Let’s talk about ego and ignorance in local politics. Is it out of control in Honey Brook Township? I think so. It started because quite frankly, Valerie Shultz didn’t roll over like an obedient dog and be a good little girl. She has had the temerity, the audacity if you will, to want better for her community than the status quo. She is on the ballot as a second Republican running because the Democrats wrote her in. That simple fact speaks volumes, and signals she would be a community unifier except where the current political cabal is concerned. But nothing except world domination, or in their case, fishbowl domination matters, does it?
Valerie does not come to mind when you dish ego and ignorance in local politics. She is doing this because she cares. It’s not about literal or even perceived personal gain. She does not have to keep saying she is a good person, because people know she is. She has a moral compass and is bright and hard working. We have come to know each other through mutual friends. Do I support her? Yes, I believe in what she is trying to accomplish and I haven’t seen such a crazy municipality since the late Andy Lewis and others rolled up their sleeves to disinfect Haverford Township and if you aren’t familiar it was a doozy of a time over there.
Here is what I am talking about from quite a few years ago now:
Let’s talk about what is actually bullying by politicians, one elected and one a poor sad politician puppet of the elected politician, shall we? This is happening in an area which falls into the Pennsyltucky category at times for political behavior JUST like this. Yep, Honey Brook Township…again.
When you say they are practicing thug politics and bullying people and basically in a passive aggressive and not so passive aggressive way, trying to intimidate people, they subsequently project that if you are saying they do any of these things you must be the ones who are actually doing it, and really?
Most of us know that’s not the case, but if you are a woman who speaks out about ANY of this garbage chucking in Honey Brook Township, they want to pummel you into the ground. And this is the Internet so they also want to cancel you on social media. They want you to be afraid. It’s also gaslighting and attempted intimidation, isn’t it?
So I ask all of you out there isn’t that the true clear hallmark of bad thug politics? Doesn’t that show quite clearly that they have such little respect for women?
You have to wonder how do they treat women who have been assaulted or are victims of other crimes?
As women are we all supposed to be hung up with Scarlet letters because we don’t toe the line the way we are told? Are we all supposed to be bullied ends justifies the means because we don’t see them as a solution to anything?
Go ahead, you read these comments shared below (just a couple examples of many questionable things on their part in my humble opinion) and you tell me if women are being harassed and bullied here? Are women safe in this world we are living in if this is considered normal behavior towards women?
And most despicable of all in my mind as a breast cancer survivor is this is how you treat another breast cancer survivor? These men need to check themselves at the door. Chester County Republicans and others? It’s time to get your Honey Brook Township House in order because they are also embarrassing all of you behaving like this.
Conduct unbecoming.
Writing about this leaves me at sixes and sevens, but I don’t think what they are doing is right. Have they attacked me as well for talking about the Honey Brook Township of it all? Kind of, yes, including nasty comments from a supervisor’s wife thinking she is witty. (Sorry her comments are well…just basic and I can have that opinion.)
Isn’t it true that there are certain lines politicians and elected officials can’t cross? Wouldn’t this behavior count? Isn’t it true supervisors are expected to protect confidential information and not use it for personal gain? So where is one getting his information? And how? Supervisors are also supposed to treat all individuals with respect and courtesy, is this behavior that? Supervisors must exercise their powers responsibly and avoid abusing their authority, correct?
So can we just ask WHY Honey Brook Township Supervisor Salvatore DiGiacomo is constantly on the attack? Is he running for office? I thought that was politician and Upper Uwchlan Police Department member, Steven Jones?
Upper Uwchlan employees from what I can glean from their policy should be respectful in their online interactions, avoiding personal attacks, offensive language, and discriminatory remarks, so is this happening? Like many other municipalities, this policy which is not something thought of years ago, extends beyond the official township social media profiles, doesn’t it? Also is it not in there that their policy addresses confidentiality, privacy, and intellectual property, ensuring employees understand responsibilities regarding sensitive information, right? The policy seems to not smile upon personal attacks against other commenters, Township staff, or elected officials, so this extends to things done personally, right?
I think it’s time for the dirty politics in Honey Brook Township to end. Residents need to be brave because these unpleasant folks only have the power you allow them to have. I fully expect more nastiness because I am expressing my opinion. They refer to me as Val’s babbler, etc, etc. Yawn.
