At a press conference this afternoon, Governor Rendell announced a new $1.2 billion mortgage program intended to help spur home purchases in 39 counties statewide. The initiative, a partnership between PHFA, the US Treasury, FannieMae and FreddieMac will offer 11,000 long-term (30-year), fixed rate, low-interest mortgage loans, expand the Keystone First program with an additional $10 million in funding, and provide $50 million for approximately 450 new-home construction loans. More details on the program are available on PHFA’s website. Check the Capitol Toolbox later for the full story, including the governor’s latest comments on table games, possible layoffs, and Bonusgate.
|
|
|||
 |
Posted by Mike Howells | Tags: Ben Franklin Institutes for Technology, bonusgate, layoffs, leadership election, mortgages, Municipal Waste Planning Recycling & Waste Reduction Act, PHFA, resentencing guidelines, table games, undocumented workers | Category: Administration, PLS Interview, Press Conference | Leave a comment | Share:
Attorney General Tom Corbett on Tuesday charged former Speaker of the House Bill DeWeese (D-Greene) and former Democratic lawmaker Stephen Stetler with illegally using legislative aides as campaign staffers, the third round of charges stemming from Corbett’s wide-ranging, still ongoing public corruption investigation known as “Bonusgate.†DeWeese, now House Minority Whip, used legislative aides as his exclusive source for campaign staffers, the grand jury presentment reported. The report highlighted the role of former legislative aide Kevin Sidella, who it said exclusively directed DeWeese’s campaign fundraising. Stetler, who resigned as the state’s Revenue Secretary earlier Tuesday, inherited and sustained a system in the House Democratic Campaign Committee that assigned legislative staffers to do campaign work, primarily opposition research on political opponents, the presentment said. Stetler, who took over the operation from former Democratic leader Mike Veon, decided to retain it despite being approached before 2004 about scrapping the illegal activity, it said. Posted by Alex Roarty | Tags: Ben Franklin Institutes for Technology, bonusgate | Category: Capitol View, LBFC, News and Views, Senate Environmental Resources and Energy | Leave a comment | Share:
Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced charges against Rep. Bill DeWeese, former Rep. Steve Stetler (and former Revenue Secretary as of 9:00 this morning) and DeWeese legislative aide Sharon Rodavich. Grand jury found DeWeese legislative staff were performing campaign work in his legislative district office. This marks the third round of charges in what has become known as “Bonusgate”. More details to come. Posted by Kim Collins | Tags: Ben Franklin Institutes for Technology, bonusgate | Category: PLS Interview, Press Conference | Leave a comment | Share:
HARRISBURG — A statewide grand jury has invited the state House majority leader, the man he displaced in that job and the state secretary of revenue to appear before the panel, a move that has presaged charges against others who received such letters in an ongoing corruption probe. The letters went to State Rep. Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne, the House majority leader; State Rep. H. William DeWeese, D-Greene, who served as majority leader until Mr. Eachus succeeded him in a caucus shakeup; and Revenue Secretary Stephen Stetler, a former eight-term Democratic House member from York. Posted by Alex Roarty | Tags: Ben Franklin Institutes for Technology, Bill DeWeese, bonusgate, Stephen Stetler, Todd Eachus, vehicle, veon, veterans | Category: Capitol View, LBFC, News and Views, Senate Environmental Resources and Energy | Leave a comment | Share:
Governor Rendell announced this afternoon that Harley Davidson’s board of directors met earlier in the day and have ratified a decision to remain at their York plant. He reported he is “gratified” by the news, but expressed disappointment that nearly 950 Harley workers will lose their jobs. By staying in York, Harley will receive $15.4 million in grant money from the state, a “very attractive package” the governor said helped beat back challenges from possible relocation sites in Kentucky and Indiana. The governor also offered comments on a variety of other issues, including Revenue Secretary Steve Stetler’s invitation to testify before a grand jury on the Bonusgate scandal, table games, rate caps, and the future of DPW Secretary Estelle Richman, who he said has been offered a job with the Obama Administration. Check the Capitol Toolbox later for the full story. Posted by Jeff Cox | Tags: Ben Franklin Institutes for Technology, bonusgate, Crime, DPW, Harley Davidson, Obama, Pennsylvania Emergecny Management Agency, rate caps, resentencing guidelines, table games, transportation infrastructure partnerships, vaccinations | Category: Administration, PLS Interview, Press Conference | Leave a comment | Share:
