Friday, June 8, 2012

Mirror, mirror on the wall ...

If you do nothing else today, you owe it to yourself to read this June 7 story in the Tribune-Review:

"Uniontown officials won't back resolution," at


The denizens of Fayette County should be grateful to see how the head of the county's lead economic development agency is spending his evenings these days: Heading to Uniontown City Council meetings, trying to drum up support for an organization he's formed on the side, with the goal of amending the U.S. Constitution.

Michael Krajovic, who by day is the well-compensated executive director of Fay-Penn Economic Development Corp. (though he prefers to call it a "development council"), approached the city fathers last night pitching the merits of his new group, Uplifting America.

Krajovic asked city council to approve a "Democracy Resolution" to amend the Constitution, to reassert that the power of American democracy will rest with the people -- not with corporations, organizations or wealthy individuals who spend their money to influence public elections.

That part in bold-face is taken, word for word, from the news story.

By "wealthy individuals who spend their money to influence public elections," is Krajovic referring to people like the late Bob Eberly? You know, the multi-millionaire who founded Fay-Penn, was thus Krajovic's benefactor for many, many years -- and who also for years and years tossed around lots of campaign cash that influenced many Fayette County elections?

Maybe Krajovic has forgotten that, in one pertinent example, kingmaker Eberly pretty much personally bankrolled the campaign of successful Fayette County commission candidate Ron Nehls.

Here's another passage from the news story:

In recent times, Krajovic said campaigns are unjustly won by outspending opponents on political advertising, which has become increasingly negative, lacking substance and in many cases grossly misleading.

Is Krajovic referring to things like the full-page newspaper advertisements that Fay-Penn, its board members and supporters have run toward that end? We seem to recall one, featuring the names and signatures of many Fay-Penn potentates, that was critical of former commissioner Sean Cavanagh. Weren't they trying to influence that election?

Maybe we missed it, but we don't recall Krajovic forming his own group and urging passage of resolutions -- or wanting, for God's sake, to alter the U.S. Constitution -- back when Eberly was bankrolling Fay-Penn and being a major political campaign contributor. Or when members of his "organization" were affixing their names to negative ads.

We don't remember Krajovic leading the charge to check-mate the influence of the exceptionally wealthy, back when at least one exceptionally wealthy person was in a position to benefit him.

We are bemused that during his spiel before city council, Krajovic said that while he intends to push his resolution nationwide, he wanted to give Uniontown first crack at approving it. You know, historical importance and all.

Does anyone in their right mind think this Krajovic initiative is going anywhere, except the bad idea scrap heap?

Pardon us, but we want to laugh out loud when we read that Krajovic said it is un-American, anti-democratic and unjust for the voices of a few to be able to down out the voices of many just because they have more money to spend in public elections.

Does he also believe that it is un-American, anti-democratic and unjust for the voices of the few to attempt to silence or discredit critics? Can he vouch that he or no one from his organization has ever attempted such a thing?

And then Krajovic railed against those "who seek to manipulate and control our government for their own personal gain," as quoted in the Tribune-Review.

Did anyone on council hold up a mirror as he said that?

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