I am so glad the weekend has arrived. I really need to sleep in tomorrow and catch up on rest. I have only been getting about 4 hours a night this week, not cool. I am such a night owl though, no matter how tired I am I wake up when the sun goes down! Ugh.
Work has been trying too. I have taken over another office in another building. It previously fell under me but I had an assistant supervisor in that building to run it. I had a total of three assistant supervisors over 3 buildings. I lost two and a staff person. So, I have been much more involved in the daily work of that office. Checking things out, refining processing. I have a senior staff there that can handle the every day work but the responsibility for issues and procedures has fallen to me and I have begun to change a lot of what was happening. It ran ok but not like I prefer, so the changes come, little by little. That involves a lot of time training, educating, talking to and work with staff there. I want to be very clear on my expectations so they know what I want done.
Went to see Skid Row tonight, man, talk about flashbacks. The 1980's hair band, lol. It was fun though, they were still good, although they look older.
Came home and sat on the porch a bit again, listened to the music shuffle in the house. The weather is so nice right now, 60's or so. Would have been a good camp fire night but it just didn't fit. Downloaded some Paul McCartney and Pink Floyd from I-Tunes. That is such a dangerous site to me, I have no self control with music or books, lol.
Was looking in the mirror this morning and wondering how the hell I got so old looking. My hair is starting to gray a lot and my beard is probably 75% gray. When did all this happen? Where did the last 25 years go? I have no clue. It's like that Kenny Chesney song, "Don't Blink" - what a true song.
Talked to both Abbi & Katie today, that is a rarity in the same day. I do love those girls. Since my brother & sister have passed I decided to change the beneficiaries on my six or seven life insurance policies, I'm worth so much more financially dead than alive, lol. I once thought I would have wife and family by this stage in my life so I started early being responsible with insurance and retirement. But now, I don't want either, lol. So, adding Abbi and Katie some of my larger policies. They could use the money if anything happens, for paying off college and starting a life and family. They are very important to me. Not many people know about the life insurance and no one reads this so it doesn't matter and if they did, it's my choice anyway.
Ahh the cool air coming in the window, the smell of burning wood from the outside furnace and the stereo at level 13 or so of 300 watts, the joys of the country. Speaking of which, soon time for a new TV and surround sound system. My surround sound amp puked a couple weeks ago and the "big" tv (25 inches, lol) is on it's last leg. I'll have to start saving for that.
TONIGHT'S MUSIC SHUFFLE 1-Blackberry Blossom - Natalie MacMaster (celtic) 2-Another Day - Mountain Heart (bluegrass) 3-Mama Come Quick - Toby Keith (country) 4-This Song's for You - Elton John (1970s) 5-Kashmire - Led Zeppelin (rock/classic rock) 6-Comfort Me - Tim McGraw (country) 7-Paralyzed - Ted Nugent (rock) 8-Knock Three Times - Tony Orlando & Dawn (1970s) 9-Waterbound - Schankman Twins (bluegrass) 10-I Can Still Make Cheyenne - George Strait (country) 11-Fooling Yourself - Styx (rock) 12-Katy Hill - Continental Divide (bluegrass) 13-It Sure Is Monday - Mark Chestnut (country) 14-Same Ol Me - Charlie Daniels (country) 15-Hotel Whiskey - Hank Williams jr (country) 16-Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You - The Spinners (soul) 17-Sandman - America (1970s) 18-Sante Fe Shuffle - The Larkin Family (bluegrass) 19-Daydream - The Lovin Spoonful (1970s) 20-Sail Away - Rodney Miller (celtic) 21-What's Goin On - Marvin Gaye (soul/motown) 22-The Big Payback - Molly Hatchet (southern rock) 23-Here's Some Love -- Tanya Tucker (country) 24-Me And You And A Dog Named Boo - Lobo (1970s) 25-What About Love - Heart (1980s/pop)
TONIGHT'S LIFE CLIP FROM THE SHUFFLE
I Can Still Make Cheyenne - George Strait
George Strait is the country music icon for my generation. George, who is still going strong, Alabama & Hank Jr were the stalwarts of bringing youngsters like me into the country music fold 30 years ago. I was lucky enough to see Hank & George in concert too (separately). When George Strait walks into the stadium you can feel the awe over the audience and sense his class. He is a top notch performer who has always carried himself well and never made a public spectacle of himself. I love his music.
