Dems to rally against lawmaker's 'treason'

[Junkdrawer]

State Democrats, still hung over from Republican maneuvering that may continue Rep. John Perzel's hold on the House speaker's chair, will hold rallies today in Reading and tomorrow in Harrisburg to highlight what they're calling the "political treason" of one of their own.

The rallies are billed as a show of "support for the will of the voters" by state Democratic Party Chairman T.J. Rooney, who called on Rep. Tom Caltagirone, a Reading Democrat, to vote for Greene County Democrat H. William DeWeese as speaker or resign.

Mr. Caltagirone announced over the weekend that he will support Mr. Perzel, a Republican who has held the speaker's gavel since March 2003, instead of Mr. DeWeese, whom he characterized as "petty" and "vindictive" in a letter he sent to fellow House Democrats.

"Caltagirone sold out to Perzel and the House Republicans," Mr. Rooney said. "He now has two options: He should remain in the Democratic fold, or resign his seat immediately and switch his political affiliation to Republican -- which he in essence has done with this decision -- and run for the seat during a special election."

...

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/07001/750447-85.stm

[bluerum]

1. Can't they have some kind of no confidence vote and run him out

of office like they did with Grey Davis in CA?

[Junkdrawer]

5. No recall elections in PA. The only hope is to catch him with his fingers in the cookiejar.

See my post below...

[Ian David]

2. I wonder which lobbyist told him he had to do this? n/t

[Kagemusha]

3. Sounds personal to me actually.

Avenging some perceived wrong from the past...

[Junkdrawer]

4. Soveriegn Bankcorp...

Penndems posted a great link to a blog that investigates the money links:

http://voicepa.blogspot.com/2007/01/representative-caltagirone-and-speaker.html

Basically Caltagirone, Republican Speaker Perzel, and Gov. Rendell are helping a bank's directors from being replaced by the stockholders.

Originally posted here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=3013626&mesg_id=3013933

[Ian David]

11. Bingo! We have a winner! n/t

[w4rma]

10. He's a lame duck, I think. I wonder if he has a golden parachute wating for him for this. (nt)

[Peace Patriot]

6. Does the state legislature have the same powers to seat its own members,

or impeach them, as Congress does?

In the CA-50 special election between Busby and Bilbray (after the highly corrupt Repub, Duke Cunningham, resigned and went off the prison), it appeared that Bilbray won, but there were many irregularities in the vote counting, which was highly non-transparent, and a challenge of the vote was in progress, when House Speaker Hastert whisked the Republican, Bilbray, off to DC to quickly swear him in. The opposition took that the court, and a lower CA court said that Congress's power to certify its own membership trumps any court's opinion of the election process. I don't agree with that ruling, and it was not tested on appeal (I think the case is now moot--but not sure). Anyway, that's the state of things now. Congress can trump an election. (--and, indeed, in a presidential election dispute, Congress can choose the president).

But what of state legislatures? (I don't have a clue as to the answer--I'm wondering if anybody here knows.)

I agree that Caltagirone's switch of parties is a big betrayal of the voters. What are the legal (as opposed to mere political) remedies?

I also understand that one of the big things at issue is the fight over election reform in the PA state legislature. Republicans need non-transparent elections to gain and keep power. A Dem majority will likely enact at least some election reform aimed at transparency--although in both state legislatures and Congress we have many Dems who are beholden to Diebold/ES&S and brethren, and/or are just plain corrupt and have sold away our right to vote for lavish lobbying perks and control of the "Help America Vote For War Act" billions. Still, any hope of reform (at least up until now) resides with the Dems and Dem control over election law. I'm wondering to what extent Caltagirone's corruption, and switch of parties, are connected to non-transparent, Bushite-corporate controlled electronic voting systems.

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. Caltagirone was reelected without opposition in November

[FredStembottom]

7. Go get him! No more of this in 2007!

Keep us posted - this is nationally important as we will all be facing (and acting against) the infiltration of the Dem party by neo-con moles this year.

Lead the way!:thumbsup: :hi:

[onehandle]

8. Since he can't be recalled, how Democratic is his district? ...

...and when is he up for re-election?

To pull shit like this, he better be really popular, and/or have a split or GOP leaning district.

[Junkdrawer]

9. He's planning on retiring after this term...

As I've said, catching him with his hand in the cookie jar is the only option. And, if Penndems link is correct (see post #4) that may mean exposing the Democratic Govenor Rendell.

Now, Rendell is on my "Hmmm List" for his support of no-voter-ballot voting machines. See:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=415288

[radfringe]

13. got a robo call last night about this

urged me to call/contact my rep to urge her to vote against Perzel..

my rep is a repub.. I did send off an e-mail to her, and a few others

any PA-DUer know if there's a "recall" provision?