StopLouBarletta.com

What do you do if you’re a Congressional candidate and honest, law abiding citizens won’t give you any money to help fund your campaign?  Take it from dirty, sleazy criminals and former criminals!  That’s exactly what Lou Barletta is doing.  In addition to accepting $2,000 from two men who were involved in a cocaine distribution ring, Mayor Barletta has also accepted campaign donations from Senator Ted Stevens (R - Alaska).

Senator Stevens, for those that don’t know, was recently indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for accepting gifts and kickbacks from lobbyists.  Stevens is the first US Senator to be indicted, for anything, since 1993.  Senator Stevens is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts from oil lobbyists.  He is also under investigation for sponsoring fishing legislation that may have been used to help his son, who is also a lobbyist.

To quote CBS News…

“From May 1999 to August 2007, prosecutors said, the 84-year-old senator concealed “his continuing receipt of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of things of value from a private corporation.”

The indictment unsealed Tuesday says the items included: home improvements to his vacation home in Alaska, including a new first floor, garage, wraparound deck, plumbing, electrical wiring; as well as a Viking gas grill, furniture and tools. He also was accused of failing to report swapping an old Ford for a new Land Rover to be driven by one of his children.

Prosecutors said Stevens received more than $250,000 in gifts and services from VECO Corp., a powerful oil services contractor, and its executives.”

Mayor Lou Barletta has accepted $1000 from the Northern Lights Political Action Committee (PAC), a PAC that is run by Senator Ted Stevens.  Naturally, Representative Paul Kanjorski, Barletta’s opponent, has called on Barletta to give the money back.  And, predictably, the Barletta camp has so far refused.  Just like they’ve refused to give back the $2,000 that they’ve accepted from the DiAngelo brothers, who were both involved, extensively, with the Empire Drug Ring.

And why won’t Mayor Barletta give this dirty money back?  Well, I think it comes down to two reasons.  First, Lou Barletta is perfectly comfortable with accepting money from criminals.  Otherwise, you know, he would give the money back.  But he hasn’t.  Second, Mayor Barletta can’t afford to give the money back.  His campaign is hurting for money and he needs every single penny he can get his hands on.  Desperate people will do desperate things, I suppose.

All of this leads to one conclusion: Lou Barletta has no business being elected to the United States Congress.  He has shown a total disregard for anything resembling ethical behavior and his campaign is already tainted with dirty money from people who have been indicted, and in some cases, convicted of major criminal offenses.  With all of his ties to criminals, Lou Barletta should not be elected to the United States Congress.

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com

Mayor Lou Barletta, who is running for Congress against Representative Paul Kanjorski, has accepted $2,000 is campaign donations from two men who were once involved with a Luzerne County cocaine ring.  According to FEC campaign donation records, and as reported by the Citizens Voice, the Barletta campaign has accepted $1,000 each from Paul and Neal DeAngelo.  Worse, Barletta says he has no intention of giving the money back.

As reported by the Citizens Voice…

“The list of contributors to Republican congressional candidate Lou Barletta includes two brothers who were once entangled in a southern Luzerne County cocaine-distribution ring but are now prominent businessmen there.

Paul and Neal DeAngelo, the owners of DBiServices Inc., each gave Barletta $1,000 on March 28.

In 1994, Paul DeAngelo was sentenced to 18 months in jail for his role in the Empire drug ring, which operated in the late 1980s. He was released in 1995.

As a government witness in the trial of another ring member, Neal DeAngelo, who was not charged, testified that Luzerne County Judge Michael T. Conahan called him in 1986 to say Paul DeAngelo was doing business with a cocaine dealer who was being investigated. The judge, according to the testimony, offered to put them in touch with a Florida dealer, Neal DeAngelo testified.”

Despite all of this, Mayor Lou Barletta says he has no plans on giving any of the money back.  In fact, showing flashes of his famous temper, Barletta blasted his opponent, Paul Kanjorski, for “shopping the story around to reporters.”  He then went on to defend these two men, saying…

“These two guys (the DeAngelos) made a mistake,” Barletta said. “They paid their dues and through honest, hard work they built a business that is one of the biggest in Hazleton.

Paul Kanjorski wants to drag these guys through the mud,” Barletta said. “Paul Kanjorski should be trying to get more companies like DBi to our area.”

So, in addition to slashing the Hazleton Police Force in half, resulting in a massive surge in crime, Mayor Lou Barletta is also accepting campaign donations from men who have been involved with cocaine distribution.  And when confronted with this information, he then defends these men and their character and refuses to give any of the money back.  Oh, and how dare Paul Kanjorski even bring this up?