I have begun the task, at work, of bringing offices in other buildings under my influence. I had two supervisors retire in another building and I am now taking the long, hard, steps of bringing their staff into my way of thinking. Retraining them in essence. Making sure they see the big picture as I do, integrate into my system more completely and have understanding as to why I do things the way I do. It is exhausting at times to basically retrain people from what their norm was to what I expect the norm to be. We are now doing more with less and soon to be even more with maybe even less. But it is what it is, it's a good job still, I always try to keep a positive attitude and realize that I could be out in the heat and humidity digging ditches or back in the meet cooler and freezer at 20 below. I love my job, stress & all.
Been so drained lately, partly the work stress, partly my biological clock, I wake up at dusk every night, no matter how tired. Honestly, it's like I'm a freaking vampire or something. I can have 2 hours sleep but still get a second wind and stay up all night the next night. I might need to sleep for 18 hours after that but I am such a night owl that it's crazy to me!
Christian turns 9 this Saturday and he decided that he wants to see the demolition derby for his birthday. I love this kid, he is such a country boy. Not one to sit in front of the TV (history, discovery or animal planet, maybe) much. Always wants to be out playing, swimming, hiking, running, doing stuff. He is me, lol. So, I will be taking him to the demo Saturday night about 2 hours away, closest I could find on his birthday night. Little Sis Adi asked if she could come, she said "her Patrick" would let her come along. She too makes me smile. So, guess they'll both be along, at least she is free to get in. I hope the noise and crashes don't scare her, she is only 4, but I kinda think she'll be ok. The demo starts at 7, so looking for something else to do beforehand.
Nephew Jake checked out the Bronco and said needed a "throttle censor" I believe it was. Two garages and $200 later and it still ran funny. He said it's a $45.00 part at his cost and he'll put it in for me. I should have gone to him first but he is so busy I felt bad. I'll buy him and his wife dinner and drinks if it fixes it, for sure. Actually, need to call him tomorrow to see if he wants to go to the demo derby with us.
The weather out tonight is almost perfect! Sat out tonight on the front porch, listening to the shuffle inside the house, looking at the stars over head, the clear sky, the cool night, the bright stars, a beer. Life is so good.
Former dude I worked with is filing a $2 million wrongful termination suit, this will be interesting.
One more day left in the work week. Need to stack wood, clear a path among the cut stuff thrown in a pile and start to count chords for the winter and see where I stand. I guess I need to call Brandon to help me out.
TONIGHT'S SHUFFLE 1-Greenfields - Gary Allen (country) 2-Losing Grip - Avril Lavigne (pop) 3-How MOuntain Girls Can Love - Gary Brewer (bluegrass) 4-Leave The Pieces - The Wreckers ( country) 5-Respect - Aretha Franklin (motown/soul) 6-She's My Kind Of Rain - Tim McGraw (country) 7-Detroit Rock City - Kiss (rock/1970s) 8-Cold Cold Ground - Hank Williams Jr (country) 9-My Lovin - En Vogue (soul/dance) 10-The Pain -Pat Travers (blues/rock) 11-Just To See You Smile - Tim McGraw (country) 12-Sold - John Michael Montgomery (country) 13-Northern Rail - Alison Krauss (bluegrass) 14-Dixie Train - Third Tyme Out (bluegrass) 15-Night Shift - Foghat (rock/classic rock) 16-All Over Town - April Wine (rock) 17-Sign of The Gypsy Queen - April Wine (rock) 18-Little Girl of Mine In Tennessee - Lou Reid (bluegrass) 19-All I Wanna Do - Peter Frampton (classic rock/1970s/rock) 20-Old Flame - Alabama (country) 21-Friends In Low Places - Garth Brooks (country) 22-Riders On The Storm - The Doors (classic rock) 23-One Piece At A Time - New Tradition (bluegrass) 24-No One Like You - The Scorpions (rock) 25-The Some of Rice Huski - Sara Milonovich (classical)
TONIGHT'S LIFE CLIP FROM THE SHUFFLE
Leave The Pieces - The Wreckers
I love the harmonies and the message. One of the best "I'll be fine" break up songs I've ever heard. And sung by hot chicks, lol. I saw these girls in concert at a local bar just when they were breaking big and must admit, it was not only a rockin show, a great harmonizing show, but a totally fun show! Singers, artists and performers, for sure.
