Greg Hunsinger- Another Casualty

The Times Leader is reporting that Luzerne County purchasing agent Greg Hunsinger has resigned his post effective August 20th.

Skrepenak- "I was as shocked as everyone else.."

From LuLac Political Letter November 8, 2007


Jennifer Learn-Andes reported in the Times Leader that Greg Skrepenak, Luzerne County Commissioner, stated he was as shocked as everyone else" to learn his father was testifying before a grand jury looking into corruption in Northeastern Pennsylvania. According to the younger Skrepenak he wants to know but won't ask. Maybe he should revisit some of his votes as Luzerne County Commissioner to jog his memory.

For one, he voted to scrap the plans for Luzerne County to build its own juvenile detention center facility when he voted for leasing beds at PA ChildCare in December, 20004. The county had already spent $446,000.00 on architectural design work to build its own facility.

Imagine if the majority commissioners including Todd Vonderheid had stayed the course of the previous commissioners, Makowski and Pizano. Would those children have suffered like they did in juvenile court? There would have been no deal to send juveniles to PA ChildCare. For that action alone Skrepenak should not seek re-election. Read my previous posts for more suspect votes on this issue.

He may not be charged but it is like an audit. Audits don't always find wrongdoing but they definitely find stupidity in the decision process. He is quoted in the Times Leader article as saying "The hardest part is that people will theorize and speculate,”.

Skrep, what I write is not speculation or theories but the facts as presented at the time in news articles and known votes.

You should have to answer for this statement in the Times Leader article.

The commissioner said he wants to make it clear that he has no financial or ownership connection to Big Ugly’s. The commissioner, a former NFL lineman, had wanted to open the establishment, but could not own a liquor license because of his position in county government.

“I’m very rarely there, and I pay for my meals and everything when I’m there,” he said.

If you are rarely there as a commissioner why do we need to pay you?

Todd Eachus- You Get PAID Before State Workers-Update

Paychecks for 77,000 state workers thanks to the "Bridge" budget signed by the Governor won't reach them until next week. But the House Democratic Caucus made it sound like they solely worked to make it happen.

In the meantime 3,000 legislative employees have been receiving their checks on a regular basis as usual.

From Jim Parsons Report for Team 4 In Pittsburgh:

Thousands of employees in the state Legislature are still getting full paychecks because the state Legislature has built up a $200 million slush fund -- but Team 4 investigative reporter Jim Parsons has learned there's no record kept of the hours those employees work.

Pennsylvania's Legislature costs taxpayers more than $300 million a year. Most of that money pays the salaries of 3,000 legislature employees. A Team 4 investigation found that those workers fill out no time sheets for their paychecks.

"You have to have a way of documenting who is working, how much time and how you're paying it," Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato said.

Recently, Team 4 submitted a public records request to the state House of Representatives. Chief clerk Roger Nick sent a letter saying the House "does not possess time and attendance records that track an employee's daily record of attendance." Team 4 got the same answer from the clerk of the Senate.

But the real kick in the pants is that the House Democrats had the House Comptroller pay them yesterday while the 77,000 workers have to wait until next week to be paidaccording to John Micek of the Allentown Call.

Moments After ...
... yesterday's vote on the Frankenbudget, House Democrats issued a triumphant press release proclaiming that they'd "[led]the charge to pay state workers," who've been going without pay or living on partial pay since July 1.

But before they cast that epochal vote, Democrats made sure their own members, who also have not been paid since June 1, got their paychecks as well. The House Comptroller's Office confirmed this morning that it cut checks for Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday. State workers will not be paid until next week at the earliest.

Brett Marcy, a spokesman for House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne, confirmed the payments. We're still waiting for specific comment and will update as soon as possible.

From the Democratic Press Release: Political Rhetoric Plain and Simple

"House Democrats will continue to fight for a responsible, balanced budget that continues investments in services that matter to Pennsylvanians, while making strategic and responsible cuts to reflect the state's current economic situation," he added. "But we need the Senate Republicans to finally get serious about this budget and begin to compromise."

Todd, way to look out for yourself. Why doesn't your press release let the state workers know that you made sure you were taken care of first. You are a true money grabber. And when are you going to give back the repealed pay raise you weren't supposed to receive in 2005?

When are you going to get serious and be fiscally responsible to the taxpayers? Ohh that's right you were making sure Robert Powell & Co. would get $250 million of our borrowed money for the fantasy airport? Was the jet ride the day of the cargo airport announcement ever disclosed?

