On Tuesday, I warned you state senator Lisa Boscola would retain potty-mouth Bernie Kieklak as her chief of staff. Daily phone calls from constituent River, a frequent blog commenter, were ignored. Wednesday, when Boscola finally made her announcement, she just issued two written statements and then ran like hell.One is a note from Lisa. She's really, really, really mad. And she means it.
The other is the obligatory apology from BTNP, aka Bernie Takes No Prisoners, aka Bernie Kieklak. He'll NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, NOT EVER, EVER, EVER .... EVER do anything like that EVER, EVER AGAIN. It's a little hard to stomach from a guy whose first reactions were "Do you think I care?" and "I do not regret a single thing I have ever done in my entire life".
As a demonstration of his complete insincerity, Kieklak has yet to call Congressman Charlie Dent to apologize in person.
This is a disgusting display of arrogance by both Boscola and her chief of staff. Joe Owens and Bill White knew she'd keep him. Lisa's counting on you to forget. She doesn't think that highly of you, when you come right down to it. She has stumbled through a very clear situation that demanded an immediate response. But she needs Bernie's "special" skills - his ability to slam potential opponents.
You see, the Lisa Boscola of today is a far different person than the person who first ran for the state senate in 1998. She was accessible then, and wasn't afraid to say what she thought. If you made an appointment to see her, you met with her, not Bernie. She got in trouble at times with party bosses in Harrisburg, but we admired her independence.
Her opponent, Len Gruppo, was running a dirty campaign that ranged from distortions of her voting record to stalking her with video cameras and tape recorders. Gruppo's negative campaign consultant? Tom Severson.
Lisa blasted Severson. "He is the ultimate sleazebag political consultant." She claimed Severson even admitted "they will do anything to win this race - lie, whatever. Because winning is all that matters."
Lisa won that race, striking a blow against sleaze politics.
Today's Lisa is a much different and far more careful person. And guess what? Now she actually uses Severson, the man she once called a sleazebag. In her 2006 campaign against an unknown with no money, Boscola paid $43,659.65 to the king of slime.
Severson does most of his campaign billing through Precision Marketing, Inc. But when he wants to stay under the radar, as he does with Dems, he uses other outfits. One of these is Political Strategies, Inc. It's not registered in Pennsylvania. Although identified as a Santa Monica corporation in Boscola campaign finance reports, I was unable to locate the company through a Google search. But guess what? Easton Mayoral candidate Sal Panto also uses that outfit. His finance report has a slightly different address for Political Strategies, Inc.. It's 2906 William Penn Hwy, Easton PA 18045.
That's the same address as Precision Marketing, Inc.!
Oopsie!
Lisa now subscribes to the Severson philosophy of sleazeball politics, and Bernie Kieklak fits right in. Slime opponents with remarks like "spineless shitbag" or "phony political whore." I'm sure Severson chuckled all the way to the bank. Winning is all that matters. Spend enough money, and people will buy it.
Sometimes.
19 comments:
I am reminded of the line from a song in the musical Chicago. Billy Flynn the lawyer is singing about Razzle Dazzle and the pulling one over on the jury...
"Give 'em the old hocus pocus, Bead and feather 'em, How can they see with sequins in their eyes?"
Lisa is going into her dance and she is hoping the sequins blind us to what is really going on.
I won't be forgetting.
She will end up regretting this move.
This move is not surprising given the history of Boscola and Kieklak. It is politics as usual for them.
As a democrat, I am pissed. Boscola has left herself open for further character attacks. Her cavalier attitude about this has hurt the image of the Democratic Party.
I can only hope that another Democrat challenges her in the primary.
Remember Boscola's initial reaction to this story, "What do you want me to fire him now?" Yes we did. However, we all should have known she would not. She may be pissed about the incident, but she failed to do the right thing.
BethlehemDem,
I appreciate your sentiments, especially since they come from a fellow Dem.
If this were Shawn Millan, and not Bernie K, we'd be marching in the streets and demanding that Charlie Dent be impeached.
Hey Bernie! Don't give the Republicans any ideas! Now we are likely to see marchers in the streets calling for Boscola's impeachment -- and they will credit (blame?) you!
Keeping BK is no surprise. He is a political strategist. He will probably be helping long-time Boscola chum Ann McHale in her County Executive bid in 09. He then will help get Lisa re-elected in 10. Everyone forgets, in the end its about who you know, the money and time heals all. Dispite all this talk, let's see who supports Lisa and her friends.
