of the FAMILY into high tech government contracting see notes on what happened in 1986 at Goddard Space Flight Center. www.h1bvisasucks.com/H1BDiscussions_issue_rnc.htm
In conversations with PA State Senators on this issue here is some of the details they failed to provide. He has a love triangle with his secretary. She broke this off and called the FBI. They found out the firm was tied into the rackets. He was given a chance to go into the witness protection program if he would work with them. He had three choices 40+ years in jail, uproot himself his family into the witness protection program; or the choice he took.
The only person convicted in this case was Robert Asher who is now the owner of Asher's Candies www.ashers.com.He spent 1/2 years in jail for bribing a state official. In the spring of 2000 another state official met with Asher near his office on a Sunday morning. He drove down from the capital over 100 miles to met his and then as reported by the police he decides to shoot himself in the head! He is very powerful in state and national Republican parties. The current treasurer Barbra Hafer www.patreasury.org www.politicspa.com. Stopped running for the Republican Governors race in the PA May 2002 primary. As a result in a statewide primary were voters are to have a choice none was presented! Recently she announced that she is supporting the Democratic Governor Candidate Rendell whose Lt. Gov is the former treasurer Catherine Knoll. Asher is a prime supporter of the Present Gov Mark Schweiker www.state.pa.us Congressman Jim Greenwood whom we see in the House meetings dealing with Corporate Fraud like Enron, and now Martha Stewart. Now the question here is who is watching Greenwood! To assure that the Corporate Ethical/Accounting issues are properly addressed!
The above information has provided the background to purpose for this section. PA Gov Schweiker was a manager for Merrill Lynch in Princeton NJ prior to entering the political arena. He recommended they utilize H1B labor to save money. In interviews with consultants who worked at Merrill they indicated up to 25 managers were involved with getting kickbacks from IT Services firms to provide professional services here. This does not demonstrate Schweiker was involved with this part of the activities but does attest to the background of the work environment from which he worked.
ASHER HIJACKS THE PA GOP... PA SEN CONTI SAID ASHER IS A "MAN OF HONOR." THE FBI IN THE BUD DWYER CASE SAID ORGANIZED CRIME OWNED THE FIRM INVOLVED WITH THE KICKBACKS. IN LATE SPRING 2000 FOR A SECOND TIME ANOTHER PA STATE OFFICIAL MEETS ASHER AND ALSO DECIDES TO SHOOT HIMSELF IN THE HEAD...WHILE ASHER WINS MILLION IN PA HIGH TECH CONTRACTS AND SUPPORTS TOM RIDGE ON HIS IMMIGRATION ISSUES. NO WONDER DON HERB BARNESS PUT ASHER IN POWER.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/7518528.htm
Castor outburst stuns Penna. Republicans
Posted on Thu, Dec. 18, 2003 jshields@phillynews.com
Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor sent shudders through the state Republican Party yesterday with a public tirade against national committeemen Bob Asher after local GOP chiefs refused to back Castor for Pennsylvania attorney general. In a straw vote yesterday, four of five Republican County chairmen in Southeastern Pennsylvania agreed to endorse Tom Corbett of Pittsburgh, a former U.S. attorney who served as Pennsylvania's attorney general in 1995, at the Republican State Committee meeting in January. Republican chairmen in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester and Delaware Counties said they would support Corbett, with only Montgomery County Chairman Frank Bartle backing Castor. In response, Castor sent out a strident statement to media outlets that said the endorsement process had been "hijacked" by Asher, the National Republican Committeeman from Pennsylvania. Asher, a Montgomery County resident, has thrown his considerable influence - political and financial - behind Corbett. Castor has cast his campaign as a challenge to Asher. "Asher has, quite simply, bought the Republican endorsement, through political contributions, for his hand-picked candidate," Castor said in his e-mailed statement. Asher is the Republicans' heavyweight fund-raiser, and has raised about $1.3 million this year alone for the political action committee he controls, the Pennsylvania Future Fund. That PAC has already given Corbett $50,000 for his campaign, and Asher and his family have contributed $12,000 themselves. The Pennsylvania Future Fund also sends money to GOP county committees and candidates throughout the state. Asher declined to comment yesterday, but Corbett's spokesman went on the offensive. "This isn't about Bob Asher and any other individual, this is about Bruce Castor not being the best candidate for the job," said Brian Nutt, Corbett's campaign manager. "It's a desperate attempt by a desperate man to make this about someone other than himself because he knows he doesn't have the qualifications for the job or, better yet, Tom Corbett's qualifications." Chester County Chairman Joseph "Skip" Brion rejected Castor's assertion. "From Chester County's standpoint, we made our decision within our county's borders, and not by any influence from anyone outside the county, including Bob Asher," Brion said. Castor is seeking the GOP endorsement at the State Republican Committee meeting Jan. 23 and 24. While Castor has been campaigning unofficially across the state for the last year, Corbett has gathered a powerful cadre of supporters, including the highest-ranking members of the Pennsylvania Senate and House - many of them Asher allies.
Castor had hardly announced his candidacy last month when he declared that he would seek the Republican nomination in a primary if he didn't win the party's endorsement. Brion said he sent Bartle a letter at the time expressing concern at Castor's maverick stance. Castor said that he thought he had the support of county leaders in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties. From the beginning Castor has complained that Asher, who was convicted in 1986 on federal bribery-related charges related to a pay-for-play scheme, had so much say in the race for attorney general. Asher was state GOP chairman when he was accused of conspiring to steer a state contract to a California company in exchange for political contributions. His co-defendant in the case, state Treasurer Budd Dwyer, committed suicide at a press conference the day before his sentencing. Yesterday Castor brought Asher's past to the front of his campaign. "Bob Asher has used every means to stop my candidacy because he does not want an independent attorney general, one who is outside his personal control, to be elected," Castor said. "But no law enforcement officer - particularly the attorney general - should be under the control of one man, especially a man who spent a year in prison on a conviction of public corruption." Castor went on to say: "I do not believe that the people of Pennsylvania will vote for a candidate who is indebted to a convicted felon." Montgomery County Commissioner Jim Matthews, who will become chairman of the Board of Commissioners in January, was "dumbfounded" when informed of Castor's comments. "I am very surprised and disappointed at our candidate's statements toward our national committeeman," said Matthews, who has supported Castor thus far. "They are so outlandish that I think Mr. Castor, upon further reflection, will retract those statements."
http://www.montcopa.org/da/dabio.htm
jperrone@mail.montcopa.org
Bruce L. Castor, Jr., District Attorney, Montgomery
County, PA.
Bruce L. Castor, Jr. had been a prosecutor since 1986 when elected District Attorney of Montgomery County, PA on November 2, 1999. During Mr. Castor's career, he has prosecuted primarily murder cases. In 1995, he received the Trial Advocacy Award from the National Association of Government Attorneys in Capital Litigation for his work investigating and prosecuting homicides. He has received recognition for his efforts by the state legislature on two occasions, as well as by Governors Ridge and Casey. In 1990, he was named by a local Chamber of Commerce as Montgomery County's "Law Enforcement Man of the Year."
Prior to becoming District Attorney, Mr. Castor served as First Assistant District Attorney, Deputy District Attorney (Chief of Trials), Assistant District Attorney in charge of the Major Crimes Unit, and as an assistant district attorney on the Sex Crimes Unit. He has supervised the County Investigating Grand Jury and conducted numerous wiretap investigations. He has also acted as special prosecutor for the Office of Attorney General on many occasions. He frequently lectures on topics related to criminal investigation and prosecution. In addition to Pennsylvania, Mr. Castor is a member of the bar of the United States Supreme Court, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and the Federal District Court. Mr. Castor is also a member of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association, the Pennsylvania and Montgomery Bar Associations, and a charter member of the Pennsylvania Homicide Investigators' Association. He has served on the boards of the Montgomery Bar Association and the Norristown State Hospital. Mr. Castor acquired his undergraduate degree from Lafayette College and his law degree from Washington and Lee University. He has received advanced training from the National College of District Attorneys and at the FBI National Academy.
http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/2004/01/10/news/local/7677068.htm
Sprague demands apology from Castor for remarks about GOP chairmen - Bob Asher 1/10/04
If things looked bad for Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor after his public tirade against his own party last month, they just got worse. Attorney Richard Sprague sent Castor a letter yesterday, demanding that he retract and apologize for claims he made about the Republican Committee chairmen in Philadelphia, Delaware, Chester and Bucks counties. Castor lashed out at his fellow Republicans last month when those committee chairmen - Vito Canuso, Thomas Judge Sr., Joseph "Skip" Brion and Harry Fawkes - decided to endorse former U.S. Attorney Tom Corbett of Pittsburgh for state attorney general this year. Castor, who is seeking that post, was backed only by the Montgomery GOP chairman. Castor accused GOP powerbroker Bob Asher of hijacking the party for Corbett. " 'Bob Asher has, quite simply, bought the State Committee endorsement for his hand-picked candidate,' " Sprague quotes in his letter from an angry Dec. 18 Castor press release. Sprague calls that a "vicious and defamatory verbal assault on their integrity." Castor responded yesterday with a letter to U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, saying he was going to "return to the focus" of running for attorney general. But that doesn't mean Castor is backing down. He wrote in that letter that he would "show the dramatic weaknesses" of Corbett. And Castor fired yet another shot at Asher, saying it was in Asher's interest as a fund-raiser and lobbyist to have an ally in the attorney general's office. A spokesman yesterday said Castor would have no further comment on the matter.Asher has declined to speak publicly about the political feud. Fawkes yesterday was clearly still angry about claims, saying they were false and Castor had no right to make them. "I guess he's losing control of himself," Fawkes said. "He just felt like everyone was supposed to endorse him. He went crazy. He started sending letters, nasty things, accusing us. I think what he did was destroy himself."
