Category Archives: Politics

honey brook township needs to let the sunshine in

Posted on by

Last night Honey Brook Township apparently passed a resolution to prohibit residents from asking questions via Zoom. Some special pretzel logic in addition where they claim it is too disruptive to ‘admit’ residents into Zoom calls which are an extension of public meetings who entered the meeting late. This is a suppression of free speech and the First Amendment is it not? Therefore a violation of Constitutional rights? What’s up with Honey Brook Township?

📌 Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.📌

~ First Amendment

I just can’t with this stuff…here watch this snippet:

Some residents have reached out to me after this meeting last night. It is item 1 under new business on their agenda last evening.

Board-of-Supervisors-Dec-13-2023-Agenda-Pdf-1Download

And that is resolution 20-2023 concerning residents rights at public meetings.

Approve / not Approve Resolution 20-2023, Public Meeting Rules of Conduct and Public Comment.

And in this resolution, which is not in their packet or published publicly on their website says they have decided that residents who attend public meetings via Zoom, which is an extension of public meetings, cannot ask questions? Say what? And if someone is late getting on a Zoom meeting, you’re not going to let them into the meeting because you find it disruptive? Are they also locking the doors at your township meeting for people attending in public if they arrive late?

Honey-Brook-Township-Resolution-2023-20-Public-Meeting-Rules-of-Conduct-Public-CommentDownload

People can be made late to a meeting for any number of reasons whether it’s on Zoom or in person. And if you live in an area that has some rural qualities to it which means that also you’re going to have connectivity issues at times with things like the Internet, correct?

And to potentially prohibit residents from asking questions at their public meeting if attending on Zoom, which is their literal Constitutional right and we will start there, sounds rather odd so are residents mistaken? I ask if residents are mistaken, because most municipalities offer a virtual option now and they allow residents to register for the meeting and ask questions in person on the Zoom. Some municipalities also give you the additional opportunity of submitting questions in writing in advance of the meeting, but then those questions are read at the meeting and sometimes even answered at the meeting.

But why isn’t this resolution as a document not in your meeting agenda packet? Why is it not posted online? Why is it just a line item on an agenda?

Honey Brook Township needs to try a little sunshine on for size IMHO. Another thing? Why is it you can only complete a contact form on the website unless you wish to send a general e-mail to info@honeybrooktwp.com ?

The rights of residents, no matter where they reside, are not subjective. You have the right to expect meeting, decorum, and things of that nature, but this resolution is removing a right to speak unless you can be physically present in a boardroom is a problem in my opinion. I don’t get as much in a lather about giving residents 3 minutes to comment and giving organizations 5 minutes because if you have ever attended virtually or in public a Willistown Township Meetings ever you will notice that the crew I refer to as the sewer rats tend to literally monopolize the meetings to the detriment of the residents and public at large. They drone on and on and on while people wonder if they have a point or will get to one.

I am a realist, and understand that municipalities can’t always answer on the spot if a resident asks a question, but the resident should be able to speak whether it is on Zoom or in person.

I’m hoping that Honey Brook Township will do the right thing here. This resolution is problematic. It basically says they don’t want residents to participate where they live and pay taxes.

I also watched the video a resident did in Honey Brook Township last night in it’s entirety. If the township has the technology for Zoom and a website, it’s quite simple to list the meeting links and maintain meeting recordings. Most municipalities do that, even with Zoom. They post a little link a few days after a meeting occurs. A lot of municipalities post links to meeting additionally on a YouTube Channel which is free.

Also I found the manager and outgoing chair are not correct that most municipalities do not allow comment on Zoom. That is simply not true. You register for a Zoom meeting and can comment, or there is an option to just listen and view to the meeting online as it is happening. It is pretty simple. If people can’t attend a meeting in public, then they email.

If people are late to a Zoom meeting, it is no big deal to let them in. As audience participants, all we hear is a little ding noise. As the admin of the Zoom meeting you can disable side chat which runs like text messages which no one has an issue with because that is distracting and you have the option to keep participants on mute before they speak, and people use the zoom raise hand emoji to signal they wish to speak and in most municipalities they take in person speakers THEN zoom attendees.

