santorum CYBERGATE SCANDAL EXCLUSIVE - 11/20/04

Santorum Family Values
11/20/04

Top Story – SANTORUM FAMILY VALUES EXCLUSIVE

CYBERSCHOOL CEO IS GOP CONTRIBUTOR
The SANTORUM FAMILY VALUES has been alerted by "makhno" of a major new development in the CYBERGATE scandal. The CEO of the Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School is a major GOP contributor. Nick Trombetta has contributed at least $3,000.00 to Republican Congressional candidates Tim Murphy and Elizabeth Hart. Our investigation has not found any evidence of contributions to Democrat candidates. In a story on thepittsburghchannel.com on 11/8/04, Mr. Trombetta was quoted as saying that “he thinks those who criticize Santorum are motivated by politics.” When his teaching staff “volunteered” to teach Santorum’s children for free, Trombetta was quoted by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 10 days later as saying, "This is not about politics or special treatment. This is about going to bat for our students, something we do every day for every child enrolled in our school.''
http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=Trombetta&txtState=PA&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&txt2000=Y&Order=N

Does Ricky care about your family ???
“I'm going to do what's best for MY family.” - Ricky 11/17/04
That’s why you have to go back home to Virginia and we have to get a new senator.
A US Senator has to do what’s best for ALL the families of the state, the country, and yes, even the world.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04324/414263.stm
“..cyber school fits MY family perfectly…” -Ricky 11/8/04
What about the families of PA???
Headline: Santorum Defends Kids' Cyber Enrollment
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/3901275/detail.html

READ!!! PGH POST-GAZETTE editorial - TAX CHEAT??? http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04324/414066.stm

Santorum CYBERGATE SCANDAL Links – 11/19/04 -
(new links today: top story/editorial/cyberschool/santorum statement and site)

DATE / SOURCE / AUTHOR / NOTES

Print media

11/19/04 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.. Editorial.. claims tax break he doesn’t deserve
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04324/414066.stm

11/19/04 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.. Eleanor Chute.. no santorum left behind
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04324/414263.stm

11/18/04 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.. Joe Fahy.. town wants REFUND
http://www.postgazette.com/pg/04323/413787.stm

11/18/04 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.. Joe Fahy.. santorum withdraws kids
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04323/413675.stm

11/17/04 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.. Eleanor Chute.. ONLY santorum does it!!!
http://www.postgazette.com/pg/04322/412987.stm

11/16/04 Allentown(PA) Morning Call / mcall.com.. Editorial.. 1st(?) negative editorial
http://www.mcall.com/news/opinion/all-editorial2nov16,0,5294825.story?coll=all-newsopinion-hed

11/14/04 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.. Eleanor Chute.. possible fraud???
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04319/411623.stm

11/13/04 Philadelphia Daily News / philly.com.. AP.. need to log in
http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/news/local/10171378.htm

11/12/04 Tallahassee Democrat.. AP(Jennifer Yates).. picked up nationally
http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/10169219.htm

11/11/04 Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.. Frazier & Jewell the mellon-scaife paper!
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/search/s_271582.html

11/10/04 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.. Sally kalson.. has PA supreme ct info
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04315/409553.stm

11/6/04 Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.. Vera Miller
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/pittsburgh/s_269995.html the mellon-scaife paper!

10/20/04 Penn Hills Progress.. Vera Miller.. original source
http://www.gatewaynewspapers.com/pennhillsprogress/36884/



Web media

11/18/04 kdka.com (kdka tv/radio).. AP.. will HOMESCHOOL kids
http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_323100927.html

11/17/04 kdka.com (kdka tv/radio).. AP.. ricky doesn’t live here
http://kdka.com/siteSearch/local_story_322110955.html

11/13/04 FOXNEWS.COM.. AP.. fox - fear and unbalanced
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,138485,00.html

11/8/04 the Pittsurghchannel.com.. WTAE-tv Pgh PA.. santorum DEFENDS theft
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/3901275/detail.html

Other resources

N/A opensecrets.org.. Trombetta GOP contributions
http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=Trombetta&txtState=PA&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&txt2000=Y&Order=N

11/17/04 santorum statement ricky hold your nose
http://santorum.senate.gov/pressreleases/record.cfm?id=228108

N/A santorum internets page whewww!!!!
http://santorum.senate.gov/

N/A Allegheny County (PA) Property Assessment Web Site.. official PA property info
http://www2.county.allegheny.pa.us/RealEstate/General.asp?CurrBloLot=0367G00075000000&HouseNum=111&Street=STEPHENS%20LN&SingleResult=True

N/A Loudon County (VA) Real Property Site.. enter 17650 Tobermory in address field
http://inter1.loudoun.gov/cgi-bin/db2www.exe/webpdbs/re.d2w/INDEX

N/A Western PA Cyber Charter School Site.. gives RESIDENCY requirements
http://www.wpccs.com/


11/16/04 - Rooney Demands Refund For Santorum's Cyber School Costs

PA Dem Chair Says Santorum “Robbing Pennsylvania Students” for Personal Gain

HARRISBURG, PA: After days of news reports detailing how Senator Rick Santorum has taken $100,000 in Pennsylvania taxpayer dollars for cyber-schooling his children, Rep. T.J. Rooney, Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, today called on Santorum to refund Pennsylvania's children the taxpayer dollars he has taken from their education to put towards the education of his own children.

Santorum and his family live in Virginia.

Rooney said today, “Senator Santorum keeps going around trumpeting family values, trying to convince citizens that he is the voice for the Pennsylvania family. Now we learn that apparently Mr. Santorum believes that family values means taking from the children who need our help to pay huge bills for his own family, even though they don't live in Pennsylvania.”

