Charlton Explains Why Church Should Donate Land — Alex Charlton, of Springfield, who is the Republican candidate in the race to replace Bill Adolph in the 165th District of the Pennsylvania House, had an excellent column in the July 18 Delaware County Daily Times explaining and defending his request for the Philadelphia Archdiocese to donate the 213-acre Don Guanella tract in Marple Township as open space rather than sell it for development.
We will take issue with Charlton, however, regarding his claim that taxpayers have long borne the hidden cost of Don Guanella property by virtue of its tax-exempt status and suggest he stop making it.
Don Guanella Village — like Catholic schools — provided a desperately need social service that would otherwise be borne by the state at far, far higher cost to taxpayers if it hadn’t existed.
And it wasn’t as though taxpayers hadn’t been using the church property for nature hikes, jogging and such which is the status that Charlton and other opponents of development are fighting to keep.
So stop saying that Alex.
We’d further note that the Village proper is already developed and there would no objection if the Archdiocese were to separate that for sale.
We’d also note that it wouldn’t hurt for the county were to sweeten the deal, say, by agreeing to develop and maintain some athletic fields at Reed and Sproul roads giving Cardinal O’Hara first free use of them during weekdays during the school year. Or by building an access drive from Reed Road to O’Hara paralleling Sproul. Or both.
Libertarians Pledge Rose Tree Park Return — The Libertarians who had their petitions for Pennsylvania 7th District Congressional candidate Pat Sellers confiscated by Delaware County Park Police while canvassing in the county’s Rose Tree Park, July 16, are saying they will return Thursday (July 21) through Sunday to try again and have so informed Park Police Chief Samuel S. Ziviello.
The below statement was written by Dale Kerns Jr. of Ridley.
Chief Samuel S. Ziviello, I would like to thank you for allowing myself and David Jahn, chairman of the Delaware County Libertarian Party, to meet with you yesterday (July 18). I understand that you’re waiting for your solicitor to respond to the letter I have written. I also appreciate your call at the end of the day yesterday telling me you still have not heard from him. But what I do not appreciate is that every day that is delayed is a day that we cannot exercise our first amendment rights in that location. Every day that is delayed is the day that our civil liberties are being violated.
I hope that everyone at the county level understands what a horrible injustice this is to the civil liberties of everyone in the county and I hope that they will work to get us answers. We want to know that we can go peacefully to the park that we fund with our tax dollars and exercise our First Amendment rights and all other rights; without being harassed, intimidated, threatened, or violated in any other way.
If I do not hear back From you soon I will take my interpretation of the First Amendment, of the Supreme Court decisions that have already been established with respect to collecting signatures, and exercise these rights at Rose Tree Park immediately. I will do so peacefully, without antagonizing, and without disruption of anyone. I expect that I can expect that the officers under you Will not be ordered to treat us like criminals and violate our rights.
On Thursday of this week, Friday of this week, Saturday of this week, and Sunday of this week, we (peaceful law abiding citizens) will be back at the park from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. exercising our rights as free people. We encourage your support.
Kerns, Sellers Statements Update — Dale Kerns Jr. says Park Police Chief Samuel S. Ziviello has said they intend to return his petitions but can’t find them. Chief, you could be looking at some serious legal aggravation if they can’t be found. Kerns also said Ziviello is waiting upon a ruling by their solicitor as to whether they can canvass in the park.
Kerns, Sellers Statements — Here are statements by Dale Kerns Jr. and Patrick Henry Sellers regarding the incident, July 16, in Rose Tree Park in which they petitions they were circulating for Libertarian candidates were confiscated and Kerns was later subject to a car stop and threatened with arrest.
Dale Kerns Jr, Ridley Township Pa.
Dear Chief Samuel S. Ziviello, I am writing to you about a matter that occurred in your jurisdiction very recently involving the Delaware County Park Police, Mario Civera and County Council, and individuals on staff at the Summer Festival and Parks and Recreation. The matter involved an abuse of power, jurisdictional violations, violations of the 1st Amendment rights of individuals and political parties from the State and Federal levels, a violation of Federal Code Chapter 29 Section 529, violation of numerous Supreme Court rulings and the violation of the oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States from both officers and County officials.