Stop the madness. It’s time. We should all want better from our communities. We all don’t have to agree, but how these politicians seem to approach everything leaves a lot to be desired.
It’s a long way to election day. It’s been a long hot summer. Why is Valerie Shultz such a threat? I ask because we all know this is what this is about. That’s why a certain supervisor and his pal are in such a lather isn’t it?
I love pretzel logic the day before Election Day in Chester County. If the sign above is what Republicans actually want why is Trump still a free range flannel mouth?
Or what about certain Republicans of years gone by in Chester County and other PA locales who DID experience amazing falls from grace like….
While chairman of the Republican State Committee of PennsylvaniaAsher was convicted of perjury, racketeering, conspiracy and bribery in connection with a state contract award. He resigned after the conviction and served one year in federal prison.[8][9] The case gained national attention in 1987 when his co-defendant in that case and political ally, Pennsylvania State Treasurer Budd Dwyer, committed suicide on television just before sentencing.
He was elected Attorney General of Pennsylvania in 1988, taking office in 1989. He was re-elected in 1992, but resigned that position in 1995 after being charged with federal racketeering and corruption. He pleaded guilty to mail fraud involving a $20,000.00 campaign contribution[8] and served a year in Federal prison.[3][6][9]
And of course not to be forgotten he who shall not be named out loud from Chester County, Theodore S.A. Rubino. And I am not mentioning this to hurt members of the Rubino family, but this is part of the political history of Chester County. That’s actually germane to this conversation isn’t it?
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 24 (AP) — A Federal grand jury has indicted Theodore S.A. Rubino, chairman of the Chester County Republican Party, on an extortion charge, according to the United States Attorney’s office. Mr. Rubino; 66 years old, was charged yesterday with extorting $6,400 from an architectural concern in connection with a renovation project at Memorial Hospital in West Chester.
These are trying times for Pennsylvania Republicans. They had a very bad midterm election last year, losing four U.S. House seats and doing poorly in Senate and gubernatorial races. Right now, they’re looking down the barrel of 2020 polls that show native son Joe Biden trouncing Donald Trump in the Keystone State despite the president’s heavy dependence on a win there.
At least they’ll now get some new blood in the party leadership thanks to a sexting scandal that has swallowed up state party chairman Val DiGiorgio. Last fall, he allegedly initiated a flirtatious and then sexually explicit Facebook Messenger dialogue with a Republican candidate for Philadelphia City Council, Irina Goldstein, which lasted until this February, when she terminated the communications. She ultimately decided to turn over the whole stack of messages to the Philadelphia Inquirer, including a type of photo DiGiorgio sent of himself that is known by the technical term dick pic. A day later, DiGiorgio resigned. The Inquirersummarized the revelations:
Irina Goldstein says she didn’t immediately recognize the man who sent her a Facebook friend request in October, after she had commented on a group photo that included him …
“I’m running for City Council,” she messaged him, when she realized who he was. “Next time you’re in Philly, I’d be honored to buy you coffee.”
That began a barrage of messages over two days, Goldstein said, that swung from her seeking his advice and support to flirtation and then sexually charged exchanges that included DiGiorgio sending her a photo of an erect penis.
by Angela Couloumbis, Staff Writer, Liz Navratil, and Chris Brennan Updated 1:40 p.m. ET Published Jun. 25, 2019, 12:53 p.m. ET
And by the way, for what it’s worth, it took two to tango with what happened to DiGiorgio. I’m not justifying the behavior because it’s gross. But in that last article I have posted an excerpt from I actually remember at the time, finding his words interesting about being in and around politics. About it being soul sucking. It is soul sucking. And if you can’t play the game you’re out and that’s both parties. Which, of course, begs the question of why hasn’t the game been changed yet?
And there are plenty of Democrats from all over the state who have faced similar issues as these four Republicans I pointed out.
People, my point is throughout history BOTH parties have had filthy, unclean hands. And that dear readers, is the inconvenient truth to the BS.
That sign I opened with has been showing up at Republican events. These photos were publicly posted on Facebook recently.