Note: Now one sees the direct ties between Asher, Fawkes...Asher is Tom Ridge's
Fundraiser!
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-02012004-238164.html
Candidate
Castor comes out swinging
Rick Martinez can be reached at 1-717-705-6330 or
rmartinez@calkins-media.com. 2/1/04
HARRISBURG - Reading and listening to some of the state's top Republicans, one would believe Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor should be cowering in the corner of his bedroom instead of running for attorney general.
Castor has committed the "most perfect act of self-immolation in memory," writes one well-known Republican consultant with 20 years experience running campaigns. A longtime political ally, a man who said he was once Castor's running mate refuses to endorse him. The influential Bucks County GOP chief Harry Fawkes promises Castor will never get elected. But Castor is not assuming the emotional fetal position. In fact, the man who put away murderer Craig Rabinowitz, the man who became second in command at the DA's office at the precocious age of 32, was outright combative this week as he sought to portray himself as the man who will not play his party leaders' games. "If I don't get elected attorney general, I don't care because I don't want anything to do with those people," he said of some of the state's Republican leaders. Castor is running a campaign like few seen in state GOP history. In a party that highly values loyalty and discipline - its 11th Commandment is to never speak ill of a fellow Republican - Castor has burned his bridges with some of the most powerful GOP leaders in the state. Just last week he turned his nose up at an endorsement process he sees as fixed and deeply flawed. Lest anyone mistake him for a bomb-throwing protest candidate, Castor is quick to point out he is district attorney of the county with the most Republicans in the state. More importantly, he is out-raising his opponent, the party's endorsed candidate, Tom Corbett. To understand how this most Republican of politicians, a man who is pro-life, heartily supports the Second Amendment and brags about putting people on death row, came to blows with the people who could get him elected requires going back a couple months. On Dec. 17, the five Republican county leaders of Southeastern Pennsylvania got together for a straw vote. Castor had been lobbying the chairmen of Philadelphia and Delaware counties for a couple years and thought he had their support wrapped up. But when the vote was taken, only Montgomery County's Republican chairman, Frank Bartle, was in his corner. Castor was furious. "They called that meeting with the specific intent to humiliate me," he said this week. 'They thought this was an opportunity to give Bruce a zing!" Castor claimed Bob Asher, the state's Republican national committeeman, convinced the chairmen to support Corbett for the nomination. He said Asher has ties to the gaming industry and any future attorney general would be the one passing constitutional judgment on gaming bills. In a separate interview, Bartle piped in that Asher was paying back Castor for making a legal decision years earlier that kept Asher off the SEPTA board. From his Lower Gwynedd home last week, Asher refused to make a public comment. But another target of Castor's wrath, Bucks County Republican Party chairman Harry Fawkes, said the district attorney has effectively ended his own political career. Can he win now? I don't think so," Fawkes said. "We had our state committee meeting [Jan. 23-25] and of the 400 people there, all but six or seven said they wouldn't support him." Fawkes said Castor has cut his own political throat even deeper by publicly stating he didn't care whether or not he received the party endorsement. "Do you know what that means to the party people?" he asked. Even a longtime Castor ally like Montgomery County Commissioner Jim Matthews shies away from embracing the man he said was once his running mate. Matthews, who was recently sworn in to a second term, said he is fond of Castor and called him one of the best trial lawyers the county has ever had. But he's not supporting his bid for attorney general. "I am in favor of the state committee endorsement," he said, alluding to Corbett. "I've got my opinion but it's not relevant to my job [as commissioner]." Castor insists he still has numerous allies in the Republican hierarchy and quickly rattles off the names of a half-dozen state representatives. Conservatives are also still in his corner, he said. Numerous attempts to reach Bucks County District Attorney Diane Gibbons, whom Castor supported in her re-election bid, were unsuccessful. As for the flap that angered so many in the GOP, Castor said this week that it was a "calculated move on our part to show people that Corbett was not a hometown guy." Castor said much of his coming primary campaign is based on showing Republicans that Corbett cannot win in the fall general election, much as Howard Dean's opponents have tried to paint him as unelectable. He points out that Corbett last went before voters 16 years ago when he ran for township supervisor. Even more damning in Castor's eyes is that after Corbett served as the appointed interim attorney general in the mid-'90s, he became counsel for the landfill giant, Waste Management Inc. "My polls show that 69 percent of rural Pennsylvania will not vote for someone who was counsel for Waste Management," said Castor. Corbett responds that Castor is "selling short" the intelligence of the Pennsylvania voter. He said he worked with Waste Management for three and a half years on corporate affairs and that his stint in the business world makes him better able to understand how a company functions. And yes it's true that he last ran for office 16 years ago, he said. But the appointment process is very political, he said, and he's been appointed to positions by presidents - the first President Bush named him U.S. attorney in Pittsburgh - and governors. Asked his opinion of Castor, Corbett said yesterday that he thinks he makes a good district attorney. What about attorney general? "I'm not into negative campaigning," he said.
GIVE THE HARRY FAWKES POLITICAL GANG A WAKE UP CALL
The political gang support includes: Bucks Commissioners Fitzpatrick, Martin, Schweiker, US Sen Spector, PA Sens Greenleaf – Upper Moreland, Tomlinson - Bensalem, Conti - Doylestown, Con Greenwood and Bucks DA Diane Gibbons. The Bucks County Water &Sewer Authority winning county contracts contributes greatly to the their power www.buckswater-sewer.org. www.bucksgop.org Former Herb Barness www.barness.com Ran the Bucks & PA GOP for Years; Fawkes took over the reins here! Dave Sanko is 2nd in Bucks GOP. He is the Fawkes interface to Government. now head of PA Homeland/Emergency Mgt Agency; Avenue to obtain Homeland Defense Funds along with Ridge & Asher! Get Ready for the Bensalem Slot Machines…GAMBLING WITHOUT VOTER REFERENDUM! Just like Bensalem sold them the Sewer System!
Doylestown Intelligencer 7/1..7/14/01 PA Sens Conti and Tomlinson introduced a bill place up to 7000 slot machines into PA race tracks. In the second week they both announced that they are considering running for the position of PA Lt. Gov on the GOP ticket. Here they are supported by Bucks County GOP leadership which is run by Harry Fawkes. Past bills to install gambling into PA were via Fawkes agenda;Riverboat gambling in Bristol PA, Casino Gambling on the Philadelphia Delaware River waterfront by Rendell,; PA Gov Ridge put a referendum to the people to install gambling in PA. for the support of the Bucks Barness/Fawkes GOP help in his PA Gov election. Gov Schweiker was supported by Fawkes & Jim Nevel of the Swarthmore Investment Group. Schweiker appoints Nevel to oversee the Edison Schools. Nevel doled out millions in consulting to the big Acctg firms from Philly’s bankrupt school...Next may come the pension funds. Another prime supporter is Bob Asher near Ambler of Asher Candies. www.ashers.com He is so powerful that Barbra Hafer www.patreasury.org decided not to run without his support.Thus May 2002 Primary PA Gov GOP had no choice! In 4/2000 a state official visits his office Sunday Morning and for some strange reason decides to shoot himself. Under Grand Jury investigation Another was Bud Dwyer former Treasurer who shot himself in PA Courts. Asher is the one convicted for giving the Dwyer the kickbacks.He also contributes to Con Greenwood, Spector and Schweiker. The investigation indicated firm awarded these contracts were tied to the rackets www.h1bvisasucks.com/H1BDiscussions_issue_dwyer.htm Asher is the head of the PA RNC! www.pagop.org Asher is Tom Ridge’s Fundraise; Ally toJohn Perzel PA House Speaker who wants Casinos in Philadelphia. Asher decided Montco DA Castor did not get PA GOP support! He was put into power by Barness see: www.constitutional.net/Luksik/inq-gc1.html
4/5/2002 www.politicspa.com Ups & Downs State Senator Tommy Tomlinson, the legislature's biggest to advocate of slots at the state's four horse racing tracks, goes up as all three gubernatorial candidates have said that they would support the measure (although dedicate the revenue to difference priorities). The dreaded "referendum" word used by former Governor Tom Ridge which frustrated Tomlinson was not uttered by Rendell, Casey or Fisher during the IssuesPA interview." This means the voters will not be allowed to decide the issue! PA Sen Tomlison is again supporting Harry Fawkes Gambling agenda for PA! Now we have . Fawkes agenda being dictated to us by Casey, Fisher, Rendell! www.bucksgop.org
11/5/2002: Fawkes/Sanko used influence with the Bristol Democratic Bosses to have them support Tomlinson vs Kostmayer. Rendell said the traitors of the party will not be supported. Tomlinson said Rendell is his Greatest Ally for Gambling!
Issues with the Mismanagement of the Bensalem Murder case of Dianne Deller by Bucks DA Dianne Gibbons – In this case Ms. Deller was determined to be killed by a blow to the head. Bucks DA put into power by Fawkes ruled this an accident!. The initial prime suspect was an associate whose father is a Bensalem PA Detective. He has a close relationship to Fawkes! Her brother wrote an article in the Doylestown Intelligencer showing these issues. See: 5/7/02 Doylestown Intelligencer Article “Public Officials Killed Deller”
Plumstead PA Prior GOP (90’s) Candidate Dick MckNutt directed to follow Bucks GOP Agenda at Gunpoint!
PA Sen Conti – Doylestown - Head PA Senate High Tech & State Police Commissions. Conti is so thankful for Fawkes support to get the job, just like PA Sen Tomlinson. Are they representing the people or Family Gambling Interests via Fawkes Agenda! They support PA Sen Stewart Greenleaf Heads PA Judiciary Committee! Conti Supports Gambling without a Gaming Commission! (Hello Goodfellows)! In 2002 PA’s Reps/Senates gave themselves a 50% Pension Increase & 100% Reduction in Eligibility Time 4 to 2 Years, Full Lifetime Pension for two years on the backs of PA Taxpayers! All of this during During a Recession!! Also Note Both Con Greenwood & US Sen Spector are on Senate/House Committee dealing with Rackets!!
