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Friday, February 19, 2016
State Auditor Gen'l: Using Campaign Funds For Lawyers Should Be Illegal
Calling our arcane state campaign finance laws a "joke," State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said they need to be reformed to impose contributions limits and bar the use of campaign funds to pay lawyers. Currently, at least three elected officials are using campaign funds to pay for lawyers. The include U.S. Congressman Chaka Fattah, Attorney General Kathleen Kane and Allentown Mayor Edwin Pawlowski.
16 comments:
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Pioneers, one and all.
ReplyDeleteUnderstandably it annoys when pols use these funds to pay for criminal defense lawyers, but consider whether this practice is reasonable or even necessary when pols need to hire lawyers to defend against frivolous civil actions that arise from them doing their jobs or from a civil plaintiff's political agenda, or to hire criminal defense lawyers to protect themselves against overzealous prosecutors. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
ReplyDeleteLawyers write the laws
ReplyDeleteI don't believe they will cut themselves off from crooked politicians money
If it is unlawful to use campaign funds for personal use, How can it be lawful to use these funds for personal lawyers, if a politician has a suit brought for actions as a mayor or otherwise that are part of their legitimate duties, they are covered by the lawyers of the city or have immunity. This is obviously unlawful to anyone with any common sense, but with the stacking of the courts in Pennsylvania, I doubt if we will see any correct interpretation of the law.
ReplyDeleteRay Nemeth, good point about immunity but what about a politician who is not elected? I'm specifically thinking about a candidate who has to defend against petition challenges or other civil actions arising from a campaign, such as a defamation lawsuit.
ReplyDeletewhen the lawyers and the politicians write/create these laws, they already know what the loopholes are before these laws are even on the books.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that should be illegal is a donation that a candidate uses to give to another candidate under his/her name.
ReplyDeleteCompletely off topic, im sorry. But last night I was watching the Philly news and saw this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/investigations/voter-fraud-ghost-voting-harrisburg-369312361.html
yup, they interview Schlossturd.
Tisk, tisk. O'Hare the Sensationalist gets in Molovinsky's face over the Hamilton Street murder. You are a real piece of work, pal. Please continue to tug at heart strings all day long and play all your other phony BO-BS games.
ReplyDeleteBernie,
ReplyDeleteMy crystal ball on the propogated area agenda and those that speaketh with forked toungue about inocent indigent childrens blood level lead count is a diversionary taktic to incubate the Bronx NY effect of the 80's and 90's¿!)$ These tactics of the notorious hamilton street gang o thugs wiil have said monies to be misappropreated again from the FEDS as well as the incubated and nutured criminallity that infects the parts of the city they have chosen with the grant grab get to give back plus the campaign contributions from allowable criminal activites allowable under home school charter law¿!)$
With knowledge of lead line feed from main on a main street artery never RePlaced, but overlaid in a cover up process palumpasiZed with some hokispokis put to print as being worth toilet paper use, but that might agrivate the game, caining of the boilZ¿!)$
redd for Republican
patent pendin
7.18, these may be a proper use of funds, but the people in question are defending criminal offenses not civil actions that are part of a campaign.
ReplyDeleteThe State Without Limits
ReplyDelete"your other phony BO-BS games."
ReplyDeleteMr. O'Hare, as a resident of the City of Allentown and the 132nd State House District, I thank you for your phony BO-BS games. While our traditional media fails us, you are investigating meaningful political issues in a intelligent and non-partisan fashion and I appreciate your efforts!
Bernie - Did anyone ever tell you that you look like Pavlov-ski? Is he related? Step-brother? Is this relationship the reason for your animus? Does he smell like you?
ReplyDelete"Tisk, tisk. O'Hare the Sensationalist gets in Molovinsky's face over the Hamilton Street murder. You are a real piece of work, pal. Please continue to tug at heart strings all day long and play all your other phony BO-BS games. "
ReplyDeleteYou are OT =, not that it matters to a troll. But let me disabuse you of the notion that I ass in MM's face. I completely agreed with MM, and just sent a comment clarifying that sentiment. Thanks.
I don't mind crooked pols using the money of their sycophant donors. I'm glad when they use it all. The use of sycophants' money to keep their boy or girl out of the hoosegow, instead of keeping them in office, is rather delicious to watch. It also keeps needy lawyers in wingtips. Justice will eventually prevail and nobody will have been harmed but the idiots who donated to politicians they likely knew were crooks.
ReplyDelete