PA Rep. Dom Costa Tweets He's Not a Cosigner of HB14 to Punish Sanctuary Campuses

A post was shared over a hundred times on Facebook -- including by me -- alerting people to contact PA Rep. Dom Costa (D-21) and tell him to not cosponsor HB14 (Sanctuary Campuses). That bill seeks to punish any Pennsylvania institution of higher education which protects undocumented students by suspending payment of state-appropriated funds.

Currently, Costa's name is on the bill as a cosponsor -- the only Democrat listed:

Costa tweeted the following shortly after midnight:

Thank you all for your concerns but I have wrongly been listed online as a cosponsor of HB14 and have requested to be removed as a cosponsor

— Dom Costa (@RepDomCosta) January 31, 2017

UPDATE: We should probably keep an eye open for future typos bearing Costa's name seeing as how, less than a year ago, he cosponsored a bill (HB1894) to help put an end to the "alien invasion" in Pennsylvania. You know, just in case he -- or any other elected official in a blue district -- doesn't get the message that Democrats are in no mood to let something like this slide anymore.

Jessica Wolfe Challenging Jake Wheatley in PA State House District 19 -- Campaign Kickoff Party Today

Social worker Jessica Wolfe is holding a kickoff party at her campaign headquarters in Allentown this evening. She announced yesterday that she is challenging State Rep. Jake Wheatley, Jr. who is running for an eighth term in District 19 (Hill District, North Side, South Side, Allentown, Hazelwood, Downtown,  Knoxville, Beltzhoover, Manchester, Arlington, Arlington Heights and, North, South and West Oakland).

Wolfe is not the only challenger Wheatley faces. Via Eat That, Read This:

Another of Wheatley's challengers, as the PG's Chris Potter reports, is his former staffer Aerion Abney, currently a program officer at the POISE Foundation. And a third is Mark Brentley, Sr., the former school board member who was once the sole member to vote against providing sex education to middle school students and is known for his "lengthy verbal tirades" and "anger."

Wolfe's resume includes spending the year after high school in the then newly-launched program AmeriCorps working in the warehouse of a community food bank side-by-side with volunteers which motivated her to take up social work in college. Wolfe first came to Pittsburgh to work for the 2008 Obama campaign. In addition to being a home care social worker with Allegheny Health Network, she serves on the board of the Allentown Community Development Corporation and is a two-term member of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee. Her husband, Kenneth Wolfe, previously served as a legislative aid for Wheatley.

According to the P-G, "All three challengers say Mr. Wheatley has focused on the Hill, long the district’s political center of gravity, at the expense of other areas."

Also not in Wheatley's favor is his truly awful record of missed votes in the House. He currently holds the record for the most missed votes--340 in the last five years--far above any other representative.

Wolfe's office opening is happening today from 6 PM - 9 PM at 827 East Warrington Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa 15210. You can also go to www.jessicazwolfe.com to volunteer or donate.

I've known Ken and Jessica for a number of years now, so yes, I'm biased. But my bias is because knowing the kind of person Jessica is, I know she'd be a real asset to the House and a tireless and caring worker for her constituents.

Watch PA State Reps doing the Whip and Nae Nae

All Democrats--as if you had to ask. After all, they are advocating for funds for public school kids!

(And, if enough of you had voted right in my district, we could have had Erin Molchany up there with them.)

Molchany and Readshaw Take the "What is Your Spirit Animal?" BuzzFeed Quiz

Yeah, that looks about right.

Pro Choice/Anti Readshaw Rally Turns Ugly

On Wednesday, May 7, Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania Advocates held a "Rally Against Readshaw: 31 Minutes for 31 Votes Against Women's Health" in front of PA State Rep. Harry Readshaw's (D-Allegheny-Dist 36) Brownsville Road office. Here's how the event was described on Facebook by the hosts:

Representative Harry Readshaw has voted against women’s health an astonishing 31 times in the Pennsylvania legislature, and it’s time to show him that the women of South Pittsburgh deserve better. 

Join us for a 31-minute protest out side Rep. Readshaw's district office against the 31 times Harry Readshaw voted to restrict women's access to reproductive healthcare in PA. Let's make Readshaw tell us why he thinks women are not capable of making our own medical decisions.