Issues of potential influence of the rackets in PA High Technology Procurement Contracts? Why did Gov Schweiker set up a high technology center for the Indian Government in Harrisburg. Is it possible that corruption/kickbacks exist in awarding of PA High Tech business. Subsequently they awarded all the state Web Projects to Microsoft/Anderson/Accenture using Indian H1-B Labor and putting PA High Tech Labor Taxpayers out of work! May 2002, California Dismantled the State’s IT Dept, Let go of the CIO for giving a $95 Million no compete bid to Oracle, user of H1-B Labor. Bet your higher tax bills the same is happening here!Problems with Edison Schools Contract Cronyism – Thank Gov Schweiker – Edison is an IPO created & underwritten by Merrill Lynch. Schwieker is a prior Merrill Mgr! He uses Nevel a top supporter to award the contracts in a no bid deal. Schweiker demanded all new Philadelphia School funds go to Edison rather then a more balanced approach! Concern here is Nevel’s Investment firm awarding management of the School/State Pensions! www.swarthmoregroup.com, www.edisonschools.com . Now Schweiker is head the Phila Chamber of Commerce! Dave Sanko was Fawkes interface to PA State Business!
Give Congressman Jim Greenwood 8th a Wake Up Call
10/2001 – Greenwood Heads Up Enron Committee - Now He Sells Us Out to Special Interest Acctg Firms
In the Enron Scandal we saw Con Greenwood on National TV looking into the issues here. SEC seeking Accounting reform such as the disallowing the large accounting firms from providing consulting services to firms for which they provide financial audits to remove the conflict of interest that contributed to the down fall of Enron. Well over 40 members of Congress leaned on SEC not to impose this restriction on the large accounting firms. In addition, the House passed a bill HR 3773 sponsored by Mike Oxley. The initial bill was lobbied for (eg. Ed Gillipse!! National Head of RNC!) and paid by the big accounting firms including Anderson/Accenture. Con Greenwood was among the members here who sold out the interests of the common good of our society for the special interests that have contributed greatly to our members of Congress. Since the Large Accounting firms are one of the largest users of H1B Visa Labor they again are selling out the future of American Workers for larger profits. Other members of Congress stated the initial bill was sell out to the Acctg firms and failed to provide safeguards against another Enron situation! Note: The Greenwood Strip Rips into the 13th
4/2000 - The America Labor Force is being sold out by his leadership! They recently increased the number of H1B Visa High Technology professional quota to over 190,000 per year now. Con Greenwood fully supports the exportation of American Jobs to an Overseas Power (India). Con. Greenwood went on a Junket to India along with Bill Clinton and Pennsylvania Gov Schweiker. Schweiker opened an Indian High Technology Center in Harrisburg. Recent studies have shown the Gen X students coming out of Pennsylvania Colleges can not find local jobs. Here we are seeing a loss of our economic future in this process. Yet for some strange reason Harrisburg and Congress see fit to import foreign labor rather then invest in our own people. Both Greenwood and the Corporations that follow these practices need to be held accountable. If you go to Harrisburg you will see the extent of the problem. Do you really believe that we are not seeing Cronyism at its worst here! (Ref Articles in Doylestown Intelligencer and Phila. Daily News). Greenwood went to India with Clinton over the Enron Deal to setup their power plant that cost US Taxpayers Billions! Then heads up the Enron Investigation!! Wonder why Lay/Skillings are off the hook? See: www.h1bvisasucks.com;
PA Sen Tomlinson and Con. Jim Greenwood are supported by the Harry Fawkes political gang. Another close associate PA Sen Greenleaf head of PA Senate Judiciary committee. He lost the 13th Congressional District Race. Just look at how they ripped up the 13th Congressional District and what the Pennsylvania Courts ruled here under Pennsylvania Senator Stewart Greenleaf’s Thumb! Most of Greenwood’s campaign fund comes from outside his district! Is he representing the people or the special interests! See: www.tray.com
I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. . . . Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money-power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed...Abraham Lincoln. See: www.h1bvisasucks.com Issues Section with RNC for Many more details.
Give PA State Senator GREENLEAF a Wake Up Call!
Head of PA State Senate Judiciary - WONDER WHY THE PA STATE COURTS RULED TO DESTROY THE 13th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT AFTER HE LOST 13th CONGRESSIONAL RACE! He ran against Con Hoffel 2000 outspent him 2:1 $1Mil to $500K and lost, As the pay back they ripped up the 13th Congressional District. Greenwood Strip goes right thru 13th District out of Bucks to Abington (Thank Greenleaf, Fawkes,Greenwood). Actively Involved in Supporting Radical Feminist Legislation e.g. The PROTECTION FROM ABUSE LAW THAT HE WROTE DOES NOT HAVE CHECKS AND BALANCES FOR DEFENSE AGAINST FALSE CHARGES. HE SAYS HE “SEES NOTHNG WRONG WITH THIS LEGISLATION”. THIS LAW IS NOW USED IN PA COURTS DESTROYING Thousands of PA’s Father’s Relationships with their children monthly! Convicted Upper Moreland Killer Dan Traub said in his trial “You (society) made me what I am!”. Greenleaf’s laws in family court helped create this situation! He has the blood of children on his hands from the consequences his legislation! Destroying a parent’s legal parental rights is a form of child abuse! His laws are changing the roles of enforcement from public protectors to public predators! In 2000 the PA legislature proposed a Bill for Doctors providing free medical care to protect them from lawsuits failed to pass! All of the democrats voted against this. They however needed support from republican side only two voted to kill the bill. Greenleaf was one of them! This shows his real agenda is to take care of special interests (“maximize revenue for the legal professional”) take precedence over the concerns of the public which he is supposed to represent! Now look at the Medical Malpractice Insurance issue causing Doctors to Pack up and go. Another PA Bill Greeleaf introduced along with PA Sen Edwin Holl allows liable lawsuits to protect the reputation of the deceased. He supported attaching to the bill liable lawsuits to disallow anyone making political speech against elected officials illegal! (This is how much he cares about the 1st Amendment!) Was on the Payroll of the State Prison HMO Correctional Physicians Services Inc $2000/Week. This was then sold to Prison Health Services Inc He gets $175/Hr! The firms awarded the deal are Greenleaf’s Largest contributors! (Are paybacks a form of kickbacks in cases like this? Conflict of interest costing PA Taxpayers money!!!) Supports Unlimited High Tech Professional Labor Immigration which destroys middle class jobs! (Wash Times) Bucks GOP Supports PA Sen Stewart Greenleaf for ReElection -Since the 13th Congressional District was ripped apart after he lost the last Congressional Race. This makes one wonder why they would support him. On Septa www.septa.org Board with Chrmn Pasquale Deon of Deon Beverages/Madison Bank..Wonder which Bucks Official’s Mortgages are covered? Prior Septa Pres left due to Death Threats.
Note: Below the article on Access to Tom Ridge this also mentions this article.
Quotes from Con. Greenwood Supporting H1B Visa Labor for Sabre one of the Largest H1B Shops! (Local PA Paper - (www.phillyburbs.com/intelligencerrecord)
1/24/00 Doylestown PA – Intelligencer : "Recently, U.S. Rep. James C. Greenwood, R-Bucks, toured the Warminster headquarters and spoke with the company's executives, engineers and computer experts. The issues presented to Greenwood ran the gamut, from Bucks County's dwindling open space to preparing young people for technical work that's much more sophisticated than the latest video game.” The future's careers are in information technology, Greenwood said. Companies like Sabre Systems are looking to India and other countries because the U.S. talent "just isn't there." Millions in American High Tech Industry have lost incomes due to this policy. The article states that Sabre Systems fill a spot in the federal market for Section 8a Business (Minority Business) to provide Information Technology Professionals. Since there is such a shortage of American Workers we need to bring in foreign labor.
First Junket to India March 2000 (Local PA Paper - (www.phillyburbs.com/intelligencerrecord)
In March 2000. Bill Clinton, PA Gov Mark Schweiker and Con. Jim Greenwood went on a junket to India. Here they funded the Enron/Indian Power plant costing the taxpayers 1-2 Billion. They all came back with extensive support from the folks over their. Gov Schweiker comes back and sets up the Indian High Technology Center along with awarding the PA Web Portal Projects www.state.pa.us in an Exclusive deal to MicroSoft. Note here that Asher is closely aligned with MicroSoft and is prime supporter of Schweiker. This resulted in many local firms losing revenue and being replaced with H1B Visa Labor. Con Greenwood stated that in order to support firms like Sabre Systems in expanding IT service business in the Federal Sector they needed expanded H1B Visa labor. Note: Sabre is one of firms on the H1B Visa Hit List!. Another funny thing happened see www.tray.com for contributions to both Con. Greenwood and NY Sen Hillary Clinton both seemed to have obtained $150,000-400,000 in April 2000. About one month after the junket to India an one month prior to the conclusion of the May Primary elections!. All of a sudden many local Indian families contribute $2,000-$4,000 per family. Could this have been funds funneled from India as a payoff!
In April 2001 Bill Clinton again went back again to India for a Second Junket and came back as their lobbyist to export American High Technology business out of America! These actions directly impacted the jobs of many America Professionals Careers! ...Yes H1B Visa Sucks!
