The LuLac Edition #2330, January 14th, 2013

Congressman Matt Cartwright. (Photo: Cartwright for Congress).

CARTWRIGHT GETS KEY COMMITTEE POST

With gun violence and how to fix it fairly for all concerned in the news these days, no one can disagree that the debate will be fast, furious and newsworthy. Word comes today from Congressman Matt Carttwright’s office that the Freshman Democrat has been named to a key committee. Here’s that story: 
U.S. Rep Cartwright today announced that he was appointed by Chairman Mike Thompson (CA-05) to serve on a congressional Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. Thompson was named by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi to chair a congressional task force on reducing and preventing gun violence in December, 2012. The task force is focused on developing a comprehensive set of policy proposals to reduce and prevent gun violence. Specific issue areas the task force will address include: examining sensible restrictions on firearms while protecting the 2nd Amendment rights of responsible gun owners, closing gaps in our mental health care system, strengthening our background check system, and addressing violence in our culture. “We need to take a comprehensive approach to cut down on gun violence,” said Cartwright. “I look forward to serving on the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and working to enact meaningful legislation that will help make our streets and communities safer.” Mayor Sal Panto of Easton, PA, a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns stated, “this is a great opportunity not only for the Congressman to be in the forefront of this issue of national importance but also for Mayors and all Americans because Congressman Cartwright is a listener and cares about the people.” “The members of our task force have an extensive range of expertise, come from diverse backgrounds and will each bring fresh and different ideas to the table,” said Thompson. “Working together, we can put policies in place that reduce and prevent gun violence while also protecting law-abiding individuals’ 2nd Amendment right to own firearms.” 
Over the next several weeks the task force will hold a number of meetings and hearings designed to identify the best policies to reduce and prevent gun violence. The task force will meet with and hear from law enforcement officers, gun owners and sportsmen groups, gun manufactures and gun retailers, mental health experts, gun violence prevention groups, members of the entertainment industry, education organizations and other experts and stakeholders. A comprehensive set of policy proposals will be released by the task force in early February. 
It should be noted that Congressman Cartwright has been in office less than two weeks.

The Hotel Sterling. (Photo: Citizen's Voice)

DRIVING IN REVERSE 

Once more Luzerne County is driving the car 100 miles an hour backwards. Word is that the District Attorney’s office is investigating Walter Griffith for wiretapping conversations and then providing them to a grand jury investigating CityVest and its 6 million dollar loan they got to restore The Sterling. So we can’t find 6 million dollars CityVest got to do something, anything to the Sterlifg. (By the way, the Sterling has not yet collapsed and fell into the streets of downtown Wilkes Barre killing hundreds. Go barriers!) There is no investigation by the D.A.’s office on this but they have the wherewithal to jam up Griffith. Griffith said, “He's baffled”. 
I’m not. This is the first shot across the bow to discredit Griffith in an election year. The County GOP did everything to beat him the last time. Look for one of the people close to the Country Club wing of the GOP to run against Griffith. This is nonsense. It is time to call the feds in on this one.