Philadelphia Daily Record by The Public Record

Vol. III No. 57 (425)

Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia

March 28, 2012

Philadelphia Daily Record

ED TV ED SNIDER, chairman of Comcast Spectacor, shows off his new 32-foot television inside of XfinityLive! NBC Arena last night . XfinityLive! opens on Friday to the general public. Photo: McGlasson Media (c)

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Mar. 27-29 AFL-CIO State Convention hosted by Phila. Council AFL-CIO President Pat Eiding at Sheraton Downtown Hotel, 17th & Race Sts. Mar. 28: COPE Dinner. Mar. 29Ed Neilson, Democrat candidate for 169th legislative district opens campaign headquarters at 3356 Grant Avenue, from 4 to 6:30 pm.

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Mar. 29City Council will honor Vietnam Veterans Day today at 9:30am in City Hall with 82nd Airborne Honor Guard, recognizing 25th anniversary of Phildelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Seasons Wash & Lube, 6722 Ridge Ave., 5:30-7:30 p.m. For info (215) 808-9167. Sponsor: $150, Friend: $75. Bring checks or send to DeLissio State House Campaign, POB 46-606, Phila., PA 19127. Mar. 30Fish Fry fundraiser for State Rep candidate James “Scoot” Clay at Wilson Amer. Legion Post, 2006 Orthodox St., 6-9 p.m. Food, wine and beer. Tickets $20. Mar. 30Retirement Party for Jimmy Lewis, School District, at Philadelphia Ballrm., 2041 Hornig Rd., 7 p.m. Open bar, Dinner, Music. $45. Make checks payable to J. Lewis Retirement. For info Bob DeVincent (215) 651-8009 or Fran Kelly (215) 964-4775.

Mar. 2966A Ward Leader Shawn Dillon hosts fundraiser for Ed Neilson, Democrat State Rep 38th Ward Family candidate, at Bridgeman’s Ha., Mar. 3111600 Norcom Rd., 7-9 p.m. Tick- Style Cookin’ Party at 3521 Bowets $30. Beef and beer. For info man St., 1-5 p.m. $20. Shawn Dillon (215) 637-6360. Apr. 1Fundraiser for Mar. 29State Rep. Rosita Denise Furey, GOP candidate for Youngblood hosts fundraiser at 2nd Dist. Alternate Delegate to Finnigan’s Wake, 3rd & Spring Republican National Committee Garden Sts., 7-9:30 p.m. Dinner, at 4256 Regent Sq., on 43rd St. open bar, dancing. Tickets $75. between Woodland and Chester For info (215) 745-4306. Aves., 4 p.m. Entertainment by Mar. 29Fundraiser for Magician Randy Shine. Tickets State Rep. Pam DeLissio at All $40. For info (215) 387-7300.

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Sen. Williams: ACA Debate ‘Backward’ State Sen. Anthony H. Williams (D-W. Phila.) issued the following statement today as the US Supreme Court argues the constitutionality of the federal Affordable Care Act: “As we follow the arguments being made in the US Supreme Court for and against reforming health care in this country, it’s amazing to me that a nation built on free-thinking and innovation can be so mired in such backward approaches to how we evolve as a society. We need the Affordable Care Act. Period. “We can’t demand that people exercise ‘personal responsibility’ on one hand, and then excoriate a mandate to do that on the other. This law is not asking us to purchase something frivolous or se-

lective, like a pair of sneakers or a car. Everyone needs health care at some point in life. And right now, nearly two in three of the uninsured use one of the costliest forms of health care – the emergency room, and at our expense. Here, in Pennsylvania, where nearly two in five residents are either under 18 or older than 65, it’s a guarantee that those emergency rooms will be filled. It’s just a matter of who will be footing the bill.

hope that it tips where it belongs, in the hands of the people.

“Our state budget tells us we can’t afford to continue down the road we’re on. Pennsylvania requires a health-care system that’ll address the needs of all, not just the interests of a few. Arguments about ‘freedom’ are bogus; this lawsuit is about the balance of power, and I for one

“The longer we delay its full enactment, the more lives we stand to harm, possibly irreparably. It is my hope that the justices rule in favor of the people, and insist that the Affordable Care Act stands.”

“I remain ashamed the Commonwealth I represent is part of this nonsense. And I’m embarrassed some of my colleagues are so set to work against our wider interests, proposing things like SB 10 to call for a constitutional amendment to bar this law – at an estimated price of $2 million – when we say we’re broke, no less.

Metcalfe To Brady: Quit Backing Vote Fraud The following excerpts are taken from a letter sent by House Republican Majority State Government Committee Chairman State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) in response to a letter sent by US

Congressman Robert Brady (DPhila.) opposing the Pennsylvania Voter Identification Protection Act (Act 18 of 2012), which was recently signed into law by Gov. Tom Corbett.

“Voter fraud has been a documented problem throughout the history of Pennsylvania. The previous lack of proper checks and balances in our election sys-

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD tem made it difficult to fully grasp the magnitude of the problem. I believe the General Assembly is required by the Constitution to ensure that every vote cast by a legally registered voter is protected and we should not treat the casting of any one fraudulent vote as inconsequential. Right in your backyard, an ACORN employee from Chester, Delaware Co. was arrested in 2008 and later convicted for forging and submitting fraudulent voter-registration applications.

“Defenders of the status quo are merely defending the corruption and fraud occurring in our election system. The right to vote is one of the most fundamental rights of American citizenship. American patriots have and continue to put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms, including the freedom to privately and confidentially cast a vote at the ballot box.

to successfully implement HB 934 would be approximately $1 million. Gov. Tom Corbett has already allocated funding for this measure in his 2012-13 budget proposal. However, there is a cost associated with implementing good-government measures. I understand your concern regarding the appropriate use of limited tax dollars, as I am one of the most fiscally conservative votes in the General Assembly.