Here are some photographs from the event:

And, here is a list of Readshaw's votes on women's health: www.31votesagainstwomen.com. It includes the infamous bill he introduced which would have forced women:

[T]o have a medically unnecessary ultrasound 24 hours prior to an abortion. It also forces doctors to turn the ultrasound screen towards the woman’s face. It then forces the woman take TWO prints with her (one for her scrapbook, and the other one SHE has to bring to the doctor performing the abortion.) And, furthermore, it forces civil and criminal penalties for doctors and patients who dare defy their legislating of medicine.

Here's the ad Planned Parenthood is running against him:

 

Readshaw has run unopposed in the Democratic primary for many years and has been a legislator since first winning in 1994. However, since House districts have been redrawn, he now has an opponent in the May 20 primary: Rep. Erin Molchany (D-Allegheny-Dist 22) who is progressive and pro choice and who has picked up endorsements from such local elected democrats as County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Mayor Bill Peduto, City Council President Bruce Kraus, City Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak, and others.

Maybe that's what's driving (no pun intended) some of Readshaw's supporters over the edge. From the Community Matters blog description of the rally:

I've been to hundreds of demonstrations in my lifetime. This began as a pretty standard event. We circled the sidewalk in front of Readshaw's office until a woman in a large SUV backed up along the curb, nearly hitting some protestors and reporters. Jeanne Clark, a longtime Pittsburgh activist, walked to the driver's window and said "Stop. There are people behind you." The driver said "You don't care about killing babies", and she did it again. Deliberately. She sat in the car screeching "Abortion is murder." Apparently, she doesn't have a problem with vehicular homicide or critical injury. Pro-life my ass. 

We learned that the woman is Megan Readshaw Perfetti, Harry Readshaw's DAUGHTER. 

Perfetti is a health teacher and coordinates the health education curriculum for the Pittsburgh Public Schools. I guess she doesn't think women need health care. 

Before the event even began, a man from the business next door strongly objected to our presence. He shouted that he was calling the police. No one cared, since we were protesting legally. A Pittsburgh Police car arrived a few minutes later, after Perfetti's stunt, and sat in a parking space across the street. Perfetti walked over to talk to the officer. I don't know what they discussed, since she was clearly the only person committing a crime at the time, but the officer never left his car. He drove away as the event ended.

Wow! And they call themselves "pro life."

You can also read the City Paper's Blogh coverage here.

A Man (or two) With A Plan!

(Recent mailers for Readshaw and Ravenstahl)

I have a plan to not vote for either of them...EVER.

Little girl, do your parents know what district you're in? (My guess would be PA-iStock.)

Congratulations!

Photo by Chuck Pascal
Congratulations to PA State Representative Erin Molchany, PA State Representative Ed Gainey and PA Auditor General Eugene DePasquale on being sworn in to your new offices yesterday -- looking forward to great things from all of you!

Turzai Admits PA Voter ID Law Passed to Give Win to Romney

Oh lookie here! An honest Republican in the State Assembly. Via PoliticsPA:

House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) suggested that the House’s end game in passing the Voter ID law was to benefit the GOP politically.  

“We are focused on making sure that we meet our obligations that we’ve talked about for years,” said Turzai in a speech to committee members Saturday. He mentioned the law among a laundry list of accomplishments made by the GOP-run legislature.  

“Pro-Second Amendment? The Castle Doctrine, it’s done. First pro-life legislation – abortion facility regulations – in 22 years, done. Voter ID, which is gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania, done.”

I guess that means all those Voter ID laws passed around the same time by Republican-controlled states weren't about some mythical massive voter fraud -- they were about voter suppression of folks most likely to vote for a Democrat. Either that, or Turzai is saying the vast majority of voter fraud is done by Democrats -- you know, Republicans only need a fighting chance to win. It couldn't possibly be about their extremist policies or candidates...

John of The Pennsylvania Progressive calls a liar a liar. And, he points out that the lies weren't just about voting, they extend to the real reason behind SB 732:

Isn't lying on the House floor an ethics violation? If not it should be and should be cause for censure or expulsion. When Representatives and Senators willfully lie and fabricate arguments while passing legislation they should be expelled from office. It is a stain on all of us when the likes of Mike Turzai get up to speak in OUR hallowed hall and lie to us about what they're doing.  

