They weren’t provided with food. In fact there is one incident with tape on food items in the refrigerator of the host family that says, ‘Do not touch. This is for the host family only.’ So basically they were neglected.
Lackawanna County, Pa. District Attorney Andrew Jarbola • Regarding the treatment of 12 foreign exchange students in Scranton, Pa. Many were underfed and lost lots of weight, housed with convicted felons and neglected. The students – from countries as far away as Norway, Colombia and Tanzania – were placed by the Aspect Foundation, some on State Department grants. By the end of the school year, five students were removed from awful host family situations. • source
Maybe it’s no coincidence that I’ve been derided for years by the far-right as a Republican in name only. Well, I’m no longer a Republican. I’m again a Democrat, and I’m pleased and proud to be a Democrat.
Sen. Arlen Specter • Speaking in front of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party yesterday, where he was making his debut as a Democrat. He switched parties a month ago, a move so stunning that it caused a 2.8 earthquake to rumble through the District of Columbia (OK, not really). The feeling was mutual in Pa. One Democratic organizer, Jim Burn, noted it was “a little surreal to see someone here who many men and women in the room spent 30 years trying to beat.” • source
There’s too much doubt in my mind not to have the intent right now to get in this race, pending just a little time with my family to make sure we’re all together.
Pennsylvania Rep. Joe Sestak • Who seems ready to take on longtime Republican Senator Arlen Specter, who recently switched to the Democratic party, in the primaries. Specter, if you remember, switched parties in part because he was afraid he would lose the Republican primaries. Ah, giant nebulous areas. You gotta love ’em. • source
It has become clear to me that the stimulus vote caused a schism which makes our differences irreconcilable.
Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Spector • On why he’s switching parties. He claims that he always voted based on the issue, not the party line, but the Republicans aren’t happy with him in his state. His switching brings the Democrats closer to a two-thirds majority in the Senate. Less filibusters = more pushing stuff through. Liberals must be getting excited. • source
Gah! We still hate the term “sexting.” Anyway, a U.S. judge ruled today that a Pennsylvania prosecutor can’t charge three teen girls with child porn for sending nude photos of themselves with their cell phones. Because that would be just lame. On a side note, this stat gave us pause: 20% of all teens have sent sexually suggestive nude photos of themselves with their cell phones or online. WHOA. *jaw drop* source
We did what we could to stop it. There were so many red flags that no one could mistake them as any other color.
Luzerne County, Pa. Commissioner Stephen A. Urban • On the Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. and Judge Michael T. Conahan, who screwed over hundreds of kids by sending them to detention centers, receiving kickbacks that allowed them to chill at a resort home in Florida. Everyone knew something sketchy was going on but they had an iron grip over the court. Actual justice has finally been served and now they’re going to jail. • source
up to 1,200kids will get their convictions overturned, thanks to the Pa. Supreme Court; the sentences tended to be surprisingly harsh and involved private juvenile detention centers source
