Pennsylvania Senate: Kukovich headed for loss in Westmoreland; Pippy wins

[Freddie Stubbs]

Wednesday, November 03, 2004

By Rebekah Scott, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



Democrat Allen Kukovich, a fixture in Harrisburg for the past 27 years, was headed for a loss last night in a hard-fought race for Pennsylvania's 39th District Senate seat in Westmoreland County.

Kukovich, who served two terms in the state Senate preceded by years in the state House, did not comment last night, but his opponent, Republican challenger Bob Regola, said he was enjoying himself.

"It sure looks like I'm pulling it off," he said. "I'm doing just great, enjoying the fun."

Both parties spent the last few months and hundreds of thousands of dollars on billboards, campaign mailers and broadcast spots, each blasting the character and actions of the other candidate.

more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04308/405852.stm

[bleedingheart]

1. Kukovich was a great legislator, this was a travesty.

[anti_shrub]

2. Bought and paid for by Scaife

Another election paid for by RMS.

Yet all the right wingers say is how bad Soros is.....

[demodonkey]

3. Fight back. Take a little swipe at Scaife and his Filthy Trib

Scranton area TV -- Tribune-Review "lost battle and won war" against Allen Kukovich:
http://www.wnep.com/Global/story.asp?S=2515652

When the Tribune-Review sued Allen Kukovich, among other things they claimed that he caused their newspaper a loss of goodwill. WRONG! By smearing Allen and costing us a great legislator, The Trib just blew all the goodwill they ever gained in the last 40 years as far as I'm concerned!

Fight back for Allen (God knows he did plenty for us over the years!) and for the sake of what's right: Start by boycott of Tribune-Review. Just don't buy that paper. Heck here at my house we only buy it for the local obits anyway. If you subscribe to the T-R -- cancel. If they ask why, tell them the truth. Smearing a good man has consequences.

Buy the Post-Gazette instead, it's a nice newspaper. If you end up subscribing to them, tell them why also. They gave Allen Kukovich an excellent endorsement and I'm sure that they would like to know that people noticed.

Don't support any of Scaife's other media outlets. You can get a list on the pittsburghlive.com website. AND use up Dickie Scaife's bandwidth at the same time.

Finally, if you patronize any T-R advertisers, let them know how you feel about the way Allen Kukovich was smeared. If they continue to advertise with Scaife's media, cut back or avoid business with them. If someone supports dirty politics, DON'T support them. (My mother did this successfully w/a couple of local advertisers years ago who sponsored Rush Limbaugh on KDKA, eventually they dropped their ads.)

Will losing a few newspaper sales or advertisers hurt Dickie Scaife? No. But it might help keep the spotlight on the crap he pulled in this election.

Will have to post more later. I'm just so angry about this race. Regola's & Scaife's campaign against Allen Kukovich was so FILTHY DIRTY!

[PA Democrat]

4. I canceled our subscription to the Trib years ago

I am FURIOUS after hearing about how they went after Kukovich. Regola is Scaife's filthy little WHORE.

There is an article in today's Post Gazette about this race. My husband read a few selected quotes by Regola that made me sick. I don't have the stomach to read it right now, but I will, and I intend to write a LTTE.

I got what must have been the 30th piece of filthy smear trash literature from Regola yesterday which depicted him and the TR as the victim of Kukovich's attacks. The return address was the PA Republican headquarters.

I am so ANGRY. I looked up the phone number of the whore Regola's business and left a message on his answering machine. I said that despite my NUMEROUS attempts to inform his campaign to STOP mailing me the filthy lies about Kukovich, they continued to do so, and I have had it. I left my name and told them if I receive another piece of mail from him, I will call his home. I asked if his children were proud of their father's despicable filthy campaign. And he lectures about "values"? What "value" is there in being Scaife's paid whore, going about doing the work of a greedy, evil bastard?

[demodonkey]

5. OMG -- You got this AFTER the election???

<<I got what must have been the 30th piece of filthy smear trash literature from Regola yesterday which depicted him and the TR as the victim of Kukovich's attacks. The return address was the PA Republican headquarters.>>

I honestly think Allen is the one who has grounds to sue!!!

He probably won't, he's too much of a gentleman to wrestle with a pig, but if he does I sure as hell won't blame him.

:grr:

[PA Democrat]

6. Yes, I got it yesterday.

It was like rubbing salt in the wound.

[demodonkey]

7. I met a couple of other people who got them yesterday...

Hmmmm... Did you save it? Check the postmark? Maybe old Bob and/or the PA GOP can get an election campaign rule violation against them or something. I don't think you are allowed to mail out AFTER the election (required to mail in time for all stuff to arrive on or before the vote, something like that).

You are in Westmoreland, right? Call the courthouse tomorrow, ask for the Election Bureau (Paula Pedicone is in charge). Tell her you are still getting Regola flyers AFTER the election and want to lodge a formal complaint.

Won't change the result, but complaints lodged against Regola's dirty campaign may help vindicate Allen should Allen decide to run for something else!

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. It's not illegal to mail campaign materials late

It's certainly a waste of money, but not illegal. BTW, you probably should get used to getting mail from Regola. He is a vulnerable incumbent, so you will probably be getting all kinds of 'legislative newsletters' telling you how hard Regola is working for you. But now it will be on the taxpayers' dime.