But the day before election day is the perfect time to remind people that saying Democrats are 100% responsible for Danelo Cavalcante escaping is as ludicrous and ridiculous as that incorrect assertion that Chester County was a sanctuary county when it was under Republican control. Here is an article from 2017 , or the LAST time that urban legend was debunked:
Now, once again, don’t let truth get in the way of delusions, and this whole issue surfaced again during the whole Danelo Cavalcante of it all. It was brought to you by the same people who were sending out emails about Josh Maxwell recently.
But if we’re going to talk about Chester County prison again and put the event in email equivalents to robocalls and put it on lawn signs, then you have to be factual and accurate. And the truth of the matter is there’s a lot of blame to go around and the greatest irony of all is the pattern of problems for this prison in our county started while the county was under completeRepublican control.
This is why it is so important for people to do research and even important to learn the political history of where they live and political process. Sadly a great regional example of the politics of extremism are ruining this country is right here in Chester County.
What Chester County needs is a return to balance, not a continuation of whichever political party gets all the toys wins.
If we all want to play the political blame game, we will be here for years. The Republican Party in Chester County is not going to exist on revisionist history because why? Easy, past is prologue.
But fair is fair and if we are going to point, the finger, you need to point it at the Democrats as well, because they haven’t learned yet that past is prologue. If the Democrats in Chester County don’t right their own ship, they are doomed to repeat the same mistakes of the people they took over power from.
So tomorrow, when you go to the polls, don’t be afraid to cross party lines for better candidates. Don’t be afraid to have a balance of power. Don’t be afraid to mix up the ticket. Just make sure you understand who your candidates are and what your candidates are about before you vote for them.
And above all else stop letting extremism groups meddle in our politics. And if you talk smack politics on social media but can’t get off your lazy asses to go vote tomorrow, then people get the government they deserve. Which leads me to the next paragraph which is a BUT study.
Yes, there is a BUT…and that sadly is if past is indeed prologue there will not be big voter turnout because of the people who think off year election cycles don’t matter except they do because these are the elections that affect where we call home.
I mean gosh golly gee whillikers Grandma Charlotte, so much for party unity, right?
This will be a sorry not sorry post because once again, the Chester County Democratic Committee is proving that there actually is no party unity or “Democrat values”, just politics as ugly or even uglier than their Republican counterparts. AND this latest stunt will hand advantage over to the Chester County Republican Committee which in spite of being the home to Klanned Karenhood has to absolutely DYING LAUGHING on the floor right now. Of course today’s stunt makes a person wonder ALOUD what team Charlotte Valyo and the Chester County Democratic Committee play for? (Oh and as soon as I publish, I will once again be a BAD Democrat for opening my mouth. Macht Nichts.)
Here is the entire verbiage of the email I was sent by someone in Grandma Charlotte’s own backyard. I couldn’t believe it, but maybe they are tired of her bullshit too?
From: Charlotte Valyo, Chair CCDC <Chair@chescodems.org> Date: Mon, May 15, 2023 at 7:23 AM Subject: IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please see the statement below which is intended to inform everyone of legal action taken by CCDC. This statement has also been submitted to the Daily Local News. If you have any questions, please contact me directly. Charlotte Valyo, ChairChester County Democratic Committee610 692 5811 (office)610 505 1237 (mobile)
After reviewing the latest Campaign Finance Report submitted by Judge Paige Simmons on May 4, 2023, on May 12, 2023, a petition was filed with the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania to appoint an auditor to conduct an audit of the campaign accounts, contributions, and expenses for Judge Paige Simmons. Judge Paige Simmons is a duly elected Magisterial District Judge and is running for the position in the Court of Common Pleas in the upcoming May 16, 2023 Primary on both the Democratic and Republican ballots. The basis for the petition is the failure of Judge Simmons to properly register campaign committees as required by Pennsylvania campaign finance laws, the making of expenditures, receiving contributions, and making communications through unregistered, nonexistent campaign committees. The audit is sought to review contributions, receipts, and expenditures to determine how funds were raised, and whether committees were properly formed, etc. There is the potential for violation of Pennsylvania Campaign Finance Laws. Judge Simmons has named three different committees in her “paid by” sections of her mailers, texts, signs, website, and digital ads. Further, if Judge Simmons is found to have raised money, expended money in her name or loaned money to committees that do not exist, this would be a violation of the Canons of the Judicial Code of Conduct. Every candidate and in particular candidates for judicial office must understand the requirements for office. Running for any public office requires knowing the statutory requirements. Adhering to statutory and ethical requirements is a key measure of readiness to serve. Judge Simmons has run for a judicial office before and should be knowledgeable of the requirements of campaign finance law and the Canons of Judicial Code of Conduct.
