TARAH TOOHIL RESPONDS TO EACHUS'S NEWEST ATTACKS

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT TARAH TOOHIL

Hazleton, PA- On Tuesday, candidate for State Representative Tarah Toohil, was informed by various media outlets that Mr. Eachus was hand-delivering his newest round of false and baseless attacks to the press.

In response, Toohil remarked, “Once again, it is sad that Mr. Eachus is stooping so low and that he thinks his conduct is acceptable and seems to even be proud of himself. My opponent is exactly what is wrong with politics today. I am running a volunteer, grassroots campaign, fighting for this community… about the issues NOT a lowly mudslinging campaign that represents the worst of politics today. After 15 years in office, shouldn’t my opponent be able to run on his record? He can't run on his record. He is running from it."

Toohil stated, “Unlike Mr. Eachus, I will always be open, honest, transparent and accountable with the people of my community. I will gladly answer any questions anyone might have."

"I am a lawyer. I served as a law clerk for the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas. When a person is hired by the County to be a law clerk it is always via a Court Order. These Court Orders are signed by the President Judge of the County. I never worked for Mark Ciavarella.”

“Secondly, I have never represented anyone in connection with the Federal Luzerne County Corruption Probe. Mr. Eachus on the other hand is embroiled in the corruption scandal in Luzerne County. Mr. Eachus is tied closely with and has accepted money from many of the major players and admitted felons: Bob Powell, Robert Mericle and Gregory Skrepenak. To name a few. All you have to do is follow the money trail. Those are the facts. I would highly suggest that before Mr. Eachus attacks me again, he takes the time to confirm that the statements he makes are true. Because the statements he made today are misleading and incorrect.”

Paid for by The Committee To Elect Tarah Toohil..

FiveThirtyEight Forecasts Pennsylvania 11th District

Kanjorski vs. Barletta 538 Forecast New York Times

Projected Election Results

Based on polling, expert forecasts, fundraising, past election returns and other indicators, this is the prediction of how the district will vote on Nov. 2
Barletta 51.8%      Kanjorski 45.5%

Chance Each Candidate Wins The Seat

The chance that each candidate will win based on 100,000 simulations with random variation in the local and national political environment.
Barletta 80.8%     Kanjorski 19.2%

Visit the site and play with the charts.

TOOHIL CALLS FOR EACHUS TO FORFEIT MONEY HE ACCEPTED FROM FELONS

Press Release from The Committee To Elect Tarah Toohil:


Hazleton, PA- On Tuesday, candidate for State Representative in the 116th Legislative District, Tarah Toohil, called upon her opponent to forfeit all money that he had accepted from felons. Specifically, Toohil cited that Mr. Eachus had collected over $17,000.00 from admitted felon Bob Powell.

“It is wrong that Mr. Eachus has not returned the large sums of money that he accepted from Bob Powell. It is customary that any monies accepted from felons should be forfeited and donated to charity. It is also the ethical thing to do.”

“Mr. Eachus continues to not answer questions with regard to his ties to felon Bob Powell and others.” Toohil stated, “This community will no longer tolerate a state representative who is so embroiled in the culture of corruption. It will no longer accept a leader who refuses to be accountable and transparent. This community is done with old school politics.”

Toohil also noted that, “The money which Mr. Eachus took from Bob Powell clearly points to a pay to play scheme whereby Mr. Eachus then inserted a $16.5 MILLION dollar authorization for the cargo airport in a House bill listing projects under the Pennsylvania Gaming Economic Development and Tourism Fund. Mr. Eachus had openly supported the cargo airport and had proudly pushed the project with now admitted criminal Bob Powell. Eachus later backed out and has been trying to distance himself from the deal.”

Obama: Republicans Are 'Counting On Black Folks Staying Home'

Gosh forbid a Republican made a statement like this one.

We Can Do Better

Kanjorski Hires Kevin Lynn- Payback?

Bill OBoyle reports for the Times Leader that Congressman Paul Kanjorski has hired former WILK Talk Show host Kevin Lynn as a "communications assistant".
As you can see Abigail McDonough wanted to play coy with the media about this hire.

Abbie McDonough, communications director at Kanjorski’s Washington, D.C., office, confirmed Lynn was hired and said his title is “communications assistant'"

McDonough would not reveal Lynn’s salary, stating in an e-mail, “He works out of the Wilkes-Barre office and all congressional salaries are available to the public on a quarterly basis.”

The first lesson one learns in communication is to talk to each other. It helps keep the story straight.

When contacted Monday, Lynn said he began working for the congressman Oct. 4 at a weekly salary of $1,000. Abbie wanted to hide information but Lynn didn't know it.

