http://www.padems.com

From the Pennsylavania Democratic Party





July 14, 2005

Ms. Eileen Melvin, Chair
Pennsylvania Republican State Committee
301 Market Street, Suite 900
Harrisburg, PA 17101


Dear Chairperson Melvin:

I am in receipt of your letter delivered yesterday and thank you for your correspondence.

Time and time again, Chairperson Melvin, your committee has proven itself to be a hyperactive mudslinging machine.  Whether it has been your absurd assaults on the Rendell record or dishonest attacks against Bob Casey, Jr., it is not only misleading, but simply insincere, to now attempt to take the high road; the high road which your Republican committee has routinely ignored, while also turning a blind eye to the truth.

I agree that the campaign for U.S. Senate is shaping up to be spirited and aggressive, which is exactly what the voters of Pennsylvania deserve.  The voters of Pennsylvania will also receive what they deserve in the form of a true evaluation of Sen. Santorum’s record in the coming months, as well as a full recitation of Senator Santorum’s out of step axioms, (like “public education is weird” or “liberals are to blame for priest pedophilia”).  Whether or not this pleases you or your party, I know you agree that it is the appropriate way for a campaign to unfold.

Nonetheless, the election is still well over a year away, and your desperate political ploy seems, at least to me, premature.  Your letter rings true in the hypocritical spirit of Mr. Santorum’s Florida cash grab, where he raised special interest cash while shamefully exploiting Terri Schiavo’s family for political gain.

Democrats simply will not allow this smokescreen, designed to distract the media and Pennsylvania voters from Sen. Santorum’s record, to succeed.


Sincerely yours,


Rep. T.J. Rooney
Chair, Pennsylvania Democratic Party
 

Report: Pa. Democrats Lose Positions

Updated 12:42 PM ET July 28, 2005
http://dailynews.att.net/cgi-bin/news?e=pr...8bkglpo1&src=ap

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The state House minority leader demoted 15 fellow Democratic leaders, and two said they were being punished for voting against a raise for lawmakers and other public officials, a newspaper reported Thursday.

The bill increased legislators' base pay from $69,647 to $81,050 and gives an extra $4,050 to subcommittee chairs and committee vice chairs.

"What Democratic leadership said to members was: If you vote for the pay raise you will get ($4,050), if you don't you won't," said Rep. Gregory Vitali, who was bumped from chairman of an energy subcommittee.

Minority Leader H. William DeWeese's office declined to comment on the reason for the changes, which are usually made as a session begins, not in the middle of the summer.

"The leader has discretion to change assignments whenever he wants," Tom Andrews told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "This is just a reshuffling of positions."

Vitali questioned the legality of the changes. The pay raise was signed into law.

"They are using tax dollars to entice a legislator to vote one way or another," Vitali said.

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[The locals in Western PA are mad as h*ll that these people voted themselves raises. I think there will be alot of state representative changes next year if the local person has an opponent.]