Notes: From Washington Technology Review www.washingtontechnology.com
May 1, 2000
Pa. Deal With MicroSoft Roils Small Web Firms
See: www.state.pa.us/papower/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=431287
By Steve LeSueur, Editor
Despite these laudable
goals, some of Pennsylvania’s small Web companies objected, claiming there is
no need for government intervention because they already are providing these
services. By giving a prominent position to Microsoft’s PA Small Business
Network on the state Web site, the government is setting up Microsoft as a
virtual preferred vendor. “Microsoft gets
positioned on the most visited Web site in the state with this deal,” said
Wayne Kessler of Kessler & Freeman Inc. in Mechanicsburg. His company, a 2
1/2 man shop that has built Web sites for about 50 commercial and government
customers, takes in about $100,000 a year in revenue — the same amount that
Microsoft is donating to the state in free Web services.
 | Interesting Note Microsoft cited by SEC for Acctg Fraud |
Whatever Happened to Bill Clinton? He's Playing India
(Second Junket to India!)
By CELIA W. DUGGER April 5, 2001 The New York Times
As thousands of onlookers chanted his name, former President Bill Clinton toured the ruins of India's earthquake ravaged western province and said he would play an active role to help rebuild the
region. Bill Clinton went to quake-ridden Gujarat State in western India Wednesday, and the crowds
were enthralled. Above, Clinton with a child who had survived the quake.
Residents of Anjara waited Clinton's arrival on a fund-raising visit to help victims.
NJAR, India, April 4 —Thousands of people, precariously balanced on mountains of rubble in this earthquake-ravaged town, chanted "Clinton, Clinton!"; as the former president toured the ruins today, solemnly laying roses in a lane where 150 schoolchildren were buried alive when the ground shook on Jan. 26. Bill Clinton, with his scandal-tinged exit from office, may elicit an exhausted sigh from many Americans, but here he still draws adoring throngs of ordinary Indians a year after he beame the first American president to visit this country of one billion people in 22 years. And he basked in their affection today on the first full day of a week-long visit that will also take him to Bombay, Calcutta and New Delhi. At the devastated villages and towns he visited, Mr. Clinton ardently declared, "I intend to come back to India for the rest of my life." This time, he came as chairman of the new American India Foundation, which was formed by wealthy Indian-American entrepreneurs, executives and doctors. They have set themselves a goal of raising $50 million to rebuild 100 of the 1,000 villages that were more than 50 percent destroyed by the earthquake here in the western state of Gujarat. So far, they said they had collected more than $8 million. State officials said that private groups — not including the foundation— had entered agreements with the government to rehabilitate 286 villages ."A huge number of villages are still waiting to be adopted"; said Palani Panneervel, the state's commissioner of relief. "Bill Clinton's visit will be a big boost to us."
Dozens of Indian-American business people and professionals accompanied Mr. Clinton today on a grueling five-hour tour. Many of the
millionaires were packed into unairconditioned minivans without so much as a cold drink on a sweltering day when temperatures surpassed 105 degrees.
Sweat dripped down their faces and soaked their polo shirts, kurtas and long-sleeved business attire, as they drove past the tent camps of those
made homeless by the earthquake. They are among the growing ranks of successful Indian-Americans, many of them from Silicon Valley, looking for a way to give something back to
India. They said they were awed by the scale of the devastation and determined to find a way to spend their money so it goes to the people who
need it. The earthquake killed more than 20,000 people, injured 166,000, destroyed or damaged more than a million homes and did property damage of 21,000
acrores of rupees (1 crore equals 10 million rupees). This would mean damage amounting to about $4.5 billion.;
"Unless you're here, you can't really feel it and you've got to feel it,"; said
Rajat Gupta, managing director of McKinsey& Co.,NOTE: This is the
same guy written up in Businessweek over the Enron Scandal. You can be sure in
March 2000 junket when they setup the Indian Enron Plant that cost the US
Taxpayer 1-2 Billion he had his hand in that deal also! the management consulting firm."It's a fact-finding and experiencing
mission." Mr. Gupta and Victor J. Menezes, president and chief executive officer
of Citibank, who are the foundation's vice chairmen, were among those who met with Mr. Clinton in early February to discuss what to do in response to the earthquake.
Mr. Clinton said today at a news conference in Bhuj, where a collapsed hospital formed his backdrop, that he had spoken with India's prime
minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, after the earthquake — and that Mr. Vajpayee told him that the country would need help with the long-term tasks
of rebuilding schools, housing, hospitals and people's ability to make a living.".I came to look, to listen, to learn and to try to determine how we
can best help the people of all these villages,". Mr. Clinton said. For the people here, Mr. Clinton was simply a good man who was coming
to their aid, and they seemed to have little or no awareness or interest in
the former president's latest troubles surrounding the pardons he issued before leaving office. In Ratnal, a prosperous village of truck drivers and farmers that was
flattened by the earthquake, clusters of elderly men in white turbans, women in the traditional mirrored and embroidered dress of the region and
young workers taking a day off lined the road for a glimpse of Mr. Clinton.
"He's a big personality in the world" said Arjan Bhai, 32, a truck driver. "Something good will come of his visit, though we don't know what it will
be." The crowd burst into applause when they saw that it was not trucks overloaded with sheaves of barley, or dusty buses loaded with passengers or
sputtering scooters approaching them on the road, but finally, an hour late, Mr. Clinton's entourage.
He emerged from his black van and stood on a cleared, dirt patch in the midst of acres of rubble, splintered wood and collapsed red tile roofs, and
waved somberly to the villagers. In the town of Anjar, admirers broke through the police barricades to
encircle and touch Mr. Clinton. He finished up in Bhuj with a tour of the Red Cross field hospital and a
stint at the microphone for a news conference. As he left, he spoke briefly with the Indian journalists who mobbed him.
In his last words, as he tried to explain why he gone so far from home to find people to help, he said,"
I'm just trying to find something useful to do in a place I care about."
PA Political Campaign Rally for US Congressman Toomey - Note Asher's Involvement here with an audience from Cheney's Wife! - At Least NoBody Shot Themselves in the Head That Day!
|
||
|
Lynne Cheney stumps for Toomey
By Kelly Madsen
|
List of Top Contributors for Con. Greenwood in 2002 Election Cycle - See Asher's at it again. Well Nobody Shot Themselves in the Head over this!
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00001519&cycle=2002
JAMES C. GREENWOOD (R-PA)
| 1 | AmeriChoice Corp | $9,000 |
| 1 | Reliant Pharmaceuticals | $9,000 |
| 3 | Motorola Inc | $6,700 |
| 4 | Bay City Capital | $6,000 |
| 4 | Merck & Co | $6,000 |
| 6 | Blankrome, Comisky & McCauley | $5,000 |
| 7 | Susquehanna International Group | $4,290 |
| 8 | Gen Mach Prod | $4,000 |
| 9 | Wyeth | $3,500 |
| 10 | Railway Specialties Corp | $3,250 |
| 10 | UBS Warburg | $3,250 |
| 12 | Fox Chase Cancer Center | $3,200 |
| 13 | Hyatt Corp | $3,000 |
| 13 | Lewis, Eckert et al | $3,000 |
| 13 | Pritzker Organization | $3,000 |
| 13 | University City Housing Co | $3,000 |
| 13 | White Engineering Surfaces | $3,000 |
| 18 | Almo Corp | $2,500 |
| 18 | Asher's Chocolates | $2,500 |
| 18 | Cigna Corp | $2,500 |
| 18 | Dvi Inc | $2,500 |
| 18 | Exelon Corp | $2,500 |
| 18 | Rohm & Haas Co | $2,500 |
In Pennsylvanias Gov Schweiker's rise to power. He was supported by three major supportors. Harry Fawks head of the Bucks County GOP. www.bucksgop.org. Bob Asher of Ashers candies www.ashers.com and Jim Nevel of the Swarthmore Investment Group. PA Gov Schweiker. Prior to his public life was a Manager for Merrill Lynch www.ml.com in Princeton NJ. Here he recommended they use H1B Visa Labor. In this environment it has been reported that around 25 of Merrill's managers were getting consideration from their vendor here with one having a swimming pool built for him. This does not directly reflect on him but describes the environment. here. Note: That Mr. Fawks his power broker in the GOP is not pushing the Gambling Agenda onto the PA citizens. Makes one wonder how a trash hauler got so powerful in PA Politics! One can guess the unions and him are able to provide an offer they can not refuse. See www.bucksgop.org Here you will see he has a PA State Senator Tomlison www.bucksgop.org/tomlinson.shtml who has been able to influence both current governor candidates (Fisher-R, Rendell-D) www.mikefisher.com www.rendellforgovernor.com to now include incorporation of Gambling onto their platform a an agenda for becoming the next Governor. See: http://edebates.e-thepeople.org/a-issuespa/article/10330/view Here one can see PA Gov Candidate Ed Rendell wants casinos everywhere! Also Mike Fisher also supports Extended Gambling. ..Now back for a trash hauler Fawks agenda! ... One wonders who would be behind gambling... No not the Rackets!. This is not Vegas...Not Yet.
In March 2000 Pres. Clinton, Congressman Jim Greenwood www.house.gov/greenwood and PA Gov Mark Schweiker go on a junket to India. They come back and the following happens. Schweiker sets up the Indian High Technology Center in Harrisburg while kids for Penn State www.psu.edu have to leave to find high tech jobs yet he is able to bring them in from 10,000 miles away and not train. Americans. Hillary gets lots of loot from Indian contributors in April 2000 www.tray.com and wins here Senate Race in New York. Jim Greenwood comes back stating we need lots of H1B Labor for firms like Sabre Systems www.sabre.com to grow and develop with Federal Business. One of the largest users of the H1B Visa Program. Con Greenwood also obtained lots of funding from Indian families in April 2000 see www.tray.com.
This is the point when PA Gov Schweiker gives the PA State web portal business to MicroSoft. His supporter Mr. Asher is then getting million of PA State High Technology Contracts. Via Subcontracts lots of H1B Visa labor is used replacing PA Workers in this business.
Schweiker also pushes the state to spend up to $500 million on Defribulators for the schools, police, fire and hospitals etc. Here the largest vendor is MedTronics www.medtronic.com. They only allow one vendor Procurestaff provide them technical services www.volt.com/staffing/procurestaff.cfm ... Looks like they are all keeping this in the FAMILY if you get drift!
