StopLouBarletta.com

Hazleton’s financial problems might get even worse.  Or, possibly, stay just as bad.  Mayor Lou Barletta and the city of Hazleton are asking a Federal judge to reconsider a ruling in which the city has been ordered to pay $2.4 million in legal fees incurred by plaintiffs when the city was sued over Barletta’s Illegal Immigration Relief Act.  Hazleton claims that the city’s insurance provider, Scottsdale Insurance Company, should pay the money.  In May, a judge ruled against Hazleton and now the city is asking, pretty please with sprinkles on top, the judge to change his mind.

According to The Standard Speaker…

“The city of Hazleton has asked a federal judge to reconsider a ruling made in favor of the city’s insurance carrier that would mean the city would be responsible for paying $2.4 million in attorney fees incurred by plaintiffs in the city’s Illegal Immigration Relief Act (IIRA).

Judge A. Richard Caputo decided in May that the city would need to pay the funds if the city loses its appeal of the IIRA in the Third Circuit Court in Philadelphia.

But Hazleton officials continue to maintain that the city’s errors and omissions insurance carrier, Scottsdale Insurance Co., Scottsdale, Ariz., should be responsible.

Caputo ruled in favor of Scottsdale on the legal fee issue. As for Scottsdale’s challenge against funding the city’s appeal, he ruled the issue was moot because the firm had represented and argued the appeal in Third Circuit Court.

In June, the city filed a motion asking Caputo to reconsider his decision, saying, in part, that the insurance form misinterpreted terms in its policy.

Scottsdale then opposed Hazleton’s request in a motion, saying that it had already presented those arguments to the court. Hazleton responded otherwise last week.”

So, unless this judge changes his mind for some reason, the city of Hazleton will be forced to pay for Lou Barletta’s stupidity.  Keep in mind that the city is still fighting a completely seperate ruling in which the city has been ordered to repay almost $3 million back into the city’s pension fund after it was determined that Barletta and the city council misused the money.  So, if that ruling stands and this ruling stands, the city will be forced to come up with close to $5 million.  This will, without question, force Hazleton into bankruptcy.  Hell, even if one of these rulings stands, the city could go belly up.

All of this is a direct consequence of Mayor Lou Barletta’s “leadership.”  All of these rulings against the city are a result of Lou Barletta making really bad decisions.  Now, as a result, his city is on the verge of financial ruin.  Worse, Barletta is considering running for Congress.  If elected, Barletta would leave Hazleton high and dry and be in a position to bring his destructive, incompetent leadership to the national level.  The man has already screwed a city into the dirt and now he’s asking voters to let him try his hand at playing a Congressman.  For the love of all that is sane and decent, he must not be given that chance.

Just look at the financial appocalypse that Barletta has dropped on the city of Hazleton.  Barring some sort of legal miracle, the city will have to declare bankruptcy and it will take years for it to climb back out of the hole.  In one of the worst economies since the Great Depression, Lou Barletta has found a way to make things even worse for the people of his city.  When the economy finally starts to rebound, Hazleton will still be left lying in a gutter, paying for Lou Barletta’s disasterous leadership.  Barletta is a disgrace of a mayor and should not be elected to any higher office, especially the United States Congress.

See also: Barletta Makes Mores Excuses for His Failures

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

[Note: This article and the accompanying pictures were emailed to me by a reader who asked that their name be kept anonymous, for professional reasons. I have also, repeatedly, sent emails to the Barletta Campaign, inviting them to comment on anything posted on this site. Any response by the Barletta Campaign will be posted to this site, unedited. So far, the Barletta Campaign has not responded, although the invitation still stands.]

If “Pro” is the Opposite of “Con”, is Congress the Opposite of Progress? It Will Be if Barletta is Elected.

By: J.S.

More than 150 years have passed since the peak of, “No Irish Need Apply,” a phrased that was coined out of Nativist prejudice against Irish immigrants as part of the Know Nothing Movement. Empowered by popular fears that the country was being overwhelmed by immigrants, it strove to curb immigration and naturalization to those who were often regarded as hostile to American values. Although this movement was met with little success, it did not preclude Levi Boone, the Mayor of Chicago for the Know Nothings from barring all immigrants from city jobs.

In 2006, at Barletta’s urging, the Hazleton City Council adopted tough measures aimed at stemming the flow of illegal immigrants, whom Barletta blamed for crowded schools and overburdened social services. Since when do public schools accept citizens without proof of residency, birth certificates and social security cards?

Within 2 years establishments in Hazleton have followed suit with Barletta’s manifestation of bigotry and hypocrisy. Gone are the days of No Irish Need Apply, yet because of Lou Barletta Hispanic residents are faced with signs that boast, “All Legals Served.” (See Graphic) Why do bars need to advertise their compliance with Pennsylvania’s Liquor laws if their non-compliance would lead to the commencement of their operation?

