Today I wanted to share with you all a blog post from my campaign manager, Vincent Rongione, that he published on my website. Vince talks about some of the systemic problems with my Republican opponent's nominating petitions and the many questions that have so far gone unanswered. If you've missed the petition scandal story so far, check out the Philadelphia Daily news article, Petition fraud could give Meehan a bad name, or this Delco Times editorial asking Meehan to step up and explain himself.
Special blog post by Vince Rongione, Campaign Manager
The problems associated with Pat Meehan's petitions continue to snowball (That link will take you to a PDF explaining many of the issues with the petitions) . So do the unanswered questions associated with this scandal:
- “If we learn of any other apparent improprieties, my campaign will be certain to notify your office immediately.” --Pat Meehan’s letter to District Attorney Mike Green, March 10, 2010
Since this letter, there have been numerous news articles in which additional forgeries were confirmed, a circulator confessed to having signed circulator affidavits for petitions he did not circulate, and further questionable activity was detailed. Has the Meehan campaign taken action on any of these revelations? Has the office of the District Attorney or the office of the Attorney General been notified that the petition problems extend well beyond the twenty petitions they were given and the four signatures the Meehan campaign identified?
- "The [Meehan] campaign is in the process of drafting a letter to the Pennsylvania Department of State." --“Meehan asks D.A. to investigate his ballot petitions (Updated)”, PA2010.com, March 11, 2010
The Meehan campaign told political news site PA2010.com that they were in the process of drafting a letter about the forgeries to the Pennsylvania Department of State, the department that oversees and ensures the integrity of the electoral process in Pennsylvania. This was nearly four weeks ago—where is the letter? Has the Department of State been informed? Why did Meehan tell the media he was going to notify more agencies if he didn’t have any intention of doing so?
- James Colins told the Court that he would withdraw the McNichol petitions because John F. McNichol, Sr. was not the circulator. When did Colins and the Meehan campaign become aware of this? Will they withdraw the 684 Summers signatures as well? What other petitions will they voluntarily withdraw based on clear evidence that the circulator was different? The Tom Judge petitions? Tim Cosgrove? Jamie Mariano? "Kathleen" Ryan?