Free Republic

HARRISBURG - Prosecutors have offered Rep. John M. Perzel of Philadelphia, the former speaker of the Pennsylvania House, a chance to testify before the so-called Bonusgate grand jury in what lawyers say is a sign that criminal charges may soon be filed against him. Perzel's former chief of staff, Brian Preski, and as many as 10 other current and former House Republican aides have received similar letters, according to lawyers with knowledge of the investigation.

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...

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...

In the beginning, experts gave it a week. Two, tops. Now, a state Supreme Court justice finds himself out of a job, and other incumbents in Harrisburg are left sweating over their political futures because of what pundits are calling a "populist insurrection." The anti-pay-raise movement that many had dismissed early on as a passing thunderstorm is developing into a Category 5 hurricane that threatens to uproot incumbents across the state next year. "Rome is burning, and the empire is crumbling," said State Rep. Thomas C. Petrone (D., Allegheny), who took the raise but later donated it to charities, including...

As the controversy over a pay raise for Pennsylvania lawmakers continues, a public relations event at a Pittsburgh elementary school this week turned out worse than state House speaker John Perzel of Philadelphia could have pictured -- literally. At the school event, Speaker Perzel again tangled with reporters over the pay raise (see related story) -- prompting a blistering editorial in Friday’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette saying the speaker’s “arrogance was on full display.” But to make matters worse, says Prof. Terry Madonna, political analyst and pollster at Franklin and Marshall College, a photograph (above right) published by another Pittsburgh newspaper, the...

About 1,500 protesters stood in a steady rain on the steps of the state Capitol this afternoon to demand that the legislators huddled inside repeal the 16 to 34 percent pay raise they approved for themselves in July. "We are revolting against the opulent lifestyle these people have given themselves with our money,'' Harrisburg radio talk show host Bob Durgin thundered. "Do you want to repeal the raise? Do you want to get rid of legislators' car leases? Are you angry?" he asked the crowd, which boomed back "YES!" to each question. Other speakers took to the microphone and got...

HARRISBURG, Pa. - A Pennsylvania House session was suspended for more than an hour Wednesday after a black lawmaker, upset by a white colleague's comments about ethnic groups, referred to him as a "cracker." The comments came during debate on a bill that would allow residents of communities governed by homeowners' associations to fly the American flag on their property, even if association rules prohibited them from doing so. Rep. Thomas Yewcic, who is white, said people shouldn't be ashamed to support the American flag. "If any ethnic group wants to fly ... a flag, and they're embarrassed to fly...