Campaign materials for Republican Tom Corbett’s gubernatorial campaign were displayed at a booth set up by the attorney general’s government office at a recent county fair in Troy, pa2010.com has learned.
A photo provided by a Democratic operative not affiliated with Corbett’s opponent shows campaign buttons and literature on a table, and an official banner for the Office of the Attorney General hangs off the table. Though the photo lacks context, pa2010.com has confirmed that it was taken during the Bradford County Fair in Troy (click here to see a larger version of the photo). At that fair, the attorney general’s office had set up a consumer protection booth.
Any mingling of politics and official business, however remote, is a delicate subject for Corbett, who has made his name prosecuting legislative corruption in Harrisburg through the so-called Bonusgate investigation. In that scandal, government employees were convicted, and others still stand accused, of doing campaign work on the taxpayer’s dime.
Nils Frederiksen, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office, said the materials were placed on the table before staff from the office arrived. They were immediately removed when noticed, he said. He was unsure who placed the campaign literature on the table.
“Our staff has always been instructed that they represent the office of the attorney general, and not any campaign,” Frederiksen said. “I can tell you very clearly that as soon as any non-office materials are discovered by our staff, they are immediately removed.
“Our office doesn’t have any campaign material, so there’s no way our office would be able to place campaign materials at an attorney general’s office booth,” Frederiksen added. “So I can’t tell you how they got there. The only material that our office takes to county fairs is official attorney general’s office.”
The photo was also obtained by Democrat Dan Onorato’s campaign. Moments before this story was published, the campaign sent an e-mail to supporters asking “What’s wrong with this picture?”
By Brad Bumsted and Brian Bowling TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, July 29, 2010
HARRISBURG — A legislative corruption investigation that began with a scandal over state bonuses given for campaign work was a politically motivated conspiracy involving Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett, ex-House Democratic Leader Bill DeWeese and his former Washington lawyer, a fired Democratic staffer alleged in a lawsuit filed Wednesday.
Stephen Keefer of Lebanon, acquitted at trial in March, is seeking at least $2 million in damages in the lawsuit filed in federal court in Harrisburg that claims Corbett, DeWeese and others conspired to deprive him of his civil rights.
"Corbett, DeWeese and (William) Chadwick and (William) Sloane conspired in the politically motivated investigation and as a result of the conspiracy, made decisions including plaintiff's (Keefer's) firing, which violated plaintiff's civil rights and denied him protection and violated other state and federal laws," the complaint states.
DeWeese, a Greene County Democrat facing re-election November, is charged with six felonies. A judge on Monday held him for trial on the charges Corbett filed in December, accusing DeWeese of using his Capitol and district office staff to raise campaign money and do other political work.
Corbett of Shaler is the GOP nominee for governor against Democrat Dan Onorato, the Allegheny County executive from Brighton Heights.
"I believe I know the history from day one, and such an allegation is baseless," said William C. Costopoulos, a Lemoyne attorney representing DeWeese in his criminal case. "I can also tell you Bill DeWeese and attorney Bill Chadwick went to great pains to cooperate truthfully and openly with the attorney general from day one."
Chadwick, a legal consultant DeWeese hired in 2007 when the so-called "bonusgate" scandal unfolded, said he had not seen the lawsuit and would not comment. Chadwick is among defendants named in the suit.
"It just wouldn't be appropriate to comment about allegations being made that deal with criminal cases still working their way through the system," said Corbett's spokesman Nils Frederiksen. "From the beginning, this has been a case about criminal conduct."
Keefer was a co-defendant in a case with former House Democratic Whip Mike Veon, a Democrat formerly from Beaver Falls. The jury that convicted Veon of 13 felonies and one misdemeanor acquitted Keefer in March of 16 felonies. Veon last month began serving a prison sentence of at least six years.
Veon oversaw the award of $1.4 million in bonuses to legislative staffers who worked on campaigns, the Dauphin County jury found.
After the trial, Keefer asked House leaders for back pay and reinstatement to his job, but they refused, according to his lawsuit. He claims he is entitled to $456,000 in back pay and benefits.
His lawsuit claims Corbett and DeWeese conspired in the investigation. In consultation with Chadwick and Sloane, former chief counsel for the House Democratic Caucus, they decided to fire Keefer in 2007, the lawsuit says.