“Additionally, our most-recent fiscal note also indicated the cost

“You may also be pleased to know that the General Assembly

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD successfully passed a budget for the current fiscal year that balances the Commonwealth’s expenditures with general-fund revenue. It is my understanding Congress has not passed a bal-

anced budget in over 1,000 days and the federal government is facing a sizeable deficit. I hope you will consider the limitations of tax dollars on the federal level, as Congress debates the

federal fiscal matters as well. “HB 934 is a basic, commonsense requirement to ensure integrity and accountability in our state election system.”

Josephs: ‘Shoot-First’ Law Needs Revamping State Rep. Babette Josephs (D-S. Phila.) said the shooting death of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin is the latest case of many that indicate that “shoot first” laws don’t stop crime, but cause more needless death. Martin was fatally shot by a crime-watch volunteer Feb. 26 in Sanford, Fla. Reportedly, Martin was followed and accosted for seeming out of place in the gated neighborhood, and the perpetrator has said he shot Martin in self-defense. The case has generated intense interest and strong

opinions across the nation. “Gun violence weakens our country and takes innocent lives,” Josephs said. “Standyour-ground laws – laws that permit one to use deadly force if feeling threatened without having to retreat first – are hazardous to everyone’s health. Justifiable homicides have increased threefold since Florida’s law went into effect in 2005. As in Trayvon’s case, one innocent life snuffed out accidentally is one too many.”

Josephs is planning to introduce legislation that would repeal the provision of Pennsylvania’s Castle Doctrine that make it optional for one to seek retreat before using deadly force. “The protections in Florida’s law have seemed to stymie the factfinding process for its law enforcement,” she commented. “In the last seven years, the law has been invoked 130 times. As a legislative body, we should move proactively and learn from Florida’s egregious mistake.”

Fracking Foes To Meet At Quaker Center Food & Water Watch will convene a meeting at Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, tomorrow at 7 p.m. to help people find out how to oppose fracking. If you are concerned about

fracking, charge FWW organizers, “Gov. Corbett is forcing dangerous drilling on Pennsylvania and President Obama is letting it happen.” FWW is working to ban frack-

ing, saying this will protect our water and our communities. The activists will have free “Ban Fracking Now” signs as well as “Don’t Frack the Delaware” signs available at the meeting.

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Central, Overbrook Go To Mock-Trial Finals Central HS and Overbrook HS are two of the 12 Pennsylvania high schools advancing to the 29th Annual Pennsylvania Bar Association Statewide High School Mock Trial Competition, Friday, March 30, and Saturday, Mar. 31, at the Dauphin Co. Courthouse in Harrisburg. The winning team of the state championship will represent Pennsylvania in the National High School Mock Trial Championship in Albuquerque, New Mexico in early May.

Team is composed of Alexis Bowen, Ashley Bradley, Louis Drakewood, Kwame Edwards, Wayne Legister, Felicia Tucker, William Watford and Marie Wells. The teacher coach is Philip Beauchemin. The attorney advisors are Corey Osborne and Josie Pickens.

The Central HS Mock Trial Team is composed of Darien Carter, Talia Charme-Zane, Michael Harley, Samira Jaji, Melisa Nelson, Feben Whitaker, Danielle Williams, Xavier Zambrana. The teacher coaches are Bill Graham and Ron Romoff. The attorney advisor is Julian Thompson.

This year, 327 teams from 283 high schools competed in district and regional levels of Pennsylvania’s mock trial competition in hopes of gaining one of the 12 spots at the statewide competition. Pennsylvania’s competition is one of the largest in the nation.

The Overbrook HS Mock Trial 6|

Central HS and Overbrook HS are moving on to the state level as winners of the Region Eight area of competition that includes schools in Philadephia.

“The ability to work together as a team, to clearly communicate and to analyze challenging legal issues are the skills needed to

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rise to the top levels of this statewide competition,” said Hope Guy of Pittsburgh, chair of the association’s Young Lawyers Division. “Congratulations to the participating students and a big thank-you to their teacher coaches and lawyer advisors who prepared the students for what will be one of the most exciting academic challenges of their high school careers.” All 12 teams will compete in two quarterfinal rounds from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Mar. 30. The four winning teams of the quarterfinal rounds will advance to the semifinal round at 8:30 a.m. on Mar. 31. The state championship round will take place at 11 a.m. on Mar. 31 with JoAnne Epps, dean, Temple University Beasley School of Law, serving as the presiding judge. This year’s hypothetical trial case is a civil action in which a

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD plaintiff seeks to prevent the expansion of a pharmaceutical plant in a location where an endangered species is alleged to have been found. The case was written by Jonathan A. Grode of Philadelphia and Paul W. Kaufman of Philadelphia. Jane E. Meyer of Harrisburg edited the final version of the case in collaboration with Grode and Kaufman. During the competition, eightmember student teams are given

the opportunity to argue both sides of the case in an actual courtroom before a judge. The students, who play the roles of lawyers, witnesses, plaintiffs and defendants, are assisted by teacher and lawyer coaches in preparing for competition. Volunteer lawyers and community leaders serve as jurors in the trials. The juries determine the winners in each trial based on the teams’ abilities to prepare their cases, present arguments and follow court rules.

The Pennsylvania Cable Network will record the final round of the competition for airing statewide on Apr. 6 at 7 p.m., Apr. 7 at 10 p.m. and Apr. 8 at 2 p.m. The Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, the charitable affiliate of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, is providing funding support for the broadcast. Also, DVDs of the final round will be available for purchase from the network’s website.

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