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Interviewed today after an event being held for senior citizens in Hempfield, Lancaster County, Republican candidate for Governor Tom Corbett, answered questions regarding comments he made on Friday July 9th as he went to door-to-door in Elizabethtown also in Lancaster County.   Scott Detrow of Pennsylvania Public Radio, which includes local affiliate WITF, recorded Corbett making several comments including the following:  “The jobs are there. But if we keep extending unemployment, people are just going to sit there …  I’ve literally had construction companies tell me, I can’t get people to come back to work until…they say, ‘I’ll come back to work when unemployment runs out.’”

“At the time I was responding to a specific question, I had been asked” Corbett said.  ”I didn’t communicate clearly enough that my answer was related to that specific question.  I never meant to appear insensitive to our state’s unemployed workers.”

Pointing out that Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate (as of May) was 9.1%, it’s highest since 1980 Corbett said  ”That kind of number doesn’t occur unless there is a serious problem.  We definitely need to develop better ways of connecting potential employers and employees.”  Corbett went on to repeat his own plan to alleviate unemployment in the state which is detailed on his campaign website:  TomCorbettforgovernor.com.

Dan Onorato, Corbett’s Democratic opponent, has used the comments to paint Tom Corbett who is currently the state’s Attorney General, as “out-of-touch” and someone who apparently has “…never met someone who is unemployed”.  At a press conference held this morning on the steps of the State Capitol, Onorato vigorously defended the state’s unemployed saying: “People are struggling to find work.  No one can convince me that people don’t have an incentive. The problem is that the jobs went away. We have to get the jobs back.”

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Lancaster County Republican Chairman Craig Ebersole sent out an e-mail today to Committee Chairpersons saying he will not seek re-election to that post when they hold their reorganizational meeting on June 29, 2010.   Ebersole cites potential conflicts of interest that may present themselves as he makes decisions relative to his professional and political future.   Craig Ebersole is currently finishing his second term as Lancaster County’s Treasurer.  He will be eligible for re-election in November of 2011.

Craig Ebersole was elected to the role as chief county Republican on February 17, 2009, filling the unexpired term of former Chairman Dave Dumeyer.  Dumeyer had expressed the desire to not run for re-election in 2008, however in order to keep party continuity throughout that years Presidential election, he committed to stay in place temporarily.

Deep divisions within the county Republican party and the fact that Rep. Sam Rohrer instead of endorsed candidate Attorney General Tom Corbett won Lancaster County in the Governor’s Primary are seen as possible factors motivating Ebersole’s decision.

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Primary Election Could Be the “Perfect Storm”

05.18.2010

What could become a political “perfect storm” appears to be lining up in Pennsylvania’s Gubernatorial Primary Election. Statewide, chilling rain and increasing voter apathy has meant that voter turnout, which is normally low is primaries, is even lower than average. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette & the Philadelphia Inquirer are both reporting lighter than average voter turnout [...]

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Veon Trial Over–Verdict is in

03.22.2010

Mike Veon —  Guilty 14 of 59 charges (includes:  5 counts Conflict of Interest, 2 counts of Conspiracy, 3 counts of Theft by Deception, 2 counts of Theft of State Services) Stephen Keefer —  Not Guilty all charges (16) Annmarie Perretta-Rosepink — Guilty 5 of 22 charges (2 counts Conflict of Interest, 2 counts of [...]

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Democrat Mike Sturla to face challenger in the 96th District

02.08.2010

State Representative Mike Sturla (D-96 Lancaster City) will face a challenger as he seeks his 11th term.  Republican Tom Garman has sent “Letters of Intent” to Republican committee members announcing he will run for the seat.  More information will be posted as it becomes available.

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Cutler, Denlinger & Krieger call for part-time legislature

01.20.2010

State Representatives Bryan Cutler (R-100 Peach Bottom), Gordon Denlinger (R-99 Ephrata) & Tim Krieger (R-57 Delmont) have introduced HB1554 which would make full-time state legislators part-time. In a press release issued earlier today, the combined representatives said that this legislation “should be the first step toward reform”. “One clear path to tangible reform is switching to [...]

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The Governor’s Race: A Primary Analysis

01.14.2010

REPUBLICANS: The race for Governor just took an interesting turn with Republican Congressman Jim Gerlach’s decision to leave the race.  His withdrawal would appear to benefit his Primary challenger, sitting state Attorney General, Tom Corbett. Gerlach’s campaign had raised just over $1,000,000, not viewed as enough to be considered a viable candidate.  Additionally, he had weak [...]

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Brett Miller will run for State Representative in the 41st District

01.10.2010

From: The Lancaster Express Brett Miller, 48, a Warwick Middle School Guidance Counselor & East Hempfield Supervisor will challenge Lancaster County Clerk of Courts, Ryan Aument in the Republican Primary for the State Representative seat in the 41st District. The seat is currently held by Representative Katie True who is retiring after serving 4 terms. [...]

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