He also revealed they lied about Senate Bill 732 the ambulatory surgical center abortion bill. We've said all along this was back door legislation to outlaw abortion. His quote " First pro-life legislation - abortion facility regulations - in 22 years" reveals it for what it was: pro life, anti-abortion legislation. By making onerous regulations impossible or financially impossible to meet they are banning abortions in Pennsylvania for most women. Even if clinics could retrofit the cost would make abortions unaffordable for anyone but the wealthy.

I guess it's a good thing that at least one Republican is finally being honest about their lies.

Won't Somebody Please Think Of The Children?!

We can't have nice things unions a prevailing wage because it will hurt kids with cancer! (Pennsylvania Republican House Rep. Brad Roae went there.)

  (h/t to Jennifer England)

Primary Wrap Up

Chris Potter on the wins by young, progressives Erin Molchany and Ed Gainey and Matt Merriman-Preston's role in the election. Also, how this bodes well for a bid for mayor by Bill Peduto.

Sue Kerr on Brian Sims being on course to becoming PA's first openly gay state representative.

Howard Fineman on the 'Clinton Party' wins in PA.

And, kudos to the Post-Gazette for their unendorsement.

Here's a reason to vote for Patrick Murphy!

Via Patrick Murphy who's running for PA Attorney General:

Ultrasound Bill Unconstitutional, Legislature Must Stop Attack on Women
The legislature has no authority to force women to have an unnecessary, invasive medical procedure

(Philadelphia, PA) –Today, Iraq war veteran and former prosecutor Patrick Murphy issued the following statement in response to House Bill 1077, the so-called “Woman’sRight-to-Know Act,” which would force women to undergo a mandatory and invasive ultrasound at least 24 hours before receiving abortion care:

“We all support programs to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies. But this legislation is an outrageous assault on women’s rights in Pennsylvania and an unprecedented intrusion into decisions that should be made exclusively between a woman and her doctor. The proposal is demeaning and wrong. There is no legal justification for shoving an ultrasound screen in a woman’s face and forcing her to deliver printout image to her physician – all so she can get permission from the government to have a legal medical procedure. The legislature has no Constitutional authority to require women to have this unnecessary and invasive medical procedure and,therefore, must abandon this insulting attack on women’s rights. Even Bob McDonnell, the conservative Governor of Virginia, was forced to abandon a similar bill, admitting that it ‘might run afoul’ of the Constitution and open up the state to serious legal problems. If the legislature here in Pennsylvania moves the bill despite overwhelming objections, it is Governor Corbett’s responsibility to veto it.”

University of Pennsylvania Professor of Law Tobias Barrington Wolff agreed that the bill is unconstitutional, saying:

"The Supreme Court has held that a State cannot pass laws for the purpose of obstructing a woman's access to a legal abortion, nor impose undue burdens on that access. A law mandating that doctors perform a medically unnecessary procedure, including the use of an invasive transvaginal probe in some cases, and requiring doctors to position an ultrasound monitor in the woman's face whether or not she wants to watch it, appears designed to intimidate and humiliate. Pennsylvania cannot mandate such mistreatment of women."

www.murphyforpa.com

PA's Forced Ultrasound "Women's Right to Know Act" (Women's Right to No Rights Act)

Ladies! It's time to hide your vaginas from the probing of the Pennsylvania General Assembly who's attempting to get all up close and personal with your lady business.

Pennsylvania's state legislature knows that women folk have very little actual knowledge of their own bodies -- especially when they have a bun in the oven. They know that the little ladies are weak in mind and could use a helping hand (holding a transvaginal ultrasound) when contemplating an abortion. (You know, like the old joke about whacking a mule with a 2-by-4 to get its attention.)

They know that to keep the ladies on the righteous path, they need to mansplain to them what's happening in their special lady parts so that they can see the error of their ways. After all, who knows better than them (83% of whom are male) what women want and need?

Little things like facts -- 42% of women obtaining abortions have incomes below 100% of the federal poverty level and 61% of abortions are obtained by women who already have one or more children -- mean little to them. The ladies are simply being hysterical if they think they can't afford more kids or need to keep a job. They obviously need a thought adjustment.