Someone attending a public meeting via Zoom should have the same rights as someone attending in person. They say Uwchlan Township is their model and they are familiar with the way West Goshen does things…and that came from the guy who is the outgoing chair of the Supervisors named John McHugh. Sorry not sorry, but West Goshen is not a model municipality in my opinion. And definitely sunshine adverse most of the time. And I think they offered Uwchlan Township up because didn’t their manager used to be on Uwchlan’s police force and is married to a current Supervisor there?

Also as a matter of form, these supervisors voted on a proposed resolution without having it in a meeting packet, and didn’t ask for public comment before voting on said item. That is rather unusual. So is this resolution as step to an ordinance that will be enacted? A resolution after all is designed to be an official statement of the will of the governing body. A resolution is not the same as an ordinance, is it?

As an observer, Honey Brook Township has things that they should address with this. Being MORE Sunshine friendly is never a bad thing.

Thanks for stopping by,

days of our lives….in west goshen

Posted on by

West Goshen Township has become it’s own soap opera. They are rejecting Right to Know requests left and right. I know for a fact three of their rejections are being challenged because they weren’t anything that any resident shouldn’t be able to see, but hey secretive is normal for them, right?

So the widow of Dave Woodward the employee who committed suicide is suing West Goshen Township, and now there is an amended complaint. I honestly don’t know how it will turn out but I would say West Goshen’s proverbial slip is showing over this, don’t you think? And again I find less fault with the current manager versus the former manager whose claim to fame is being related to dead actress Joan Crawford and who now suck off the public teat via Arro Consulting maybe? Can we also say that culpability lies with Supervisors past and present?

Here are the sunshine reject letters which are being appealed:

deny-deny-denyDownload
RTK-RejectsDownload

Next we have the Woodward widow’s amended complaint against West Goshen Township:

woodwardVwgtAmendedDownload

That’s it. That’s all I have. It would be nice if traditional media did a little investigative reporting here. West Goshen residents do indeed deserve better than the current soap opera. They also deserve answers, not more pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

widow of west goshen public works director to sue township over his sucide, and west goshen thinks forensic audit paid for by taxpayers should remain a secret? that’s some “squirrel time” indeed, right?

oh the things the media should be paying attention to…in west vincent…a revolution is brewing…..

Posted on by

There is a real live revolution happening in West Vincent. The township employees want Supervisor Sara Shick GONE. First I will share a video snippet. Then I will share the entire meeting recording and then the letter. Yes, dear readers, I have the letter. Grandma Charlotte and the Chester County Democratic Committee might also wish to pay attention…..

I had gotten a head’s up from a resident who told me to go to the 1:22 mark…..Police and township employees attempt coup, want Sara Shick OUT. 1:33 mark…..Sara Shick brother-in law defends…..what’s going on in West Vincent? Will they talk in West Vincent Hears Voices or whatever the page is called? I mean can they send ol’ Bernie back to West Conshy first? Good lord what a board…again…I guess this was bound to happen considering the players, yes?

Popcorn 🍿 popcorn 🍿 popcorn 🍿

So yes indeedy, it’s crazy town time again in West Vincent, only this time the people the residents depend upon to run the township and keep them safe are saying they want the former handmaiden of former Supervisor Farmer Miller (hark do we hear Chickenman?) gone as in G-O-N-E.

Oh wait…I better not mention Chickenman…that gets the faithful in a lather, doesn’t it?

But I have minored in West Vincent craziness since the Board of Supervisors tried to exercise eminent domain for private gain on Ludwigs Corner Horse Show. It’s always something. It was calm for a while when Mike and John were supervisors because they cared and did the right thing. But then when they cycled off of the board, old bad habits seemed to emerge once again, didn’t they?

The LCHSA Board Looks Back on Four Years Ago and Sets The Record Straight

Anyway….this is quite the stunning turn of events in West Vincent, including employees wanting an actual set of HR rules — I can’t believe nothing existed until now, can you?

I have the letter:

2-page-west-vincent-letterDownload

I almost forgot…the October meeting recording:

And FYI I covered the French Maid of it all. That was PUBLIC information, not top secret documentation although I wonder what happened to the audit being made public that the taxpayers funded? What is it about audits and shady that go hand in hand anyway?

Again, I wonder if the West Vincent Hears Voices Facebook page which was started to prop up the old Farmer Supervisor in his last gasp at politics is chatting about this turn of events? They seem to be a secretive group now so I imagine being a fly on that Facebook wall is interesting right now? Or it might not be because it was pretty managed before. So they might delete all references to this because only happy fuzzy eco friendly recycling unicorns farting rainbows need apply, right?

