What is Gene Stilp Hiding?

Gene Stilp, candidate for the 11th Congressional seat in Pennsylvania, is running of a record of requiring transparency in government.  The question for Mr. Stilp is does he talk the talk or walk the walk?

It appears as though he files by paper, delaying the public release of his reports – and disclosure of exactly who is financing his campaign – by as much as two weeks as the FEC scans and processes his snail-mail reports. Worse, it appears as though he refuses to provide this information when reporters  call to ask.

Citizens’ Voice Story on Campaign Finance for Third Quarter Report:

http://citizensvoice.com/news/smith-gives-casey-a-run-for-his-money-1.1388524

“Democratic opponent Gene Stilp, did not provide his campaign finance report to The Times-Tribune on Monday.”

Standard Speaker Story on Campaign Finance for Second Quarter Report:

http://standardspeaker.com/news/cartwright-barletta-lead-fundraising-1.1344466

“Efforts to reach Gene Stilp, Barletta's Democratic challenger, or obtain his report were unsuccessful. The deadline for filing the reports was Sunday, but the Federal Election Commission had not posted Stilp's report on its website by late Monday afternoon.”

Citizen’s Voice Story on Campaign Finance for First Quarter Report:

http://citizensvoice.com/news/holden-cartwright-rack-up-big-spending-on-campaigns-1.1299769

“A report for Gene Stilp, the Harrisburg area activist and consultant opposing Vinsko for the Democratic nomination, was unavailable.”

Here are the records of his filings, third quarter still doesn’t appear:

http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?C00509653

Mr. Stilp should answer the question since he squarely positioned himself as a crusader agasint government waste and corruption.

Some of his notable donations given his promise to be a crusader for the people is one from Emily Leader, attorney for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, Mary Cassidy of Arnold & Porter which its many practices include representing pharmaceutical firm interests, Eugene Fleuish, no address listed, Douglas Phelps, no address listed, Carl Mayer, Mayer Law Group which among other specialties focuses on immigration issues, Holly Sebastian, Pennsylvania Department of Education, and a notable one for Pennsylvanians, John Passacantando of Our Next Economy LLC, an activist/envrionmenalist who is campaigns against the coal industry.

Will Gene Stilp Reject Kevin Blaum's Endorsement?

Kevin Blaum pens an opinion column for the Times Leader.  It is no secret that the editorial room of the Times Leader is  filled with some of the most liberal minds in the country.  Therefore it naturally follows that Republicans are not a welcome sight for their board.

Kevin Blaum opined in his latest column that voters should send Eugene Stilp to represent the 11th Congressional  District.  It is an almost unbelievable endorsement considering the issues Blaum addresses and his previous role on those very same topics.  Writing about Stilp he offers this perspective.

Best known for his work on a wide range of taxpayer concerns, Stilp is the proud owner of an oversized inflatable pink pig seemingly ubiquitous throughout central Pennsylvania.

Stilp's giant pink pig, coined Pignelope,  represents his perception of  government waste, fraud and corruption.  She comes in three sizes as well as a school bus painted pink which Stilp uses on his campaign trail traveling around the district.

One of the person's who exemplifies Stilp's cause against government waste is none other than Kevin Blaum.  Blaum was the architect of the  infamous"midnight pay raise of 2005" that Stilp successfully argued against before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to stop.

Bill O"Boyle of The Weekender(Times Leader) filed this report on Stilp's effort.

“The giant inflatable pig became a symbol of greed and fraud in government and helped defeat many incumbent legislators in 2006 and 2008 who had voted for the midnight pay raise,” Stilp said. “The legislators were being hogs. They were giving pigs a bad name. The pig had to fight back.”

RocktheCapitol with a motto of "the price of apathy is to be ruled by evil men" published this paper on the "pay jackers" who benefitted monetarily from their actions at the expense of Pennsylvania taxpayers.

Blaum's role in this midnight pay raise was multifacted according to their publication.

Mr. Blaum voted for the pay raise, and as minority caucus secretary (the fourth highest-ranking party job) he was flown from Iowa to Harrisburg ($716) courtesy of Mr. DeWeese’s “leadership account” on November 7 to vote on the pay raise repeal.