Paid for by CCDC, Ann McNally, Treasurer Chester County Democratic Committee 37 S High St West Chester, PA 19382 United States
So…interesting FACT is that the Chester County Democratic Committee is trying to blow up an election over something the courts may not find has merit and won’t be heard until AFTER the election? I also am going to say they are giving District Justice Paige Simmons the extra special Ginny Kerslake treatment. Yeah I did say that out loud. I also think Paige Simmons terrifies them because she quite literally rolled up her sleeves and got it done with her first election for District Justice without them. You know women are still supposed to do as they are told around her, you hear? You hear? OR ELSE!!! (Eyes rolling.)
Except this in my humble opinion this current situation is more deeply troubling because I see racial undertones here. Yes racial undertones, AND A PUBLICITY STUNT.
Are only certain black women allowed to run for office as Democrats in Chester County? Sure seems that way, doesn’t it? And why has it seemed since both Fredda Maddox and Paige Simmons announced that both these women are an either or proposition? So is there a reason they don’t want two black women on a ballot? And in spite of the Cheyney job of it all, they chose Fredda over Paige? Mind you, I know neither woman but I found it interesting. Fascinating even.I think the Chester County Democratic Committee is TERRIFIED of Paige Simmons. And Chester County Democratic Committee what else are you terrified of?
After what seemed like an endless stream of political ads, calls, and texts, the 2022 election is over, and voters sent a clear message about how they want the future to look in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and across the entire Country.
Chester County voters turned out in unprecedented numbers for a midterm election– a cycle in which the party in power historically loses elections. But in Chester County, voters from both parties voted to reject extremism, reject hate, and embrace a future in which we work together towards a better future for all.
2022 will be a year remembered for many things in Pennsylvania – the Phillies made an unlikely run to the World Series, the Eagles look ready to return to the Super Bowl, and voters in Pennsylvania bucked a century of political election trends to reject extremism in a historic way.
All of these achievements embody the spirit of Pennsylvania – we are a Commonwealth of honest, passionate, hard working people. We don’t have any unreasonable or lofty expectations of our elected officials, but we do expect that they too will be honest, hard working, passionate advocates for us and put the needs of Pennsylvanians over partisan political interests.
My most important learning in 2022 is that this is still true, and that a commitment to truth, civility, and reason remains deeply embedded in Chester County and across the Commonwealth. People in Pennsylvania were presented with two very different paths in the election this year. One was a path paved with hate, extremism and conspiratorial lies, and the other was paved with hope, vision, and leadership. The message sent by voters was clear and one better heeded by Republicans across Pennsylvania, than by me.
For the sake of our democracy, I hope that my Republican friends also see the lesson here and recognize that it is time to turn the page on the era of Trump and Trumpian impersonators, but early signs in Harrisburg aren’t promising.
~Charlotte Valyo, CCDC Chairwoman 12/31/22 (From Op-Ed in Delaware Valley Journal)
It’s all Kumbaya until you don’t listen to Mommy, right?And Mommy seems to be back peddling? So Mommy since it it is ALL public information, or should be, who filed Mommy and why are you back peddling now?
Here is Paige Simmons’ response:
Timing is everything here. EVERYTHING. If Paige Simmons was so terrible, why did she already get elected as a Magisterial District Justice? Are they doing this to ANY OTHER CANDIDATE? Of either party?
Oh gosh Charlotte Valyo, to you I simply say: GIRL BYE. You don’t lead, you never do. You only do what you are told by others. You got dimed out to me by your own camp, in your neck of the woods. I feel the need to point this out because you will blame MY friends. Honey, YOUR friends think you have gone too far this time. And do we really think if you weren’t desperate you would be shopping this to local media? Come on now, most of the time how do you really feel about local media?