Corbett, DeWeese and Matthew Haverstick, a lawyer who represented more than 30 staff members given immunity, conspired to decide who would be prosecuted, the lawsuit states.
The conspiracy steered the investigation toward Veon and his staff, Keefer claims.
Keefer claims he tried to point investigators toward DeWeese and Chadwick, but Corbett's staff wouldn't listen. The attorney general charged Veon and 11 others, including Keefer, of theft, conspiracy and conflict of interest in July 2008. Corbett's office charged 10 Republicans in November with using public resources for campaigns, and charged DeWeese and two other Democrats in December.
"It seemed clear to plaintiff that DeWeese and Corbett have conspired in the investigatory process that eventually resulted in all of the decisions that were eventually made which may have included 'a deal' that DeWeese would not be included in the bonus investigation," the lawsuit says.
DeWeese and Chadwick turned thousands of e-mails over to Corbett to comply with subpoenas in 2007 and 2008.
I'm wearing down. Stress at work, meetings and thinking, not enough sleep. I've lost my eating pattern too. I know that is not helping me to lose weight. I was eating 5 little meals a day but lately I've been in meetings or off and running (so to speak) at work when I should be eating some applesauce or something.
Jake brought my KC lights up, the ones from my brothers garage that were on my old trucks. There are less than 1/2 of them in the box, not sure where the others are, I'll have to check with him.
TONIGHT'S MUSIC SHUFFLE 1-Don't Think Twice - Peter, Paul & Mary (folk) 2-Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood (country) 3-Long Hard Ride - Marshall-Tucker Band (southern rock) 4-Like A Hurricane - Jeff Healey (rock) 5-Green Grass & High Tides - The Outlaws (southern rock) 6-Designated Drinker - George Straight & Alan Jackson 7-Much Too Young - Garth Brooks (country) 8-I'll Stay Around - Tony Rice (bluegrass) 9-Hot Rod Lincoln - Command Codi (oldies) 10-Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head - B.J. Thomas (1970s) 11-Train - Jim Van Cleve (bluegrass) 12-Magic - Pilot (1970s) 13-Like A Virgin - Madonna (pop) 14-I'ts Your Love- Tim Mc Graw (country) 15-Tusk - Fleetwood Mac (rock) 16-As The Years Go Passing By - Elvin Bishop (blues) 17-Pots & Kettles - Danu (celtic) 18-you Took The Words right Out of My Mouth - Meatloaf (1970s) 19-Kiss & Say Goodbye - The Manhattans (1970s/soul) 20-Soulful Dress - Marcia Ball (blues) 21-Always Thinking of You - Lou Reid (bluegrass) 22-I'll Dry Every Teardrop that Falls - California (bluegrass) 23-Cold Sheets of Rain - Second Edition (bluegrass) 24-Little Girl & The Dreadful Snake - Bill Monroe (bluegrass) 25-Can't You Hear Me Callin? - Boone Creek (bluegrass)
By Bill Vidonic PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW Wednesday, July 28, 2010 Last updated: 5:55 pm
A former state legislator on probation for corruption charges waived his hearing on prescription drug charges this morning.
Frank LaGrotta, 51, of Ellwood City was charged by Ellwood City police in May with drug violations and forgery. Police accused him of altering prescriptions for the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and filling them at an Ellwood City pharmacy March 29 and April 20.
Police said LaGrotta changed the prescriptions to get 180 pills instead of the prescribed 120.
LaGrotta declined comment this afternoon.
He is awaiting a hearing on similar offenses in Beaver County, where he was accused of altering a Xanax prescription.
In 2009, LaGrotta was sentenced to six months of house arrest and 30 months of probation after pleading guilty to conflict of interest charges filed in 2007 when he was accused of placing relatives in no-show state jobs.
On July 9, Dauphin County Judge Richard Lewis put LaGrotta on house arrest and ordered weekly drug tests until his drug charges are resolved.
LaGrotta served 10 terms in the House, representing portions of Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties before he lost the 2006 Democratic primary.
1-CNN confused the Galapagos Islands with Hawaii which tracking the path of a possible tsunami. FOX News placed Sydney Australia on the wrong side of the country during a recent overview (the week)
It just goes to show that news organizations to not check themselves anymore. Reporters and networks have become caught up in the 24/7 news rush to get it on. They are competing with and using blogs as sources as well. It's a shame, good investigative reporting is a thing of the past. Checking ones facts also seems to have vanished.