“Hazleton is one stop to virtually anywhere in the world with these jets,” Eachus said in a news release. “When we are offering a quality, cost-effective alternative to fueling and servicing of these aircraft, we’ll also become home to distribution centers, repair facilities for electronics and even manufacturing plants for new goods that companies can then ship affordably from Hazleton.” How did that work out for you, Todd?

From Gort42 on February, 2009

Todd has been a staunch supporter of this piece of corporate welfare even sending out a newsletter to people in other districts promising 100,000 jobs would be created if the airport was built. He also inserted a $16.5 million authorization for the cargo airport in a House bill listing projects under the Pennsylvania Gaming Economic Development and Tourism Fund. The slots money is supposed to be used for reducing school taxes but it has to be hard for any politician not to think of a way to spend this big pot of gold on something else.

Elected Officials- Corruption Is Not Allowed

Club Fed (1990)

With the slew of arrests among elected officials in Luzerne County someone has to remind elected officials that corruption is an unacceptable behavior. The mentality that exists, the breadth and extent of the corruption seems to be more than anyone could have ever expected to experience.

The latest is a former magistrate from West Pittston, Karen Holly, charged on Wednesday with the theft concerning programs receiving federal funding in the amount of $5,000.00.

Now Club Fed with have to be co-ed. I am sure people in Northeastern Pennsylvania want to open Club Fed Up for the criminals' extended stay visit, Holly excluded of course until if and when convicted.

Ciavarella Donated To Skrepenak and Vonderheid in 2005

Recipient FRIENDS OF SKREPANAK & VONDERHELD
PLAINS, PA 18705
Date 11/5/2005
Amount$2,500.00
Description: DONATION
Filer/Payer: CIAVARELLA, MARK JUDGE RETENTION COM
Report: 2005 Cycle 6

Was it a reward? Sitting judges are not to donate to political campaigns according to the Judicial Cannon No. 7.


CANON 7: Judges should refrain from political activity inappropriate to their judicial office

(1) A judge or a candidate for election to judicial office should not:

(c) solicit funds for or pay an assessment or make a contribution to a political organization or candidate, attend political gatherings, or purchase tickets for political party dinners, or other functions, except as authorized in subsection A(2);

More On Juvenile Detention Center Issue Relevant to Subpoena of Luzerne County Commissioner Minutes

From James Convy Citizen's Voice 07/16/2005

County officials say juvie center lease saving money


One of Luzerne County's biggest budget problems is more cost-effective thanks to the lease of a Pittston Township juvenile center, said Sam Diaz, county chief of budget and finance.

Total expenses at the facility through the first six months of 2005 are $2.1 million, or 42 percent of the year's anticipated $5 million budget, Diaz said.

On the revenue side, the county estimated receiving $5.2 million from the facility in 2005. With $2.2 million billed through June and a more aggressive marketing campaign in place, the projections are on target, Diaz said.

In fact, with other cost-cutting measures implemented by Judge Mark Ciavarella, the county has spent $1.8 million less on juvenile placements than it did through June 2004, Diaz said. The juvenile placement line item finished last year about $3 million over budget.

"It's not all doom and gloom here," Diaz said. "(The juvenile placement budget) is on track. It's exactly where I expect. It's definitely not losing money."

Minority Commissioner Stephen Urban did not back down from his belief the county should build or buy a facility. He was not disappointed juvenile placement numbers were down, but claimed the figures are inflated by high charges levied by the county.
"
We could have entered into a 20-year lease for $100 million if we hike up the rates enough to pay the bills," Urban said. "The lease of the facility for $58 million, when records in the county reflect the facility only cost $6.7 million to build, is excessive. We're passing that cost onto the federal government."

Note: He was referring to federal funding paying about 66 percent toward the cost of housing juveniles in the facility.

Skrepenak insists the per-day rates are not excessive. To defend his point, he referred to a facility in Berks County that charges $8 more per day for detention than Luzerne County's $290 per-day rate.

Note: Urban is exposing the scheme but no one is listening.

Juvenile Detention Center Or Is That Front And Center Stage?

Grep Skrepenak Sr. Times Leader Photo


Skrep's dad had his day before the grand jury. Is it related to a subpoena for Luzerne County Commissioner meeting minutes from 2004 to 2007?

