Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
▼
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Morganelli Endorses Kathleen Kane for AG
At an October 15 news conference, Northampton County DA John Morganelli endorsed fellow Democrat Kathleen Kane for Attorney General. This former Scranton prosecutor is opposed by Republican David Freed. The latest polls give her a 5% edge, but 37% are still undecided.
In addition to her obvious experience, Morganelli likes her vision for the AG's office, particularly when it comes to her focus on child abuse investigations. He contrasted her proactive views with those of then Attorney General Tom Corbett, whose office in 2009 was investigating child abuse allegation against PSU Assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. According to Morganelli, Corbett "dragged his feet, allowing Mr. Sandusky to be out there, with other potential young victims, for a period of two years and eight months."
Morganelli claimed Kane, if elected, would put a "big flashlight" on the Sandusky investigation. In addition, she would fight to give local prosecutors more tools to take child predators off the street.
Having run for the office himself, Morganelli claimed the AG's office needs "sweeping changes." He noted that, in thirty years, there has never been a Democratic Attorney General.
"It's amazing that this office has been controlled by one party, and it's just constantly rehashing the same people over and over in various positions," said Morganelli.
Thanking Morganelli, Kane vowed to be "an independent prosecutor that we can trust, who is not a part of the good ol' boy network in Harrisburg, and who we can trust to uncover the truth."
"I am an independent voice," stated Kane, with the piercing eyes of a veteran prosecutor. "I am not beholden to any political party and I am not beholden to any politician, and I will get the right things done for the right reason. The Attorney General's office is an independent agency, and it needs to remain that way."
"It's time to open up the window, and let the sun shine in that place," Kane told me after her news conference.
In addition to extending the statute if limitation for child abuse prosecutions, Kane advocates a requirement that police, in addition to child protective services, be notified of suspected cases of child abuse.
33 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
If she's cool by Morgy - avoid her like AIDS. Endorsements are very helpful.
ReplyDeleteendorsement by jm is the kiss of death
ReplyDeleteAnything that ups her name recognition is good..The reason that there are so many undecideds in this race is that folks have no idea who the candidates are..
ReplyDeleteI liked her. We tend to like coal crackers here in NC.
ReplyDeleteIf bad hair boy is soooooo ardent in defense of children, why did he assign that goofy ADA and basically punt when a gooned up coach OJ "defended" himself against that 16 year old a couple of years ago.
ReplyDeleteHigh profile case, why didn't he nail it down himself?
This is just grandstanding. He had the chance to walk the walk, now talks the talk. Morganelli shouldn't be throwing stones from that glass house he lives in.
-Clem
Clem, First, I have no idea what you are talking about. Second, Morganelli does not shy away from high profile cases, and handles most murder prosecutions himself. He is, and has been a front line prosecutor. I can criticize him for lots of things, and often do, but not for that.
ReplyDeletehttp://articles.mcall.com/2008-08-04/news/4158591_1_whitehall-sweeney-post-game-melee
ReplyDelete-Clem
She's certainly attractive. Damn.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting race because both Kane and Freed are decent choices. Freed is a county DA. Kane was an assistant county DA.
While it'll probably come down to party loyal level pulling, because most people don't care abut this particular election, it's going to be hard for Kane to break that Republican lock on the post in a year when Republicans are going to come out to vote in larger numbers than they did in 2008.
I see. The Melosky case. So bc you disagree with how the DA's office handled that case and the verdict ultimately reached, you therefore conclude that Kathleeen Kane would make a terrible AG. Compelling ogic there, Clem.
ReplyDeleteHere's a dose of reality. Morganelli is, unlike most DAs, a front-line prosecutor. He does not sit behind a desk and shuffle papers, but actually goes out there and tries cases in addition to all the administrative work. He tries murder cases, which strike me as a tad more high profile than a football game assault.
Morganelli is one of the first DAs in this state to establish a sexual crimes unit for chiild sex crimes, which is ably headed by Pat Brosius.
I think your argument with Morganelli is that he is a Democrat. If he were a Republican, you'd be singing his praises from the mountaintops.
I agree that Morganelli opens himself up to criticism, especially when he gets political. But using the Meloskuy case is bullshit. If that is the best you can do, better quit.
That Morganelli can take communion at OLPH (just after responding "Lord hear our prayer" to a petition asking God to give us leaders who respect innocent life from conception to natural death) then endorse a radical pro-abortion candidate is disgusting. He should choke on his wafer. Panella's pastor made this clear at St. Janes two years ago. Free political thought is a wonderful thing. Using church as your political prop is the lowest. Pro-life voters rejected Panella and should reject Kane and Morganelli's endorsement.
ReplyDelete"She's certainly attractive. Damn."
ReplyDeleteWe're not supposed to notice such things, but she is quite striking.
12:15, I think it's ridiculous to judge a candidate for any office based on his or her position on one issue. And when it comes to abortion, which is such a personal matter, I find it even more ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteThough I oppose abortion, I would never suggest to a woman what she should or should not do with her body. Awfully presumptuous, don't you think? Do I honestly think that a woman who makes a decision to terminate her pregnancy is a ruthless murderer? No. I find that mind set to be divisive.