Hey look, I told you all in 2019 I thought Ms. Shick was not a good choice for supervisor. She’s had a lot of health issues lately and great personal loss as per her chatty Cathy brother in law. Maybe she should indeed bow out. Because THIS? This is not going away.

Now discuss amongst yourselves…congratulations West Vincent I think you have usurped the crazytown award at least temporarily from West Goshen and Willistown. And I will note no West Vincent employee has spoken to me about this and if there is retaliation against any of them for standing in their truth that will be something I would be interested in knowing about.

Carry on.

Popcorn 🍿 popcorn 🍿 popcorn 🍿

they had me at french maid costume….in west vincent
BREAKING: west vincent buries the lede with a last minute meeting and a manager going bye bye
meet the busy beaver of west vincent township AND new garden township
careful who you vote for in west vincent

philly style politics on election day in WCASD and more election day amusements/bemusements

Posted on by
Democrats Did NOT do this. This is FAKE.

Just so we are clear, the Democrats did not endorse this candidate. He is a dark money, Klanned, Karenhood candidate.

If you are handed one of these palm cards at a pole that serves the West Chester Area School District please turn it in to the people who are there to watch the polls.

And if you are in the Downingtown Area School District, and you are handed a frisbee for a Klanned, Karenhood candidate named Duanne please also report it.

And to the Save Lionville Station Farm folks, I caution you were throwing the baby out with the bathwater. If you vote in the Klanned Karenhood slate of school board directors, you will regret it for decades to come. I mean you guys don’t like the solicitor for the school district right? Then why give his types a win?

I don’t forget that county commissioner candidate, who always seems to be running for something…. and he hails from West Goshen which should be reason enough NOT to vote for him…

it’s only a little “anomaly” in the pipeline, so don’t worry your little heads about it west whiteland residents…and west whiteland supervisor brian dunn did a brave thing for residents today. (yeah now you want to click on this post, don’t you?)

Posted on by
West Whiteland Residents for Pipeline Saftey drone image over Ship Road/Exton Station area
unexpected work posted today 11/1/23

So we all found out that Energy Transfer AKA Sunoco AKA Sunoco Logistics was BACK on Ship Road around Exton Station. I mean the grass was barely grown back, right?

You whooo Harrisburg, over here, okay? (Well we all know you read this blog in Pennsyltucky, so whatevs…..)

Sorry readers, I will continue….sometimes I have to see if those political bears are awake and paying attention to residents….

A little over 5 hours ago, our friends at West Whiteland Residents for Pipeline Safety posted the following:

Repair work continues on Mariner East 2x on Ship Rd at Exton Station. Drone photo taken yesterday shows the pipe has been excavated very close to where the HDD exit pit was ( The drill for this section was at the Hankin apartments on Ship near Boot. After the borehole was complete pipes were pulled from the exit pit here south the the drill site).

As previously reported here, “an anomaly” was detected during recent inspection of the pipeline with a smart pig. The work is expected to last 2-3 weeks which is long compared to recent repairs done on the same pipe in Delaware County.

❓ why is this pipe already in need of repairs?

❓ what happens when an anomaly is detected on a section of pipe that is inaccessible because it was installed tens or even over 100 feet underground or through rock as is the case on many lengths of mariner East through Chester County and Delaware County?

And remember, there is no credible emergency plan to warn protect public when there is a leak of these high volatile liquids in transport through Mariner East.

This has actually been going on for a couple of days. Some hypothesize that Joe Massaro the current talking head (Public Affairs Specialist at Energy Transfer, @JospehMassaro on the platform formerly known as Twitter was tidying up for another residential massage job, perhaps?

Too mean?

Sorry not sorry but I mean you know us residents: some have had properties and wells ruined by Sunoco/Energy Transfer, and then there are the thousands of us who live in blast zones, right? We know we don’t matter to them, and are rather inconvenient to them and politicians including Democrats who love love love the myth of pipelines, fracking, and Hydrogen hubs, right?

