PA Lawmaker Caught Shaking Down Gasco for Money, Rides on Private Jet...

E-mails released today by Range Resources show that State Rep Jesse White shook them down for money and a ride via private jet to the Super bowl a few years ago. 

http://knappap.blogspot.com/2012/11/disgraced-anti-drilling-state-r...

Views: 2397

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Frank Nesmith on November 14, 2012 at 11:08am

Why do you hate this guy so much? Kinda sick to me.

Permalink Reply by Mike Knapp on November 14, 2012 at 12:51pm

Hate has nothing to do with it.  Have you seen the anti-gas drilling lies and hysteria he's been spreading?  Folks deserve to know the truth.  He was quoted in the NYT accusing the PA DEP of purposefully altering water testing to hide drilling contamination.  That's not some little white PR spin.  That's wantonly subverting his own government to instill a sense of fear in his constituents to serve his own political desires or thirst for personal retribution. 

Permalink Reply by JRW on November 14, 2012 at 1:22pm

the election is over, time to move on

Permalink Reply by Frank Nesmith on November 15, 2012 at 2:54am

I agree JRW. Sad.

Permalink Reply by gary smith on November 15, 2012 at 7:47am

you guys move on. i think i'll continue to pay attention. 78000 new unemployed. ohio and pa hit the worst. put white in jail.

Permalink Reply by GBrewer on November 15, 2012 at 6:09am

I read the article and it is better to err on the side of making sure this type of behavior sees the light of day.

As for his "joke defense", I offer the following:

Many a true word is spoken in jest

Meaning

A literal meaning; that the truth is often found in comic utterances.

Origin

The first author to express this thought in English was probably Geoffrey Chaucer. He included it in The Cook's Tale, 1390:

But yet I pray thee be not wroth for game; [don't be angry with my jesting]
A man may say full sooth [the truth] in game and play.

Shakespeare later came closer to our contemporary version of the expression, in King Lear, 1605:

Jesters do oft prove prophets.

Permalink Reply by Schnoozie on November 15, 2012 at 6:39am

What does this mean???? Some of us are rather simple folk, who are concerned that if we dont pay the local politician patronage we will get the same thing. Any idea if this has happened or is this just a Range-Jesse drama.

Permalink Reply by GBrewer on November 15, 2012 at 7:42am

What the quote means is, in effect, it was more honest than joke, that he was, in fact, looking for freebie jet ride, but did in such a way to give him what Washington calls, "plausible denial" if he got called on it.

 

Speculation, but given everything else he demanded and complained about NOT receiving, you can bet he would have been on that plane if the offer had been extended.

 

The problem is that our system of government encourages payments to those in government who side with us and where is the line drawn between "supporting" a representative who shares our views and buying someone to push our views.

 

"Blago" clearly crossed it in Illiinois and will 13 or so years to reflect on it and Jesse Jackson, Jr. and/or his wife may soon face a similar fate.

 

How does one know the difference between someone accepting support from a "constituent" and someone simply prostituting themselves.

 

If you look at White's complete body of work, his Latino and broken language quotes and innuendos towards Range to me that he is probably working both sides against the middle, i.e., taking all he can get from Range and saying all the perceived right things to have individual voters support him, too.

Permalink Reply by Bob Rock on November 15, 2012 at 2:00am
Election is over and this news has made
it into newspaper. Wake up people. Thanks for telling the story first mike.
Permalink Reply by Schnoozie on November 15, 2012 at 5:31am

I wonder if he treated every driller the same way. Range is not the only company in his area. Hope he stays down there with his antics. Just does not seem productive to constantly make a public statement then say, "I was only kidding". Easy way out.

What if you own a laundromat in Cannonsburg, or a support business like in hoses or lubricants? Are you fair game then unless you pay him?

Permalink Reply by jb379 on November 15, 2012 at 9:08am

Integrity for any public official is always pertinent.  Additionally, I thought the "I was only kidding" excuse lacked merit after the 3rd grade and in my experience typically led to a tanned hyde (unfortunately for me and my backside in that era, outside of sporting events time-outs were not utilized ;)

Permalink Reply by Schnoozie on November 15, 2012 at 9:32am

If he came in here and made "friendly suggestions" to us regarding a company employee whom he was dating at the time to handle his fundraisers. On our time, I would tell him to go pound salt too. Not his decision. The whole plane ride thing seems like a setup where Range would only have one option. let him come along or listen to him complain about it later. I have read some of Mike Knapps stuff. Hopefully his company has not seen the same type of targeted harrassment. Lawmakers up here seem a little more mature.

 

RSS

© 2024   Created by Keith Mauck (Site Publisher).   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service