2-Doctors in Uzbekistan have been ordered by the government to perform at least two hysterectomies a month in order to keep the population down(the week)
This kind of sick stuff just amazes me. That it still goes on and the world is not up in arms. I don't get it. Where is Amnesty International and why don't I hear them screaming at the top of their lungs? How about the United Nations? Anyone?
3-Tiger Woods has been unable to convince his wife to move back into their house with him(the week)
Really? First I can't figure out why stuff like this is news, it's certainly not a surprise. Would you move back in with him after he poked that many women while married to you? I certainly would not.
4-Researchers have found that children of women with elevated levels of phthalates were more prone to disruptive behavior. phthalates are chemicals found in everything from shampoos to cosmetics.
Wonder how much money they spent on this? There are more than 80,000 man made chemicls in the world and the incidences of autism and cancers are rising, this should surprise no one.
5-Rolling through a stop sign in Los Angeles will not cost you $446(the week)
I'm a little surprised it's this high. I think that is crazy. Sure, you should be stopping, sure it is 'breaking the law' but it seems the punishment is a bit steep for the infraction. I wonder what a speeding ticket costs there now days
6-Rockers U-2 were the top earning musicians of 2009 earning $109 million. Runner up was Bruce Springsteen earning $58 million(the week)
Am I that far out of the loop? I didn't know either group even toured last year, lol
7-Italy recently convicted Google executives for invasion of privacy over a video posted on Google Vids.(the week)
This is a little frightening. This opens up a world of possible convictions to executives at any site that users post their own video's or information. You Tube, Break, what about blogs and libel? Could an exec at a blog site be held libel if I blast someone? I think this is the wrong direction to go, there is no possible way for these sites to monitor everything that is posted. This should be over turned
8-Police in New York City have mistakenly raided the home of an elderly couple more than 50 times in the past 8 years. The address was randomly chosen for a computer test 8 years ago and now keeps popping up saying there is a warrant for their arrest. Mrs Martin, who is 82, said they were once raided 3 times in a week(the week)
This is beyond incompetence. Do you mean to tell me in 8 years no one has been able to figure out the problem with the computer? Or put a block on the address? Or recognize after 50 raids that it is a computer glitch and disregard the address when they see it come up? COME ON PEOPLE! This is an old couple. Imagine if it were your grand parents. Cut them so freaking slack!
9-Giving birth in the U.S. is more hazarous that 20 years ago. The death rate for women giving birth 20 years ago was 6.6 per 100,000 births. Today it is 13.3 per 100,000. This is worse than 40 other nations and worse than most every industrialized nation.(the week)
This totally shocked me. I can't believe we are going backwards, with all the medical advances. It doesn't really mention a suspected cause, only the stats. Go figure.
10-Mark David Chapman is coming up for parole, for the 6th time(CNN)
I'm not sure how I feel about this. I mean, he took a life, on purpose, it was not an accident, therefore he should serve his time. His sentence was 20 years to life and he's served 29. Isn't 20 years to life kind of a vague sentence? The thing I wonder about is why he will be denied. I don't see him or Manson ever getting out. Not that they are the same but they both killed popular people. Should Chapman serve more time because he killed Lennon? Was Lennon's life worth more than an average Joe on the street with a wife and kid? To me life is life and premeditated offenses should be treated equally. But that will never happen. I'm sure Chapman will be denied, yet again.
I woke up this morning with a feeling that my sinus's had a tractor trailer parked in them. This is a totally new feeling to me, they used to drain all the time. Now, seems not so much. I called off work. Spend the day trying to rest, sleep, keep my eyes closed. Also spent a lot of time on e-mail with work folks, things are heating up there and I am now not only in charge but the senior person, no one there has been doing my job longer than me in the entire place, over 35 of them.
Watched a couple movies and listened to music. Watched the green green grass grow out the window today. Read a bit.
