It Is Time To Call Todd Eachus Out

In an editorial that appeared in today's Standard Speaker Dan Guydish opines on the merits and good works that Todd Eachus did for his district and Pennsylvania in general.

Let's examine Eachus's record. He voted himself a 16% pay raise in 2005 then refused to give it back. Keep in mind that this pay raise was on top of the cost of living adjustment legislators receive on a yearly basis.

A senior House Committee aide and Eachus staff Member, Rachel Manzo, was indicted in Bonusgate but as House Democratic Majority Policy Chairman Eachus claims no involvement.

Here is a letter he authored on the Pennsylvania House Democratic Campaign Committee website:

Welcome to the online home of the Pennsylvania House Democratic Campaign Committee. Democrats captured the Majority for the first time in 12 years in 2006.

Since January of 2007, Democrats have been hard at work changing business as usual and making progress on healthcare reform, energy reform, and economic development on behalf of Pennsylvania families.

In November 2008, House Democrats have historic opportunities to expand our Majority and continue our work on behalf of all Pennsylvanians.

Yours Truly,

Rep. Todd Eachus

Chairman, House Democratic Campaign Committee

Does Eachus really beleive that John Q. Public would believe the person who was chairman of the campaign committee did not know about all the state workers employed to capture the majority in the House, an act that didn't happen for the past twelve years?

According to Brad Bumsted at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review many of Eachus's aides were interviewed by the Attorney General's office.

Aides to House Democratic Policy Chairman Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne County, were recently interviewed by the attorney general's investigators, according to the Insider, a statewide political newsletter. The topic was the 2006 election, the Insider said. Eachus could not be reached for comment on Friday.

He responds to questions about Bonusgate and politicians who lost their seats over it by stating "(Bonusgate) did more damage than I thought." Todd, shouldn't you be denouncing the use of state employees for campaign purposes??? Here was your answer to that position. "It was the partisan way the Republican Campaign Committee used the issue to exemplify the partisan investigation by the attorney general," Eachus said.

He UNILATERALLY voted to pay off indicted Mike Veon's campaign debt totally $45,000.00. He defended his unilateral decision to bail out Veon, telling the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette he would have done the same thing for any Democrat who lost.

Yet, two of Veon's former Democratic colleagues, both of whom hail from Beaver County the same as Veon did, have campaign debts the committee hasn't offered to pay off. Rep. Sean Ramaley owes $7,000 from his first campaign for the state House in 2004 and Rep. Vincent Biancucci owes $12,000 from his 2002 and 2004 races, state records show.

Guess who's campaign Rachel Manza worked on while receiving state taxpayer's money? None other than Mike Veon.

Crooks are crooks period, Mr. Eachus. Each person in this world is repsonsible for his or her conduct. The fact that others may be doing the same thing does not exonerate that person from his or her conduct. Ask your buddy Robert Powell.

Eachus received $19,000.00 in donations from admitted felon Robert Powell, the disgraced attorney who used kids in a scheme to profit on the juvenile detention center in Luzerne County.

Here is a list of Powell's donations to Eachus, dates and amounts from www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us.

8/4/2004 $250.00
6/27/2008 $250.00
10/17/2000 $100.00
6/20/2001 $250.00
9/15/2000 $400.00
5/5/2004 $500.00
6/12/2006 $340.00
10/21/2004 $250.00
5/16/2002 $150.00
3/5/2004 $500.00
7/12/2005 $260.00
8/4/2004 $750.00
3/29/2005 $10,000.00
2/6/2007 $5,000.00

Eachus was front and center on the promotion of the cargo airport proposed by Powell et al. Eachus is a central figure in their media releases. Eachus was so supportive of the fantasy airport that he was willing to borrow $250 million and put the taxpayers of Pennsylvania on the hook for it. If the cargo airport succeeded it was going to take 16 years for Pennsylvania taxpayers to recoup their money.

To quote Guydish As far as helping local municipalities, non-profit agencies and government affiliates, Rep. Eachus has constantly delivered timely advice and financial assistance. He doesn't draw party lines in the process either. On really Danny. Ask the City of Hazleton how it is making out with the pension issue that could bankrupt Hazleton and the money for the Intermodel project? Like Yukon Cornelius, Nothin.

Eachus attended a hearing held by Rep. David Levdansky (D-Allegheny County) who is chairman of the House Finance Committee concerning the pension request in September of last year. It was televised live by PCN. Eachus didn't offer one word of support for Hazleton's request. He sat in the audience like Don Corleone making sure Levdansky did his bidding. About Levdansky- Levdansky has been arrested for DUI with blood-alcohol content registered
at 0.16 percent and had a Protection From Abuse Order against him from his former wife.

Here's what Todd Eachus had to say about supporting Powell's fantasy cargo airport.

“Why wouldn’t we deserve state funding?” he asked, when questioned about the $250 million in state money required to make the airport viable.

“We deserve in Northeastern Pennsylvania the same amount of money Philadelphia and Pittsburgh get” for capital budget projects like the new arena for the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team, he said.

The money will create jobs that are family-sustaining and high-paying, he said.

“This project means a lot to my community, and I’m not going away on it.”

Why does Pottsville deserve $15 million in funding for its intermodel project but the Majority Leader of the House cannot get funding for Hazleton's project? Do the workers in Hazleton not deserve employment? Why is Scranton and Nanticoke receiving funding for their projects? If Robert Powell was behind the Intermodel project would you borrow $11 million to help him?

As Majority Leader Hazleton should be the shining star in the state but Eachus has consistently refused, along party lines, to help Hazleton fostering and promoting Paul Kanjorski's pathetic stance and vow that Hazleton will never get a dime even though he posted funding for it on his website.

Hazleton is the biggest city in Eachus's district. Todd what have you done to earn its vote?

Let's recap. Todd Eachus- Rachel Manza, Mike Veon, Robert Powell, David Levdansky some nice company. Where's Archie when you want to watch "All In The Family'?