Rendell's security detail told to slow themselves down

Times Leader ^ | 8/26/2004 | RON LIEBACK

[Born Conservative]

HARRISBURG - State police announced Wednesday that troopers will obey the speed limit when driving and accompanying Gov. Ed Rendell on the highway.

State police made the change after launching an internal investigation in response to a newspaper report found that members of Gov. Ed Rendell's security detail frequently shattered the speed limit.

"Our troopers brought that (speeding) to the attention to the commander of the turnpike," said Jack Lewis, spokesman for the state police in Harrisburg. "And the Philadelphia Daily News became aware of it and made it public."

The Philadelphia Daily News reported in late March that state troopers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike had clocked Rendell's state-issued Cadillac DeVille at speeds of more than 100 mph nine times since November.

The internal investigation from the state police concluded that troopers exceeded the posted speed limit while transporting the governor on three occasions, and the lieutenant governor on three separate occasions on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

"We (state police) thought it was necessary to spell out a policy that states unless authorities are in a serious pursuit, they can't speed," Lewis said in a phone conversation. "We never had a policy to explain speeding with executive services."

Days after the story ran, Rendell acknowledged his car was driven at high speed, calling it "unconscionable" and promising that it would not happen again. On Tuesday, Rendell spokeswoman Kate Philips called the new policy fair.

Casey Jones, a Times Leader columnist, followed the governor's motor coach, Commonwealth One, with his Ford Escort two successive Fridays in April after Rendell's promise.

On April 23, Gov. Rendell's bus hit speeds of 82 in a 65 mph zone and 75 in a 55 mph zone on Interstate 81.

On April 30, the bus ran a temporary stop sign in a construction zone on the South Cross Valley Expressway on April 30, Jones reported. That same day, the motor coach traveled in the passing lane for 47 consecutive miles on the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Jones reported.

[blau993]

They don't call him "Fast Eddie" for nothing. LOL!

[Grampa Dave]

Since the ace reporter failed to note the political party of this lawbreaker, here is the data:

Wikipedia: Ed Rendell Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia's article on 'Ed Rendell' ... Edward G. Rendell, (b. January 5, 1944), a Democrat ...

[Born Conservative]

It's also worth mentioning his tenure as Chairman of the DNC during the Clinton years.

[Grampa Dave]

"It's also worth mentioning his tenure as Chairman of the DNC during the Clinton years."

So he is in the Al Ghorroid camp of "There is no controlling legal authority for elite liberals like me!"

[Buddy Ryan]

Randall considers Harrisburg, PA's capital, a backwards-ass crappy little city that is unworthy of his greatness. If he travels 100 miles an hour on the turnpike, he can make it back to Philadelphia in less than an hour. So he does it regularly. I hate this guy. He's a regular on the Eagles post-game show, which I would love to watch, but can't, because I can't stand to look at his fat head and listen to his amateur take on the games.