TONIGHT'S SHUFFLE 1-Ordinary Man - Triumph (rock) 2-Just A Game - Triumph (rock) 3-Ordinary Man - Triumph(rock) 4-Young Enough To Cry - Triumph (blues) 5-Chuck Ol Hen - Alison Krauss (bluegrass) 6-I'll Remember You Love In My Prayers - Allison Krauss (bluegrass) 7-Dusty Miller - Alison Krauss (bluegrass) 8-I'ts Not My Cross To Bear - Allman Brothers (southern rock) 9-Black Dog - Led Zeppelin (rock/classic rock) 10-Back In Black - ACDC (rock) 11-The Hatching Season - The Biscuit Burners (bluegrass/old timey) 12-Flashlight - Parliment (soul/dance) 13-The Love That We Lost - Chely Wright (country) 14-Get Down tonight - KC & The Sunshine Band (disco) 15-Chine White - The Scorpions (rock) 16-Bitch - The Rolling Stones (classic rock) 17-When You Go Walking - The Lonesome River Band (bluegrass) 18-I Second That Emotion - Smokey Robinson (motown/soul) 19-Operator - Jim Croce (acoustical/singer-songwriter-1970s) 20-Old Man - ZZ Top (southern rock) 21-Powderfinger - Neil Young (classic rock) 22-My My Hey Hey - Neil Young (classic rock) 23-Fight The Good Fight - Triumph (rock) 24-Someday - Nickleback (rock) 25-Blinding Light Show - Triumph (rock)
TONIGHT'S LIVE CLIP FROM THE SHUFFLE
Chuck Ol' Hen (or traditionally Cluck Ol' Hen) Allison Krauss & Union station .
The little girl is a guest artists, it's Sierra Hull. She is a rocking instrumentalist who put her first album out in the last year. She graduated high school and is at Berkeley School of Music presently.
This is Sierra a bit older from a home video.
This is one of my favs of all time because it reflects the feel of what my friends and I do when we get together. I love the way her dad's hand gets sore (he is playing bass) and he quits and they keep going, that's the way live music is done, especially in the living room, lol. The kid can "pick" as we say. Sing too!
I really think if more kids were into music and encouraged by their elders that we would not have some of the problems we have today. Think about it. Music crosses generations, allows you to spend time with elders & youngers and have something in common. Gives kids something to do with their parents and elders that brings them together rather than separate them. Gives them a drive and focus, a feeling of accomplishment when they can create a song or learn a riff. Music is so beneficial. Families used to sit around after dinner and play music and sing. Now, they eat in front of their TV or computer, separately many times. Things have changed.
Posted: July 27 Updated: Today at 10:13 AM Kavulich ordered to testify in Mellow probe, source says State House candidate, also known as Sid Michaels, works in state Senate Democratic office. By Andrew M. Seder aseder@timesleader.com Times Leader Staff Writer
Sid Michaels Kavulich, a candidate for the state House of Representatives, has been served a subpoena to testify in an ongoing investigation of state Senate Minority Leader Robert J. Mellow, according to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Kavulich, 53, who also goes by the name Sid Michaels, which was his stage name while a sports anchor on WBRE and WYOU, said he had “no comment” when asked about the subpoena. In subsequent questions including when he was served, when he is to testify and which agency served the subpoena, Kavulich repeatedly responded with a “no comment.”
The Taylor resident has worked in the state Senate Democratic Communication Office in Harrisburg for more than four years and secured the Democratic nomination for the race for the 114th District seat now held by Jim Wansacz, D-Old Forge. In November’s general election he will face Daniel R. Naylor, 53, an auctioneer from Benton Township.
Kavulich said he has no reason to drop out of the race.
“There’s no way. I’m in this to the end,” he said. “I’m going to run hard right up to and including Election Day.”
On June 18, FBI and IRS agents searched the home and Peckville district office of Mellow, D-Archbald. Agents carried out several boxes of documents and loaded them into a car. At the time, Frank Burton Jr., a special agent with the FBI’s office in Philadelphia, said the search was part of an ongoing investigation into “alleged illegal activities” of Mellow. He declined to provide any details
Mellow is the longest-serving member of the state Senate, now in his 40th year, and serves as the Democratic caucus leader. Citing a desire to spend more time with his family, he announced in February that he would retire in December.
Mellow’s spokeswoman Lisa Scullin said she was unaware of anyone in Mellow’s office receiving subpoenas and had no comment on the one served on Kavulich.
The source said Mellow is the target of the investigation, not Kavulich.
“I’ve always worked hard to build up my integrity and be honest with people,” Kavulich said. He said he is seeking office to give people a candidate they could trust.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 By Tracie Mauriello, Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau Bradley C. Bower/Associated Press
HARRISBURG -- State Rep. Bill DeWeese told a grand jury in December that his state-paid aides regularly campaigned during business hours from their desks in state offices.