Another agenda Gov Schweiker is to improve the problem schools in the state. His solution is the Edison Schools www.edisonschools.com. This is public IPO EDSN created by Merrill Lynch and presently underwritten by Merrill Lynch. In this case, Schweiker appoints his top supporter Jim Nevel of the Swartmore Group www.swarthmoregroup.com to review and study how to improve the Philadelphia School System (went bankrupt and the state is bailing them out). Note that Nevel is a top campaign supporter of Schweiker who was a former Merrill Lynch Manager! In a committee of one Nevel spends $600,000 for consulting fees from a bankrupt school system to study the situation. Next he awards $5-6 Million from a bankrupt school system to some of the big five accounting firms for more studies. (The same ones under SEC eye for none performance of duties due to conflicts of interests with their consulting services). Afterwards the recommendation is to use Edison Schools as the solution for the Philadelphia School System. Schweiker even attempts to blackmail the Mayor of Philadelphia stating that unless Edison is awarded all of the $80 Million he will withdraw all funding for the City school bailout!
All of this makes one wonder is it possible that PA Gov Schweiker may have offshore funding setup? No would he work that hard to steer business to firms with ties to the FAMILIES in turn for consideration! IF that was the case, then one would think Bill Clinton and Con Greenwood who is now dealing with the House Committee on Corporate Fraud were also looking for handouts! IF this is the case, then who is getting the protection the people or the RACKETS?
No need to worry here however, Congressman Jim Greenwood is heading up the House Committee dealing with Corporate Fraud/White Collar Crime. The Same Congressman who went to India in the March 2000 Junket which enabled Enron to fund their power plant at the cost of 1/2 Billion to the US Taxpayers. Greenwood comes back and then supports Sabre's Position for extended H1B Visa Immigration. Sabre is one of the largest H1B users!...Yes with Greenwood dealing with Corporate Fraud we will get to the bottom of this issue...Say Perhaps when some future writers of American History discuss this. What is to be expected Greenwood's power came from the Indian families that gave him at least $150,000 for his May 2000 primary see www.tray.com in April 2000 one month after his junket to India. (They also gave Hillary Clinton aver $400,000 to win her NY Senate Seat at the same time). He is also backed by Harry Fawks head of the PA Bucks County Republican Party www.bucksgop.org. This is a trash hauler who only completes 8th Grade yet is so powerful that he is able to get this Congressman into power. Fawks Supports the PA Gov Schweiker to rise to power. He also supports PA Sen Tomlison http://www.bucksgop.org/tomlinson.shtml . He now has influenced both PA Gov 2002 Candidates (Rendell/Fisher) to push the Gambling Agenda onto the people of the state.
Note also at http://www.bucksgop.org/elected_officials.shtml . We see the alliance with Con. Greenwood. US Sen Spector (supports H1B, 1706, Kennedy Single bullet theory), PA Sen Conti heading up the PA High Tech Committee and PA State Police Committee backed by Tomlison, PA Sen Greenleaf - Head of the PA Senate Judicial Committee.
When the FBI was interviewed about the problems with Organized Crime Taking over a community. They said they said once they get the Mayor, District Attorney and Chief of Police in their pockets. They own the community.
Looks like at a state level that could be the position of Governor, Senate Committees of State Police and Judicial.. I wonder could this really be happening? IF this was the case we would see extensive cronyism along with Corporate Corruption and Political Cronyism. Why if one reads the papers these days do we read about issues with firms like Anderson/Accenture, Enron, Tyco, Worldcom, Global Crossing along with their influence in National Politics
This is trend of Cronyism is merely an extension of the past here ("Good Story for City Confidential"). Mr. Fawks rise to power came thru the Don Herb Barness
www.barness.com Herb was the power broker to Pennsylvania who had many Judges in his pocket. He was a prime supporter of Sen. Arlene Spector (Kennedy Single Bullet Theory). The web link show the story here of this former power broker whose influence even after his life is now impacting national politics and our current loss of high technology jobs.www.departments.bucknell.edu/Communications/BucknellWorld/1996-1/focus.html
Herb Barness dismisses GOP presidential hopeful Patrick Buchanan as "too far to the right," says of political gadfly Ross Perot, "I would like for him to disappear," and gives Newt Gingrich a seven on a scale of 10. The average American voter may not have heard of Barness or care what he thinks, but his opinion is of utmost importance to politicians and potential candidates. Barness '48, a member of Bucknell's Board of Trustees since 1979, has never run for office, but the prominent Bucks County, Pa., developer is a major player on the political scene.
|
|
Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., has known Barness since 1965. "He is an outstanding guy, very public spirited, very charitable, very active politically, a good friend of mine, well-respected around the country," Specter says. Barness has been Pennsylvania's Republican National Committeeman since 1989, has been a delegate to seven GOP conventions, was on the site selection committee for the 1996 convention in San Diego and will serve on the convention's committee on arrangements. He was co-chairman of the Pennsylvania finance committee in Ronald Reagan's presidential campaigns, state vice-chairman of the Bush-Quayle campaign, co-chairman of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge's campaign and chairman of Specter's senatorial campaigns. He served on the President's Commission on Housing under Reagan. Political mementos are surprisingly missing from Barness' office in Warrington, Pa. But after a visitor asked about pictures, Barness opened the door to his conference room where the walls are filled with photos of political figures of the past 40 years. There are five presidents, including Democrat Jimmy Carter, and an assortment of governors, senators and congressmen. Even former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev smiles down from the gallery. Most photos are signed. "With appreciation and warm regards," wrote former President Ronald Reagan. "To Herb with best wishes," said Senate majority leader Bob Dole, R-Kan. "To my dear friend with affection and appreciation," said Tom Ridge. "Herb, You are a tremendous asset to the Republican party and to our country. Thanks for all you do," wrote Senator Rick Santorum, R-Pa. A rag doll of Bill Clinton serves as an office door draft dodger. The doll's not autographed.
Herb Barness has been interested in politics since 1940 when he was a mechanical engineering student at Bucknell and worked for the Republican presidential candidate Wendell Willkie in the Hoosier's race against President Franklin D. Roosevelt. "Roosevelt was running for a third term, and I didn't think anybody should have three terms," Barness says. Barness' first venture into the political arena wasn't successful. FDR went on to win his third term, and Barness went off to war, serving as an Air Force officer in the Pacific Theatre. Back home following World War II, Barness graduated from Bucknell, married Irma Shorin '48 and entered the family development business, the Barness Organization. The firm was started more than 70 years ago by his father and mother, immigrants from Poland and Russia. His parents bought a tract of land after settling outside Philadelphia and while still farming, began selling real estate to other immigrants. Today, with Barness as chairman of the board, the international firm builds shopping centers, industrial parks, homes, office complexes and is one of the nation's largest developers of senior citizens' housing. Over the years, according to press accounts, the low-key and gracious businessman has personally contributed thousands of dollars to political campaigns - national, state and local - and is credited with raising millions more.
In the early stages of the current presidential campaign, Barness backed the moderate Specter as a favorite son from Pennsylvania in the senator's short-lived bid for the GOP nomination. Before deciding to suspend his presidential campaign, Specter said, "I talked to Herb about it in detail, kept him fully apprised. I always talk to him regularly." With Specter out of the race, Barness threw his support to Dole. Dole's current courtship of the conservative wing of the party pleases Barness. "Dole is a centrist. I think he is doing what former President Nixon told him to do. To get the nomination you go to the right, and then to win the election go to the middle. I think Dole has always been in the middle." Dole will win the Republican nomination, Barness predicts, "unless there is some tremendous change." Although the 72-year-old Barness is confident that the 72-year-old Dole can beat President Clinton in the general election, he acknowledges Dole's age is a factor. "I don't know how big a problem it is, but there is definitely a perception that he's too old. I hear my friends who are of that age saying the same thing." He attributes the attitude to the fact that when his contemporaries were growing up, "society thought that 60 was real old, 65 was older and, boy, when you get into the 70s, you should be put out to pasture someplace. I think that is changing because longevity has increased tremendously." Barness himself certainly has no intention of retiring. Barness admits mixed feelings about former General Colin Powell's withdrawal from the presidential race. Although Barness backs Dole, "Powell would have made it interesting had he stayed in." Even though Powell ruled out a vice presidential bid, Barness notes, "A lot of people say no in politics, but no doesn't always mean no." There's the possibility that Powell could be secretary of state under a Dole administration, or he could change his mind and run in four years, Barness says. "A black man on the Republican ticket could change the dynamics of politics in the United States for generations." The Republican Party has "been trying desperately" to woo blacks and other minorities into the party, Barness says, "but it's a perception that the Democrats care more for the minorities. We have to change that perception. We're building in this country a middle class minority. As it is being built, more and more are becoming Republicans, or not just automatically voting Democratic. Instead of pulling one lever, they are voting for a candidate. That in itself will change politics. Democrats have taken for granted the black population for years, because they had them." Barness sees more and more members of minorities coming into his office, asking him how they can get involved. An Asian-American businesswoman stops by because she thinks it is important for Asian Americans to be active in politics. A black doctor is a regular visitor and a big GOP supporter. Initially he told Barness, "`I always thought the Republicans didn't want minorities, didn't want African Americans.'" Barness asked him where he got that idea, and the doctor replied, "`From the Democrats.'" Although Powell may not seek the second spot on the GOP ticket, Barness sees many other good candidates. A candidate from the West or East is likely since Dole is from Kansas. Barness seems partial to New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman. "She'd be a great candidate."