On Thursday July 15th 2016, while petitioning with several individuals for the office of President, United States Senate, Pennsylvania Attorney General, U.S. Congress, and other offices; I was first approached by Mark Manfre who identified himself as the guy in charge of the division of Parks and Recreation. At that time Mr. Manfre insisted that we leave the property because solicitation was not something that was allowed in the park. It was then that I informed Mr. Manfre that we were exercising our right to free speech and at no time were we selling anything. Mr. Manfre said he knows exactly what we are doing because he also does the same thing on many occasions. After a rather short discussion and my insisting that Mr. Manfre show me the law that says I cannot exercise my right to free speech, Mr. Manfre headed to his office to find out more information. By this time Mr. Manfre had held us up so much that we were not very successful with our collections- the whole operation was compromised.
Upon his return, Mr. Manfre said that he could find no law, and that he spoke to his solicitor. Mr. Manfre informed me that the solicitor agreed, and that he was not to have us removed from the park because it would violate my first amendment rights. It was then that Mr. Manfre wished us luck, told us that he did not agree with us being there but the solicitor gave him legal direction. Mr. Manfre then told me that within the next week he would have a law passed that would keep us from proceeding the next week.
Just two days later on July 17th 2016, after gathering signatures for about an hour with Patrick Henry Sellers, the Libertarian Congressional Candidate, at approximately 6:30 PM we were approached by a female officer with the Delaware County Park Police who referred to herself as the Lieutenant. The Lieutenant said we have to stop what we are doing because there is no political stuff allowed on the Park Grounds. Patrick Sellers and I informed her that we were just exercising our right to free speech, and not soliciting anything of any kind. We also informed her that we had the same approach taken by Mark Manfre just two days prior. She said she had direction from Mario Civera of County Council and Mark Manfre of the Parks and Recreation to have us removed and cited if we did not comply. After the Lieutenant informed us, I offered to show her Supreme Court Precedent that protects our actions under the United States Constitution. The Lieutenant replied that the United States Constitution and the Supreme Court does not sign her paychecks and the County Council does. It was at that point that she said we had to stop collection of signatures, remove any signs that we had on or near our person and any literature or face citations and possibly jail.
At that time, Pat Sellers and I stopped all exercising of rights as we felt that the situation was very threatening. As the Lieutenant pulled away in her vehicle, a second vehicle approached with another officer who identified himself as officer Lasina or Masina as we were packing up. This officer said that we were breaking law, committing a crime, and asked if we had identification. We told him that identification was not on us but in our cars. Pat Sellers and I had not even made it to our cars yet from when the Lieutenant pulled away. The officer then told us to head to our cars.
I then went to my car, and Pat Sellers did the same. I pulled away first, and headed out of the park. When I realized that I did not have all of my clipboards I stopped in the circle to gather everything. The Lieutenant was there and said I was not following orders. When I told her I only wanted my signatures and I was leaving, she said they are now evidence and she was directed to confiscate them. She said to see County Council if I want to know the law and to find out how to get my nomination papers back. At that point, I saw officers pulling over Pat Sellers.
I then went south on 252 towards Chester Pennsylvania. I stopped at Wawa just after the route 1 bypass. I purchased my order to take home for which I have a receipt. Upon leaving the premises of Wawa and heading in the direction of 476 in the route 1 bypass, I was pulled over by the Delaware County Park Police, officers Masina or Lasina and Lieutenant Berkey, another unidentified officer was also on the scene at one point. It was at this time I began to film.
I was told that I was being pulled over for committing a crime, which was solicitation and disorderly conduct. I was told that this stop was a direct order and was at the direction of County Council Chairman Mario Civera. The rest can be found on the footage of the video tapes (which you probably have seen to this point and has had over 30,000 views in the first 24 hours). Additionally, the nomination papers have yet to be returned, even though on the video the officers said they were on their way with them.
Consequently, after the whole ordeal there were no charges, but I am unable to regain my first amendment rights back for that evening, I am unable to undo what was done with respect to the way it appeared we were guilty to over 300 individuals in that park. I also cannot undo the fact that the officers in the Delaware County Park have an allegiance to the Delaware County Council and the Chief of Police before serving under their oath to Protect and Defend the United States and Pennsylvania Constitution. Unfortunately, that latter can only be initiated by you.