Lou Barletta is a career liar.  He has run Hazleton into the ground.  His police force cuts have resulted in massive crime spikes.  Businesses are closing, on a regular basis, in Hazleton.  Many former storefronts are now sitting empty.  The city is being squeezed by legal bills incurred as a result of Mayor Barletta’s failed attempt to defend his extremist immigration policy in court.  And on top of it all, he is taking money from men who admitted to being involved with a drug trafficking operation.

This is why I am sickened to see Lou Barletta represent the Republican Party in this election.  Barletta is a disgrace of a man, an embarrassment to both Hazleton and the Republican Party, and a joke of a congressional candidate.  Clearly, Lou Barletta should not be elected to the United States Congress.

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com

Lou Barletta, over the past couple of days, has issued a whole bunch of press releases calling his opponent, Representative Paul Kanjorski, “desperate.”  Every time Kanjorski runs a television ad or holds a town hall meeting or has campaign workers make phone calls to voters, Barletta starts screaming and ranting about how “desperate” Kanjorski must be.  All of this leads me to believe that Barletta is, in fact, the desperate one.

Consider the following, if you would:

• Lou Barletta is struggling to raise any money, while Kanjorski is absolutely rolling in it.  Kanjorski has well over $2 million in cash and $0 in debt.  Barletta, on the opposite end of the spectrum, has $321,895 in cash and $321,340 in debt.  Enron had a more solid balance sheet than that.
• Kanjorski has aired at least three separate television commercials already.  Barletta, unable to afford any television time, has put up a bunch of YouTube videos.  Additionally, Barletta, in “desperation”, has sent letters to all of the local television stations, demanding them to stop airing Kanjorski’s commercials.
• Almost all of Lou Barletta’s campaign money has come from residents of the city of Hazleton, the very city that Lou Barletta is mayor of.  Once that city is bled dry of money, one has to wonder where Barletta will get his cash from.  Because it doesn’t appear that very many other people are stepping up to the plate.
• Vince Galko, Lou Barletta’s campaign manager, has managed to loose every single election he’s been a part of.  Bob Dole’s Presidential bid.  Rick Santorum’s last run at the Senate against Bob Casey, Jr.  Rudy Giuliani’s bid at the Republican presidential nomination.

So, as you can see, if anyone is “desperate”, it is Lou Barletta.  He is desperate for money.  He is desperate for a campaign manager that knows what the hell he’s doing.  He is desperate for Paul Kanjorski to stop running television ads.  Lou Barletta is desperate for a miracle.

Clearly, Mayor Lou Barletta is trying to convince everyone that he is playing from a position of strength in this campaign, while the stone cold facts of the matter clearly show that he is the weaker of the two candidates.  This is just one more example of how bad of a candidate Lou Barletta is and how little he knows about running for Congress.  Lou Barletta should not be elected to the United States Congress.

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com

The latest Federal Election Comittee (FEC) financial filings are now available.  According to the data, Lou Barletta’s congressional campaign is barely keeping their heads above water.  Worse yet for the Hazleton Mayor, Representative Paul Kanjorski, his challenger, is now swimming in money.  Clearly, Barletta is finding it difficult to raise funds.

According to the new data, Barletta’s finanical situation breaks down like this…

• $196,549 paid out already
• $321,895 cash on hand
• $321,340 outstanding debt

Compare this with his opponent’s situation…

• $323,129 paid out already
• $2,174,387 cash on hand
• $0 outstanding debt

So, as you can see, Barletta is in trouble.  Without even going into debt, Paul Kanjorski can spend more than four times as much as Barletta.  What this means is that, as the campaign goes on, Lou Barletta will find it more and more difficult to stay competitive.  And, honestly, this isn’t the least bit surprising.

The truth of the matter is that Lou Barletta, while considered a near demigod in Hazleton, isn’t very popular outside of his home city.  As proof of this, just take a look at where the individual campaign donations he’s receiveing are coming from.  Most of the money is coming from Hazleton.  People may cheer Barletta when he walks in a parade in Scranton or another part of the district, but almost none of those people are willing to give him money.

This is because most people realize that Mayor Lou Barletta is a bad investment.  On the issues that are important to people, Barletta is weak, to say the least.  He’s already pulled a flip-flop on the issue of privitizing Social Security and didn’t even release official statements on where he stands on other issues until just last month.  Add in the fact that he’s already run this race before (he ran against Paul Kanjorski, in the same district, in 2002) and lost.  There is no reason to believe this time will be any different.

Lou Barletta is a weak candidate, would make a horrible Congressman, and does not deserve to be elected to higher office.

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com

In a press release, Mayor Lou Barletta brags about the fact that he was able to raise over $500,000 for his Congressional campaign.  In the release, Barletta mentions the support he received from several people.  The retired Pennsylvania woman.  The elderly VA Hospital patient.  But he doesn’t mention, to no ones surprise, the support he’s received from his other friends.