According to the Associated Press, the Penn Hills School District in suburban Pittsburgh has spent $100,000 on the Internet-based education of Santorum's children since 2001-2002. Santorum purchased his two bedroom residence in the school district in 1997 for $87,800. His Leesburg, Virginia home was assessed at $757,000 this year.

“This is a classic case of the rich man's Robin Hood,” Rooney followed. “Mr. Santorum makes a generous salary and lives in a very expensive home in Virginia, but he didn't let that stop him from unfairly taking from the Pennsylvania students who need those school funds desperately.”

NOTE: I do not have a link for this story but I have reliable sources.



DU link sources: RamboLiberal / No Mandate Here / makhno

but I didn't keep it, and I can't find it on Anywho, etc. Anyone have it?

We need to send someone to take pictures of his 4 acre estate. No way that house is worth only $750k. It HAS to be a $million+. Tax assessments and actual values are never the same, with actual values being hire.

above.
go to "othter resources" and then "loudon county real estate site" and the address is listed there.

Again, we need some DUers who live in Northern Virginia to go by and take pix. PA voters need to know this guy lives on an estate.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/opinion/columnists/s_274956.html

Sen. Rick Santorum has yet to answer a key question in the burgeoning controversy historians might one day refer to as Backyard Gate: What does he have against Penn Hills?

The senator's residency has been questioned after the Penn Hills School District realized it is paying to have five of Santorum's children educated at a cyber charter school without any evidence the family actually lives in the district.

Neighbors apparently have never seen any of the kids playing in front of the $106,000 house Santorum and his wife, Karen, never bothered to get an occupancy permit to inhabit.

Nor have they ever witnessed Rick cutting the grass or Karen pruning the peonies.

Why not?

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04327/415581.stm

No one would describe Erin Vecchio -- wife, mother, Democratic chairwoman in Penn Hills, Penn Hills school board member and turnpike toll collector -- as a wallflower.

"I open my mouth. I'm not quiet. I don't go away. Once I'm on you, I'm on you. I don't back down to anybody," she said.

Vecchio is taking on Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, who has listed his residence as Penn Hills ever since he and his wife, Karen, bought a two-bedroom house for $87,800 there in 1997.

Vecchio, who lives near the house, said she was surprised when he first showed up to vote at the polling place at Forbes Elementary School, where she votes and is a Democratic committeewoman.

These issues have revealed the true Rick Santorum


I have been following the Sen. Rick Santorum cyber school story ("Santorum Doesn't Live Here, But His Tuition Bills Do," Nov. 10 Sally Kalson column; "Santorum Told Kids Ineligible for School," Nov. 18). I find it very interesting that Sen. Santorum couldn't offer any financial help, or even words of comfort, to the Sept. 17 flood victims ("Santorum Tours Carnegie, Oakdale," Sept. 28). I understand he didn't want to saddle taxpayers with the cost. He doesn't seem to have a problem when the cost benefits his family. The man lives in a home with a market value of more than $750,000.

When he arrived in Carnegie, I knew he didn't have a clue as to the huge impact the flood had on the lives of the people in Carnegie. His arrival was both frustrating and disturbing to the business owners and residents of Carnegie.

The dog-and-pony show in Carnegie is over for Rick Santorum; unfortunately for him, he has attracted some very negative attention. The people of Pennsylvania deserve better than Rick Santorum.


ANNE VENETTI
South Fayette

Editor's note: The writer is the owner of Eagle Drug Store in Car-negie, which has closed due to the flooding.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04327/415522.stm

We'll remember
This is in regard to the articles concerning Sen. Rick Santorum educating five of his six children through the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School ("Santorum Doesn't Live Here, But His Tuition Bills Do," Nov. 10; "Penn Hills Studying Santorum Issue," Nov. 14; "Santorum Told Kids Ineligible for School," Nov. 18). He expected the Penn Hills School District to foot the bill, because he owns a home there, but actually lives in Virginia. What a political sham that is!

It didn't take a math wizard to expose that one. Let's see, he has six children, plus the senator and his wife, plus the two other adults currently living there. Hmmm, that would make 10 people living in a two- -- and I emphasize two -- bedroom home. Wonder where they would all sleep? Is that some kind of a commune? Surely that would be against his "high moral ethics," as he so zealously proclaims.

Or is he just another politician who preaches one thing to all of us, but does quite another in his own life? And now, he has so graciously offered to take his children out of the cyber school. Big deal! How about paying back all the tuition he took from the Penn Hills School District? Shame on you, Sen. Santorum, for thinking that you could fool all of us. Remember, your re-election bid in 2006 is not that far away and we will remember this.


NANCY JACKSON
Scott

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04326/414708.stm

There's another negative to Santorum letter in this link.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/pittsburgh/s_276236.html

U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum said Tuesday he does not plan to reimburse the Penn Hills School District for $100,000 in taxpayer money spent to enroll his kids into a cyber charter school.

"Why do I owe them money for a bill they approved that was lawful? I don't owe them anything," Santorum said outside the City-County Building, Downtown, where he was summoned to jury duty with his wife, Karen.

<snip>

Santorum said his family spends the holidays in Pittsburgh. But he and Karen usually stay with his wife's parents in a larger home next door to his home on Stephens Lane.

Karen Santorum's niece, Alyssa DeLuca, and her husband, Bart DeLuca, live in his Stephens Lane house. Both the DeLucas and the Santorums list the residence as their official address for voter registration.