A look at the Juvenile Detention Center issue.

New Luzerne County Commissioners, Greg Skrepenak and Todd Vonderheid took office on January 1, 2004. At the end of the year they suddenly decide there is an “emergency” when in fact they had been paying PA ChildCare on a per diem basis for almost two years. On what grounds can they claim an emergency when they already were contracting with PA ChildCare and other facilities throughout the state. They can’t claim there was a capacity issue because the bed census was not at 100% throughout the state or at PA ChildCare. One Commissioner admits bypassing the normal bidding process.

Citizens Voice article 12/31/2004

"An emergency was declared to bypass normal advertising requirements for services, Vonderheid said."

Another Commissioner points out that this lease was costing Luzerne County more money than need be.

Citizens Voice article 12/31/2004

Commissioner Stephen Urban did not support any of the contracts. He said declaring the emergency was unnecessary and proves Vonderheid and Skrepenak acted on the lease too quickly.

Urban continues to push for the county to construct a new facility. He said the cost to taxpayers would decrease by $90 per bed, per day.

"We're spending $4,000 a day more by leasing, rather than building," Urban said. "This was poor management on the part of the majority commissioners."

According to officials at the Committee of Seventy (215-447-3600 Ext. 104) in Philadelphia such a tactic is absurd and should not be tolerated.


Commissioner Vonderheid tries to cover his tracks by asking for the results of the audit being conducted by the State Department of Public Welfare when he already voted for the lease. Once you enter a lease it is very difficult to break. Vonderheid justifies the lease cost based on prices paid for the last three years. Again, if they are doing it for the last three years where was the emergency?

Citizens Voice article 12/31/2004

Vonderheid's letter to Estelle Richman, secretary of the Department of Public Welfare, asking to expedite an audit, which allegedly warns the lease is a bad deal for taxpayers, is too late, Urban said.

"He didn't do his due diligence on this," Urban said of Vonderheid. "His letter is nothing more than back tracking. He is asking questions that should have been asked before he signed the lease."

"The lease was based on rates approved for three straight years, by two different administrations," Vonderheid said.

Vonderheid states if the audit comes back and is unfavorable to PA ChildCare he will do what is right for the taxpayers. What were his actions when he found out about the results of the audit? Nothing.

Further, at the same meeting support services for the PA ChildCare facility are authorized for only 30 or 120 day periods. How can you have an emergency for the main facility but not the services that support it?

Citizens Voice article 12/31/2004

Other contracts approved were for food service, custodial and maintenance service, and health insurance. They were all for 120 days, except the custodial and maintenance contract, which is for 30 days.

It's just keeps getting better.

This Is Why We Have No State Budget

July 29 House and Senate Budget Conference Committee

How in God's name are we going to have a budget when they spend this much time on deciding how they are going to do it?

Only The Shadow Knows For Sure

Bloggers everywhere are writing about Senior U.S. Judge Edwin M. Kosik's recent decision to reject the plea deals reached with Conahan and Ciavarella. There are a multitude of mainstream newsprint articles on the subject.

Jerry Lynott in the Times Leader writes Senior U.S. Judge Edwin M. Kosik’s order voiced displeasure with the conduct and statements of the two men since they pleaded guilty on Feb.12 to participating in a $2.6 million kickback scheme related to the construction of two juvenile detention facilities and the placement of youths in the facilities.

A report the U.S. Probation Office prepared on Conahan for sentencing purposes indicated he “refused to discuss the motivation behind his conduct, attempted to obstruct and impede justice and failed to clearly demonstrate affirmative acceptance of responsibility with his denials and contradiction of evidence,” Kosik wrote.

Ciavarella has been less obstructive, but, Kosik noted, the former judge “has resorted to public statements of remorse, more for his personal circumstances, yet he continues to deny what he terms ‘quid pro quo.’ ” Ciavarella said he did not take money for placing juveniles in the centers and described his payments as a “finder’s fee” for having the centers built in Pittston Township and Butler County.

“Quid pro quo can be implied from the evidence,” wrote Kosik, adding the government does not have to show “explicit promise to perform official acts in return for payment.”

In a visit to the past one must look at a previous case involving Conahan where he escaped prosecution.

Government witness Neal DeAngelo testified Judge Conahan called him in 1986 and said he had heard Mr. DeAngelo’s brother, Paul, had been buying cocaine from a dealer who was under investigation. Judge Conahan offered to put the DeAngelos in contact with a Florida dealer, Mr. DeAngelo testified.