So next thing you know, Chair of the West Whiteland Supervisors Brian Dunn is on site this morning over on Ship Road and guess what? Sunoco/Energy Transfer was NOT putting him off. He had the township manager with him as well. Supervisor Brian Dunn went DOWN into that big hole to see the pipeline and dent for himself. That pipeline is live because you do not expect them to stop running highly explosive ethane while they make a repair, do you? Actually, fool that I am and a former oil company brat from decades ago, I actually thought they would do just that, but I am but a mere mortal and a female, right?

Anyway, Supervisor Brian Dunn had West Whiteland put it all on their social media channels and website. So for once there is real time updates on a pipeline issue.

This issue is being described as “pipeline maintenance.” I daresay it’s not regular everyday sweeping up is it?

Allow me to let West Whiteland Residents for Pipeline Safety to explain further:

We now know what problem with the Mariner East 2X pipeline on Ship Rd at Exton Station needing repair, thanks to West Whiteland Township conducting a site visit this morning.

There is a dent in the pipe which was detected as “an anomaly” during a recent smart pigging inspection of the pipeline. It safe to assume this dent was caused during construction so its unclear how it went undetected before.

The green coating has been sandblasted away fir the repair and the pipe will be wrapped in clockspring, a composite repair sleeve and reinforcement system uniquely designed for high-pressure transmission pipelines. Work is expected to last until Wednesday, November 8.

The pipeline is actively transporting highly explosive ethane while this work and the excavation using a backhoe is being conducted. The last photo, with the site marked with an red X shows the densely populated area immediately surrounding.

Questions remain:

❓ why was this dent, an area of weakness, not detected in previous inspections?

❓ what happens when an anomaly is detected on a section of pipe that is inaccessible because it was installed tens or even over 100 feet underground or through rock as is the case on many lengths of Mariner East through Chester County and Delaware County?

And remember, there is no credible emergency plan to warn protect public when there is a leak of these high volatile liquids in transport through Mariner East.

Thank you to West Whiteland Township for conducting this site visit and providing transparency on this to residents – transparency we do not get from Energy Transfer nor our regulatory agencies.

https://www.westwhiteland.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=744

Here is West Whiteland’s information release this afternoon and it includes a video showing how repair will happen which is pretty cool:

Posted on: November 1, 2023

Pipeline Maintenance

Energy Transfer regularly conducts routine preventative maintenance on the Mariner East pipeline in the Township to detect anomalies before they become safety issues, One such anomaly was discovered and work is in progress to remediate it.

In order to ensure the integrity of the pipeline is not affected, the pipe will be wrapped in clockspring, a composite repair sleeve and reinforcement system uniquely designed for high-pressure transmission pipelines. Work is expected to last until Wednesday, November 8.

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PA PUC) has been on site and verified that the activity is within normal pipeline maintenance and operations. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administrations (PHMSA) has also been notified. Township Supervisor Brian Dunn and Township Manager Pam Gural-Bear visited the site and met with ET’s Integrity Team.

The anomaly was identified as one that could be addressed within 180 days.

For more information, please email pipeline@westwhiteland.org.

But can we talk about Supervisor Brian Dunn again? Sorry not sorry but what he did today took guts He did what MORE elected officials should do: he represented his residents and went to the mat for them. That is also brave because dude was down in a freaking pipeline hole and as much as I love my readers, I can tell you I would not have gone down an 18 foot hole into the ground or whatever. (If I had been the township manager, I would have been above ground saying my rosary while he was down there, but I digress.)

This video is from 6 years ago so the public is reminded what West Whiteland
residents have gone through.
This video is from 4 years ago so the public is reminded what West Whiteland
residents have gone through.
This video is from 4 years ago so the public is reminded what West Whiteland
residents have gone through. The criminal investigation that kinda went nowhere, remember?
This video is from 4 years ago so the public is reminded what West Whiteland
residents have gone through.

It should be pointed out to she who will soon be thankfully out of office in West Whiteland is WHY people love and respect Brian Dunn, and will never wax poetically about you. I mean I know you love to slam him and misquote me, so here’s hoping you understand THIS is what being a public servant and working for the people who elected him actually means. Brian Dunn goes the extra mile for West Whiteland AND Chester County residents. He walks the walk whereas you have only ever spewed the talk occasionally.

It’s a mystery how a brand new pipeline has a dent. Perhaps it was damaged in their rush to get everything in the ground before? WHO KNOWS and we may never know because well, it’s Energy Transfer/Sunoco/Sunoco Logistics and everything has to be massaged and polished and spin doctored before the public gets information if they answer at all, doesn’t it?