I would like to move toward rectifying these matters diplomatically. I would like to have the nomination papers that I circulated returned. I would like to have full faith in the fact that nobody exercising their right to free speech in county parks will have to go through what I went through ever again with respect to the harassment, threats, intimidation, and ignorance of my rights as a free individual. And, I would like to know that the officers that are out there protecting us are not following direct orders from a single person in power instead of the law of the land The United States and Pennsylvania Constitution.
I thank you for your time in this matter and look forward to hearing from you immediately so that we can resolve this matter in a gentleman like fashion.
Patrick Henry Sellers, Libertarian candidate for Congress, 7th District, Pennsylvania.
I can attest that everything Dale Kerns said about what happened in Rose Tree Park on Thursday and Saturday 7/14/16, 7/16/16 is accurate.
I also share Dale’s desire for a quick resolution to this. I am extremely dismayed over the very bad publicity this caused for my campaign and the other candidates on our petitions. How are we now going to change the opinion of all those people who walked by us, me holding my “Sellers for Congress” sign, as the officers probably appeared to be arresting us?
Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is almost directly on the equator but has a spring-like climate throughout the year. It’s the height. The city sits 9,300 feet above sea level.
Valley Forge Prayer Event Saturday — Prayer for America will be held 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, July 23, at Washington Memorial Chapel on Route 23 in Valley Forge Park.
All are welcome and this is ample parking.
Lunch is available at the Cabin Shop and there is a picnic area adjacent to the chapel.
Opening salutation will be made by Rev. Roy Almquist.
Libertarian Petitions Confiscated In Delco — In an exceedingly boneheaded move, Saturday evening (July 16), Delaware County Park Police stopped Libertarians from circulating petitions for 7th District congressional candidate Patrick Henry Sellers in the county’s Rose Tree Park in Upper Providence. Police confiscated the petitions and later chased down the circulators with intent to cite them for disorderly conduct.
“I was asked to leave the park and complied,” said Dale Kerns. “I went to (the nearby) Wawa. After leaving Wawa on 252 by the Route 1 bypass, the Park Police pulled me over outside their jurisdiction on Route 1 heading toward the Blue Route.”
The encounter shortly before 8 p.m. was recorded by Kerns. One of the officers says the action was taken at the behest of County Council member Mario Civera just after explaining why the citation is being issued.
Tough break, kid. You are young and there are many other police departments in the nation.
Solicitation is prohibited in county parks albeit this is generally understood to be for commercial matters and not for things like collecting signatures for candidate petitions.
Regardless, that the petitions were confiscated is drastically overstepping all reasonable bounds of law enforcement.
At least American law enforcement.
Kerns says that police ultimately decided not to file the criminal citations but they have yet to return his petitions with the names he collected.
He says he has been in contact with a civil rights attorney.
Among those with whom Sellers will be contending this fall — assuming he gets enough signatures to get on the ballot — will be GOP incumbent Pat Meehan.
Wagner Two-Faced On Anti-Business Law — Sen. Scott Wagner, who says in the below article, that he is “extremely concerned with how Federal and State Regulations are choking businesses” and “Barack Obama’s anti-business agenda” is pushing legislation to make life harder for small business by adding “sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression” to the list of “protected classes“. Nobody likes bullies but what Wagner and Sen. Pat Browne (R-16) are ignoring with the laws they are pushing is that bullies exist in government too and especially in the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission which would be tasked with enforcing this garbage.
There are employers and supervisors who take pleasure in humiliating employees and prospective employees. Nobody likes them. They are not an iota as dangerous, however, as the government officials with that character trait.
Like those in the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.
The anti-business bill Wagner is pushing, SB 1307, is advancing and was re-referred to the Rules and Executive Nominations Committee on June 27.
A bill, SB 1316, sponsored by Sen. Browne which would forbid discrimination against men claiming to be women regarding housing such as college dorms moved to the State Government committee June 21.
How is giving more power to the PHRC helping business?
The Pennsylvania state budget for 2016-17 was finalized July 13. I will be reporting in depth the details in an email next week.
This email is focused on the Presidential election.
I will be traveling to Cleveland next week to attend the Republican National Convention.
It appears that the Presidential race is down to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
I expect that Donald Trump will be nominated as the Republican candidate for the General Election in November.
I would like to share my thoughts and opinion.
As a private sector business owner I am extremely concerned with how Federal and State Regulations are choking businesses.
Case in point – Barack Obama’s war on coal has just about vaporized the coal industry in the US and especially Western Pennsylvania.