That's why the PA General Assembly has decided that the best way to get their attention is to force them to have a medically unnecessary ultrasound 24 hours prior to an abortion. It also forces doctors to turn the ultrasound screen towards the woman’s face. It then forces the woman take TWO prints with her (one for her scrapbook, and the other one SHE has to bring to the doctor performing the abortion.) And, furthermore, it forces civil and criminal penalties for doctors and patients who dare defy their legislating of medicine.

You can read PA House Bill 1077 in all its gorey here. (The bit about “free ultrasound providers” is included so they can funnel women to so-called “crisis pregnancy centers” where they can be fed state-funded, unregulated misinformation by ultrasound providers that don't even have to have any training!)

Have a problem with it?

Here's what you can do:

1. Call your state representative.
(Find yours here.)


2. Write your state representative.
(Find yours here.)


3. Sign the petition here.
(They smashed through their old goal of 10,000 signatures and are now going for 50,000.)

Then, be sure tell all your friends to do the same.

Just do something!

Pittsburgh Meet & Greet for Rep. Eugene DePasquale, candidate for Auditor General of PA -- Tomorrow

Meet & Greet with State Rep. Eugene DePasquale

WHAT: Pittsburgh Meet & Greet for Rep. Eugene DePasquale, candidate for Auditor General of PA
WHEN: Wednesday, July 27, 2011, 5:00 – 7:00 PM
WHERE: AVA Restaurant, 126 S. Highland Avenue & Baum Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Suggested Contribution: $25

RSVP: Via email to liz@eugene4pa.com or on Facebook here

Checks may be made out to “DePasquale for PA” and brought to the event or mailed to: DePasquale for PA, PO Box 1822 York, PA 17405

Donations may also be made online via ActBlue: https://secure.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/24166

http://eugene4pa.com

Rep. Eugene DePasquale (D-95, York) is serving his third term in the state House of Representatives, and has established himself as a strong progressive voice and a leading reformer in Harrisburg. Among his many accomplishments, Eugene was the first legislator in Pennsylvania’s history to post his legislative expenses online, and he was a leader in the fight to strengthen our state’s open records law.

Eugene is running for Auditor General because he believes we need a strong check on Governor Corbett and his administration. As Auditor General, Eugene will fight to protect working families by eliminating wasteful spending and increasing accountability.

Prior to serving in the legislature, DePasquale served as a Deputy Secretary in the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) where he fought to protect the environment and expand Pennsylvania’s alternative energy production capabilities. While at DEP, Eugene also played a key role in attracting the world’s largest wind energy company, Gamesa, to relocate a significant portion of their operations to Pennsylvania.

A native Pittsburgher and lifelong Pennsylvanian, DePasquale has a bachelor of arts degree from the College of Wooster (OH) where he played football and baseball. Eugene has a master's degree in public administration from the University of Pittsburgh and a juris doctorate from Widener University School of Law. He also is a graduate of Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School and played for the first Quad-A state football champions in state history.

We hope you can join us in supporting a candidate for Auditor General with the experience, proven track record and core progressive values to protect Pennsylvania's taxpayers and keep state government honest, open and transparent.

On Marcellus Shale:

Freep this poll!

At the P-G:

"Republican state lawmakers have introduced a bill that would outlaw strikes by public school teachers. Would you like to see this become law?."

Action Item: Pennsylvania HB 574

Most of you will remember the case of Dr. Kermit Gosnell who operated a House of Horrors under the guise of an abortion clinic in Philadelphia. Comparing his office to actual abortion clinics in PA is like comparing a crack house to a Rite Aid. The response of our state legislature to this has been to craft a bill -- HB 574 -- that would shut down most legitimate clinics. Among other things it would do include:

- Abortion providers would be required to increase the size of their procedure rooms by 3 or 4 times their current size.

- Many providers would be required to employ a full-time registered nurse (RN) even when abortion procedures are not being performed.

The bill will likely be voted on today.

You need to contact your state representative and tell them to vote NO on HB 574.