Like David Duke, one of the nation’s most notorious racist leaders.  Mr. Duke is an avid Lou Barletta supporter, and has issued a formal endorsement of Mayor Barletta.  Duke is a former Ku Klux Klan leader and has written a book entitled Jewish Supremacism.  What does it say about Lou Barletta that David Duke, one of the most despicable men in America, supports Barletta for Congress?  Nothing good.

And then there’s the Eagle Forum, one of the most insane political action committees in existence.  Several weeks ago, the Eagle Forum came out in full support of Lou Barletta.  Among other things, the Eagle Forum is in favor of such fun ideas as passing laws granting immunity to men who rape their wives, illiminating Federal funding for child care, and taking sex education classes out of public schools.  This is the America that they want and they believe that Barletta is their man to help them achieve it.

Yes, Lou Barletta has raised over $50,000.  However, how much of that money has come from bigots, racists, and extremists?  No one will ever know the answer to that question.  It won’t show up on any FEC report.  However, if the Ku Klux Klan and the Eagle Forum support Lou Barletta, do we really want him in the halls of Congress?  I think not.

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com

Lou Barletta is having all sorts of trouble raising money for his Congressional Campaign. No one, it seems, wants to give poor, poor Lou Barletta any of their hard earned money. According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Barletta’s campaign has built up twice as much debt as it has cash on hand. Obviously, Mr. Barletta could use some help convincing people to give him their money.

So, I’ve drafted a letter that Lou Barletta and his campaign can use to help raise some funds….

Dear Voter:

My name is Lou Barletta and I am the mayor of Hazleton, PA. I’m currently running for Congress and I need your help. Actually, I need your money. As much of it as you can (legally) give. With your help, and all of your money, I may actually stand a shot at competing in this election. Please give me money.

My advisers, who work for beer and pretzels because that’s all I can afford to pay them, tell me that having a celebrity spokesperson can help raise funds. I can’t afford a celebrity spokesperson. However, I have been on CNN and Fox News an awful lot. They like to talk to me because I am all sorts of crazy and like to rant about the hordes of gun wielding, crack dealing immigrants who are constantly shooting up my town.  And David Duke (from the KKK) supports me. And did I mention that I’m the mayor of Hazleton?

Send me money! I have a whole butt-load of debt that I built up from the last time I ran for Congress (and lost), so I need to pay that off. Along with the debt that I’m building up for this election. I spent over $11,000 on my website (www.LouBarletta.com) and I have to pay for that, too. I need money! The Republican National Comittee (RNC) usually gives candidates money, but since I am such horrible candidate, they won’t give me any. Which is why I need you to send me money. Fast.

I know that gas prices are sky rocketing, the cost of food is rising, and employment is shrinking. However, I believe that giving me money is more important than you eating dinner. Also, I’m so poor, that I can’t even afford to figure out where I stand on any issue in this election. Except for immigrants. I don’t like them too much. Send me money! Thank you.

Sincerely,

Lou (SEND ME MONEY!) Barletta
Mayor of Hazleton and Cable News Superstar

PS
If you send me money, I will even dress up like a clown. For real. I’m desperate.

With luck, Barletta will use this letter and it will help him raise some campaign funds. I offer this service free of charge. Not that he could pay me, anyway…

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com

According to the latest data available from the Federal Election Commission, Lou Barletta’s campaign is in some serious financial trouble. This really isn’t all that surprising considering that outside of his hometown of Hazleton, Barletta’s popularity shrinks dramatically. Trying to run as a Conservative Republican in a vastly Democratic District, against one of the most senior members of the House of Representatives has it’s downsides. The inability to get much money from anyone is one of the major problems that will keep Barletta from putting up any sort of effective fight in the campaign.

According to the FEC, Barletta has $154,500 on hand. He’s already spent $31,015 and has accumulated $314,912 in debt. Obviously, Lou Barletta simply can not keep going at this rate. His debt is more than double his cash on hand and as the race heats up as time goes on, this ratio will only get uglier and uglier.

What’s worse for Barletta is the fact that his opponent, Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D), is having no trouble at all raising funds. According to the FEC, Kanjorski has already spent $228,171 and still has $1,835,667 in cash on hand and $0 debt. Kanjorski has already, before the primary has even taken place, spent more money than Barletta was able to raise. Additionally, when you consider how much money Kanjorski still has on hand, and how little of it Barletta has available, it doesn’t require much of an imagination to figure out how things will probably turn out for Barletta.

And, again, none of this should be a shocker to anyone. Barletta took on Kanjorski in 2002 and encountered similar failure. Additionally, almost every political analyst is predicting another bad year for Republicans in Congress, in terms of getting elected or re-elected. The current political environment, combined with Barletta’s vast shortcomings in fundraising, makes Barletta’s prospects in this election bleak at best. Lou Barletta is a poor choice for a political candidate and does not deserve, and probably will not be, elected to the United States Congress.

-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com