McDonough also said “Kevin’s views as stated on the radio are not emblematic of the Congressman’s opinions.”

Lynn, 61, said his job consists of writing for the congressman about job-related matters. Lynn stressed that he is not working on the veteran lawmaker’s reelection campaign.

Let's see folks. It is three weeks before an election where Kanjorski has not led in one poll. Kanjorski has Ed Mitchell speak for him. Abbie McDonough's title is "communications director". According to Legistorm.com Ms. McDonough was paid $54,677.12 last year up from $46,937.50 the previous year, a 16.5% increase. Yet Kanjorski sees a need to hire one more "communications assistant" at another $52,000 per year. The taxpayers went from paying $46,937.50 per year for someone to speak on Kanjorski's behalf to $108,677.12.

Senior citizens received no raise last year in their Social Security and are facing the same fate this year. In this Pocono Record article Kanjorski tells seniors they "don't have to worry about losing any benefits because of this bill.


"This was one of the most difficult votes I have ever cast, primarily because there is a great deal of confusion about what this bill will do. Senior citizens do not have to worry about losing any benefits because of this bill. In fact, their coverage for prescription drug costs and preventative care will improve. No federal funding will be used to fund abortion. The bill does not empower the federal government to take over health care. If people are happy with the insurance they have, nothing needs to change."

— U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-11


Obamacare Forces 22,000 Seniors to Lose Medicare Advantage

Side Effects: Massachusetts Seniors Will Lose Medicare Advantage Plans in 2011

New York Times Reluctantly Notes Seniors Losing Medicare Benefits, Denies It’s a Problem

CMS Data Shows 30 Percent of Seniors Enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans to Lose Coverage

Kanjorski should explain his statement to the public about not losing any benefits because of his yes vote.

Ms. McDonough has been facing some tough questions about the Congressman.

Kanjorski: Project could lure 1000 jobs to NEPA

Rep. Kanjorski Seems To Insult Minorities

Mark-to-Market Lobby Buoys Bank Profits 20% as FASB May Say Yes

March 30 (Bloomberg) -- Four days after U.S. lawmakers berated Financial Accounting Standards Board Chairman Robert Herz and threatened to take rulemaking out of his hands, FASB proposed an overhaul of fair-value accounting that may improve profits at banks such as Citigroup Inc. by more than 20 percent.

The changes proposed on March 16 to fair-value, also known as mark-to-market accounting, would allow companies to use “significant judgment” in valuing assets and reduce the amount of writedowns they must take on so-called impaired investments, including mortgage-backed securities. A final vote on the resolutions, which would apply to first-quarter financial statements, is scheduled for April 2.

The political action committees of banks including Citigroup, Bank of America, Bank of New York Mellon, Wells Fargo and banking trade groups contributed money to Kanjorski’s re- election campaign last year, according to the Federal Election Commission. Citigroup gave $6,500, Bank of America $7,000, Bank of New York $8,000 and Wells Fargo $13,000.

Kanjorski spokeswoman Abigail McDonough didn’t return calls seeking comment.

Northeastern Pa. congressmen weigh tough vote

Two undecided northeastern Pennsylvania Democrats may decide the fate of health care overhaul legislation slated for a House vote this weekend.

That hardly makes Congressmen Paul Kanjorski and Chris Carney happy. Their political futures hang in the balance.

How prophetic is that reporter's analysis turning out to be as we approach election day? Both Kanjorski and Carney are in trouble.

Is Eachus Admitting Role In Bonusgate Scandal?

In a story published May 19, 2010 written by Mia Light of the Standard Speaker House Majority Leader Todd Eachus makes this repsonse to the reporter over comments made by Tarah Toohil, his challenger.

But "the voters are in an anti-incumbent mood because of what's going on with the corruption," Toohil said.

In response, Eachus said he inherited a legacy of problems when becoming the majority leader in 2009.

"I'll take some of the responsibility, but not all of the responsibility. I'm trying to fix the problems," he said. So how many "legislative" newsletters that contain statements showing what "Todd Eachus did" have you received in between the campaign flyers from Eachus's office? If he refuses to answer questions about Bonusgate and shields himself with three different spokespersons how are we supposed to know what he is and isn't taking responsibility for?

Here is a video that asks the question- Did Congressman Paul Kanjorski and Eachus use legislative staff for a veiled attempt at campaigning?

Small Busniess Owner- Healthcare Law Prevents Expansion

Kanjorski Demolished 11th District Chances With Voting Record

In today's Wall Street Journal the following Opinion on "Obamacare and the Election" is writtend by its editorial staff. Republicans should heed the advice.