Bravo, Brian Dunn but for the love of all that is holy, please don’t do that again. And please note that Brian was on site WITH Sunoco and West Whiteland Township in a planned meet up. DO NOT TRESPASS HERE. That is breaking the law and you will be arrested. Today’s on site photos provided generously by West Whiteland Township.

Happy November. Everything old is new again, including pipeline issues.

big brother watches us vote now?

Posted on by

So it’s been a long week. On Thursday I had post cancer reconstructive surgery on the back of my head. I have the back of my head shaved larger than a softball section and I have a lot of stitches and I have a lot of pain.

But because I’m already immuno compromised, I vote by mail. I voted, and my vote was counted. I always vote so imagine my surprise when I get this mailing from someplace called the Center for Voter Information in Harrisburg.

This is the freakiest big brother is watching you thing I have gotten in quite a while. Allow me to quote the mailing:

Public records indicate that you are eligible to vote in the upcoming election on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Who are you vote for is private, but if you vote is a matter of public record.

We’re sending this mailing to you and your neighbors to share who does, and does not vote in an effort to promote election participation. While we have hidden the name and street address of your neighbors, to protect their privacy, these are their true voting records.

We will be reviewing these records, after the election to determine whether or not, you joined your neighbors in voting.

~ Gail L. Kitch, Board Chair, Center for Voter Information

They have a website. https://www.centerforvoterinformation.org/

I vote every election cycle. So at the letter at the opening of this post, it’s my name at the top, and my name at top of voter chart, so why they’re sending it to me I have no idea. And it’s none of my business if my neighbors do or don’t all vote every election. For the most part they do.

But to get a piece of mail like this is something that makes you feel like your privacy has been invaded even though the fact that you vote, or don’t vote is indeed a matter of public record,

So what am I supposed to do hobble around after surgery to all of my neighbors and knock on their doors and say hey are you the one that only voted for this election and are you the one that missed that election?

In my humble opinion, this doesn’t encourage anyone to vote this is like a visit from big brother you can do without so Gail Kitch whoever you are you can fuck off.

And yes I did just curse.

dear congresswoman houlahan,

Posted on by

Dear Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan,

I called your office today. Like any other time I have called since you’ve been in office, you have wonderful staffers in DC. Then listen and they are polite and then what will happen?

Nothing.

The same nothing that has been happening since I first voted for you for your first term which began in 2019. I used to think it was just me and I don’t call very often and I’m not anybody important. But then I discovered that people who should be important get the same treatment.

I took the picture above here in October 2018. I was so happy to meet you at this event. I was happy to vote for you the next month. I was thrilled when you were elected. I’m not some big campaign donor I don’t actually donate to campaigns. I vote for people whom I can believe in or whom I think I can believe in.

Sadly Chrissie, I don’t know if I believe in you anymore. How can I? You are so removed from your average constituency and that’s me. I’m not a big donor I’m not some big swinging political dick in Washington. I’m just one of the people that has voted for you twice.

But you kind of keep letting us down, Chrissie.

Like I said, when we call your office, they listen. But nobody ever falls up unless of course it’s to get a Robo call for a Townhall meeting or something. And then there’s your Townhall meetings which are scripted and you can’t just ask a question it has to be screened, doesn’t it?

When we try to reach you, it kind of just circles. So like I said, you’re out of touch with your constituency. You don’t even get how here in Chester County we are not only plagued by the pipelines, but we just had to beat back the concept of a hydrogen hub too close to home a few months ago.

say NO to data centers and a new power plant at exton park

So imagine my surprise when you send me a newsletter this week proclaiming to me that hydrogen hubs are fabulous. So allow me to quote my friend Ginny Kerslake:

These PA hydrogen hubs are cloaked in secrecy and greenwashing.

Impacted communities here in southeastern PA are especially being kept in the dark on MACH2 which will mean more dangerous pipelines through Chester County and possibly power plants. And the executive who was at the helm during the disastrous Mariner East planning and construction is leading this project.

I know Ginny has written you to on this topic. And she has the background and chopsticks presser so far better than I do. But have you ever read the Robert Frost poem The Road Not Taken? Here allow me:

The Road Not Taken 

BY ROBERT FROST

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Have you ever thought of becoming the Congresswoman we thought we were voting for? Have you ever thought of being the Congresswoman doesn’t show up for strategically placed sound bites alone?