No, I didn't conclude anything about Kane, nor Freed for that matter. Don't know who is better, I have a lot of catching up to do before I flip the lever for either one.
ReplyDeleteI commented on Morganelli's endorsement and the irony of it and the criticism (which will prve valid, I think) of Corbett considering how the DA handled that case involving a child victim.
Who would argue murder cases aren't of the highest profile? Nice strawman, there.
Teacher assault on kids cases may not be murder cases, but they are still VERY important. Public trust and all that, make sure to protect kids going forward, you know, all that silly stuff. The case deserved a higher level of effort and skill, at a minimum.
-Clem
In perswon, she looks like a dude with a wig. Not all that attractive but to Bernie, who knows.
ReplyDeleteIt would be wonderful to have a Democrat in the AG's office and properly investigate the Republican Senate's role in the Bonusgate scandal...it also would be interesting to find out why Corbett had a dozen agents investigating the House Democrats, but only 1 investigating Sandusky while he continued to molest children...hopefully, if Kane is successfull, she'll look into these important questions.
ReplyDeleteGreat point 4:17,
ReplyDeleteCorbett put the Dems away and left the Republicans get away with the same crap..It would be great to finish that investigations..A lot of Republicans are probably scared to death that she's up in the polls..Hope it lasts!
She's got my vote. Man, she's worth making sure you vote on election day. Anyone who says that they are not a part of the good old boy network is worth a try. Let's see how long it lasts, though.
ReplyDeleteHave dealt with Kane Transportation for two decades. She's sharp. Sharper than her very smart old man. She's virulently anti-union, like dad, and has done a tremendous job growing her company by keeping costs in line and KEEPING UNIONS OUT. Surprised she got the Democrat nod. She's Romney, but more cut throat.
ReplyDelete"Though I oppose abortion,"
ReplyDeleteWhy do you oppose abortion? Do you consider it the taking of an innocent life? I can't imagine another reason to oppose it.
I'm personally opposed to murder. But if my angry and well armed neighbor decides he's had enough of the noisy kids who cut through his yard, that's his business.
I'm pro-choice. Same as every deadbeat dad who's left a minority grandkid to adopt. Everybody gets equal choice.
It's important for Catholics, who are no longer a Democrat lock, to understand the blind-eye, or worse, positions of the politicians who wink at them on the way to Communion, and ask for the votes of their fellow parishioners. Panella tried to slip by and was caught and called on it. I know you hate that people still vote life above all other issues. Science and whiz-bang prenatal imaging are changing hearts of the younger generation in a big way, according to recent surveys. It's why women are abandoning Democrats. They've been reduced to their private parts by a party that assumes all think alike.
Was there a rumor that people in a gracedale parking lot wearing green shirts with afscme for obama on them stopping cars to handing out literature today?
ReplyDeleteMorganelli goes easy on illegal political activities involving local unions that support him. They get a few extra rights. It's cool.
ReplyDelete624 pm: is the sky a pretty color in your world? Because you are completely detached from this reality.
ReplyDelete6:24,
ReplyDeleteYou're crazy.
J Panella (not) - unsuccessful candidate for statewide office
6:24,
ReplyDeleteI like the shot about minority grandchildren. What a nice person you must be.
I oppose abortion bc I consider any choice against life to be wrong. It's why I also oppose the death penalty.
But except in my fantasies, a woman should have a little more to say about what she is doing with her own body than I.
"Was there a rumor that people in a gracedale parking lot wearing green shirts with afscme for obama on them stopping cars to handing out literature today?"
ReplyDeleteThen they were handing them out to people who, if they vote at all, were going to vote for him anyway.
Stop lying O'Hare. You have caught at it too many times.
ReplyDeleteI dd not post the accusation, but if true, it strikes me as a colossal waste of time.
ReplyDeleteHey, when you going to post about the Supreme Court ruling on the Angle Will?
ReplyDeleteWhy is this news? Morganelli is a Democrat. Has he ever in his over 20 years as an elected Democrat ever endorsed a Republican?
ReplyDeleteI believe he has, over the years, endorsed Rs.
ReplyDeleteAbout a month ago, I was constantly seeing commercials paid for by a Republican leadership group, bashing Kane for going easy on a rapist. It showed a white van pulling up to some "could be anybody's daughter" walking along the sidewalk. Effective use of "fear" propaganda technique. Counter to that, I did not see a single pro-Freed commerical saying why I should vote for him. Then the story comes out that the real-life father of the rape victim said that commerical was a lie, and they were pulled. If the only thing the GOP can put up for Atty General is based on a lie rather than touting the strengths of Freed....well that says a lot I suppose as to why Morganelli endorsed the stronger candidate.
ReplyDeleteNot since he started running for state offices every two years.
ReplyDeleteMorganelli is an ethical oil slick. His endorsement of Kane is a perfect match. He doesn't like her, but they are kindred spirits. It also kills John that she's a foot taller.
ReplyDeleteShe's a seasoned and brutal union crusher, however. She can't be all bad.