You people will forget all about it, the way you have selective amnesia with that crackpot Angle.
Though I have no doubt that if Lisa had announced she was going to publicly burn him on a cross, you would all show up carrying gasoline. If any of you think he doesn't sti;; go home at night and read the LSD induced rantings of the blog world population, you are inhalinf for too long!
Anon 12:33,
Lisa's real political strategist is not BTNP, but Tom Severson.
Mad as Bats,
You defeat your own argument. You haven't forgotten what Angle said. Neither have most LV voters. He's safe in his district but he'd have a tough time seeking a county-wide office. He is still very damaged.
I don't think voters will forget this either.
Severson? The man who dances with the devil in a blue dress on a moonlit night? I'm not surprised.
Precision mud slinging is probably salivating at the thought od providing mud for all sides in the upcoming national elections.
Doesn't matter if we forget or not..She will never have a serious opponent in that district. Barring deathfrom natural or supernatural causes she will retire as a Pa. State Senator. I don't think she would have went after dent's seat either way but now it's not even a possibility...
i like the comment"hopefully she'll be opposed in the primary" none of you would ever consider voting on merit outside your party? your blind loyalty is their ticket to ride
Where the heck is PACleanSweep when a voter needs them?
Boscola is an embarrassment to democrats across the state. She has the moral compass that swings even lower than rick santorum - and we know what happened to him.
Even as a democrat, I am sure that her fellow sleezebags in Harrisburg, i.e., Vince "It's inconvenient to be under federal indictment" Fumo, will be very supportive of her.
Time for those of us who oppose the Boscola's within our party to stand up and take a stand against a p.o.s. like Kieklak.
can see it now,boscola gets canned by voters and ends up on spike tv's match of the decade..tonya harding vs lisa the will power......the mud will fly... both hot blonds...see it does get better than this
Mike Molovinsky,
Many of us are willing to vote outside our party. I know I do it.
But the reality is that the best way to beat Boscola and send a message is from within the Democratic party. It's a gerrymandered district, designed to protect a Dem. So a Dem would probably have the best shot.
by the way the goon that was tonyas former bodyguard who wacked nancy kerrigan in the knees went to anger management rehab, lost weight and his camel toe and is now color commentator on the fox network
Lisa Boscola is a moron. And the voting public votes for lots of types, but morons generally aren't one of them.
Boscola's opponent will say why should women vote for Lisa? Her COS hates women, called a bunch all sorts of horrible names, yet Lisa thinks she's a swell guy.
Talk about an enabler. A mysoginist working FOR a woman, and a woman defending him. WTF? The soccer moms don't identify with this.
The Muslims really want to vote for Boscola too. Slight problem is that's she's got a COS, whom she thinks is a swell guy, that wants to nuke the Middle East.
And we don't like legislators with no control. Under no circumstances should a COS of any elected official be posting on any blog or saying anything period outside what's required for the job.
Her re-election is going to be revolving around her decision making skills and defending her decision to keep her COS versus any relevant policy decisions or goals. It's going to look as bush league as it is now.
And she'll make Charlie Dent look like the less complicated, more sophsticated person for the office.
My friend Lisa is many things, moron is not one of them. Her loyalty to Bernie is one of those traditional values trumpeted by so many on this site, yet disparaged when exhibited by someone whom you disapprove. Scooter Libby will be pardoned for exposing a CIA covert agent's identity out of loyalty to a fellow traveler--read WSJ editorial page--Mr. Prez, do not leave your soldier behind!" However, most here except-another loyal soul, Larry K.--want to hang Lisa for being Lisa. She is loyal, perhaps to a fault, but is refreshing to see loyalty affirmed. Lisa gets 72% next time or she runs as an anti-tax; pro-US jobs; anti-Iraq war Dem and becomes the first woman elected-ever-from the 15th district. Run Lisa, Run.....
Anonymous said...
My friend Lisa is many things, moron is not one of them. Her loyalty to Bernie is one of those traditional values trumpeted by so many on this site, yet disparaged when exhibited by someone whom you disapprove"
Yes... she is loyal to Bernie Keiklak and not to the voters and Pennsylvania citizens who in a ten to one majority want that creap off our payroll. Why?
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