Lou Barletta: Coward
As I’ve mentioned before on this website, one of my biggest problems with Lou Barletta running for Congress is that he seems to be terrified to take a stand on any issue other than illegal immigration. It boggled my mind, really, trying to figure out why a Congressional candidate, attempting to take on one of the most senior members of the House of Representatives, would try and run a campaign based on one issue. The only answer that I can come up with is; Lou Barletta is afraid to take a stand. He’s a coward.
On his website, Lou Barletta talks at length about…nothing. The section entitled “About Lou” on the site, which promises to explain “where he stands on KEY ISSUES and what he has PLANNED FOR THE FUTURE” does nothing of the sort. It’s essentially a short biography of Lou and talks more about his life before politics than anything else. It mentions absolutely nothing about any issue, even illegal immigration. And as for the future, it says nothing about that, either.
The sad truth of the matter is that Lou Barletta talks more about Hilary Clinton not joining him for pizza, and how broken hearted that he was when he had to eat it cold and by himself, than he does about the War in Iraq, the housing crisis, the economy, rising gas prices, health care, or education. None of those issues are even mentioned on the website. Not one.
How can anyone really consider Lou Barletta a serious candidate? He refuses to go on record about any issue, other than illegal immigration. And even on the subject of illegal immigration, Barletta, when confronted with questions about his policy in court, couldn’t provide any details or meaningful answers. In short, Lou Barletta is a political hack. He has nothing to offer the constituents of the 11th Congressional District and will, if elected, only end up failing them miserably. Lou Barletta should not be elected to the US Congress.
-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com
April 16th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
When Lou Barletta bravely took a stand against the illegals who were taking over his town, I applauded his actions, and was encouraged to see other towns in America taking a similar stand against illegal immigrants.
It would be a stretch to see how that qualifies him to take a seat in the House of Representatives. Perhaps he has other qualifications which match his political aspirations. If so, he would be well-advised to demonstrate them in a smaller arena. Unless he can do that, I don’t think you have too much to worry about regarding Mr. Barletta’s run for the House.
Gotta give the man credit though, for standing up for his town, against the ACLU and other Leftist organizations. Time will tell.
April 20th, 2008 at 8:57 am
For every petty reason you have for Lou not to run for Congress I have a better reason why Paul Kanjorski needs to be removed. ANYBODY BUT KANJORSKI PLEASE.
April 20th, 2008 at 8:58 am
OOPS…I WASN’T FINISHED.
NOW I AM.
April 20th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Most of $1.34M Cornerstone debt to go unpaid (“greedy congressman…”)
Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre PA) ^ | 3/29/08
Most of $1.34M Cornerstone debt to go unpaid Creditors to get little, nothing from Kanjorski family bankrupcy. Case to be closed.
WILKES-BARRE – After more than a year in the hands of a court-appointed trustee, the bankruptcy case of Cornerstone Technologies is nearing an end. And, creditors seeking a portion of $1.34 million they say they’re owed will receive little or nothing.
The research company, owned by the daughter and four nephews of U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, was to use water-jet technology capable of pulverizing materials and minerals into microscopic pieces that could be used in high technology applications. Funded with $9.2 million in federal defense earmarks secured by the congressman, the company halted operations in 2003. Company officials filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy Sept. 26, 2006 with Cornerstone reporting $14,100 in assets compared with $1.34 million in debt, according to bankruptcy court records.
The case’s court file shows no activity since March 7, 2007.
On Friday, attorney Robert P. Sheils Jr., the court-appointed trustee overseeing the proceedings, said the case will likely be closed by the end of next week.
Attorney John H. Doran, who represents Cornerstone Technologies in the bankruptcy proceedings, said his colleague gave creditors adequate time to present information. He said “there are just no assets available” to disburse.
“I see no reason at this point that I can see anybody getting two cents,” Doran said. “I can’t see how any of that can be paid,” he said of the more than $1 million in creditor filings.
Sheils agreed and said “we looked inside and out on this thing and there’s just not anything that has any apparent value worth liquidating.”
Sheils said on Monday he’ll likely file an abandonment report for the property, which he said would cost more to auction than he’d get. Following that he’ll file a no-distribution report, which would be the final step before the bankruptcy court closes the case.
Doran did not say whether the closing of the case would also mean the end of Cornerstone Technologies, which he said still exists.
“It hasn’t been extinguished, it’s just not functioning,” Doran said.
Questions posed to Kanjorski, through his press liaison in Washington, D.C., were not answered. Though the congressman did not own the company, he played a vital role in securing federal contracts and grants.
Five members of his family owned a significant part of the company. KOR Holdings, which owned 60 percent of Cornerstone, is owned by Kanjorski’s daughter Nancy and four of his nephews, Peter, Paul Eric, Russell and Mark.
Peter Kanjorski, who served as the chief executive officer of Cornerstone, personally owned another 20 percent of the company. The remaining 20 percent was owned by Bruce Conrad, a former Cornerstone employee who lives in Weatherly.
A message left at Peter Kanjorski’s law office in Nanticoke was not returned. Efforts to reach Paul Eric and Nancy Kanjorski were unsuccessful. Russell Kanjorski, contacted at his place of employment in Colorado, declined to discuss the Cornerstone matter.
Founded in 1998, Cornerstone was once touted as a leader in developing a cutting-edge technology that would bring high-paying jobs to the region. It operated in a leased Plains Township facility before closing its doors in 2003 and moving machinery and equipment into a parking garage of a Nanticoke bowling alley.
Steve Sitar, an auctioneer hired by Sheils to inventory and appraise assets, said he found barrels of graphite, some office equipment and a couple of pieces of small machinery.
Conrad on Friday laughed when told there were minimal assets found. He wondered where two milling machines, developed using U.S. Navy funding, were. Sitar said he did not see them.
Conrad said the ending to the tale was not the one he envisioned when he signed on a decade ago. He said the technology was “sound” and there were investors ready to pony up millions of dollars. Poor management and greed ruined the fairy tale, he said.
Conrad pinned the blame squarely on the congressman’s involvement in the company.
“The moment we had a greedy congressman trying to stuff his pockets with money we were through,” Conrad said. “If your only principle in business is greed, your business will fail.”