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Divernan

(15,480 posts)
Thu May 8, 2014, 05:28 PM May 2014

Dem.Rep. Readshaw's daughter tries to run over Planned Parenthood demonstrators.

Due to redistricting, Readshaw is running in the primary against another sitting Democratic state representative. After reading this account I hope anyone in this House District will support his primary opponent, Erin Molchany.

The article details how Readshaw often votes with the Republican caucus. I saw this when I worked for the Dem. Caucus in the state house for 10 years - 1993 to 2003. Readshaw was one of a quartet of Democratic state reps - forerunners of the Blue Dogs - who repeatedly sold their block of 4 votes to the Republican caucus leadership to either block Dem. initiatives, or support GOP ones. The other 3 were Joe Markosek of Monroeville, Ralph Kaiser, and Dave Mayernik. The latter two were eventually pushed out of office in 2002, by Dem. leadership, when districts were re-drawn. Markosek through his seniority is now in leadership so he's behaving himself.

http://voices.yahoo.com/advocates-protest-readshaws-record-womens-health-12647058.html?cat=17

Part One: Assaulting Women's Health Care Rights

Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates PAC organized the event. More than two dozen activists and constituents demonstrated at Readshaw's (D-Allegheny County) Pittsburgh office for 31 minutes, representing his 31 repressive votes against women's reproductive health. A handful of constituents spoke against his extreme record of compelling government to interfere with women's personal health care decisions and its harm to their lives. The crowd included members of Organizing for America, the National Organization for Women, the Mon Valley Unemployed Committee, Service Employees International Union, and supporters of Erin Molchany, his primary election opponent.

Readshaw has represented Pennsylvania's 36th legislative district since 1995 and calls himself a Democrat. But he's joined with PA Republican Governor Tom Corbett and the GOP in 38 other states to pass unconstitutional restrictions on abortion, prohibit private insurance coverage for abortions, mandate oppressive building code and staffing standards for abortion clinics, and more. In 2011, he introduced a bill which would have required any woman seeking an abortion to undergo a medically useless ultrasound procedure, and would have forced the woman to view that ultrasound image against her will. It's all part of the Republican Party's campaign against women's health.

We demonstrated to bring attention to Readshaw's abysmal record of callous disregard for women's health and women's rights.


Part Two: Assaulting Women's Health Care Advocates

I've been to hundreds of demonstrations in my lifetime. This began as a pretty standard event. We circled the sidewalk in front of Readshaw's office until a woman in a large SUV backed up along the curb, nearly hitting some protestors and reporters. Jeanne Clark, a longtime Pittsburgh activist, walked to the driver's window and said "Stop. There are people behind you." The driver said "You don't care about killing babies", and she did it again. Deliberately. She sat in the car screeching "Abortion is murder." Apparently, she doesn't have a problem with vehicular homicide or critical injury. Pro-life my ass.

We learned that the woman is Megan Readshaw Perfetti, Harry Readshaw's DAUGHTER.
Perfetti is a health teacher and coordinates the health education curriculum for the Pittsburgh Public Schools. I guess she doesn't think women need health care.

Before the event even began, a man from the business next door strongly objected to our presence. He shouted that he was calling the police. No one cared, since we were protesting legally. A Pittsburgh Police car arrived a few minutes later, after Perfetti's stunt, and sat in a parking space across the street. Perfetti walked over to talk to the officer. I don't know what they discussed, since she was clearly the only person committing a crime at the time, but the officer never left his car. He drove away as the event ended.

During the entire demonstration, the nasty neighbor tried valiantly to trip several of us, including me, with his broom while "sweeping the sidewalk" where we were walking. When I took his picture during one confrontation, he grabbed my camera, which was on a strap around my neck. He let go and slunk away when I shouted at him.

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Dem.Rep. Readshaw's daughter tries to run over Planned Parenthood demonstrators. (Original Post) Divernan May 2014 OP
For those of us who may have a florin to spare for Erin, genwah May 2014 #1
I always opposed Readshaw. Mc Mike May 2014 #2
Readshaw won: Freddie Stubbs May 2014 #3

Mc Mike

(9,106 posts)
2. I always opposed Readshaw.
Sun May 11, 2014, 08:38 AM
May 2014

Our part of the 19th ward just got re-districted out of Rep. Molchany's district, back into Deasey's (Petrone's old district), so can't vote for Molchany over Readshaw. But I hope she beats him.

I just wish that she wasn't so close to Coghill, who is trying to bump off Wagner as head of the 19th ward Dem Committee, again. We're the second biggest Dem ward in Pgh., and there would be no benefit to the Dem party to have the ward run by a know-nothing teabag wiseguy like Coghill.

Freddie Stubbs

(29,853 posts)
3. Readshaw won:
Wed May 21, 2014, 01:45 PM
May 2014

Readshaw defeats Molchany in state House battle of two incumbents in the South Hills

In a race that pitted two incumbents against each other in a redrawn South Hills district, veteran state Rep. Harry Readshaw prevailed to clinch the Democratic nomination for the 36th district, besting a freshman lawmaker who faced long odds with neither the name recognition nor the longtime constituents on her side.

State Rep. Erin Molchany, whose district will be eliminated, was easily held off in the Democratic primary for the realigned 36th District. The new district was composed largely of Mr. Readshaw's old one, which he has represented for the last two decades.

The new district includes Mount Washington, where Ms. Molchany lives, but extends to Carrick, Mr. Readshaw's base, and reaches outside the city to Brentwood and Baldwin Borough, where the victor held his election party Tuesday night.

Mr. Readshaw, 72, acknowledged his numerical edge over Ms. Molchany.

more: http://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-local/2014/05/20/Readshaw-defeats-Molchany-in-state-House-battle-of-two-incumbents-in-the-South-Hills/stories/201405200211

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