AG Kathleen Kane gets money for Mobile Street Crime Strike Force means help for Hazleton



Recent news reports tell the tale of the escalating violent crimes occurring in Hazleton, PA. due to increased gang activity.  Shootings and stabbings gripped Hazleton as it tries to navigate the new population make-up.  Legal immigrants that moved to Hazleton to escape the New York style life full of gangs found the criminals followed them here. 

A defunct agency of the Department of Justice prepared the Eastern Pennsylvania Drug and Gang Threat Assessment in 2011. 

Dominican criminal groups in Hazleton have established new wholesale sources for cocaine that deliver multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine directly to Hazleton each month.  These new drug sources of supply enable Dominican traffickers in Hazleton to operate independently of New York City associates and sources and to maintain a consistent level of drug availability for greater expansion to new midlevel and retail customers.

 

During Pennsylvania budget negotiations Attorney General Kathleen Kane's requested $3 million dollars be included to fund a mobile street crime unit.  State Sen. John Yudichak, D-14, and state Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-116 announced yesterday that the  $2.5 million dollars in funding was secured.

For Hazleton residents and surrounding communities this news couldn't come at a more appropriate time.

The news was featured in this Standard Speaker.

The funding will allow the Attorney General's Office to implement a mobile street crime unit with the aim of disrupting and dismantling criminal gangs in Pennsylvania.

Kane has said she wants to deploy the unit first in Hazleton.

"This mobile street crime unit is important to send a message to gangs, criminals, and drug dealers - not here, not on our watch and not in Pennsylvania," Yudichak said. "This specialized unit will give the tools to law enforcement and to the Attorney General's Office to work with local police departments to effectively drive gangs out of our schools and out of our neighborhoods."

The AG Mobile Street Crime Strike Force - which was a top priority for Kane - will be an elite unit of highly trained, highly skilled law enforcement agents that will team up with the FBI, the state police and local police departments to end criminal gang operations across Pennsylvania.

"The gangs have been such a big issue in Northeastern Pennsylvania and in the city of Hazleton, this mobile street crime unit will allow the attorney general to come in and augment our police protection," Toohil said. "We really need the boots on the ground, and we really need them in Hazleton."

Hazleton police Chief Frank DeAndrea said he is thrilled that legislators were able to fund the mobile street crime unit.

AG. Kane is quickly establishing her priorities for Pennsylvania.  Chief DeAndrea called her move a "phenomenal out-of-the-box idea."

In an article written by Richard Stine, a 2007 student at Kutztown University, he wrote about the ordinances passed in Hazleton to address illegal immigration.  He made this observation in his senior projects paper. 

Barletta claimed that the influx of illegal immigrants has brought crime, drug trade and gangs to Hazleton which have overwhelmed police budgets. Police Chief Robert Ferdinand also makes the same claim. “What I've seen goes far beyond police reports. The crime that I've seen in Hazleton over the past year is just the tip of the iceberg. I'm very fearful of the trends.

Stine asked this question. 

Did Barletta propose these ordinances only to gain name recognition for a possible run for some higher office, or did he do it to honestly protect the citizens of Hazleton, as he boldly proclaimed he had the right to do?

Well, I believe Attorney General Kathleen Kane just answered Mr. Stine's question 6 years later.

Toohil Targeted With Video



In the last election a video attacking State Representative Tarah Toohil surfaced on YouTube.com. in a desperate attempt to discredit her.

Reports are coming out that an investigation into a new video threatening Toohil over a possible vote dealing with marijuana legislation.

The 85-second video being investigated used the slogan of a group of hackers called Anonymous: "We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive, we do not forget. Expect us."

A woman speaking with an English accent says in a voice over the "legions" were disappointed by Toohil's response to earlier videos that allegedly showed her smoking a bong. The most recent video said she must support decriminalizing marijuana or it would expose her secret, the Inquirer reported.

"Everyone has secrets. Please do not give us a reason to expose yours," the voice over said.

Revenge is never a reason to enter a race.  According to this Philadelphia Inquirer article written by Angela Couloumbis from their Harrisburg Bureau former Representative Todd Eachus decided to do just that.

State House Democrats, too, saw an opening. Toohil, after all, had unceremoniously defeated then-Majority Leader Eachus in 2010. Bitter over the loss, Eachus raised money to help Young's campaign, according to three Democrats involved in last year's races. At Eachus' urging, the House Democratic Campaign Committee spent about $100,000, just days before the Nov. 6 election, to air a tough ad - featuring photos of Toohil from the bong video, as well as the camel photo.

The decision to run that ad was controversial, with some Democrats arguing that it crossed the line of political decency - and wasted precious resources on an unwinnable race.

Speculation during that election centered on whether another person who worked for Eachus was actively involved in the behind the scenes efforts to discredit Toohil.  That person is working for a State Representative from Northeast Pennsylvania.

State Police have been interviewing friends as well as other House members over any role Rep. Nick Miccarelli (R., Delaware), former boyfriend of Toohil, may have played.  To date no charges have been filed against Miccareli.

Ransom Young Needs To Address Possible Ethics Problems

In this Kent Jackson article written March 7, 2012 in the Standard Speaker Ranson Young, candidate for the House seat in the 116th Pennsylvania district and presently Butler Township Supervisor, it is reported that Young is "suing the other two supervisors and the township to regain a job as road foreman from which they fired him in January."

In the federal lawsuit, Young says Supervisors Brian Kisenwether and Charles Altmiller fired him because he campaigned against them.

Young, a Democrat now running for state representative, defeated Kisenwether, a Republican, in an election for township supervisor in 1995. Young campaigned against Kisenwether in 2009 when Kisenwether defeated Democrat James Caffray to become a supervisor. In 2011, Young campaigned against Republican Altmiller, who also defeated Caffray to become a supervisor.