Businesses employ people and create jobs – they always have, and always will.
I am very concerned about the thought of Hillary Clinton stepping foot into the White House and doubling-down on Barack Obama’s anti-business agenda.
Americans have witnessed firsthand the last three weeks of events – first when Bill Clinton just by chance happened to be on the same tarmac, at an airport on an airplane, at the same time that the United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch was at the same airport, the same tarmac and on an airplane, and they just happened to meet.
The press reported that Bill Clinton and Ms. Lynch discussed golf, the weather, their children and grandchildren – ironically several days after this chance meeting the FBI announced that they are not going to pursue action against Hillary Clinton over her emails.
Cut me a break – The press, Bill Clinton and Hillary must think that Americans are clueless and stupid – the meeting was preset and a deal was definitely done on an airplane.
I have been watching Donald Trump very closely – I watch what he says and what he does.
Looking back to 2013 when I announced that I was going to run for the Pennsylvania 28th State Senate seat I called a donor in the York community – he told me that he was going to sit on the sidelines with my race – he had concerns that my style wouldn’t work in Harrisburg.
I have worked hard on my style – but at the end of the day – my style is asking questions and continuing to ask questions until I fully understand the issue – demanding accountability – I am pushing the envelope on change and breaking the status-quo mold.
Please allow me to point out – I did not have a lifelong plan to run for a seat in the Pennsylvania State Senate – I was fed up, and when our Senator resigned I decided to roll up my shirt sleeves and get involved to make a difference.
I think Donald Trump is similar in many ways to me – he doesn’t need the job as President and he doesn’t need the money – the guy is seventy years old – I am sure he would be much more happy continuing to operate his businesses – it appears that his children are highly active in the businesses and are smart and intelligent – Donald Trump could spend the rest of his life working with his children and watch them become great business people.
I think that Donald Trump, in his own large ego way, said one day, “I have had enough of America being pounded and run down by career politicians and the crony system.”
I stayed on the sidelines up until a few weeks ago – I made a decision to let the Republican candidates work through the process – at the end of the day I respect each and every Republican candidate who stepped into the ring with their own ideas of how to get America back on track.
Now that Donald Trump is most likely going to be the Republican Candidate I am going to do everything I can to help him get elected.
I put a lot of effort into Mitt Romney’s campaign in 2012 – his campaign was not run well in Pennsylvania, and as a result he lost.
This past weekend I reached out to someone in the Pennsylvania State Republican Party to arrange a meeting with the top person or people who are running Donald Trump’s campaign.
I received a call this past Monday afternoon that a meeting had been set up with Trump’s campaign people for that evening.
I traveled to Cleveland and had a forty-five minute private meeting with Paul Manafort, the National Campaign Manager for the Trump campaign and five other high level campaign people.
The conversation was direct and to the point – I expressed that many people in Pennsylvania want to be part of this critical race.
I requested 20,000 yard signs so that any person who wants a “Trump for President” sign for their yard can get one in South Central PA.
I also asked what may be a strange question – Does Mr. Trump have a best friend? – A best friend who can be off stage at an event that Mr. Trump is speaking at, and if he says something stupid that this friend can yell at Mr. Trump for the stupid comment or comments he made.
I am lucky – I have several friends who yell at me if I say something stupid – I am getting better and so will Mr. Trump.
I left the meeting on Monday night with Paul Manafort with an increased level of confidence that Donald Trump has hired Mr. Manafort and a very strong team is being assembled to win the General Election in November and put Donald Trump in the White House.
News releases today are suggesting that Governor Mike Pence from Indiana may be Donald Trump’s pick as his running mate for Vice President.
I had an opportunity to meet and have a conversation with Governor Pence at an Republican Governor’s Association event in Detroit this past October.
Governor Pence has done good things for Indiana since he has been in office – I can tell you he is not a status-quo person and wants to make positive changes – he is very pro-business – remember what I said earlier – businesses employ people and create jobs.
So here is my ask of everyone who cares deeply about our great country – please put aside all of your differences and be supportive of Donald Trump – the bottom line is we cannot – I repeat, we cannot allow Hillary Clinton in the White House.
Please don’t make comments that you are not going to vote for either candidate – your lack of a vote is not acceptable – please remember this great country – the United States of America – please remember the many brave people who fought for, and the people who died for, the freedoms we enjoy each and every day.