(Herald Standard, May 12, 2006) Mr.DeWeese is incarcerated for his role in Bonusgate

Defended perks:

“A car is a tool,” said Rep. Kevin Blaum, (D-Wilkes-Barre), who billed the state for a leased Ford Explorer and collected an average of about$1,500 a month in per-diems. “Certainly, no one is becoming rich off these expenses.” (Shamrock Times, November 13, 2006)

 

Per diems:

Rep. Blaum took 215 per diems in 18 months and made an extra $26,824

(Shamrock Times, November 14, 2006)  (Keep in mind that per diems are undocumented reimbursements)

Monthly pension & Approximate Lump-Sum Wiothdrawal

$4,579 ($115,000). ( The Associated Press, February 8, 2007)

Update:

Retired from the legislature, but works as “Associate director for admissions at a private school (Wyoming Seminary).” (Sources: Patriot-News and The Associated Press)

In this report RocktheCapitol makes the point that Blaum was the recipient of a pension bump.

So the questions for Eugene Stilp comes down to this.  Mr. Stilp are you willing to acknowledge that Kevin Blaum was verifying you were right about the egregious acts against taxpayers?  Are you willing to reject Mr. Blaum's endorsement as a conflict of interest against the principles you claim to represent?  Or, is the showmanship on these issues just attention seeking manuevers to get you elected to some position in government?  We are still paying for the benefits Blaum gets as a result of his self ingratiating actions.

After all Gene this isn't your first trip to the rodeo.  Let's not forget your failed  attempt against Representative Sue Helm(R) in the 104th district. 

Stilp is starting to look like Steve Urban,  wanting to run for any office hoping he gets something.

PA State Nurses Association Endorses Congressman Lou Barletta For Re-election

This press release was sent by Lance Stange Jr. of the Lou Barletta For Congress campaign.

October 15, 2012

American Nurses Assoc., PA State Nurses Assoc.

Endorse Lou Barletta for Second Term

 

Hazleton, PA – The American Nurses Association, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, which represents more than 211,000 nurses in the Commonwealth, endorsed United States Representative Lou Barletta for a second term in Congress.

“Congressman Barletta has been a champion for nurses throughout the state of Pennsylvania within the 11th Congressional District,” stated PA State Nurses Association (PSNA) CEO Betsy M. Snook, MEd, BSN, RN.  “As a member of the House Nursing Caucus, he has shown a willingness to work with ANA and PSNA to build long-term relationships with his constituent nurses.  Congressman Barletta recognizes the important role nurses play in today’s changing healthcare environment and we are proud to stand behind ANA-PAC’s endorsement.”

Rep. Barletta added, “I am deeply honored by the endorsement of the American Nurses Association and the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association.  Nurses play a vitally important role in our nation’s health care system and are deserving of our respect and gratitude.  I look forward to continuing to advocate for issues of importance to nurses throughout the district.”

Congressman Lou Barletta's Election Statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                  Contact: Lance Stange, Jr.

April 24, 2012                                                                                                                                      lance@loubarletta.com

or 570-501-8683

U.S. Representative Lou Barletta congratulates Stilp

Looks forward to a spirited campaign

HAZLETON – U.S. Representative Lou Barletta released the following statement after the Primary Election results were known:

“I would first like to thank everyone who voted for me today. The warm welcome I continue to receive in Northeastern, Central, and South Central Pennsylvania has been incredibly encouraging.

“The people of the 11^th District sent me to Washington to reign in out-of-control spending; cut excessive regulations; create a pro-growth, pro-jobs environment; and repeal Obamacare.  They want a domestic energy policy that works and lowers prices at the pump.  And, they want to make sure that the U.S. is secure from all threats.  That’s why they sent me, that’s what I’ve been fighting for, and that what’s I will continue to fight for.

“I would like to congratulate Mr. Stilp on his victory and I look forward to a lively and hard-fought campaign in the General Election.”

Gene Stilp To Seek Democratic Nomination in the 11th

Political activist Gene Stilp held a press conference today to announce his intention to seek the Democratic nomination in a run against Congressman Lou Barletta. Here's a link to the Pennlive.com article.

Stilp, who has gained notoriety in Pennsylvania for his battles against utillities, legislative pay raises, is announcing his intent to get into the race against Republican U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta in a Capitol news conference.

The recent redrawing of congressional boundaries extended Barletta's district into much of Dauphin and Cumberland counties as well as souteastern Perry County.