Mr. Belletiere, who is a former Hazleton resident, subsequently called Mr. DeAngelo at Judge Conahan’s request, according to testimony, and the DeAngelo brothers and another man traveled to Miami to buy $26,500 worth of cocaine from Mr. Belletiere.

The federal prosecutor in the case, during a “sidebar” conversation with the judge out of the jury’s earshot, called Judge Conahan an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the case, according to a transcript.

From a Citizen's Voice article published July 16, 2008

“Fourteen years ago, Luzerne County Judge Michael T. Conahan said allegations that he helped connect a Florida cocaine dealer with a Hazleton buyer were “bogus” stories told by “common criminals” hoping to curry favor with federal prosecutors.

Four years ago, the convicted cocaine dealer and Conahan’s wife, Barbara, formed a Pompano Beach used-car business, according to an official with the company who said Monday that he met with Conahan, Conahan’s wife and the former dealer in Florida to discuss setting up the business in 2004.”

The Times Leader published the following in January of this year.

Paul DeAngelo was sentenced by Judge Kosik to 18 months in prison for his guilty plea to aiding with the distribution of a kilogram of cocaine in 1987.

Judge Kosick would be the same Senior U.S. Judge Edwin M. Kosik who rejected the plea deal. Do you think the Judge is sending a message? "You escaped my courtroom once but it won't happen a second time."

As the Times Leader published ’91 case casting shadows on today



"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"

PA Legislator's Approval Rating Plummets

Patriot News Photo

When George Bush left office his approval rating was 31%. The liberal media plus Obama and Co. really hammered Bush to make Obama look so much like the coming of theMahdi of the century.

The problem is that perception of the Democrats in Pennsylvania are just like George Bush but they refuse to admit it. Look at the Roll Call in the column to the right. These are the leaders in their party who have disgraced themselves with their actions and their behaviors.

According to Lauren Boyer of the Patriot News the latest Quinnipiac University poll shows the legislature's approval rating is at 27 percent -- a mere percentage point higher than it was months after the General Assembly voted themselves a pay raise at 2 a.m. on July 7, 2005.

No doubt some of this is the economy spreading gloom over all incumbents, said Peter Brown, assistant director of Quinnipiac's the polling institute. But some of this may have to do, in Pennsylvania, with this summer's long slog without a state budget.

"They... don't like the fact that the people they hired to do business can't pass a budget," said Brown.

"They've called legislators every name in the book," Durgin said of his callers. "They're just very very angry. I don't blame them."

The 2005 pay hike episode was particularly bloody for lawmakers, leading to a turnover of a full one fifth of the General Assembly's 253 seats in the 2006 election cycle by retirement or defeat at the polls. While political scientists aren't predicting a similar mass exodus in November 2010, they say the 98 percent re-election rate once customary in Harrisburg is likely a thing of the past.

"Legislators will run very scared next year," agreed political analyst G. Terry Madonna, of Franklin & Marshall College. "There will be deep concern by legislators in certain districts. They'll be looking over their shoulders."

In Dostoevsky's The Idiot Hippolite describes a dream that features a horrific monster about to devour him. This ugly monster fills him with terrible fear. On a psychological level, the monster represents nature as Hippolite sees it—a force that is about to devour him through a death from consumption. On a broader scale, however, the monster represents the ugliness and corruption within the society(and our government.) The moral decay we see everywhere threatens to devour the characters in within the novel much as the monster threatens to destroy Hippolite in his dream.

The legislative pay raise plus their pension grab of 50% in 2001 is starting to set in with voters. In the present economic crisis the lack of a paycheck will surely resonate in the voting booth this November.

The extreme lack of leadership by Todd Eachus is tearing the Democratic party apart. He rules by initimidation. I know for a fact he uses his title to initimdate and threaten lobbyists into submission to try to win on any issue. It is a known fact that persons in his own party are not satisfied with his lack of leadership. But it is more than that. He fails to emulate statesmanship. He wants to win at all costs. He forgets that the opposing side on any issue is not all wrong.

The problem for the Democrats will be told this fall when Eachus's hegemonious style cost them at the polls. He believes in monopolies not republics. His meteoric rise to the Majority post will be met with an equal precipitous fall. He may have paid off Mike Veon's debt but he didn't learn one lesson from it.