Republican Floor Leader Sam Smith (R-Jefferson) met with reporters this afternoon to respond to questions surrounding the recent charges filed against former Speaker of the House, Rep. John Perzel (R-Philadelphia). When asked, Rep. Smith cautiously answered questions regarding his knowledge and involvement in renewing GCR and Aristotle contracts for the Republican Caucus, and told reporters that he always asked if the contracts were legal and to what legislative purpose they served. Rep. Smith indicated that after reviewing the allegations in Attorney General Tom Corbett’s presentment- if they are true, he can’t help but say in hindsight that he “should have seen something.” Rep. Smith also expressed disappointment with the allegations because he said he always believed the caucus spent a lot of time and effort in making sure campaigns and daily government operations were kept separate. Check the Capitol Toolbox later for the full story. Posted by PLS Intern | Tags: Ben Franklin Institutes for Technology, bonusgate | Category: PLS Interview, Press Conference | Leave a comment | Share:
Attorney General Corbett announces criminal charges in second phase of legislative investigation; 10 suspects charged HARRISBURG – As part of an ongoing public corruption investigation into the Pennsylvania Legislature, agents from the Attorney General’s Public Corruption Unit today filed criminal charges against Representative John Perzel and former Republican Representative Brett Feese.  Also charged are eight current or former aides to Perzel and Feese. Attorney General Tom Corbett said the charges are part of an ongoing grand jury investigation into the misuse of public resources and employees for campaign purposes in the Pennsylvania Legislature. (Click here to review the grand jury report: Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3 ) Posted by Kim Collins | Tags: Ben Franklin Institutes for Technology, bonusgate | Category: PLS Interview, Press Conference | Leave a comment | Share:
Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced the filing of charges against ten Republicans: Rep. John Perzel, Perzel’s former chief of staff Brian Preski; current chief of staff Paul Towhey; Perzel’s brother-in-law and former House employee Samual “Buzz” Stokes; Perzel legislative aide John Zimmerman; his campaign aide Don McClintock; as well as Feese aides Jill Seaman and Elmer Bowman and former GOP information technology deputy director Eric Ruth. Corbett says Perzel and Preski were the principle conspirators. Posted by Kim Collins | Tags: Ben Franklin Institutes for Technology, bonusgate | Category: Senate Education, Update | Leave a comment | Share:
According to stories in both the Patriot News and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Attorney General Tom Corbett is expected to announce a second round of Bonusgate-related corruption charges this afternoon. The Patriot News’ Charlie Thompson reports that subjects of the filings could include Rep. John Perzel, (R-Philadelphia), his longtime chief of staff Brian J. Preski, and former House Republican chief counsel Brett Feese. Stay tuned to PLS for ongoing coverage. Posted by Mike Howells | Tags: Ben Franklin Institutes for Technology, bonusgate | Category: Senate Education, Update | Leave a comment | Share:
Representative Paul Drucker (D-Chester) was joined by other reform-minded Representatives in announcing legislation aimed at increasing government transparency and accountability. Rep. Drucker’s bill would create a constitutional amendment to reform the way voting districts are drawn in Pennsylvania. Rep. Drucker is also joining Rep. Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks) in sponsoring a bill to require House members to pay 1% of their salary towards health-care benefits. Rep. Barbara McIlvaine Smith (D-Chester) announced she would introduce a bill to prohibit the issuing of bonuses to state employees, and Rep. Richard Mirabito (D-Lycoming) unveiled his intent to sponsor two bills, one of which will establish PennPORTAL, a searchable database of government expenditures, as well as a bill to restrict former legislators working for private companies being awarded state contracts. Check the Capitol Tool Box later for more information. Posted by PLS Intern | Tags: Ben Franklin Institutes for Technology, bonusgate, Mental Retardation, PennPortal, purely charitable organizations, state contracts | Category: PLS Interview, Press Conference | Comments are closed | Share:
|
 |
|
|
Copyright © 2010 FYI by PLS - All Rights Reserved |
|||