Luis Mendoza, the chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly’s Pennsylvania chapter, criticized the Mayor’s actions by calling them, “A slap in the face to Latinos driving them away from the GOP […] Personally, being of Mexican descent, I find a lot of immigration rhetoric really offensive and I feel increasingly backed into a corner by my own party.” (Tarone, 2007). Is it any wonder why John McCain hasn’t had the time to stop and meet with Barletta? (Lou Barletta for Congress, 2008).

This sentiment was also expressed in John Zogby’s report analyzing the Hazleton area, “a massive community effort needs to be made to root out the disease of racism” urging residents to challenge the mayor on every front. The report challenged the claims made by Mayor Barletta that illegal immigrants are responsible for overburdened police, schools and hospitals. (Allentown Morning Call, Worden, 2007).

In an WITF interview Ann Van Dyke, a trainer and investigator with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, agreed with Zogby stating that flare up’s in ethnic tensions are directly related to ever changing demographic shifts. She continues, “The most important step toward avoiding those conflicts is for a community to change its definition of ‘we’.” As you can plainly see, the establishment of English as the official language explicitly precludes any sort of consensus being built among the citizens in the Hazleton Area. (Detrow, 2007)

To further this point, Luzerne County’s Judge Olosheski Jr. recently handed down a ruling to three legal Hispanic residents which instructed them to either learn English or go to jail. A ruling that is a flagrant violation of the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. However, no defense attorney will waste their time to argue with this judicial activist that legislates from the bench. Perhaps judge Olosheski will maintain this precedent in allowing serious offenders to learn English instead of serving the prison term they’ve earned.

With rising energy and food prices, a health care system in shambles and an abundance of ignorance regarding this Nation’s state of affairs, does this Country really need another Strom Thurmond? Although Mayor Barletta has denounced the endorsement of individuals like David Duke of the KKK, we must ask ourselves what Barletta will accomplish in office if the only achievement he boasts of to date is supported the ideals of one of our Nation’s oldest hate groups.

-J.S.

Sources:

Detrow, Scott. Racial Incidents at Schools Rise as Demographics Change.
WITF. October 15th, 2007. Radio.

Allentown Morning Call. Renowned Pollster’s Commentary Stirs Illegal
Immigration Debate anew. October, 2007.

Tarone, L.A.. Barletta Ponders Bigger Plans. The Standard Speaker.
September 29th, 2007. Front Page cont’d on Page 16.

Lou Barletta for Congress. McCain Says No to Lou Barletta’s Invitationto Visit Hazleton and Discuss Immigration. 2008.
http://www.loubarletta.com/index.php/Latest/McCain-says-no-to-Lou-Barletta-s-invitation-to-visit-Hazleton-discuss-immigration.html

This picture was emailed to me today by a reader who thought I might be able to find a use for it here on the site. I didn’t design the graphic, but I do think that it sums up what a lot of people think about Mayor Lou Barletta and his extremist, and unconstitutional, immigration polices. Just another reason as to why Lou Barletta should not be elected to Congress.

Many thanks to “JS” for sending me this graphic.  Much appreciated.

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

Lou Barletta recently made a special trip to Dunmore High School.  He went there to tell the kids that he doesn’t hate immigrants, despite what most people say about him.  “It’s a popular misconception,” is what he told the kids.  At the end of the lecture, a newspaper reporter asked one of the kids if he believed Barletta.  “I don’t think he means what he says.  He’s a politician who is using the issue to get elected,” is how the high school senior responded.

I couldn’t have said it better myself.  David Duke, of the KKK, has gone on record to support Lou Barletta and Barletta’s stance on immigration.  This much I know; If the KKK agrees with you, you are wrong.  Do not argue.  Do not try and explain yourself.  If the KKK guy is on your side, you are wrong.

And then there’s the fact that a United States Federal judge has told Lou Barletta that he is wrong, when he struck down his immigration policy that was put in place in Hazleton.  Looking for support after this defeat, Lou Barletta asked John McCain and the rest of the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates to come and “discuss” the issue with him.  Not one of them, Democrat or Republican, took him up on the offer.  Because all of them know Barletta is wrong.

The worst part of all of this, for Barletta, is that this is his ONLY issue.  He has not taken a position on any other issue.  Even though he’s running for Congress against an incumbent who has been in office for over ten terms.  That is beyond idiotic.  Barletta might as well just help campaign for his opponent, because he is certainly doing nothing to increase his own chances of being elected.  And if Barletta can’t even run an effective campaign, on his second try at it, how in the name of God does he actually think he could make a good Congressman.  He can’t.  Clearly, Lou Barletta does not deserve to be elected to the United States Congress.

