Monday, November 23, 2009

the news


The interview with Marty Griffin: LINK. / The Busman has statements: LINK
Ed Heath gives it a shot: LINK. / The That's Church take: LINK
Posted by at

36 comments:

  1. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 8:29 AM

    Luke says he gave serious consideration to "not running for this office" . . . but HE DID RUN and that's the choice he made . . . he CHOSE this career and power over his marriage and his family. How sad for all concerned . . . how sad for Pittsburgh that Luke was thrust into this role when he clearly wasn't ready . . . and how sad for this city that hasn't had a real grown up in the Mayor's office since the death of Bob O'Connor.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 9:00 AM

    Luke has chosen career over family...can't believe for a moment that he ever thought about leaving position as mayor no matter what he says. If wife and child were that important, he would not have chosen to run for mayor for the next four years in the first place.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 9:17 AM

    There is no "legal separation" in Pennsylvania.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 1:27 PM

    The "formal separation" confuses me (and the cynic in me says it does more than confuse me...). As Anon 9:17 noted, there is no such thing as a "separation" in PA. Now, of course, parties can have separation contracts that do not need to be filed in court, away from the public eye as to what everyone agrees to do/not do and say/not say ... so "separations" do have that advantage over "divorce." It also means that, if she was, she can stay on his benefits, etc. (unless the city's benefits state otherwise). The timing sure is suspicious, esp. when there are the rumors about infidelity that everyone is mentioning but no one is discussing. It's strange how I've heard every MSM outlet mention the "rumors" as if they have been investigating them for years.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 2:34 PM

    Who is paying for Luke's high priced Philadelphia lawyer?

    ReplyDelete
  6. monkNovember 24, 2009 at 2:34 PM

    I could educate on matters of seperation/divorce....

    But now is not the time...

    Anon: 1:27

    I respect your right to gloat...what ever floats your boat.

    I was impressed by the way the public announcment was handled...baby comes first.

    monk

    ReplyDelete
  7. Being CarefulNovember 24, 2009 at 2:40 PM

    Guess we all better watch our posts/comments. TribPM is reporting that Ravenstahl's attorney says he was retained to make sure nothing defamatory is said about the Ravenstahls.

    "My only role ... is just to see that everybody honors their privacy."

    So we're all on notice. Typical Luke. Thin-skinned, bristling at real and imagined slights, making threats. What a mature young man! (Is that defamatory?)

    And anyway, who's paying for this high-priced Philadelphia (literally) lawyer to watch Luke's back? Will it come out of Mrs. R.'s hairdressing tips? (There I go again.)

    ReplyDelete
  8. monkNovember 24, 2009 at 2:48 PM

    Hmmmm

    'Being Careful'....never seen you post before.

    Oh my...

    Thinking you masturbate while you post...

    Czar Bram will post infidelity rumors...but will probably delete this.

    monk

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 3:01 PM

    Who is paying for Luke's high- priced Philadelphia lawyer?

    Burkle or Verbanic?

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 3:10 PM

    Both press releases are classic Verbanac - hide behind a traditionally nobal concept, here, an innocent baby, while lobbing ham-handed, childish threats at the general public and the media. It's particularly nauseating given the fact that the Pittsburgh media has demonstrated itself to have far more class than Verbanac-Ravenstahl-Yober could ever muster on a good day.

    By the way, the rules applicable to so-called high public officials are different than those that apply to mere mortals, i.e. you can "say more" about the king than you could about the average person. The king can't expect to accept the bene's that go with the job without the downsides. Regardless, all have clearly referred to the incidents as 'rumors', e.g. we all have the right to speak the truth about the rumors that have been flying about for years, and Luke's silly lawyer can't do anything about that.

    I agree with Heath's comments - this is just more of the same from this administration

    ReplyDelete
  11. monkNovember 24, 2009 at 3:10 PM

    Anon: 3:01

    very classy.


    monk

    ReplyDelete
  12. monkNovember 24, 2009 at 3:15 PM

    "dance long enough on other's misfortune and feet no longer walk"

    monk

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 3:23 PM

    Shut up monk.

    ReplyDelete
  14. monkNovember 24, 2009 at 3:41 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  15. monkNovember 24, 2009 at 3:45 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  16. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 3:53 PM

    Who is this Monk guy? He seems to think this is a men-only blog. What a pig. I hope Bram deletes his post. And by the way, Monk, most of crap you post I have to read 10 times and then I give up b/c it never makes any sense.

    ReplyDelete
  17. monkNovember 24, 2009 at 4:01 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Bram ReichbaumNovember 24, 2009 at 4:19 PM

    Yeah, you can make a good argument that privacy ought to be "honored" ... but not a good LEGAL argument. Memo to Mr. Sprague - blow it out your ear!

    ReplyDelete
  19. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 4:23 PM

    monk likes to ramble and change the subject. Back to the subject at hand.

    Who is paying for Luke's high- priced Philadelphia lawyer?

    Burkle or Verbanic?

    ReplyDelete
  20. monkNovember 24, 2009 at 4:29 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  21. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 4:36 PM

    Who is paying for Luke's high- priced Philadelphia lawyer?

    "pro bono" by way of Neil Bluhm?

    ReplyDelete
  22. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 4:38 PM

    monk needs to be removed from posting on here. his comment to BEING CAREFUL 2:40 p.m. is disgusting.