Brad Bumsted of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review wrote this opinion piece on Gene Stilp on January 8,2006.   He's fun-loving and eccentric.  Next.

Philadelphia Courthouse Building Questions

In a developing story coming out of Philadelphia over a new courthouse building Democratic candidate in the 103rd district- Gene Stilp filed complaint against Chief Justice Castille in the Philly Courthouse bid scandal according to RoxburyNews.

Over the weekend the Philadelphia Inquirer penned this edtiorial concerning its eleventh-hour disclosure by an Inquirer investigative team that a courthouse consultant holds what appears to be a conflicting role as codeveloper of the project, casts doubt on the fairness of the $200 million price tag.

In this story published May 21, 2010 by staff writers Joseph Tanfani and Mark Fazlollah the reporters discovered that real estate lawyer and developer Jeffrey B. Rotwitt was working both sides of construction project to build a $200 million courthouse. He was paid $3.9 million as fees on the project from the courts.

But Rotwitt found a way to make even more money from the courts project, a 14-story tower planned for 15th and Arch Streets. It would be the largest current public works project in Philadelphia after the Convention Center expansion.

He made a separate deal with Donald W. Pulver, the Conshohocken developer who has development rights at the site. For more than a year, he and Pulver said, Rotwitt has been splitting the monthly development fees paid by the courts, fees that Rotwitt proposed in the first place. So far, that arrangement has earned Rotwitt close to $500,000.

"It was all open and above board," Rotwitt said.

State Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille, who has been working closely with Rotwitt on the courts project for two years, said he had no idea about that arrangement until The Inquirer's architecture critic, Inga Saffron, reported it and started asking questions about how Rotwitt could be on both sides of the deal.

Because he was relying on Rotwitt's advice, Castille said in an interview in his Philadelphia office, there's no way to know whether the public has gotten a good deal thus far on the $200 million Family Court project.

After the story broke Governor Rendell came to the rescue with an announcement that he would release the $200 million for the courthouse project but only with competitive bidding.

Rendell said he would release the $200 million for the huge courthouse at 15th and Arch Streets, but would require competitive bids, even if that means delays, to make sure the project is scrubbed of any conflicts of interest.

Rendell's announcement means the apparent end of the court system's two-year-old development deal with Donald W. Pulver, a developer from Conshohocken.

The Inquirer reported on Friday that Jeffrey B. Rotwitt, a lawyer the courts hired as a real estate consultant, has also been collecting fees on the other side of the deal as Pulver's co-developer.

"The commonwealth always looks at potential conflicts of interest, particularly when it comes to the taxpayers' money," Rendell said. "We will make sure there is no conflict of interest in this deal, even if it means slowing it up."

Rendell, joined by Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille and Mayor Nutter, appeared at City Hall to announce the funding for the 14-story, 29-courtroom building. Family Court handles some of the most sensitive cases in the justice system: juvenile crimes, divorces, child-neglect hearings.

On Tuesday, lawyer Henry E. Hockeimer Jr. of the firm Ballard Spahr, which represents the courts and Castille, sent Pulver and Rotwitt a letter asking them to detail their partnership and list everyone who received any money from the courts.

Rotwitt did not respond. Lawyers for Pulver did not provide the information, but said, "We previously advised your firm of the involvement of Deilwydd Property Group L.L.C. and Mr. Rotwitt in this project months ago."

Feeley declined to comment on Rotwitt's dual roles, other than to repeat that documents showed that court representatives knew about his work as developer.

Stilp's complaint isn't the first time he and Castille have clashed over an issue. As reported by John Micek at CapitolIdeas on January 15, 2008 after he was sworn into office yesterday, new state Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Castille got hit with a disciplinary complaint from professional gadfly Gene Stilp.

In what we're pretty sure is Stilp's millionth court filing since the short-lived 2005 pay raise, the Dauphin County activist and onetime Nader Raider claims that Castille ran afoul of disciplinary rules when he told Philly Daily News columnist John Baer late last year that he was soon going to allow a grand jury probe of casino owner Louis DeNaples to proceed.

According to Stilp, that action violated Canon 3 of the judicial code of ethics, which says "judges should abstain from public comment about a pending proceeding in any court."

To quote John Micek "Here we go again".