Politics have changed dramatically since Barness first worked for Willkie. "There's nothing sacred anymore," he says. "The media dissect anyone who is running for public office. You just have to lay yourself out there naked and say this is my life and this has been my life. There's nothing any more that is not unsaid, and that discourages people." In addition, there's the tremendous cost of running for office. "Unfortunately money has become too important," Barness says. "It always was important, but there were limitations. But now with television ... raising money has really become a burden, it's become almost obscene." The six-second sound bite on news programs dictates that a candidate cannot rely on news coverage alone to get his message out, Barness says. He estimates that about 60 percent of a campaign budget goes for television advertising. Every candidate running for president of the United States knows he has to raise at least $25 million, Barness notes. Years ago, if someone gave $100 to a campaign, "it was a lot of money. Today, $1,000 is a not a lot of money. I've said for years now the only growth industry in the United States is financing politicians." Communications itself has changed politics and government. "We sat and watched the Gulf War, saw missiles being shot, people being killed. Thirty years ago, it would take days to learn about, to read it in the newspaper. We didn't watch news 24 hours a day."
Even with the problems of 1990s politics, there is no dearth of candidates. "I think we have some outstanding individuals in government, Democrats and Republicans, dedicated and devoted people, who are not in it for personal gain, but because they really believe in doing something for the people." Barness cited Ridge as an example. "There's nothing personal he wants. He could go back practicing law and probably make a multiple times of money. The same applies to Pennsylvania's two senators (Specter and Santorum)." Barness also praised Edward Rendell, Democratic mayor of Philadelphia. "He was a very successful lawyer, could have made tons of money if money was his goal, but he loves the political scene, loves the activity, the excitement, the challenges. He's doing a great job." Private citizens have to support the good people, Barness says, "or we are not going to have qualified, honest individuals who are going to be interested in government." That's what motivates Barness. He's never been interested in seeking public office himself. "I felt I could do more helping elect people, becoming involved in a broader scale than being a county commissioner or state representative." His biggest reward in politics is "trying to get good people, qualified people, in office. That's always the aim."
|
|
Senator Specter notes, "Herb Barness is interested in politics for the public good, for no personal gain at all. It is very important to have people participate in drafting the platform helping to establish policy and helping candidates." The election of Ridge in 1994 is a great source of satisfaction for Barness, who was an early supporter. "I thought he had all the qualifications, and he does. The biggest thing he's done is to create a more business-friendly state. He has really turned the state around. He's doing what he said he was going to do. He is a fine governor now, and I think he is going to be a great governor." Helping Reagan win the presidency was also gratifying. Although Barness considers Harry Truman the "best, most effective president we've had in the last 50 years," Reagan "was one of the tops."
Barness welcomes the national debate on such issues as balancing the budget, Medicare, Medicaid, affirmative action and welfare reform. "For the first time the major issues facing our country are really being discussed head-on. If we are going to have a balanced budget in seven years, we will have to face some of the divisive issues we are discussing ... Someone has to bite the bullet and say we have to make some changes. It's going to hurt. It's very difficult to take something away from someone that has already been given, but it has to be done." He credits Gingrich for "leading the revolution. He's certainly changed the way government operates, moderately for the best, I guess. He doesn't come across too well, needs a little better PR. He's done many good things; some not so good." Even if the winner of the GOP presidential nomination has been decided by the time the convention convenes next summer, Barness anticipates some fireworks over the platform. The biggest fight will be over abortion, he laments. "Abortion is the one issue that shouldn't be in politics at all," Barness says. "That's not a political issue. That's a moral issue, that's a religious issue, a personal issue, but it's not a political issue."
Lest someone think Barness' only interests are business and politics, consider that he is:
| a former part owner of the Philadelphia Eagles |
| a former chairman of the Continental Thoroughbred Racing Association |
| chairman of the board of the Pop Warner Little Scholars |
| member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America |
| past president of the Bucks County Park Foundation |
| board member of the Bucks County Council of Boy Scouts of America |
"I was always of the opinion that it was very important to be involved, not just in politics, but in the community," Barness says. He and Irma have two daughters: Lynda Barness, who is a vice president of Barness Organization, and Nancy Stein whose husband, Craig, is an owner of the Philadelphia Phillies farm club in Reading. They also have four granddaughters.bw
Kathie Dibell is associate director of public relations and a frequent contributor to Bucknell World.
Recent Updates on Asher See:
http://www.rnc.org/stateparties/rncmembers/pa-asher.htm
. |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| Phone: 202.863.8500 | Fax: 202.863.8820 | E-mail: info@rnc.org Paid for by the Republican National Committee
| All rights reserved. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.politicspa.com/FEATURES/power50.htm
Power 50
The POWER 50 identifies Pennsylvania's 50 most politically influential personalities. In developing our list, we eliminated anyone who currently holds public office., as well as judges and state Cabinet members. This is an Insiders List. We looked at policy makers, party leaders, fundraisers, lobbyists, labor unions, businesses, the media, and associations and have assembled the ultimate list of Pennsylvanians with clout -- with an impact on politics and government in the Commonwealth. And we selected names based on a fairly unscientific curve: we allocated spaces on this list for a dozen different categories within our political community -- so #5 on the list of important fundraisers or donors may not make the list, but the most influential congressional staffer does. Just remember that our list is purely subjective. There are no right or wrong answers, and this list is always changing. We welcome your comments on this list or on the PoliticsPA.com website.
| 1 | David Girard-DiCarlo | Attorney, Bush Pioneer, Ridge confidant, and Fisher for Governor Chairman. He is at the top of his game, with a finger in the White House, the Office of Homeland Security, and connections with both Fisher and Casey. |
| 2 | Ed Rendell | Gubernatorial candidate, former Mayor & DNC Chairman. Next time, look for Rendell to disappear from the list (if elected) or to drop steeply if his candidacy fails. |
| 3 | Bob Asher | GOP National Committeeman and fundraising extraordinaire. Candidates get elected with Asher's support. |
| 4 | Elsie Hillman | GOP activist and major donor. Has helped to elect every statewide GOP office holder in the past 30 years and more -- not to mention a president |
| 5 | Steve MacNett | General Counsel to State Senate. Referred to as the "51st Senator" |
| 6 | Dave Sanko | Senior Advisor, Governor Schweiker. Has the ear of PA's Chief Executive. |
| 7 | David Cohen | Democratic power broker, Rendell for Governor Chair. The brains, money, and power behind possibly the next governor. |
| 8 | William George | PA AFL-CIO President. Unquestionably PA's top labor leader. |
| 9 | John Brabender | President, Brabender Cox Mihalke. More than a media consultant. Has the ear of Santorum, Ridge, Fisher, and Hart, among others. |
| 10 | Stan Rapp | Lobbyist, Top campaign advisor and political strategist for local races across the state. |
| 11 | Sam Katz | CEO, Greater Philadelphia First and always on the short list. |
| 12 | Manny Stamatakis | Chairman, DRPA and major GOP donor |
| 13 | Frank Guillan | Philadelphia Teamsters President |
| 14 | Brian Tierney | TV personality and strategist, and Tierney Communications |
| 15 | Brian Preski | Chief of Staff to House Majority Leader John Perzel |
| 16 | Christine Toretti | GOP National Committeewoman and major donor |
| 17 | Richard Mellon-Scaife | GOP donor and conservative activist. |
| 18 | Kent Gates | Manager, Fisher for Governor and advisor to Allegheny County Executive Jim Roddey. |
| 19 | Mark Campbell | Chief of Staff to both Governors Ridge and Schweiker |
| 20 | Keith Schmidt | Top Aide, US Senator Rick Santorum |
| 21 | Patricia Poprik | PA GOP Treasurer, fundraiser. |
| 22 | Marty Weinberg | Attorney and Former Philly mayoral candidate with close ties to Fumo |
| 23 |
Mike Long |
GOP Senate Administrator and reapportionment whiz. Karl Rove's favorite Pennsylvanian. |
| 24 | Marilyn Ware | GOP major donor and fundraiser |
| 25 | Bill Greenlee | Lobbyist |
| 26 | Dan Rooney | Steelers President |
| 27 | Steve Wojdak | Lobbyist |
| 28 | Leroy Zimmerman | Former State Attorney General and GOP fundraiser |
| 29 | Bill Batoff | Democratic fundraiser and strategist |
| 30 | John Baughman | PSEA chief lobbyist in the Capitol |
| 31 | George Burrell | Chief political advisor, Philadelphia Mayor Street |
| 32 | Jerry Mondesire | NAACP President, Philadelphia Chapter |
| 33 | Matt Casey | Campaign manager, Casey for Governor. |
| 34 | Mark Holman | Chief of Staff, Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge. |
| 35 | Renee Chenault-Fattah | Anchor, Philadelphia NBC-10 and wife of Congressman Chakah Fattah |
| 36 | Richard Bloomingdale | PA AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer |
| 37 | Sandi Vito | Top Rendell aide, former Tartaglione Chief of Staff |
| 38 | Carey Lackman | Chief of Staff, Senator Arlen Specter |
| 39 | Fred Anton | PMA boss |
| 40 | Anthony Joseph Bevilacqua | Philadelphia-based Cardinal |
| 41 | Sam Marshall | PA Insurance Federation |
| 42 | Alan Novak | Chairman, PA GOP State Committee |
| 43 | Teresa Heinz | Wife of US Senator John Kerry and widow of US Senator John Heinz |
| 44 | Paul Dlugolecki | Top Aide to Senator Vince Fumo |
| 45 | Mark Phenicie | PA Trial Lawyers Association |
| 46 | John McNichol | Leader of Delco GOP War Board |
| 47 | Erik Arneson | Chief of staff, Senate Majority Leader |
| 48 | Pete DeCoursey | Reporter & columnist, The Patriot News |
| 49 |
John Vartan |
Developer and major donor |
| 50 | Glenn Schaeffer | President, PA Building Trades |
See Also : http://melissabrownforcongress.com/Endorsements/endorsements_index.htm
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Paid for by Friends of Melissa Brown | |||||||||
http://www.constitutional.net/Luksik/inq-gc1.html
Note: From this Fund Raiser with PA Gov Tom Ridge his association with Bob Asher and Herb Barness
This article appeared in the
Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday, April 27, 1997
By Robert Zausner, INQUIRER HARRISBURG BUREAU
Come June, you can go on a two-day golf outing with Gov. Ridge. In November, you can attend his private reception before the Governor's Ball. And on occasion, you might dine with him at Le Bec-Fin.All it takes is $50,000. A pledge to contribute that sum to Ridge's campaign fund over four years buys admission to the Governor's Club board of directors - current membership 97 - and a half-dozen exclusive gatherings each year. Or, for $25,000, you can be a regular member of the club, as are 131 people, and still get some of the special invites.Created after Ridge became governor in 1995, the club guarantees the Republican incumbent a minimum $8.1 million toward his expected reelection bid next year. And he has yet to even declare his candidacy. Many club members' companies have business with the state, some have big business. In all, their state contracts are worth a half-billion dollars.Some are longtime state vendors; some got new work under Ridge. At least 120 of the 228 club members or their businesses receive something from the state: a contract, a grant, a loan, a lease, legal work, or a seat on a state board. And some are in the business of influencing government: Club members include 20 paid Harrisburg lobbyists. Some members don't get anything from the state and say their only interest is in good government. Ridge says that there are no paybacks for donors and that `government isn't for sale.'' At a time when the Clinton White House is under intense scrutiny for rewarding big Democratic donors with access to the President and his aides, a close look at the Governor's Club reveals how campaign money leads to access at the state level. Though hardly unique to the Ridge administration, the club also underscores a pattern: Many who give to the chief executive's campaign also receive something from the government he runs. Consider the following: Thirty-seven Governor's Club members and directors are with companies that held state contracts worth about $530 million as of December, the midpoint of Ridge's term, records show. Roughly $375 million of the contracts began since January 1995, when Ridge took office. Thirty-three members are lawyers whose firms have done state work. In 1995 and 1996, their firms' contracts were worth about $18 million. And a dozen of those firms got about 70 percent of $5 million paid in bond-counsel fees under Ridge. A dozen members' companies also have done millions of dollars of work since 1995 for one of the state's biggest quasi-independent agencies, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. The governor nominates four of the five commissioners; the fifth is his transportation secretary. Nine members' companies lease space to the state. Their multiyear leases are worth more than $80 million. Seven members' companies got economic grants, loans or tax credits from the Ridge administration totaling $15 million. Ridge has named 40 club members to unpaid state boards that approve everything from tuition to licenses to loans. Businessman Tim Buchanan, a college dropout, said ``it blew my mind'' when he was made chairman of the museum commission. Robert Asher, the former Montgomery County GOP chairman jailed in 1989 after a bribery scandal, got a seat on a conservation panel. Ridge acknowledges there may be a perception that campaign donors get rewarded, but says it is not the reality. The perception is created, to a certain extent, by the notion that people will get the contracts whether they're qualified or not,'' Ridge said in a recent interview. ``. . . We're looking for people who do a good job; it doesn't matter what they gave.'' He agreed that many of his campaign donors got seats on state boards, but said, ``I'm sure you could find 250 or 350 who were not members of the Governor's Club as well.'' One thing every Governor's Club member gets is access to the governor. ``Fund-raising is knocked by the media when we say it gives us access. But that's what it does,'' says John Milliron, a Harrisburg lobbyist and a Governor's Club director. ``If I call Tom Ridge, I feel within a reasonable time he'll call back.'' Access ranges from dinners with as few as 30 to 40 people, as was the case at Le Bec-Fin and the Locust Club last year, to the June golf outing at Nemacolin in Western Pennsylvania and autumn links at Saucon Valley near Allentown. And there is access to other club members, many of whom are influential in their own right. A club event could, for instance, offer a chance to rub elbows with club member and Turnpike Commissioner Robert Gleason. Need Phillies tickets? Maybe team owner Bill Giles can help. He's in the club, as are NFL owners Art Rooney 2d (Steelers) and Edward DeBartolo Jr. (49ers). Planning a special occasion? Call club director Olga Lembesis. Her firm, Kitchenworks, catered Ridge's campaign for a fee. Now she caters events at the governor's mansion - at taxpayer expense. The tab is $39,000 since Ridge moved in. ``One benefit'' of being in the club, says director LeRoy Zimmerman, former state attorney general and now a Harrisburg lawyer, ``is getting together with leaders of business, commerce and other professions. And who knows? You may get the opportunity to make a deal while you're there.'' Some members say they want nothing and get nothing. ``I don't think there is a member of the Governor's Club who has joined because they think it's going to help them get business in any way,'' said Herbert Barness, the GOP national committeeman who helped found the club and is its chairman. ``There might be one or two who think that way, but it is infinitesimal.'' Asked whether members would get as much state work if they didn't give campaign money, Barness said: ``We're in a democracy. Some of them would, maybe some of them wouldn't. I don't know.''
State Sen. Clarence Bell (R., Delaware), who has 43 years in office, says most donors give for a reason. ``They make investments to get returns,'' Bell said. ``I haven't run into any political philanthropists for a long time.'' There is also prestige. David Girard-diCarlo is the governor's campaign treasurer and headed Ridge's 1994 transition team, helping to select cabinet members. A wall in his Philadelphia office is adorned with pictures of himself with politicians, including the governor, who named one of Girard-diCarlo's law partners, Paul Tufano, as his general counsel. Girard-diCarlo gave $84,500 to Ridge's 1994 campaign. Not only does his firm get state legal work, the fact that he's a close Ridge ally could be a reason some seek his high-priced counsel. ``I'm sure some people do. But some people think I can do things I can't do, too,'' he said. ``I turn down more people than I take [as clients] because all they want me to do is pull a political lever, and I won't do that.'' Girard-diCarlo noted that Ridge's contributors are publicly disclosed. ``You know who the supporters are, and they are likely to be part of the process one way or the other. And if you don't like it, elect somebody else.'' Another sought-after Ridge club director is William A.K. Titelman, one of the capital's most prominent lawyer-lobbyists who, with retired Rite Aid chairman Alex Grass, held a 1995 fund-raising event that netted $230,000 for the new governor's campaign coffers. The elegant sit-down dinner was held at the home of Titelman and his wife, Maria Keating Titelman, who is a Ridge deputy chief of staff. William Titelman is one of several club directors who also raise big money for Democrats. He boasts of collecting ``substantial six figures'' for President Clinton - and last fall, he got to stay in the Lincoln Bedroom. Ridge has taken fund-raising to a new level in Pennsylvania, one of a minority of states that don't limit contributions by individuals or political action committees. He spent a record $12.7 million in 1994. And he didn't stop there: His campaign, with five full-time staffers, has raised $4.7 million since he became governor. About 30 fund-raising events are planned this year. The latest, a laid-back, wear-your-Hawaiian-shirt ``beach party'' at a Harrisburg hotel, raised about $70,000. Critics see the Governor's Club as an example of what's wrong with campaign financing these days. The pattern of donations to Ridge's fund from state contractors ``says that campaign contributions are a wise investment with big paybacks, especially when you're in the upper echelon of contributors,'' said Barry Kauffman, Pennsylvania director of the self-styled citizens' lobby, Common Cause. ``It sends a strong message that state government is for sale,'' said Sen. Allen Kukovich, a Western Pennsylvania Democrat and the legislature's leading advocate of campaign finance reform. Kukovich said it would be ``unfair to simply single out the Ridge administration, but I think with each succeeding administration it gets worse and worse. Part of it is the constant escalation of the need for campaign finances. It drives these folks to think of nothing else except how to raise more and more money.'' All you need is dough.
I don't think I've ever turned anyone away from the Governor's Club,'' said Laurie Simmons, executive director of Ridge's campaign committee.
To be on the board of directors, a contributor must give (or raise from others) $10,000 a year in 1995, 1996 and 1997, plus $20,000 in 1998, Ridge's reelection year.
A similar schedule at half the price buys a club membership. And half that, or $12,500 over four years, buys a spot on the campaign's 212-member finance committee. (That adds $2.6 million more to Ridge's war chest.)
And that's only a part of Ridge's financial picture.
For one thing, many club members do more. Montgomery County developer Ronald Mintz held a 1995 fund-raising event at his home that netted $300,000 for Ridge, then still in his first year as governor. Mintz picked up the $51,749 tab.
Others give without joining. Like Marilyn Ware Lewis, chairwoman of the American Water Works Co., whose family gave Ridge about $210,000 for his 1994 race.
Last year, 46 people who weren't in the club gave the Ridge campaign fund $5,000 or more.
A number of club members were major rain-makers for Ridge, giving not only of their own but helping bring out the unselfish side of others. In this realm, Barness, a Bucks County developer, is a regular thunderstorm producer, having brought in as many as 40 percent of the club's members, according to Simmons. (He also gave $60,000 of his own in 1994.)
``It was Herb's idea,'' she said of the club. ``During the campaign your pitch is always the same - you've got to have money for media. We wanted to have a way to raise the funds during the off years. . . . I thought it was a great idea and so did the governor.''
She said Bob Asher is a major Ridge fund-raiser in suburban Philadelphia, as are Titelman in Harrisburg and lawyer Evans Rose in Pittsburgh.
The club membership reads like a Who's Who in Pennsylvania Business, as befits a governor who ran as pro-business and has called for corporate tax cuts in three straight years. Many members have CEO after their name.
The club is mostly male and white. It includes just a half-dozen minorities and eight women.
Many club members interviewed spoke of the state's highest official as ``Tom.'' 84 Lumber CEO Joe Hardy praised the governor's impressive long golf game this way: ``The son of a bitch, he was pounding them out.''