A transcript of that testimony was read Monday during a preliminary hearing on charges that Mr. DeWeese illegally used state resources for political gain.
Asked whether he was concerned that political work was being done on state time, Mr. DeWeese told grand jurors that it wasn't unusual. "That was part of the culture. Looking back, it was wrong. We shouldn't have done it, but it was part of the political culture on Capitol Hill," he said.
Prosecutors said Mr. DeWeese's own words helped them make their case against him during a preliminary hearing Monday.
"The defendant has clearly admitted to the crimes with which he was charged," Senior Deputy Attorney General Kenneth Brown told Harrisburg District Judge William Wenner.
Mr. DeWeese's attorney, William C. Costopoulos, disagreed, saying the Democratic state representative from Waynesburg "has not admitted to any crime" and that the charges against him are politically motivated and petty.
Whether Mr. DeWeese is guilty will be up to a jury after Judge Wenner ordered him held for trial. A date has not yet been sent.
Co-defendant Sharon Rodavich of Carmichaels, a former district office staffer, is headed to trial, too, on charges of running political campaigns on state time. She waived her right to a preliminary hearing.
Mr. DeWeese, 60, and Mrs. Rodavich, 54, each are charged with six criminal counts including theft, conflict of interest and conspiracy.
It is illegal to campaign using public resources such as employee time, state buildings or taxpayer-funded equipment.
Through testimony from three witnesses Monday, prosecutors painted a picture of a campaign machine that involved more than a dozen aides from Mr. DeWeese's Capitol and district offices. They planned fund-raisers, distributed yard signs, arranged political meetings, dug up dirt on political opponents, knocked on doors, supervised poll watchers and recruited drivers to transport voters to polling places.
Outside the courtroom, Mr. DeWeese said that he knew state employees were doing political work, but didn't know they were doing it on state time.
"I asked people again and again and again to make sure it's done on personal days, make sure it's done on vacation days, make sure it's done on compensatory time, make sure it's done on lunch," he told reporters.
Former staffer Kevin Sidella testified earlier that when Mr. DeWeese assigned him a political task, he would sometimes tell him to do it over lunch, but sometimes that instruction came at 3 p.m., long after he had taken his break.
Mr. Sidella said he believed Mr. DeWeese stipulated the time because he believed "that people were watching. ... I remember him saying 'You never know who's listening.' " At one point, Mr. DeWeese had his office checked for listening devices, Mr. Sidella said.
Witness Sheila Novasky, a former district office aide, said legislative work and campaign duties were so intertwined that she still isn't sure of the difference.
"I just assumed [campaigning] was part of the job, and I was never told otherwise," she testified.
She and former colleague Susan Stoy testified that Mr. DeWeese threatened to fire Ms. Stoy and Mrs. Rodavich from their state jobs because their campaign work didn't meet his expectations. He was angry that Mrs. Rodavich hadn't put up enough yard signs and that Ms. Stoy left the polls on election day 2006.
Mr. DeWeese later said he may have threatened to fire them in the heat of anger, but that he didn't mean it.
Mr. Brown summed up the day's testimony this way:
"This defendant, a public official, not only reached one hand but reached both hands into the taxpayers' pockets and pulled out as much money as he could, and he got caught. It's for a jury to decide from this point on."
Mr. DeWeese told reporters he hopes to go to trial before November, when Attorney General Tom Corbett -- whose office is prosecuting him -- faces voters in a gubernatorial election.
He said he will bring in "a battalion of witnesses" to testify that he routinely asked staffers to ensure any campaign work they did was not on state time.
The charges grew out of a government investigation that became known as Bonusgate because it involved taxpayer-funded bonuses that were given as rewards for campaign work.
Twenty-five people have been caught up in the investigation, including two who were convicted, two who were acquitted, seven who pleaded guilty and others who await trial.
Meanwhile Monday, state Rep. Curt Schroder, R-Chester, and Rep. Eugene DePasquale, D-York, unveiled legislation to create a Public Integrity Commission to root out corruption. The panel would have jurisdiction over all three branches of government. It would have the power to issue subpoenas and to grant immunity to cooperators.
"When lawmakers introduce a bill, the first question is always, 'Why do we need this?' " Mr. DePasquale said. "With this legislation, no one is asking why. We all know why.
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tired
sick