I’m really trying very hard not to be rude because I genuinely like you and I would like to believe in you again. But let me tell you the story of the election of 2022. Do you understand why so many people voted for you? Do you understand that 2022 was the lesser of two evils election all around?

No, I’m not going to play for the other team, but I’m trying to wake you up before you have your next election to run. Right now you’re losing people and more every day, especially with the hydrogen hub that is only going to benefit the same people/kinds of people who put the crappy pipelines to Chester County. Would you also seem oblivious to, and you serve our district.

Your people seem to think that we’re just going keep voting for you because you’re a Democrat.

You are indeed, totally greenwashed at the prospect of this hydrogen hub. If you’ve done research surely you can see hydrogen hubs aren’t actually really clean energy?

All hydrogen hubs are is danger on many levels wherever they are shoved, and profit for others NOT in the communities where they are shoved.

So the bigger Democrats threw you a bone and let you play Vanna and turn those letters, right?

Houlahan Announces Hydrogen Hub in Southeastern Pennsylvania
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this Page Share by Email
Washington, D.C., October 13, 2023

If the original Chrissie returns in time for the next election, happy to vote for you again. But you have to prove you are not the congresswoman in the golden Democratic cage first. And sometimes when the little people call, they actually expect you to respond yourself.

I actually had a similar conversation years ago with another Congressman who once held this district. And I was nobody important. I was just a constituent. Same person I am today except the difference was this Congressman listened to all of us. He came to our community events, his staffers really listened and looked into things when asked. His name was Jim Gerlach. Personally I miss him.

Be more like Jim. Also be your own woman again. Not the unapproachable, overly handled woman your constituents no longer recognize.

It truly makes me sad to write this post. But I don’t get what you don’t get about how your constituents actually feel about hydrogen plants and hydrogen hubs.

Thank you for your time. There is no need to reply, because I know you won’t anyway.

#farmertakeover

Posted on by

So you know I’m pro-farmer as in real farmers not faux farmers. And something no one has picked up on this election season is there is not one, but two farmers running in East Goshen Township for supervisor.

One we all know because he almost lost part of his land to eminent domain (Pete Hicks) for the path to nowhere and the other is the farm next-door farmer neighbor and friend (Sean Ellsworth).

I think this is awesome and if you are in East Goshen I think you should vote for

#farmertakeover

It would be nice to live in a world once again where the thought of more farms, less townhouses and farms, less apartment buildings was a better plan. Now, these two men can’t unring any development bells already rung, but because their business is farming, they have a greater appreciation in my humble opinion of what’s important in Chester County.

Preserving what made Chester County Chester County is what we have to do before it is lost forever.

People, this is what I’m talking about. These are two men who were not politically inclined, but who have stepped up to run for supervisor because they see change is needed. The impetus here was East Goshen Township failed eminent domain attempt. They can phrase it however, they want in the township building and that they “unwound“ it, but that will never ever change what those supervisors did in East Goshen.

So these are gentlemen who already lead busy lives who are stepping up to the plate for public service because they know it’s the right thing to do.

#vote #farmertakeover

the ultimate nancy drew mystery is ALWAYS politics

Posted on by

Well it’s a good thing they can’t take away my choice for political party in Chester County, I suppose. Because I am of a mind to “tease out” some more…..it’s generally speaking not helpful for a woman to be a tease, but when it comes to politics, perhaps there are exceptions?

Let’s start with by laws. Local chapters of political parties are supposed to post them. The current Chester County Democratic Committee Secretary is Alex Teplyakov, right? This is the officer responsible for producing the by laws, correct? The NEW CCDC website does NOT post them, as a matter of fact the new website is so dumbed down third graders might take offense, but hey maybe that is me just taking issue with assuming the Democrats at large in Chester County are sheeple and will all do as their told. (Didn’t work so well for the Chester County Republicans when they were leading the county, did it?)

Anyway, anyway, there is the OLD website buried within the new website. I find that both sloppy and a goldmine. Let’s begin with the last publicly published by laws I can find from I guess 2019?

CCDC-Bylaws-April232019Download

So has young Alex Teplyakov ever actually published the current by laws? Are there current by laws? I mean what are the current by laws? I hear that is a burning question often asked all over Chester County by Democrats in various areas? Is it is a state secret? Are the by laws in witness protection?

