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.

Rock The Capitol's List Of Those Who Have Yet To Return Illegal Pay Raise

From the Post Gazette:

Rock the Capital, led by Eric Epstein, is one of the citizens watchdog groups that have criticized 60 state legislators for not returning to the state treasury the four months of higher pay they received from a controversial pay raise enacted in July 2005 and repealed in November 2005. The group released this list of seven senators, who are still in office, and 53 House members, some of whom have retired or been defeated and some who are still in office. Mr. Epstein noted that some lawmakers did donate their raise money to charities (resulting in tax benefits) but still will benefit from the "pension bump" caused by the higher salary.

The following legislators from our area on the list- Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne, House majority leader, Dwight Evans, D-Philadelphia, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Phyllis Mundy, D-Luzerne, Ed Staback, D-Lackawanna. It's amazing how a leader can't be a leader by setting an example for the rest of his pack and do what is right for the taxpayer.

More from the Post Gazette about stalled legislative pay reform.


Democracy Rising PA and Rock the Capital Tuesday challenged the gubernatorial candidates, Democrat Dan Onorato and Republican Tom Corbett, to take the lead on several upcoming reform measures, including pushing for a "limited constitutional convention."

"Citizens need a megaphone to reach our tone-deaf lawmakers, and the only one loud enough to do the job is the governor," said Democracy Rising's Tim Potts.

"Things are not going to change until we have a constitutional convention," Mr. Epstein said.

Mr. Potts and Mr. Epstein, along with Matthew Brouillette of the Commonwealth Foundation, said they didn't think legislators have learned much from the middle-of-the-night pay raise debacle in July 2005.

Last week, they noted, legislators waived a post-pay-raise reform measure that would have required a 24-hour delay (in the House) and a six-hour wait (in the Senate) before the state budget could face a final vote. Legislative leaders insisted their members had adequate time to review the lengthy budget bill before approving it.

The citizens groups also asked Mr. Corbett and Mr. Onorato about changes recently recommended by a grand jury that spent two years investigating the so-called Bonusgate scandal, including convening a constitutional convention, cutting the size of the 253-member Legislature and imposing term limits on lawmakers.

Mr. Onorato has said he supports a convention that is limited to certain key issues, such as a smaller Legislature, but Mr. Potts said he'd like to know exactly what issues Mr. Onorato wants to look at.

Mr. Corbett also favors a limited constitutional convention and would end unvouchered per diem payments to legislators for food and lodging. He also favors a part-time Legislature, said campaign aide Kevin Harley.

The citizens groups also want to get the two candidates' views on whether legislators should spend $42 million this year on "walking around money," for pet projects in their districts; the funds are listed under vague categories called "cultural activities," "community assistance" and "urban development."

The reform groups also want the two candidates' opinions on whether the Legislature should continue to squirrel away $200 million in a reserve account, sometimes called a "slush fund," or put most of the money back into the general budget to ease some of the reductions in departmental budgets.

Mellow Represents Legislative Arrogance Yet No Public Outcry

The Times Leader reported Senator Robeert Mellow will once again serve as leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus. You might recall that Mellow was one of those government opportunists who refused to repay the illegal pay raise of 2005.

On November 19, 2008 the Time Tribune ran a story about a legislative watchdog group that file a Senate ethics request over Mellow's seat on the Board of Blue Cross. "A legislative reform group called Tuesday for an ethics investigation to determine whether Sen. Robert Mellow's recent appointment to the board of Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania and a subsidiary is a conflict of interest.

The formal request was made to the Senate Ethics Committee by Eric Epstein, coordinator of RockTheCapital.org, a group formed during the 2005 legislative pay raise controversy.

"His acceptance of a board seat with Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania is an obvious conflict of interest of the simple reason that the interests of the company are not necessarily those of the people," Mr. Epstein wrote in a 17-page document released to the media."

RocktheCapital.org issued a press release on November 24, 2008 asking for a suspension of legislative pay raises and future cost of living increases. Mellow responded to the Philadelphia Inquirer last Friday "Our members have the same family responsibilities as others."

I received a notice from BLue Cross NEPA in the mail. A $75.00 copayment for emergency accident services and emergency medical services obtained in Member Hospitals and in Non-Member Hospitals has been added. The co-payment per visit for certain Diagnostic Imaging Procedures has been increased from $15.00 to $75.00. Coverage for reversal of sterilization has been excluded.

Bob Mellow claims the $20,000-a-year BLue Cross board seat will provide him with insight he needs to further public policy.

The Times Tribune article goes on to state "The best way that Mr. Mellow can meet the public’s need for an effective health care policy is to use his power as a legislator to ensure that non-profit, tax-exempt insurers like Blue Cross fulfill their nonprofit charter obligations to meet their communities’ health care needs.

Senator Mellow, if you make it so I can't afford diagnostic services which might detect a disease state before it becomes more costly to treat how did you meet that policy?