Members can be spotted on the fairways by their umbrellas and golf shirts emblazoned with the words Governor's Club. The club also gives members round blue and gold cufflinks bearing the initial R.
What membership does not necessarily buy, said Simmons, is a one-on-one with Ridge. ``I won't guarantee a meeting for $10,000. I'll take your money, but I won't guarantee a meeting with the governor,'' she said.
Unlike Clinton, Ridge doesn't bring his donors home.
``We don't have private coffees or sleepovers with the governor,'' Simmons said. `` . . . It's offensive.''
Said Ridge: ``Probably the toughest part of politics is the fund-raising side of it. We did a good job during the election, but now that I'm governor, I've tried to create a bit of a wall between myself and fund-raising.''
Simmons said that since he became governor, Ridge had not made a single phone call for cash. ``As we get closer to the campaign, we might ask him to,'' she said. ``If there was someone who would only take a call from him. And there are people like that.''
Rick Reynolds, a Harrisburg construction manager who joined Hardy and Barness in Ridge's golf foursome last year at Nemacolin, said he holds no state contracts or hopes that his club membership will help him win any. But Reynolds, who recalls tying Ridge with a 90, figures that if he called the governor's office now, ``they'll know who I am.''
Hardy, who owns the Nemacolin course, says the same. ``I think if I have a problem I would call his deputy or something like that . . . and I'm sure it gets to the governor and perhaps he can help,'' he said. ``I think it's important that we have access to some of these people - his staffers, the head of this, the head of that, the head of the other thing. And they're available.''
Contracts. As of December, 37 club members' businesses had state contracts, according to Treasury Department records.
Of those, 36 have won new contracts, or had old ones renewed, since January 1995, when Ridge became governor. Many have additional contracts that predate him.
Most of the state contracts are competitively bid. Many aren't, including those for engineers, architects and law firms, with the state generally extending ``requests for proposals'' and then selecting the lowest responsible bidder, though not necessarily the least costly.
Last year, the largest under Ridge was a one-year contract for $204 million, a hefty chunk of the roughly $2.5 billion the state spends annually for goods and services.
That contract was with Healthcare Management Alternatives (HMA) to provide health insurance for poor people in Philadelphia. The company is owned by AmeriChoice, whose chairman, Tony Welters, is on the Governor's Club Board of Directors.
Steven Matthews, AmeriChoice vice president and spokesman, said Welters had supported Ridge before he became governor, and that HMA had had major contracts with the state before that time, too. Matthews said HMA's latest contract, for 1997, was awarded through a competitive process.
New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co., which is headed by a club member, had state contracts totaling $87 million, more than two-thirds of it since January 1995. The company has also earned millions from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission since the 1980s. Several New Enterprise officers were civilly fined $150,000 in 1995 for federal elections violations - specifically, for reimbursing employees after they gave thousands to a congressional campaign.
Correctional Physicians Service Inc., whose president is club member Emre Umar, signed a contract with the Department of Corrections for $49.2 million to provide medical services at six state prisons. Umar's company has had this work since 1990 and was lowest bidder in 1995. Umar could not be reached for comment.
Legal fees. Among the law firms that got the most state work since Ridge took office were those whose letterheads include club directors Titelman, Girard-diCarlo and Zimmerman.
Number one in another category, bond-counsel fees, was Ballard, Spahr, Andrews & Ingersoll, the Philadelphia firm that includes club director Tom Ellis.
Ellis, who is also a Cheltenham Township commissioner, said the firm got more work from the previous administration under Democratic Gov. Bob Casey. ``We are the biggest bond counsel firm in the state. So I would hope we would get the most bond counsel work,'' Ellis said.
``People support their friends,'' Titelman said. ``If there are two equally competent people capable of providing a service or a product . . . is it reasonable for someone to select their opponent to provide it, or their friend?''
Asked why the Ridge administration had given so much bond work to law firms that gave campaign money, Titelman said: ``Well, why shouldn't he? The reality of the system is, people do need to raise political funds.''
He hastened to add, ``There's never a quid pro quo. Never.''
Loans and grants. Several major companies that got a helping hand from state economic programs under Ridge also have executives in the club.
PNC Financial Corp., whose lobbyist is a club member and whose chairman is a major Ridge donor, got a $6.5 million commitment for various state grants for its new operations center in Southwest Philadelphia. PNC is investing $14 million of its own money.
Advanta, whose CEO is club director Dennis Alter, received a $3 million Job Creation Tax Credit in fiscal 1997, plus a $1 million grant to help finance a $22 million project in Montgomery County. Alter could not be reached for comment.
Bentley Systems Inc., an engineering software company, got a $2 million low-interest loan in 1995 through the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) to expand facilities in Exton.
About six months after the loan was approved, state GOP chairman Alan Novak contacted company president Gregory Bentley and asked him to enroll in the club, according to spokesmen for the company and the party. Later, Bentley and his brothers, who help run the company, gave $11,000 to Ridge's fund.
Leases. Philadelphia Suburban Development Corp., where club member Bob Nicoletti is president, holds a handful of 10-year leases worth a total of $13.5 million on state welfare, labor and revenue offices in Philadelphia, and is negotiating to extend three other leases that could be worth millions more. Nicoletti could not be reached for comment.
Two other club members' businesses lease large office buildings to the state in the Capitol area, one worth $22.5 million, the other $32 million.
Harrisburg developer Robert Mumma's company holds leases with the state worth close to $500,000. A club member, he gives office space to Ridge's campaign for free. Mumma says he bids against other landlords to win state leases, and that helping the Ridge campaign makes ``no difference whatsoever.'
Appointments. Ridge has named 40 club members to state advisory commissions and licensing boards - some to two or three boards each. Spouses and siblings of club members hold seven other seats.
Members were named to boards of colleges including Temple, Drexel, West Chester and Pennsylvania State University.
Ridge put businessmen (and club directors) Manny Stamatakis and Paul Zelenkofske on the Delaware River Port Authority board. Stamatakis was also named to head the widely publicized government efficiency panel known as the IMPACCT Commission.
Stamatakis in turn named 21 others to head various IMPACCT committees - including club director Charles Sexton Jr., a longtime Delaware County Republican leader, and three other club members. For a follow-up panel Stamatakis chose another club member - a Dodge dealer whose political contributions include the car driven by Ridge campaign director Simmons.
Explaining why big contributors were placed on state panels, Tim Reeves, Ridge's press secretary, said: ``You tend to nominate people you know.''
One who is well known is Bob Asher, a Ridge appointee to the Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council. Asher, a former state GOP chairman, was convicted of conspiracy and other charges in the 1980s bribery scandal over a computer company's attempt to win a state contract. Prosecutors said Asher had tried to steer money into Republican campaign coffers.
Asher, CEO of Asher's Chocolates, said he is on other conservation boards, and that, ``conservation is my real passion in life, even more than politics.'' He declines allowable travel expenses.
Ridge press secretary Reeves said that Asher had ``paid a very serious price'' and that now, ``he deserves the opportunity to show that he is a good citizen again.''
Timothy Buchanan's company was paid $350,000 by Ridge's campaign, mostly for printing. Buchanan gave $22,450 to the Republican's 1994 race and $4,780 in the first three months of Ridge's term. Six months later, Ridge named Buchanan to head the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
How did that happen? ``After the campaign they asked me if I'd like to be on a board or commission and if so, which one. I said, `I love history.' They mentioned [the commission] and said, `We'll get back to you,' and they did and told me, `You're chairman of that commission.' It blew my mind.''
Buchanan, who left college after a year and a half, said: ``I'm sure there are many other people that would be eminently more qualified.''
http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/ridgebio.html
Biography
of Secretary Tom Ridge
Secretary of Homeland
Security
www.dhs.gov
On October 8, 2001, Tom Ridge was sworn in as the first Office of Homeland Security Advisor in the history of the United States of America. In the words of President George W. Bush, he had the strength, experience, personal commitment and authority to accomplish this critical mission.
The President established the Office of Homeland Security and the Homeland Security Council, following the tragic events of September 11. His charge to the nation's new director of homeland defense was to develop and coordinate a comprehensive national strategy to strengthen protections against terrorist threats or attacks in the United States.
Ridge was twice elected Governor of Pennsylvania, serving from 1995 to 2001. He kept his promise to make Pennsylvania "a leader among states and a competitor among nations." Governor Ridge's aggressive technology strategy helped fuel the state's advances in the priority areas of economic development, education, health and the environment.
The Governor Ridge cut taxes every year he was in office. To ensure Pennsylvania was home to the jobs of the future, the Governor created industry-led Greenhouse initiatives in advanced computing technologies and the life sciences.
He signed into law the Education Empowerment Act, to help more than a quarter-million children in Pennsylvania's lowest-performing schools. His education technology initiatives brought anytime, anywhere learning to Pennsylvanians from pre-school to adult education.
During his years in the Governor's office the number of children receiving free or low-cost health care through Pennsylvania's nationally recognized Children's Health Insurance Program increased by 145 percent increase.
Governor Ridge's common sense Land Recycling Program is a national model. He won passage of "Growing Greener," to make Pennsylvania's largest environmental investment ever, nearly $650 million.
Born Aug. 26, 1945, in Pittsburgh's Steel Valley, Gov. Ridge was raised in a working class family in veterans' public housing in Erie. He earned a scholarship to Harvard, graduating with honors in 1967. After his first year at The Dickinson School of Law, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served as an infantry staff sergeant in Vietnam, earning the Bronze Star for Valor. After returning to Pennsylvania, he earned his law degree and was in private practice before becoming assistant district attorney in Erie County. He was elected to Congress in 1982. He was the first enlisted Vietnam combat veteran elected to the U.S. House, and was overwhelmingly re-elected six times.
Governor Ridge and his wife, Michele, the former executive director of the Erie County Library system, have two children, Lesley and Tommy.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
Lesley Sillaman
June 1, 2004 (202) 225-3661