So since the by laws are not posted any longer on the sparkly new dumbed down website is this a consciousness of guilt to REMOVE the by laws if they were already and previously posted? I am telling you this is indeed a Nancy Drew Mystery – The Mystery of The Disappearing By Laws

So was no longer having by laws on the new website voted on? Or were new by laws never actually voted on or approved? I got my paws on proposed 2023 by laws, but what did the state actually say and is the Chester County Democratic Committee actually adhering to what the state committee actually dictates? I mean isn’t this a case of what the state says goes? I ask because I do not know, hence the questions. So what did the state Dems actually say??

Here is this draft by laws thing from at some point this year I guess it was?

CCDC-2023-Proposed-BylawsDownload

Can we talk a smidge about these new proposed 2023 by laws that no one is quite sure are approved?

SECTION 3. General Disqualification. No person shall be eligible to hold any CCDC position who:

….b) has entered into an agreement with an opponent or opponent(s) of the Democratic Party to support such opponents;

….“ The County Chair and County Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer need not be members of the County committee at the time of their election”

SECTION 3. County Chair. …… shall see that all orders, resolutions and the Bylaws are carried into effect and performed in a lawful manner…

….SECTION 6. Conflicts with Endorsed Candidate. Where an elected or appointed Zone Leader or Assistant Zone Leader believes that they cannot support a duly endorsed Democratic candidate for personal or professional reasons, that Zone Leader or Assistant Zone Leader shall resign their leadership position upon submitting a letter of resignation to the County Chair within ten (10) days after the Nomination Endorsement Convention where the candidate was endorsed. The Zone shall elect replacements of Zone Leader or Assistant Zone Leader in accordance with Article XI, Section 2.

~2023 draft CCDC By LAWS

Truck to drive through these, anyone? Go through entire document. One thing that is astounding is NO definition of “opponent”. Opponent could be the garbage collector. Ambiguities in this construed against the drafter, right? Could we not hypothesize then that some of the emails that have leaked out penned by Grandma Charlotte violates things and makes HER an “opponent” of the CCDC who needs replacing? (Hey kids, have at it, right?) So to my mind that charming excerpt in Section 6 basically means if you don’t endorse or campaign for who we want you to endorse you’re a goner? How is that legit, legal, ok with state Democrats?

Soooo…for the proposed by laws whom is the author? Is it the current CCDC Solicitor Elizabeth Swain?

I am of course wondering as are many how Ms. Swain can be the solicitor of the Chester County Democrats AND a committee chair? Shouldn’t it be she is either ONE or the OTHER but NOT BOTH? I am not a lawyer, and I don’t play one on the Internet BUT one I know said a lawyer can’t represent the client and also be a potential witness and what do people who know election law think or whom are lawyers? I mean isn’t that just kinda sorta an untenable conflict that doesn’t work?

One of the things bugging me is although the CCDC proclaimed THIS below on their old website, which kind of flies in the face of Grandma Charlotte’s new world order doesn’t it?

Chesco Dems are always looking for passionate, committed people to seek public positions. We recruit and train the highest caliber candidates and provide logistic support to their campaigns. As a Democrat, have you ever considered running for office? Or do you have a Democratic friend, family member, or neighbor who you think would be GREAT for one of the positions on this year’s ballot? We look forward to hearing from you.

Or at the municipal level, contact your local zone. Remember that municipal and school board positions often open up due to resignations, and then the seats are filled by appointment and/or at the next election, so it is good to be prepared.

OLD CCDC website https://ccdcdev.wpengine.com/how-do-i/run-for-office/

I mean they SAY they want people to run, but if you aren’t decreed okay by the controlling cabal then where are you? Example number one is a woman who SHOULD be on November’s ballot, Magisterial District Justice Paige Simmons. Ginny Kerslake also comes to mind, who is an amazing woman. She literally has everything they say they want, only she terrifies them essentially for having a brain and a spine and isn’t afraid to show it. Danielle Friel Otten also comes to mind, which is why they are perennially passive aggressive with her and always trying to primary her with temporarily bright shiny objects…err candidates. Or another recent example would be when Libby Madarasz was going to primary Theresa Hogan Santalucia in West Whiteland. No one else had stepped up, and it was enough to make Saint Theresa of West Whiteland come up with “health reasons” to not run again didn’t it? She would not have survived being primaried by ANYONE including Jo Ann Kelton who MAGICALLY popped up seeming like minutes after Libby Madarasz was going to run and said SHE was going to run for Supervisor in West Whiteland? Are we all that naiive that Ms. Kelton popping up was just a coincidence? I think not. I think that was contrived and I am allowed to have that OPINION, yes? Mrs. Madarasz yielded gracefully to Ms. Kelton who does have experience as a current Zoning Hearing Board, a former Planning Commission member, and a long-time committee person for the West Whiteland Democrats. But Ms. Kelton is in her 70s so will she have the stamina for being a Supervisor? Not my township, and hopefully she will be better that Saint Theresa, right?