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

Or, at least, he supports Congressional candidates who have a long and documented record of hiring illegal immigrants. Lou Barletta has publicly endorsed Dan Meuser in the 10th Congressional District’s Republican primary. This really wouldn’t be all that newsworthy if it weren’t for the fact that the company Meuser owns, Pride Mobility, INC, didn’t have a fairly dubious past in terms of immigrant labor violations.

Meuser, Barletta’s candidate of choice in the race, owns Pride Mobility, INC. That company has been fined $41,000 for hiring illegal immigrants. The company later reached a settlement with the government and agreed to pay a $23,000 fine. This is who Lou Barletta, “Small Town Defender”, is endorsing for Congress? Really?

Meuser’s opponent in the primary, Chris Hackett, has admitted to hiring an illegal immigrant to serve as an assistant housekeeper. Hackett hired and paid the woman, but withheld no social security or payroll taxes. While Federal authorities say Hackett broke no laws, under Barletta’s proposed immigration policies, Hackett would have faced a fine.

On the one hand, Lou Barletta has gained national media attention for trying to pass some of the toughest immigration laws in the country. On the other, Lou Barletta publicly supports candidates who have a track record of violating existing Federal immigration labor laws. I’m not the smartest person in the world, but I would say that this is what’s known as hypocrisy. The following is a quote from Lou Barletta’s Small Town Defenders website…

“And to illegal immigrants and those who would hire or abet them in any way, I say your time is up. You are no longer welcome.“

The only issue, the only issue, Lou Barletta is running on is illegal immigration. Do a Google search for “Lou Barletta”. The only results that will come back, and there are pages of them, are all related to the issue of illegal immigration. Barletta even runs a website, Small Town Defenders, which is dedicated to fighting illegal immigration. All of this, and then he comes out in full support of a man who runs a company that has a track record of ignoring Federal labor laws by hiring undocumented workers. Obviously, Lou Barletta should not be elected to the US Congress.

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

When Lou Barletta’s supporters talk about him, they often refer to him as being “a hero”. On his official campaign website, Barletta proclaims that his motto is “Courage and Leadership for America.” All, or at least most, of this bravado is thrown Barletta’s way because of the immigration policies that he has tried, and failed, to enact.

What a lot, maybe even most, people don’t know, however, is that Lou Barletta did not devise these immigration policies. He Googled them. As reported in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette…

Mr. Barletta went on the Internet searching for a law to somehow regulate immigration at the local level. He found an ordinance that failed to win approval in San Bernadino, Calif., copied the bulk of it and pushed it through the Hazleton City Council.

This is “courage and leadership”? He found a California law that failed, decided to use that, and then it failed here when challenged in court. Is that really the type of leadership that people want in the US Congress? Perhaps when confronted with challenging issues like the War on Terror, the troubled US economy, the housing crisis, and rising gas prices, Lou Barletta could just log onto the Internet and ask Google what he should do.

This is not leadership, or at least, not very good leadership. This is actually anything but leadership. As a college student, if I were to “copy the bulk” of anything I found online and then try to pass it off as my own, I would be given a failing grade and probably kicked out of school. The same should happen to Lou Barletta. He certainly is not a hero and he certainly should not be elected to the US Congress.

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

Keith Eckel – PA Tomato Farm Owner

As we all know, Mayor Lou Barletta (R), who is currently running for Congress, is a huge anti-immigration advocate. As mayor of Hazelton, he has attempted to pass some of the harshest immigration policies in the country. While these efforts have gained him much attention (something he can’t seem to get enough of), they have not led to any meaningful immigration policy. In fact, the courts have shot down almost all of Barletta’s laws, citing them as being unconstitutional.

Still, however, Barletta continues to run a Congressional campaign, based almost entirely on promises to pass ultra-harsh anti-immigration laws. Barletta, using the tried and true fear-mongering tactic, has attempted to blame as much as possible on illegal immigrants. However, one thing he consistently leaves out of his stump speeches and news releases is the fact that illegal immigrants play a vital role in the United States economy. Regardless of how you feel about that fact, it is just that; a fact.

Illegal immigrants, for the most part, come to America to work. They fill jobs that most Americans simply won’t do. For example, illegal immigrants play a huge role in America’s agriculture industry. Attempts to crack down on these migrant workers might make people like Lou Barletta happy, but the effects on our economy are devastating. Those effects were recently felt right here in North Eastern Pennsylvania.

As reported in almost every local, and some national, media outlet, long time tomato farmer Keith Eckel is shutting down his tomato growing operation. As Eckel’s tomato farm was the largest tomato farm in the state, this is a very damaging blow to Pennsylvania’s economy and to consumers. Now, fresh tomatos will have to be shipped in from farther away, costing more as a result. Eckel says he can no longer keep his farm open because of Congress’s “broken” immigration policy.

