Rep. Joe Sestak- White House Made Me An Offer

The Associated Press is reporting in the Los Angeles Times that Rep. Joseph Sestak is sticking by his story that the White House made him an offer to exit the race against Arlen Specter.

Sestak said Thursday at a taping of the Comcast Network's "Larry Kane: Voice of Reason" show that he was offered a high-ranking job but turned it down.

Spokesman Jonathon Dworkin said Friday that Sestak stands by his comments. He declined to provide details about the job offer.

The White House told The Associated Press on Friday that it had no immediate comment on Sestak's comments.

In a related story on the Los Angeles Times blog more details emerge.

When Pennsylvania's Arlen Specter announced at the White House last spring that he was switching from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party, President Obama said he'd do anything he could to help the embattled senator, now 80 years old, win reelection.

Apparently he wasn't kidding.

Joe Sestak, the retired Navy admiral and Pennsylvania congressman who is challenging Specter in the Democratic primary, says the White House offered him a high-ranking administration job in hopes he would not make the race.

In a cable news interview by Larry Kane to be broadcast Sunday, Sestak was asked about rumors that the White House had made feelers to see if he could be lured from the race.

Yes, he acknowledged, but "I'm not going to say who or how and what was offered."

Navy secretary? No comment.

High-ranking? Yes.

Sestak would not give further details, except to say that "both here in Pennsylvania and down there [Washington], I was called quite a few times." Afterward, Sestak told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the offer came in July, not long before he formally announced his candidacy.

Tom Gabos- Who Is Lying????

Tomfoolery
In his latest political commercial Tom Gabos, running for re-election on Hazleton City Council, tries to turn the tide on his opponents by stating there are lies in their commercial.

His first response is that he didn't use his political influence to get himself a job in the Hazleton Area School District. He stated he worked for the district long before he got his job. Let's examine his statement.

Here is the agenda for the Hazleton Area School Board dated April 23, 2009.

Hazleton Area School District
Regular Board Meeting Agenda
6:30 P.M., Thursday, April 23, 2009

Page 12

Substitutes for Board Approval April 23, 2009

Substitutes - Maintenance Dept.
Gabos, Thomas


Next is the Agenda of the Hazleton Area School District for September 24, 2009

Hazleton Area School District
Regular Board Meeting Agenda
6:30 P.M., Thursday, September 24, 2009

Page 2

14- Recommend Board appoint the following maintenance positions:
(Salary as per Teamsters Agreement)
* Hazleton El/Middle School- Thomas Gabos


Tom, now let's be honest. Stating you were "working" for the HASD is not the same as being "employed" by the Hazleton Area School District. You are in the fourth year of your term. Seems the date of your employment is AFTER you were elected Councilman.

Tom's next claim is that he didn't vote against funding for the police department. He claims his vote against the budget was because it didn't provide for enough police.

Are you the same Tom Gabos who, back in August, asked the question "Where's promised dredge money?" The first sentence in your editorial states "Why do we have to lay off police?" Tom, you weren't paying attention during your term. You hired how many police??? Oh, you wouldn't know the answer to that because you weren't paying attention. Then you make the assertion, There are still fewer police in Hazleton than there were when Barletta took office.

Do you remember Councilwoman Graham's reply to your ridiculous questions?

You complain, Tom, that "there are fewer police in Hazleton than when Barletta took office" but you don't say where you have found the money to pay them. Do you not remember that the police were hired with federal money that expired after three years?

Then you answer your own question by stating the money for dredge was used to hire new police officers. No matter what the reason for the lack of enough new police officers hired with money from the dredge project.

The one charge mentioned in the commercial against you that you failed to address was your lack of solutions. Now we are back to running on your record. There is none. Your re-election bid is why you earned the title "Puxatawney Tom." You only come out every once in four years.

Luzerne County Judge Race and Retention Interviews/Video

The Times Leader posted its candidate interviews conducted in October, 2009. In the interest to educate and pass on as much information as possible for the voters here are the links. I had the pleasure of meeting Judge Olszewski last evening. He is energetic and willing to pound the pavement to keep his seat. Will he keep his seat is another story where only election day will play it out.

Walter Griffith is included in this article so I posted his video here as well. I believe Griffith is going to win and be an excellent choice for Luzerne County Controller. But then again, this is a conservative blog, right Gort??

Judge Peter Paul Olszewski - Retention interview
Judge Tom Burke - Retention interview
Bill Amesbury - Candidate interview video
Richard Hughes - Candidate interview video
Tina Polachek Gartley - Candidate interview video
Walter Griffith - Candidate interview video
Bob Morgan - Candidate interview video
Wil Toole - Candidate interview video