[bleedingheart]

9. well he already announced his nepotism and graft ideas

he wants to give his dad his old job and he wants to work on construction and road project committees ...very convenient since his dad owns a construction company.

We will keep a very close eye on him.

[demodonkey]

10. Read up about Regola's "company"

http://www.PAvotersfortruth.com


Regola not a "construction" company... MAYBE a surveyor... but he has claimed "civil engineering" -- WTF??????

Regola has done pretty crappy work no matter what he is.

Read the whole site (not long).

[demodonkey]

11. Right -- and he Accused Allen Kukovich of doing EXACTLY that...

implied Allen was somehow dishonest for sending them.

I thought Regola is for NO WASTEFUL SPENDING. The first mailer "Senator" Regola sends out, cry hypocrite! Every media in Western PA should get hit with calls, LTTE, etc.


<<you will probably be getting all kinds of 'legislative newsletters' telling you how hard Regola is working for you. But now it will be on the taxpayers' dime.>>

[demodonkey]

12. Not Illegal to Mail Materials late?

Do you have copy of actual campaign regulations? Maybe I'm wrong but I seriously don't think you can mail electioneering stuff out before or after a certain date.

And it is never illegal to file a complaint against harassment. The huge number of Regola flyers and phone calls we got at my house, I would consider it harassment.

[Dropkick]

13. PA state law re: Harassment by communication

Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes
CRIMES AND OFFENSES (TITLE 18)
CHAPTER 55. RIOT, DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND RELATED OFFENSES

§ 5501. Riot.
§ 5502. Failure of disorderly persons to disperse upon official order.
§ 5503. Disorderly conduct.
§ 5504. Harassment and stalking by communication or address.
§ 5505. Public drunkenness.
§ 5506. Loitering and prowling at night time.
§ 5507. Obstructing highways and other public passages.
§ 5508. Disrupting meetings and processions.
§ 5509. Desecration of venerated objects.
§ 5510. Abuse of corpse.
§ 5511. Cruelty to animals.
§ 5511.1. Live animals as prizes prohibited.
§ 5511.2. Police animals.
§ 5512. Lotteries, etc.
§ 5513. Gambling devices, gambling, etc.
§ 5514. Pool selling and bookmaking.
§ 5515. Prohibiting of paramilitary training.
§ 5516. Facsimile bombs.
§ 5517. Unauthorized school bus entry.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

§ 5504. Harassment and stalking by communication or address.
(a) Harassment by communication or address.--A person commits the crime of harassment by communication or address when, with intent to harass, annoy or alarm another, the person:

communicates to or about such other person any lewd, lascivious, threatening or abscene words, language, drawings or caricatures; or
communicates repeatedly in an anonymous manner;
communicates repeatedly at extremely inconvenient hours; or
communicates repeatedly in a manner not covered by paragraph (2) or (3).

(a.1) Stalking by communication or address.--A person commits the crime of stalking by communication or address when the person engatges in a course of conduct or repeatedly communicates to another under circumstances which demonstrate or communicate either of the following:

An intent to place such other person in reasonable fear of bodily injury.
An intent to cause substantial emotional distress to such other person.

(b) Venue.--Any offense committed under subsection (a) or (a.1) may be deemed to have been committed at either the place at which the communication or communications were made or at the place where the communication or communications were received.

(c) Grading.--

An offense under subsection (a) shall constitute a misdemeanor of the third degree.
Except as set forth under paragraph (3) or (4), an offense under subsection (a.1) shall constitute a misdemeanor of the first degree.
A second or subsequent offense under subsection (a.1) shall constitute a felony of the third degree.
A first offense under subsection (a.1) if the person has been previously convicted of any crime of violence involving the same victim, family or household members, including, but not limited to, a violation of section 2701 (relating to simple assault), 2702 (relating to aggravated assault), 2705 (relating to recklessly endangering another person), 2709 (relating to harassment and stalking), 2901 (relating to kidnapping), 3121 (relating to rape), 3123 (relating to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse) or 3124.1 (relating to sexual assault), an order issued under section 4954 (relating to protective orders) or an order issued under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6108 (relating to relief), shall constitute a felony of the third degree.

(d) False reports.--A person who knowingly gives false information to any law enforcement officer with the intent to implicate another under this section commits an offense under section 4906 (relating to false reports to law enforcement authorities).

(e) Application of section.--This section shall not apply to conduct by a party to a labor dispute as defined in the act of June 2, 1937 (P.L. 1198, No. 308), known as the Labor Anti-Injunction Act, or to any constitutionally protected activity.

(f) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:

"Communicates."
Conveys, without intent of legitimate communication or address, by written or electronic means, including telephone, electronic mail, Internet, facsimile, telex and similar transmissions.
"Course of conduct."
A pattern of actions composed of more than one act over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of conduct. Acts indicating a course of conduct which occur in more than one jurisdiction may be used by any other jurisdiction in which an act occurred as evidence of a continuing pattern of conduct or a course of conduct.
"Emotional distress."
A temporary or permanent state of mental anguish.
"Family or household member."
Spouses or persons who have been spouses, persons living as spouses or who lived as spouses, parents and children, other persons related by consanguinity or affinity, current or former sexual or intimate partners or persons who share biological parenthood.


I would think that a Republican group repeatedly calling and/or mailing something to a registered Democrat (which means it would be unsolicited) could be considered intent to cause distress. It causes me emotional distress and anguish when they won't leave me alon.