You can sign a petition here and call the State House to contact your Rep. via Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates:

Here's where you come in. Call 717-496-9866 and you'll be connected with our system which will direct you to your State Representative's office in Harrisburg. When you call in, we'll tell you exactly what to say whenever you reach your State Rep's Office. Call 717-496-9866 now -- there is no easier or faster way to do your part today! The House will probably vote before early afternoon, so please call as soon as you can!

Remember: call 717-496-9866, and you'll be connected to your State Rep. Be sure to say that House Bill 574 is NOT the solution. Stay tuned for updates from the Capitol. Thank you for your support!

It's beginning to look a lot like Metcalfe

And the angel said unto them, Fear lots: for, behold, I bring you bad tidings of great gloom, which shall be to all people of Pennsylvania.

Via Chris Potter's Slag Heap, we learn that Daryl "I Don't Speak Mexican" Metcalfe (R-Birther, Tenther, Homophobe, Anti-Muslim, Climate Change Denier, Pro Domestic Violence, Voter Intimidar, All Around Hater) will be chairing the State Government Committee.

Potter:

As its name suggests, Metcalfe's committee handles legislation that pertains to state government and its powers. Constitutional amendments, campaign-finance and other election reforms ... all such mess as that.

[snip]

[N]ewly-appointed State Government Committee Majority Chairman Metcalfe looks forward to the opportunity of advancing the Pennsylvania Marriage Protection Amendment; election reform legislation requiring all Presidential candidates to officially submit proof of U.S. citizenship documentation; and his Arizona-modeled legislation to provide state and local law enforcement with full authority to apprehend Pennsylvania’s estimated 140,000 illegal alien invaders for deportation

Emphasis mine -- yeah, he's going there. So Pennsylvania looks well positioned to be the source of some really embarrassing headlines in 2012.

He's wasting no time too. Sue at Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents has the memo that he sent to all PA House members on the 22nd asking them to cosponsor his anti-gay "Definition of Marriage" act.

[sigh]


.

Bad Boys, Bad Boys (Local Edition)

Just in time to get a lump of coal from Santa:

CasablancaPA has the goods on PA Rep. and Majority Leader Mike Turzai's double dipping when it comes to per diems here.

Father Duquesne (formerly The Parkway Left) has a post up on Allegheny County Councilman Matt Drozd titled "Portrait of an ignorant bigot."

Infinonymous blogs on LeRoy S. Zimmerman (longtime friend and close political ally of PA Gov.-elect Tom Corbett) who oversees the Hershey Trust and who is under investigation by Corbett's office for using $12 million in "funds intended to educate impoverished children" to purchase a money-losing golf course and then spending another $5 million to bling the course out. (Full story in the P-G here.)

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a story on Michael Jasper. Jasper is a PNC vice president and finance manager who was a Pittsburgh Parking Authority board member. "Was" as in he was the only board member who voted to study a pension bailout plan opposed by Lil Mayor Luke and "was" as in he's no longer a board member because his employer asked him to resign from that body. You figure out who the bad boy is in this case (Hint: it ain't Jasper.)

More fail

This is a resume???

That's what PA State Rep. Adam Ravenstahl called what he sent to Pittsburgh City Council for his gig at the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority board (cover letter and larger version can be seen @ The Pittsburgh Comet).

You'd think after all the charges of nepotism and unethical behavior over this appointment he'd at least try.

Though to give Adam his due, it does contain way more personal information than his campaign flyers did. And, he's also probably taking political advice from his roomie and big bro Lil Mayor Luke, who undoubtedly told him if he gave an inch they'd be asking about his socks and underwear next.

Stand strong, Lil Rep. Adam!

(h/t to Bram)
.

And, in the "Anybody But Another Ravenstahl" Race...

...or as some refer to it the "PA General Assembly District 20" race, Lady Elaine interviews Democratic primary candidates Tim Tuinstra and Mark Purcell.

Adam!

Actually, his name is pretty much all we know about Adam Ravenstahl (other than he's Lil Mayor Luke's baby bro and he's running for PA State Rep). And, it's not just us. Adam's not returning calls or written requests from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. His campaign web site doesn't work.

But, the P-G did manage to snag some lit:


In it, he promises to continue his family's "tradition of service." One would hope that at a minimum he could do better than that.
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