Because of increased crackdowns on migrant farm workers, Eckel can no longer depend on having the workforce needed to keep his tomato operation opened. Last year, Eckel employed 180 workers, some classified as “illegal” immigrants, paying a salary of $16.50 an hour. This year, he will employ five workers. As Eckel explained, “No one will harvest tomatoes in 90 degree weather except immigrant labor.”

This is what close-minded, ill-informed people like Lou Barletta simply don’t understand. The US economy relies heavily on immigrant labor and if you chase the “illegal” immigrants out of the country, you chase an important part of our financial stability away as well. That is a fact and no matter how many anti-immigration rallies Barletta holds or how loud he denounces immigrants and migrant workers, that fact can not be changed. Lou Barletta does not deserve to be elected to the United States Congress.

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

One of my biggest problems with Lou Barletta as a Congressional candidate is that he really hasn’t, to my knowledge, explained his positions on some of the biggest and most important issues facing the people of Pennsylvania, and of the country. For example, if one were to visit Mr. Barletta’s website, that person would be hard pressed to find any information on the subjects of 1.) The War in Iraq 2.) Surging Gas Prices 3.) The Housing Crisis 4.) Healthcare 5.) Taxes. The fact that Barletta doesn’t address any of those issues anywhere on his website, even under the section of the website, About Lou, that promies to explain, “…where he stands on key issues and what he has planned for the future.”

That, quite honestly, is shocking. There are nine items on Barletta’s “News” page. Four of them, the four most recent, are about the issue of immigration. Two of the items are about his opponent, Paul Kanjorski, and the other three are administrative posts that talk about his website and his campaign team. Compare Lou Barletta’s “News” to the news of any newspaper. The disconnect between what’s important to Mr. Barletta and what’s important to the rest of, well, everyone, is amazing.

I’m not trying to say that the issue of immigration isn’t important. What I am trying to point out is that in addition to immigration, there are many much more important and more pressing issues for our leaders to deal with. Apparently, Mr. Barletta is either unwilling or unable to address, let alone deal with, any of those issues. This is maybe because he lacks any real experience with dealing with these very complex issues or because he’s afraid to go on record explaining his positions (or lack thereof) on those issues or, perhaps, a combination of the two.

Everyone knows that Lou Barletta has obtained a small amount of “rock star” status because of his radical, and unrealistic, positions on illegal immigration. He’s spoken until he was hoarse and blue in the face about the issue. However, for someone who loves to talk so much, Mr. Barletta’s silence on almost any other important issue is striking. Until Mr. Barletta explains, in detail, his positions on these issues, I really don’t think he can be considered a serious Congressional candidate. Lou Barletta does not deserve to be elected to the United States Congress.

-Dan Cheek
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com

I’ve been hearing about Lou Barletta and his antics for some time, now. I followed, in disgust, his national media tour in which he did everything he could to blame as much as he could on illegal immigrants. His push to pass a law making English the “official” language of his city annoyed me, but I brushed it off as just another small-minded idiot acting like small-minded idiots act.

Even when he announced his campaign for Congress, I really wasn’t all that impressed. I knew that aside from his fanatical attacks on immigration, he really didn’t have any other issues to run on, at least to my knowledge. I was content to sit back and watch him make an idiot out of himself and embarass his city of Hazelton, something he’s become quite good at.

However, today while reading the Scranton Times, I came across an article entitled, “Barletta supports ‘English’ sentence“. After reading the article, which explained how Lou Barletta had come out in full support of a local judge giving three convicted criminals the choice of “learn English or go to jail”, I became extremely motivated to do everything I could to stop Barletta from obtaining a seat in Congress.

Quite honestly, this man scares me. He is a xenophobic, fear mongering idiot of the highest order, in my opinion. This country, the United States, has no “official” language. This is a land made up of immigrants. Many of the people who have come to this country through the years have come not speaking a word of English. Not knowing English does not a criminal make. Therefore, it makes zero sense to force someone to choose between learning the English language or face jail time.

If they are guilty of a crime, either put them in jail or put them on probation. Do not dream up some politically motivated stunt, and this is what this sentence was, and make someone choose between learning English or serving prison time. And for Lou Barletta, a candidate for the United States Congress, to come out and support this crazy sentence is just wrong. It is, however, a prime example of how this man operates. Rather than make a stand on important issues, the War in Iraq, the Housing Crisis, soaring gas prices, take your pick, he comes out and defends one of the stupidest judicial decisions ever handed down.

It is this type of mentality that frightens me. If this man, Lou Barletta, is allowed to represent Pennsylvania in Congress, only bad things can and will happen. He will, as he always has, stand up for indefensible positions, ignore and sidestep important issues, spit anti-immigration propaganda, and attempt to embarrass his constituents. Lou Barletta should not be elected to Congress and I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit back and watch him try.

-Dan Cheek
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com