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Colleagues: Pa. House Switch is Revenge (GOP to Keep Control in Pa.)
The Philadelphia Inquirer via Philly.com ^ | Jan. 02, 2007 | Cynthia Burton

Posted on 01/02/2007 4:47:50 PM PST by Lancey Howard

READING - The story of why a Democrat from Reading decided to back Republican Rep. John Perzel's desperate bid to remain House speaker goes no deeper than revenge, according to some Democrats.

"It's personal, pure and simple," said State Rep. Dwight Evans (D., Phila.), explaining why a 30-year incumbent says he will turn his back on fellow Democrats, throw his lot in with the opposition, and help reelect Perzel today as speaker.

Democratic State Rep. Thomas Caltagirone, 64, thought he deserved a leadership job after the November election gave the Democrats a 102-101 majority, according to Evans and Rep. Greg Vitali, a Delaware County Democrat. The Democratic leader, Rep. Bill DeWeese of Greene County, disagreed.

(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: caltagirone; gregvitali; pennsylvania; perzel; thomascaltagirone

1 posted on 01/02/2007 4:47:51 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Lancey Howard

I seem to remember a similar situation in California a few years back when the GOP thought they had won the legislature only to find that one of their own was going to vote to keep Willie Brown as Speaker.


2 posted on 01/02/2007 4:49:22 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Mo1; OldFriend; Temple Owl; Jorge; randita; prisoner6

(( ping ))


3 posted on 01/02/2007 4:53:16 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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BUMP


4 posted on 01/02/2007 4:53:51 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Lancey Howard

When a Democrat supports a Republican it's revenge. When a Republican supports a Democrat it's principle. Get with the program gang!


5 posted on 01/02/2007 4:56:39 PM PST by appleharvey
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To: Lancey Howard

I don't think I'd start celebrating until the vote happens


6 posted on 01/02/2007 4:57:57 PM PST by Mount Athos
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To: Lancey Howard

This election for the Pa House of Reps. hinged on a Chester County race. The GOP candidate lost by 26 votes. The liberal faction of the committee worked behind the scenes to elect a Democrat. They stood up at an executive committee meeting and admitted it. They were in your face and proud of what they had done. They worked with Democrats to swing the election. The man that lost via the committe process was venomous in his hatred for the candidate. He initiated a website along with a few GOP cohorts that deep sixed the GOP by 26 votes. Elected committee people holding GOP jobs helped the Democrats win. It is time the Chester County Committee took control of the liberals and tossed them out. They are a cancer on the Pa. GOP


7 posted on 01/02/2007 4:58:26 PM PST by oldironsides
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To: Lancey Howard
Protester Kevin Hefty of West Reading said Democrats fairly won the House in the November election. Caltagirone, he said, was "stabbing us in the back."

Others said they were angry that a single man would overturn the will of voters, who put the House in Democratic hands.

Bet he didn't mind when Jeffords jumped ship for us though

8 posted on 01/02/2007 5:03:13 PM PST by packrat35 (guest worker/day worker=SlaveMart)
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To: Mount Athos
You wouldn't be implying a Rangell-style shakedown is in the works, would you?

What's the payoff? A plum appointment to a powerful committee? A leadership post? Or something simpler like cash or merchandise?

9 posted on 01/02/2007 5:07:01 PM PST by ZOOKER ( How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?)
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To: ZOOKER

I thought they said Dennis O'Brien won in an upset on the news today.


10 posted on 01/02/2007 5:16:25 PM PST by fatima
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To: oldironsides

I'm more concerned about ousting Pat Murphy and the other two 'veterans' from the eastern PA seats next election.


11 posted on 01/02/2007 5:22:55 PM PST by MSF BU
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To: MSF BU

Considering how the GOP ticket (Santorum & Swann) blundered badly in Penn, its amazing that the GOP still controls the legislature.

As for the House seats, we should get Sherwood's seat (Pa-10) back. It'll take some work to get back the Pa-04 and Pa-08. On the flip side with the 2006 success, the RATS are going to target Gerlach again and Charles Dent.


12 posted on 01/02/2007 6:53:37 PM PST by Kuksool (I learned more about political science on FR than in college)
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To: Owl_Eagle; brityank; Physicist; WhyisaTexasgirlinPA; GOPJ; abner; baseballmom; Mo1; Ciexyz; ...
O'Brien, who is also a Pub, did win.

Actually, I'm glad Perzel is out. He's a hack. I don't know much about O'Brien but he has to be better than Perzel or DeWeese, the Dem who was expected to have the post.

13 posted on 01/02/2007 6:58:56 PM PST by Tribune7 (Conservatives hold bad behavior against their leaders. Dims don't.)
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To: Temple Owl

ping


14 posted on 01/02/2007 6:59:17 PM PST by Tribune7 (Conservatives hold bad behavior against their leaders. Dims don't.)
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To: Tribune7

Yeah, I just heard this on KYW. They made it sound like the election of O'Brien was a Democrat "coup". O'Brien says he's not switching parties, but if the rats like him, I got bad vibes.

On the other hand, the GOP still has the state Senate 29 - 21, and that's a pretty staunch firewall against tax-raising and other crazy schemes the scumbag Democrats might come up with.


15 posted on 01/02/2007 7:14:30 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Lancey Howard
"Perzel, of the Mayfair section of Northeast Philadelphia, has been House speaker since 2003 and has refused to yield the position to Democrats despite the election"

It's so unRepublican like! Good for Perzel! : )

16 posted on 01/02/2007 8:12:08 PM PST by TAdams8591 ((Mary concieved without sin, pray for us!))
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To: Kuksool

Is the odious Patrick Murphy that tough to get rid of? You guys can't find a real veteran who's actually commanded some troops?


17 posted on 01/03/2007 4:22:39 AM PST by MSF BU
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To: Tribune7

Thanks for the ping.


18 posted on 01/03/2007 7:21:05 AM PST by GOPJ
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To: Lancey Howard

O'Brien is, after all, a Philly republican which makes him a democrat. He is no better than Perzel.

BTW - Philly Rep Youngblood's (D) life was threatened when she said she would vote for a republican. Her daughter, who was a PA state trooper lost her job. a Bullet through her car window. So much for the democrat brownshirts.


19 posted on 01/16/2007 12:01:33 PM PST by mombrown1 (PA Coordinator, Second Amendment Sisters)
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To: Lancey Howard

Revenge is usually best served cold, but in this case we'll take it steamy hot!


20 posted on 01/16/2007 12:05:56 PM PST by TRY ONE (NUKE the unborn gay whales!)
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