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The Public Record • May 23, 2013
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Catholic League Seeks Probe Of Philly D.A.’s Office A series of legal problems attendant to a civil suit against the Archdiocese of Philadelphia has led Catholic League President Bill Donohue to call for an official investigation into the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office. On May 9, Donohue sent a letter by priority mail to Anthony P. Sodroski, Disciplinary Counsel-in-Charge of the Disciplinary
Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, requesting an investigation into the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office. Donohue said, “What needs to be settled is whether someone from the office of DA Seth Williams will be receiving a referral fee for his work in connection with the ‘Billy Doe’ civil suit against the Archdiocese of
Philadelphia [Billy Doe v. Archdiocese of Philadelphia, et al., No. 110702430 (Phila. Co. Ct. of Common Pleas)].” Enclosed in the mailing was a copy of the transcript that quotes an exchange between alleged victim “Billy Doe” and attorney Michael J. McGovern. The discussion centers on the DA’s office securing an attor-
ney for “Doe.” Donohue ended his letter by noting the following: “You should know that we are pursuing other avenues of redress in this case. Never in my 20 years as president of the Catholic League have I seen a more-egregious series of legal misconduct stemming from one case. All I am asking from you is cooperation in this
particular matter.” Donahue this week stated, “The Catholic League is not walking away from this issue. From what I have learned from the crackerjack reporting by Ralph Cipriano, the public has been kept in the dark on many aspects of what really happened to three Catholic priests and one Catholic layman.”
Poverty Rate Of City Workers Doubles Under Mayor Nutter by Jake Sternberger A new Temple University study has found city workers in Philadelphia are twice as likely today as they were in 2007 to have incomes that fall below the poverty guideline for a family of four when wages are adjusted for the local cost of living. The author of the study, Associate Professor of Economics Michael Bognanno, said, “The analysis shows that a significant portion of the combined membership of District Council 33 and 47 are below the poverty line set for a sole earner in a family of four. The extent of the membership below the poverty line has roughly doubled since 2007, the period of time in which the membership has gone without a pay increase.” Membership has gone without a pay increase because Mayor Michael Nutter has instead been putting forth budgets that hurt the vital services government-sector employees provide. According to the US Dept. of Health & Human Services, the 2013 poverty guideline for a family of four is set at $23,550. Bognanno’s study used Economic Research Institute data to adjust the HHS national poverty guideline for the cost of living in Philadelphia. As city workers, members of DC 33 and 47 are required to live in the city, which is more expensive than surrounding areas. Because the national lifestyle for a family of four purchased with $23,550 nationwide costs 50% more in the City of Philadelphia, the poverty guideline adjusted for the local cost of living in
Philadelphia is $35,310. The mean salary for the nearly 7,500 members of AFSCME District Council 33 is only $34,626, and 58% of DC 33 members earn less than $35,000 a year. “This report confirms what we’ve been saying all along: Michael Nutter’s refusal to negotiate with the city unions has forced more and more of the city’s workforce to live below the poverty line, which in turn weakens city services,” said Pete Matthews, AFSCME DC 33 president. “By continuing to ignore the collective bargaining process, this mayor has shown his contempt for the dedicated public employees who go to work every day to move the city forward.”
Merging together the data for employees in District Councils 33 and 47, the study found 41.9% earn less than $35,310. In other words, roughly 2/5ths of these employees earn less than the poverty guideline for a sole-earner in a family of four after adjusting for local cost of living. Put plainly, if you saw 10 city workers clearing the streets in front of your home during Hurricane Sandy, four of those workers went home to poverty when their shift ended. When Nutter was elected in 2007, the HHS 2007 poverty guideline for a family of four was $20,650 nationally. Again using ERI data to find the local guideline, the 2007 lifestyle afforded at this income level was
$30,975 in Philadelphia. Because Nutter has refused to renegotiate contracts with AFSCME, wages have remained constant since 2007, allowing Bognanno to determine the fraction of today’s employees who would have been judged in poverty back in 2007. Only 20.7%, or 1/5th, of employees in DC 33 and 47 would have earned less than $30,975 in 2007. This means that under Nutter and his 1% policies, the fraction of workers beneath the poverty guideline has doubled since 2007, going from roughly 1/5th to 2/5ths. “Since Mayor Nutter took office in 2007, the number of city workers living below the poverty threshold has doubled,”
said Cathy Scott, AFSCME DC 47 president. “This is not a coincidence. The Mayor’s policies have protected the city’s wealthiest and most powerful at the expense of the men and women who keep our roads clean, staff our libraries and recreation centers, and ensure that drinking water is clean and safe. As a result, the entire city has suffered.” The Mayor’s recent budget proposal – now before City Council – cuts city services and wages. Not only does this impact the city worker, but it impacts all other residents of Philadelphia. (JAKE STERNBERGER is a recovering/relapsing political operative who covers campaigns and elections.)
Why Anti-Christian Push In Military? Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council based in Washington, D.C., has launched the American Hero Defense Fund to combat “aggressive anti-Christian actions of the Obama administration which are real, documented and escalating.” His documentation follows: 1. January 2010 — The Dept. of Defense orders removal of tiny Bible references on military scopes and gun sights. 2. June 2011 — The Dept. of Veterans Affairs forbids references to God and Jesus during burials at National Cemetery. 3. August 2011 — The Air Force stops teaching the Just War theory because it is based on a philosophy of St. Augustine. 4. September 2011 — The
Air Force Chief of Staff prohibits commanders from notifying airmen of religious programs. 5. September 2011 — The Army issues Walter Reed Medical Center guidelines stipulating that no religious items (i.e. Bibles, reading materials and/or tracts) are to be given to the wounded. 6. November 2011 — The Air Force Academy rescinds support for Operation Christmas Child because it is run by Christians. 7. February 2012 — The US Military Academy at West Point disinvites three-star Army general, decorated war hero, and FRC Executive Vice President, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William “Jerry” Boykin, because he is an outspoken Christian. 8. February 2012 — The
Army orders Catholic chaplains not to read archbishop’s letter to soldiers. 9. May 2012 — The Obama Administration opposes legislation to protect the rights of conscience for military chaplains who do not wish to perform same-sex “marriages.” 10. June 2012 — Obama administration revokes the long-standing U.S. policy of allowing military service emblems to be placed on military Bibles. 11. August 2012 — Lt. Col. Jack Rich of the US Army emails subordinates saying they should be on the lookout for people who share FRC’s values because they are not “Army values.” 12. January 2013 — Obama announces the opposition to a provision in the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act
protecting the rights of conscience for military chaplains. 13. April 2013 — Officials briefing US Army soldiers include “Evangelical Christianity” and “Catholicism” along with the terrorist organizations Al-Qaeda, Muslim Brotherhood, and Hamas as examples of “religious extremism.” 14. May 2013 — The Pentagon meets with Mikey Weinstein and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation to establish new rules which would restrict the religious freedom of Christian and Jewish military personnel. Perkins is soliciting contributions to match a $70,000 challenge grant for the American Hero Defense Fund. His address: Family Research Council, 801 G Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001. Phone (800) 225-4008.
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