Other things I am curious about are the values documents on old website, but not new. Is the committee in it’s current executive iteration actually living their espoused values?

2017-Chesco-Dem-Values-IssuesDownload
Values-Issues-summary-9-27-17Download

And why is there a new treasurer? I thought Ms. Baxter was doing such a wonderful job?

Look at this point, people could sit with a magnifying glass to Sherlock Holmes the Chester County Democratic Committee. It seems fraught with issues, doesn’t it? Kind of sad since they worked so hard to attain their majority?

Final thoughts? People are correct that politics did not cause Danelo Cavalcante to escape from prison. However, there are indeed potential political consequences.

I am but one woman, one voice. The Chester County Democratic Committe and their they can do no wrong cheerleaders have fingernails all poised to claw at me at every turn and why is it so bad to ask questions?

People, I do not pretend to know everything, but I am perennially curious about the inner machinations of politics. That is as American as Apple Pie. That’s how this country was founded.

Inconvenient Democrat, signing off.

oh charlotte, please…..

Posted on by

Nothing like a good e-mail to get the juices flowing. I will leave this as it is. Y’all can decide if you will be Dumbocrats and sheeple and dig CCDC Chair Charlotte Valyo’s pretzel logic or will you stand up, look at your by-laws and ease your Grandma and her flying monkeys into party retirement?

What does the email say? I am including verbiage in case screen shot is not clear and Chesco Dems? “Bubble” well….:

From: Marcy Cornell office@chescodems.org
Date: Fri, Sep 22, 2023 at 3:35 PM
Subject: Retention Explanation
To: Marcy Cornell office@chescodems.org
Cc: Charlotte Valyo chair@chescodems.org

Dear CCDC,

I apologize for yet another email. I am receiving questions regarding retentions. Some information is being shared that is not complete nor necessarily factual.

1) Retention is not an election. Court of Common Pleas Judges are elected once, for a ten-year term. After ten years, they are placed on the ballot for retention. The purpose of retention rather than running again is to remove politics from the judiciary. Once elected, judges are to make decisions based on the law and facts, not on political affiliation or political views. There is no red or blue, they are to think black (robes). This process was written into the Pennsylvania Constitution to ensure the independence of our courts.

2) Judge Carmody and Judge Hall will both age out before their next term ends, which will open up two seats for us to elect our candidates. This also makes it unlikely either would run for a higher Court seat.

3) Judge Carmody and Judge Hall are not extremists but are moderates and have earned the respect of their fellow judges and the legal community. I have spoken with our Democratic Court of Common Pleas Judges, most of our judicial and county candidates, and Democratic attorneys in Chester County. All unanimously support both judges and have only positive things to say about both.

4) If these judges were not retained what would happen?

a. The Chester County Court of Common Pleas would lose 2 judges, burdening an already overburdened Court.

b. Governor Shapiro can appoint attorneys to fill judicial vacancies, but this requires approval by the Republican controlled State Senate. The likelihood that the Republican controlled Senate would vote to approve Democratic judges is very low. Therefore, we will either have no appointments or two Republican judges who could be and probably would be younger and much more conservative.

c. If two Republican judges were appointed, both would be running as incumbents in the next election.

5) Bubbling “No” for these moderate and respected judges diminishes the effect of our bubbling “No” in the future when more extreme judges are up for retention.

6) For statewide judicial retentions, the Pennsylvania State Committee is bubbling the Democrat up for retention as a “Yes” and the Republican blank.

7) Based on the information above and following the lead of the Pennsylvania State Committee, CCDC will not be bubbling in a recommendation for retention for the Court of Common Pleas.

Regards,

Charlotte