(And no I am NOT taking a jab at the Daily Local at ALL. )
Charlotte and the Chester County Democratic Committee are as bad as the Republicans they lament. I also put to you the Democrat voters of Chester County that some of those happy little Democrat County Row job holders do not spend as much time as they should doing their actual county row jobs, and they also know that their time cards can be a Right to Know request, can’t they?
This thing, this great thing that the Chester County Democratic Committee claims to have unearthed is something that I feel is an 11th hour ploy to simply tank Paige Simmons’ campaign. It is also something that timing-wise as a piece of legalese, would NOT be heard until the END of this week IF it’s heard, because there is no guarantee is there?
People have the right to file if they feel there is actual wrongdoing. Not discouraging that. My whole thing is the TIMING. And what I feel are also weird racial vibes, like there can only be one black woman on a ballot at a time? And I bet they will call me a racist for being white and asking that question, but does that make me a racist really? Or just someone who wishes to be an informed voter?
TOMORROW is election day. TOMORROW. So why you have to ask yourselves did the Chester County Democratic Committee wait until NOW to do this? POLITICS. As in they are afraid Paige Simmons as a candidate is doing better than their candidates. And let us not forget, there has been a LOT of division over what the Chester County Democratic Committee has been doing and whom they choose to endorse.
Also has anyone asked Grandma to the people Charlotte why she or Chester County Democratic Committee is attempting 11th hour legal action against a fellow Democrat? Even if you don’t watch politics doesn’t it seem odd? I mean why have a primary election if we can’t chose unless mommy says so? Are endorsement conventions actually supposed to decide the primary election instead of the primary? I am confused, aren’t you? Talk about mixed messaging.
This is an odd year primary. This is also an odd thing to be doing. Are we all bobbleheads on this bus?
AND ABOVE ALL ELSE? IF THE CHESTER COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE WAS PROUD OF THEIR LAST DITCH MUDDYING OF THE WATERS, THEY WOULD HAVE PUT THIS OUT THERE ON THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA BUT CAN YOU FIND IT?? SO GLAD Y’ALLSTAND FOR FREEDOM, FAIRNESS, OPPORTUNITY…WE WERE WORRIED....
Yawn. I still have COVID, so back to bed with me. This is all so predictable. Chester County Democratic Committee needs new leadership, or actual leadership. Since I came to Chester County I have watched them as they block anyone independent as far as candidacy goes. From the most LOCAL levels of government. They want no one unendorsed and that’s a little lockstep with the Chester County Republicans as well, isn’t it? BOTH political parties COMPLAIN they can’t get people to run and they freaking wonder why?
Tomorrow is election day. It’s an off year so turn out will be low because apathy and laziness is what actually rules American politics. But if you are going to the polls tomorrow, I suggest to you with the exception of Kristine Howard who is really still their girl even if unendorsed, take a HARD look at the business of endorsements. And it is a business. After all just read that Inquirer article about Montgomery County recently. There is discontent not only in Montgomery County with the Democratic party, but in the Chester County Democratic Party as well. And their leadership isn’t so many years in (Chester County), and what they have done will actually ensure a stronger Republican series of campaigns in the fall. The foothold of the Democrats in Chester County has to been considered more tenuous because it actually is.
Tomorrow go vote the way YOUR HEART tells you to vote, NOT THE WAY SOMEONE ELSE IS TELLING YOU. And if the Chester County Democratic Committee really believed in their last minute dirty tricks, they would be shouting it from the treetops, and they are NOT. They are merely using a local paper to carry their water.
I am not going to say whom you should vote for, but I will tell you if you can’t look past the conniving endorsements and dirty politics of this spring slate, you deserve what you get if you are a Democrat in Chester County. And I will still tell you NOT to vote for Kristine Howard. I will also tell you that I thought about it and DID vote for Paige Simmons as one of my choices. (But I digress.)
After the primary no matter what happens, it is high time for a vote of no confidence in the current leadership of the Chester County Democratic Party. Hell, it’s not like it will be the first time, will it? And can we say the ones they show the door still try to play puppet master? So it really needs to be different?
In Chester County is Witch Hunt spelled C-h-e-s-t-e-r-C-o-u-n-t-y-D-e-m-o-c-r-a-t-i-c-C-o-m-m-i-t-t-e-e??
Sign me disgusted. Chester County Democrats only love you if you do as you are told does not work for me. Not.At. All.
