Joseph B. “Joe” Scarnati, the president pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate, appears to be pretty much in the pocket of those who make the lives of the state’s citizens more difficult.
Scarnati, it should be noted, represents the 25th District which is top of the state’s fabled “T” and arguably the most rural and conservative part of the Pennsylvania.
He likes to portray himself as a friend of conservatives.
Well here are his real friends:
CARPENTERS PAC OF PHILA & VICINITY gave $50,000 and CARPENTERS LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM OF GREATER PENNSYLVANIA threw in another $25,000 for this election.
COMMITTEE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW, which is what the Philadelphia trial lawyers political action committee calls itself, gave $50,000. Why are the Philadelphia trial lawyers so interested in the goings on in Elk County? They are not of course but it is nice to have an in the rest of us can’t with the number two guy in the State Senate.
LOCAL 66 PAC CLUB (IUOE) of Pittsburgh contributed $25,000.
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS PAC of Pittsburgh gave $25,000.
PSEA PACE which represents the teachers union and opposes all commonsense educational reform — really, why is it so hard to fire a bad teacher — gave Scarnati $20,000 for this election.
AFSCME Council 13 PAC, which represents government workers, gave $5,000
1776 PAC (UFCW) which represents the state stores and the Pennsylvania SEIU, which also represents government workers, were pikers just giving $1,000 apiece. Of course, that is still more than you or I can likely afford to have the ear of a powerful political figure.
One can do one’s own campaign finance search here. It’s not the most intuitive site but it works.
Okay Tea Party compatriots, let’s go get the hockey puck!
I keep telling you. We need term limits.