Boscola v. PPL (Part II)

Yesterday I told you about State Senator Lisa Boscola's flip-flop on electricity deregulation. Back in 1996 then-State Rep. Boscola voted for for the bill which allowed electricity deregulation and the rate caps which are set to expire in the next few years. Now, State Senator Boscola is the head cheerleader leading the opposition to the expiration of these rate caps.

Today I am going to tell you how PPL contributes to the campaigns of state reps and senators, including Boscola

PPL has a PAC. It is called the PPL Good Government Committee (aka PPL for Good Government).

Since 2001, they have given $4,600 to Boscola, which is really nothing for this PAC. Although, I am not sure what that money got them except a public hearing with the PUC in south Bethlehem last week. Not really money well spent. (Note: Campaign Finance records are not online for the time period of 1995-1996, I would have liked to see what kind of money PPL gave Boscola during the time the deregulation bill was pending.)

In their latest filing with the Department of State, PPL had $136,239.71 available to them, and gave away $49,224.57.

They get their money from their employees. Their contributions are deducted from their paychecks. That is why the majority of the contributions are number like $13.46 and $20.67.

In the most recent filing, the following local representatives and senators received money from this PAC.
(Push or scroll over to see the contribution amount)

CITIZENS FOR BROWNE ALLENTOWN,&nbspPA &nbsp18105 Description: PATRICK BROWNE, STATE SENATE 16TH PA

3/3/2008

$8,000.00

BRENNAN FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE BETHLEHEM,&nbspPA &nbsp18015 Description: JOSEPH BRENNAN, STATE HOUSE 133 PA

2/19/2008

$5,000.00

CITIZENS FOR CLYMER SELLERSVILLE,&nbspPA &nbsp18960 Description: PAUL CLYMER, STATE HOUSE 145 PA

2/14/2008

$256.00

BRENNAN FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE BETHLEHEM,&nbspPA &nbsp18015 Description: JOSEPH BRENNAN, STATE HOUSE 133 PA

2/13/2008

$500.00

FRIENDS OF DOUG REICHLEY BREININGSVILLE,&nbspPA &nbsp18031 Description: DOUGLAS REICHLEY, STATE HOUSE 134 PA

2/12/2008

$500.00

FRIENDS OF DOUG REICHLEY BREININGSVILLE,&nbspPA &nbsp18031 Description: DOUGLAS REICHLEY, STATE HOUSE 134TH PA

1/9/2008

$1,000.00

CITIZENS FOR CARL MANTZ KUTZTOWN,&nbspPA &nbsp19530 Description: CARL MANTZ, STATE HOUSE 187TH PA

1/7/2008

$250.00

CITIZENS FOR CLYMER SELLERSVILLE,&nbspPA &nbsp18960 Description: PAUL CLYMER STATE HOUSE 145TH PA

1/7/2008

$500.00

CITIZENS TO ELECT CRAIG DALLY HARRISBURG,&nbspPA &nbsp17108 Description: CRAIG DALLY, STATE HOUSE 138TH PA

1/7/2008

$1,600.00

The complete list of the PPL PAC's contributions for the latest reporting period can be found here.

Now, I am a busy man and do not have time to research voting records and additional contributions(I barely have time to write a blog), however I am going to watch to see how the above legislators vote on bills concerning PPL in the future.

If any one wants to look at PPL's People for Good Government's other finance reports, they are linked here.

I am not trying to cause trouble for any of these elected officials. I like some of these guys. I am just trying to shed light on this problem. Regular people do not have this type of influence on their elected officials. Companies like PPL all have PACs donating to campaigns and all have expensive lobbyists working for them.. One thing we citizens cannot forget is that elected officials work for us. The little guy still has a voice on election day! I am not saying all these officials are engaging in pay to play, I just want to raise awareness. A well-informed electorate is a dangerous thing!

Boscola v. PPL.

I am admittedly a bad blogger. I go months without updates and really stink at this. I am no Bernie O'Hare...few are.

However, sometimes I get information passed to me, for some reason some Democratic Committee person likes me.

This person sent me an email telling me that Boscola is a hypocrite. Apparently, when she was a State Representative from Bethlehem, the seat currently held by Steve Samuelson, she voted for Bill 1509 back in 1996. Bill 1509 was the bill that allowed for the deregulation of electricity. It has been in the news recently since the rate caps it created are set to expire in 2010 and PPL wants to get a jump start on charging people more later this year.

I am cannot offer confirmation that Boscola voted for the bill. Two sources have told me she did. However, I cannot find her voting record online.

While I agree with Boscola and think the rate caps should be extended, I believe Boscola should have thought about the impact on her constituents back in 1996. Now she is being trumpeted as a saint who is standing up to a big bad corporation and will be re-elected in a landslide in a few years. The truth is that she is really an opportunistic hypocrite who takes opposing sides of the same issue when it is convenient for her. Boscola helped cause this problem, now she wants to offer solutions to it, sounds hypocritical to me.

(Next time I will explore PPL's PAC's contributions to local politicians....Boscola is on that list!)

State Senator Lisa Boscola a DINO?

If you read my blog long enough, you will find out sooner or later I am not a Lisa Boscola fan.

I have always thought of her as a DINO (Democrat In Name Only).

Recently she has more than admitted it.

During the Kieklak fiasco, Boscola took to the airwaves as a caller to Ken Matthews radio show on WGPA. During her flustered call, she claimed she was more conservative than most Republicans. A commenter (Anon 11:25) to Bernie O'hare's blog gave a fairly good summary of the call.

Then last week, during the budget debate, Boscola gave a speech on the Senate floor calling out the administration for furloughing workers and not passing the budget. During her speech, she said it was a sham and a disgrace that welfare recipients will continue to get checks and workers won't. John Micek's Capitol Ideas blog had the quote and a comment. Boscola is so proud of her comments, that she has posted the video on her website. It is viewable here.

Now last time I checked, Democrats did not brag about being more conservative than Republicans and did not criticize people for receiving welfare.

So today I will be starting a new feature here at Down and Out in Bethlehem, the DINO Club.

Congratulations State Senator Lisa Boscola you are a charter member of the DINO club.

Please feel free to email me or leave a comment for nominations for future members.