    ReplyDelete
  23. monkNovember 24, 2009 at 4:55 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  24. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 5:00 PM

    from That's Church

    Ex-Pat Pittsburgh Girl Says:
    November 24th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
    The “scary” Philadelphia lawyer — Richard Sprague — has represented a lot of politicos, including (at one time) former state senator and now federal prisoner Vince Fumo. In addition, he is an investor in the SugarHouse Casino being built in Philly. SugarHouse, by the way, is also owned by Neil Bluhm, owner of the Rivers Casino.

    ReplyDelete
  25. monkNovember 24, 2009 at 5:12 PM

    Bram, once you delete... you accept editorial consequences.

    I edit via word processor...can't spell worth a darn. Save.

    Freehanding as I write...you are not in position to pick and choose..or it may be that... it is position that you do not wish to find yourself in...

    Public discourse, is paramount...

    monk

    ReplyDelete
  26. Bram ReichbaumNovember 24, 2009 at 5:43 PM

    I am not in a position to pick and choose? From my end it seems like I am. You're just as good at delivering bogus legalish threats as Mr. Sprague.

    Monk AKA Gary Zirkel, Facilities Management AKA the guy who used to pretend he had a physical disability to explain why his comments were rambling and unintelligible...

    You are intentionally trying to make my blog as unpleasant as possible, in order to discourage its users and participators. Cut it out. If we need to discuss this, I'd be happy to meet you at your sister's or wherever it is you actually reside.

    ReplyDelete
  27. monkNovember 24, 2009 at 5:45 PM

    At dawn. 1851 Navy Cap and Ball Revolvers...3 paces.

    monk

    ReplyDelete
  28. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 6:25 PM

    Connect the dots and it should be plain to see. There's a group of people who have a vested interest in keeping Luke in the Mayor's ofice, so they've probably hired a ballbusting big shot lawyer from Philadelphia to come in here to protect their investment and try to scare people away. But any first year law student will tell you that the truth is always a defense to any defamation claim.

    There's something about this whole story that I can't get over: if Marty Grifin asked me straight up if I cheated on my wife, and I didn't, why would I say anything other than "no"?

    ReplyDelete
  29. Conservative MountaineerNovember 24, 2009 at 6:32 PM

    @Anon 5:00pm.. My comment on Ginny's site...

    @Ex-Pat Pittsburgh Girl…

    Again, I’d be VERY surprised if The Boy Mayor and Erin can afford the “rack rate” of the high-priced Philadelphia attorney. Either ‘Lil Lukey has a stash of cash, he’s getting a bargain (can you say, “disclosure”? I knew you could), or someone else (Burkle? Rendell?) is part and parcel of the “deal”. Having delat with attornies in certain matters, I would suspect the retainer in such an engagement be at least $20,000.. or more.. Hell, retainer for a simple divorce is ~$3,000 with hourly rates at ~$250/hour. This guy proably charges at least $500 per hour.. minumum 30 or 40 hours.. do the math.

    I smell something….

    ReplyDelete
  30. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 9:30 PM

    The convicted Fumo's campaign committee paid Sprague & Sprague law firm over $350,000 in 2007. So much money, for what???

    http://www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us/CFReport.aspx?CFReportID=52533&Section=III&StartRow=1&RowsPerPage=105

    Boy, I hope Luke has some deep pockets nearby.

    ReplyDelete
  31. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 9:38 PM

    OK, here's the requisite Zappala connection that you all expected. Remember the PG article a few weeks ago about the alleged Zappala influence with the casino organization? You guessed it, Sprague law firm was involved.

    http://www.postgazette.com/pg/09298/1008257-455.stm

    Luke, how exactly did you find Mr. Sprague to represent you? Ahem ...

    ReplyDelete
  32. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 9:55 PM

    OK, I'm sorry to report even another connection. Remember the recent judicial bribery case where 2 Northeastern PA judges were indicted on charges of accpeting kickbacks to send juveniles to a detention facility partly owned by a Zappala? You guessed it, Mr. Sprague represented the facility.

    http://www.timesleader.com/news/hottopics/judges/Sealed_case_cited_as_fraud_09-11-2009.html

    Are you smelling what I'm smelling?

    ReplyDelete
  33. Bram ReichbaumNovember 24, 2009 at 9:56 PM

    Wow. Circling the wagons. Talk about the cover-up being worse than the "crime". I really wonder now who's paying for that bully attorney and whether that counts as somebody's gift, a contribution, a friend lending a helping hand, what.

    ReplyDelete
  34. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 10:30 PM

    You're right, Bram. But I'm sure Mr. Sprague is just another "close friend" of Luke who he calls, now and then, to ask for advice and to bounce ideas off of. You know, kind of like he does with his dad. Now, hmmm, where have we heard that before? Oh yes, that's the same bullshit (swallowed whole by the local MSM) we were fed about John Verbanac.

    ReplyDelete
  35. AnonymousNovember 24, 2009 at 11:22 PM

    These kind of stories sell newspapers. You could do a 10 part series on all the connections.

    I doubt the MSM is going to be intimidated by Luke's lawyer. Think about it. Scaife is no Marty Griffin. He will not be intimidated or manipulated by Sprague and Sprague.

    ReplyDelete
  36. TheTruthNovember 25, 2009 at 1:14 AM

    Sprague and Co. signed up for more than they can handle- > check out #ravenstahlrumors on Twitter

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)