"ENOUGH SAID" - about who collects the most money in Pennsylavania Campaigns!)

PEG Releases Study of Top Political Action Committees in 2005-2006 Campaign Cycle.
(HARRISBURG) Republican campaign committees outspent their Democrat counterparts by a wide margin, albeit in losing causes; and businessman/Republican National Committeeman Robert Asher ran the top political action committee (PAC) in the Commonwealth in the 2005-2006 campaign cycle according to new research from the PEG Education Committee – a research organization operating under the umbrella of Pennsylvanians for Effective Government.“Money in politics is just as American as apple pie,” said PEG President David W. Patti, continuing, “and like apple pie perfectly healthy in moderation and as part of a balanced diet with regular exercise of voting and other first amendment rights.” According to Patti, the organization is an advocate for transparency and accountability in political giving. The group today released its initial findings of a biannual research project that dates to 1991. “By helping everyone to understand better who is making political contributions,” offered Patti, “PEG is advancing ethical and democratic elections.” ….… The table below lists the top 10 PA PACs ranked by Pennsylvania expenditures in 2005-2006 and provides their rank in the 2003-2004 PEG Study..1. PA Future Fund 2 2. PSEA-PACE for State Elections 133. Laborers’ District Council PAC (Regional) 54. Carpenters PAC of Philadelphia and Vicinity 45. LAWPAC (Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association)76. Local 0098 IBEW COPE (Philadelphia) 17. AFSCME Council 13 Political & Legislative Account88. Ortho PAC (PA Orthopedic Society) N/A9. Ninth Decade Fund (WBS) 10 10. PA Realtors PAC 12.The table below lists the top 10 PA Political PACs ranked by Pennsylvania expenditures in 2005-2006 and provides their rank in the 2003-2004 PEG Study..1. Republican State Committee of PA $8,829,6002. House Republican Campaign Committee $8,304,2063. Pennsylvania Democratic Party $8,173,8244. House Democratic Campaign Committee $5,763,1795. Senate Republican Campaign Committee $4,047,0296. Democratic State Senate Campaign Committee $3,070,2587. Philadelphia Democratic Campaign Committee$1,861,4828. Bucks County Republican Committee $992,7989. Montgomery County Republican Committee $936,65510. DelCo Rep Finance Committee $904.Among political parties and organizations, Republicans outnumber Democrats on the top 10 list. The Republican State Committee alone expended more than $8.8 million on behalf of its candidates for state and local office in the two year cycle. The House Republican Campaign Committee was a close second at $8.3 million. By comparison the Democrat State Committee expended about $8.1 million and the House Democratic Campaign Committee expended about $5 million. Senate Republicans outspent their Democrat counterparts at about $4 million to $3 million.

Panel wants '08 primary held Feb. 12
HARRISBURG - A divided House State Government Committee yesterday endorsed a plan to move Pennsylvania's presidential primary up by 10 weeks to Feb. 12, while reserving a day in May for referendums in school districts that require voter approval for large property-tax increases.