When Altmiller took office in January, he and Kisenwether formed a Republican majority. They fired Young and Caffray, who was zoning officer, at a meeting on Jan. 3.

Young says in the lawsuit that he received no notice that he would be fired before the meeting and was told no reason for his dismissal. In the lawsuit, he says he was fired in retaliation for exercising his right of free speech by campaigning.

The caption to this photo reads "Asphalt from a shovel held by Luis Ocasio, who works for the Butler Township Road Department, falls to the surface of Mill Mountain Road, Butler Township. Behind him, Freeland Street Foreman Bob Babenko and Butler Township Roadmaster Ransom Young operate a spreader, while Terry Webster, of the Black Creek Township road crew, uses a rake to smooth asphalt from the side of the road. All three municipalities, including West Hazleton, work together on road maintenance and repairs to cut costs."

Back in 2010 this Standard Speaker article highlighted salary questions regarding Ransom Young's employment with Butler Township as a supervisor and a road worker. 

Young was scheduled to receive $2,000 for his job as roadmaster, which is a supervisor position and was up for a 4 percent wage increase for being road foreman. Last year the roadmaster position paid $4,000. Young's salary, including the 2010 raise, would have been $49,429.38. Additionally, any supervisor that works on roads in the township receives $24.69 per hour."

According to these three Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission rulings it appears Ransom Young has a significant ethical issue regarding his dual employment by Butler Township.

In the matter of Richard Hessinger, supervisor for Summit Township, from 1994 the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission ruled

Hessinger violated Section 3(a) of Act 170 of 1978 in 1988 and 1989 when he received double payment as a salaried roadmaster and as a laborer at an hourly rate for performing road related duties.

In another case before the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission from the same year Thomas Wasiela, another supervisor in Summit Township, received a similar verdict. 

Wasiela violated Section 3(a) of Act 170 of 1978 when he received double payment as a salaried roadmaster and as a paid laborer at an hourly rate for attending the PSATS's convention in 1988 and 1989.

Wasiela violated Section 3(a) of Act 170 of 1978 for receiving payment, at the hourly rate set by the township board of auditors for a working township employee, as to duties which were encompassed within the functions of elected township supervisors for the calendar year 1989.

In this matter involving Robert Noel, supervisor for Reade Township, the Ethics Commission found he committed a similar violation from 2004 through 2009. 

Robert T. Noel ( "Noel "), a public official in his capacity as a Supervisor for Reade Township ( T"ownship ")f rom January 2004 to the present, violated Section 1103(a) of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ( E" thics Act "), 65 PSa.C.. 1 103§(a) , in relation to his actions as a Township Supervisor to approve and issue payment for hours claimed as a Township road worker at the same time he was serving asTownship Roadmaster.

Mr. Young should explain to the public in explicit terms whether the findings in these three cases applies to his role as Butler Township Supervisor, Butler Township Roadmaster, and Butler Township supervisor working on roads.  Did he approve payments to himself in all three of these roles?

 

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Fundraiser For Tarah Toohil

The Host Committee for a Brunch featuring State Representative Tarah Toohil includes Honorable Pat Solano, Honorable Sandra P. Major, Hal and Jean Flack, Honorable Senator Lisa Baker and more.

It is scheduled for March 10th at 11A.M. at Isabella Restaurant in Wilkes Barre. Those wanting to attend can call 570-788-2479.

Donations can be sent to:
The Committee To Elect Tarah Toohil
P.O. Box 363
Hazleton, PA. 18201

Phyllis Mundy Misplaced Lack of Support To Deal With Public Corruption

On Monday, June 13th, Representative Tarah Toohil moved a bill dealing with corrupt public officials to the floor for a vote. Robert Swift, Harrisburg correspondent, wrote this synopsis of the vote on this bill.

The measure, approved 169-32, would set mandatory/minimum terms of sentences for officials found guilty of the existing crime of official corruption and give victims the opportunity for the first time to seek restitution to recover court-related costs. This crime refers to someone using their public office to infringe on an individual's personal or property rights.

In an unacceptable position from an elected public official from Luzerne County, Rep. Phyllis Mundy voted NO against the bill.

Rep. Phyllis Mundy, D-120, Kingston, called the bill an example of "misplaced priorities" given corrections cost issues. She said the two ex-judges are receiving federal sentences of far greater severity than what the bill provides.

"This bill is really not about Luzerne County even though it purports to be," she added.

Ms. Mundy was joined by several other Democratic lawmakers who said the legislation would add to state corrections costs at a time when Pennsylvania contracted with other state to house convicts in a cost-savings move.

Evidently Rep. Phyllis Mundy is not paying attention to the sentencing of 30 officials snagged in her CORRUPT COUNTY.

Doug Richards- 15 months
Allen Bellas- 6 months house arrest
James Height- 5 months
Jeffrey Piazza- 6 months
Frank Pizzella- 2 years probation 5 months house arrest
Joseph Oliveri- 1 year and one day
Ross Scarantino- 13 months
Brian Dunn- 18 months

Circomlution For Dummies writes

Yeah, okay, so 30-some have been charged. And, what, 25 or so have been sentenced?

And what, pray tell, did those sentences amount to other than a gigantic slap on the collective wrists?

Mundy makes the ridiculous claim that sentencing would burden the budget. So what she is really saying is there are that many corrupt officials out there who, if sentenced, would send the budget into a tailspin. Sorry, Ms. Mundy, on this issue you are either misinformed or part of the problem.

With 169-32 passage, obviously Rep. Mundy should be held accountable for not supporting legislation to clean up public corruption.