Republicans have made intellectual progress on health care since the 1990s, but it remains outside their political comfort zone and certain (or shall we say uncertain) Members still believe the issue is a loser. Yet ObamaCare has scrambled everything.

For one, the plan's march to the sea is only beginning and the trail of destruction will grow. The last six months have seen 2011 premium increases as high as 9% due to ObamaCare; multibillion-dollar corporate writedowns by Verizon, AT&T, Caterpillar and others; disruption in the insurance markets leading to the erasure of child-only policies and other types of specialty coverage as shown in the McDonald's imbroglio; the Administration beginning to impose price controls on premiums; insurers withdrawing private options from Medicare Advantage; and Democratic protection of a 1099 tax reporting mandate that will slam small businesses.

Republicans should be repeating all of these tangible harms in a litany, while predicting the damage to come. Every wonk in Washington knows this bill creates a new entitlement that will transfer the costs of covering the uninsured to the government but do nothing to control underlying health costs. Democrats will embrace more restrictions on care of the kind we are already seeing in Massachusetts since Mitt Romney's ObamaCare dress rehearsal.

Yesterday the Standard Speaker published this Opinion about the stimulus package, Stimulus money being spent just as advertised. Okay if they think so. Look at this article, Spending stimulus money is key challenge in Pa., that appeared in the Delaware County Daily Times.

According to state officials, recipients of the roughly $29 billion doled out for Pennsylvania stimulus projects were given one simple, five-letter word of instruction: S-P-E-N-D.

"There has been a tremendous focus on spending this money quickly in order to spur the economy quickly," said Mary Rucci, director of citizens' awareness at the Pennsylvania Stimulus Accountability Office in Harrisburg.

"There is a big focus on spending rapidly and I think in many areas it's taken place and it's been a change for state government," she said. "There was a tremendous effort across the board to identify shovel-ready projects and to accelerate processes however possible to get the funds spent."

With more than $10.5 billion spent so far, Rucci said the state looked on track to spend its share of the $787 billion stimulus package by 2014.

They just don't get it. People need jobs and they need them NOW, not in 2014.

So what does the Pennsylvania legislature do about it. Pa. House adjourns for elections, leaving policy items unsettled

HARRISBURG - With the bang of a gavel Wednesday, the state House recessed so members could return to their districts to run for reelection.

But the fate of a number of big-ticket policy items remains up in the air, among them a tax on extraction of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale. Other bills appear destined for legislative burial, including one that would crack down on distracted driving.

Mr. Eachus and Company is worried about re-election and their jobs, not ours. There isn't one word mentioned about job creation. Unbelievable.

JOBS AND HEALTHCARE. If I was running as a Republican I would utter those words over and over and over til the end of the campaign.

Eachus "Chickened" Out

Over the past few weeks Tarah Toohil has been calling on her opponent, House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, to face off in a debate. To date Eachus has refused her request. Toohil held a press conference last week condeming Eachus's attacks upon her family and again asked for a debate.

Toohil expressed deep concern about the behavior of our government, "While Tax'Em Todd is busy taking your money... he is also busy spending it on himself," she said. "He voted himself an illegal pay raise and then never returned the money. He voted himself a pension increase of 50%. He pays himself extra- $27,000 extra last year in per diem money and this money and then paid for a second home in Harrisburg with your taxpayer money. $27,000? That’s more than the average salary in our community… and this is what he gives himself."

She discussed how she is helping to raise two god children who do not have a mother. And how she has taken care of her own ill mother much of her life. In a Q&A period, she did confirm she actually donated her own kidney to her ill mother. She discussed how she grew up in a house her grandfather, a coal miner, built, "My family, like many in our area has been hit hard by economic tough times and I work hard to support them. He is asking who I am. I am one of you," she emphasized.

She discussed her plan for improving the area," We need to create an environment where businesses can grow," Toohil said.
"We need to cut taxes for the small businessman. Our Corporate Tax is one of the highest in the nation...We were promised property tax relief in exchange for table games… When elected, I intend to find out where that money is going… and make good on that promise. "

And then she directly commented upon Eachus' performance, " Our legislature is out of control… and my opponent is leading the pack."

She ended the press conference by demanding Eachus cease attacks upon her, her family and that he "stand up, like a man, and debate."

Evidently someone wanted to "peck" at Eachus over his failure to address her demand. Eachus has followed Kanjorski's footsteps. His hired gun, David Georges, speaks to the media for Eachus. Does Eachus fear answering the difficult questions Toohil, an attorney, puts to him? On the other hand it appears Toohil is ready to debate.