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Divernan

(15,480 posts)
Sat Feb 23, 2013, 03:18 PM Feb 2013

Bill DeWeese and John Perzel: Cellmates

Last edited Sat Feb 23, 2013, 04:30 PM - Edit history (1)

I just came across this on a legal blog - had missed it last summer. Anyhoo, convicted state house leaders Perzel(GOP) & DeWeese(Dem) are sharing a cell at Camp Hill state prison, at their mutual request!

These guys served in the legislature in an era before the born agains and tea party types took over the state GOP. When we had hearings at locations around the state, House members from both parties had long dinners together and would stay over an extra day for bipartisan golf outings. They partied together at the Penn State games. They honored each other at retirement/defeat parties when someone failed to get re-elected. Funerals for former members, or family members were bi-partisan affairs. That is emphatically no longer the case.

http://www.politicspa.com/bill-deweese-and-john-perzel-cellmates/36309/
"It’s actually happening. According to Capitolwire, former state House Speakers John Perzel and Bill DeWeese – each convicted of corruption – are cellmates in a Camp Hill state prison.

Being non-violent offenders, the pool of possible roommates is more limited. DeWeese had a choice between Perzel, his legislative rival, and Mike Manzo, his former Chief of Staff who testified against him.

Pete DeCoursey has the amazing account:

Once DeWeese arrived, and was not thrilled bunking with Manzo, Perzel told DeWeese he wanted to room with him. DeWeese was enthusiastic but skeptical, telling the most powerful legislative leader of the last 20 years: “John, I don’t think we pick who we room with here.”

Perzel told him not to worry, and that if and when DeWeese came back after an anonymous Superior Court judge briefly freed him, “It’s a done deal.”

When DeWeese came back, it was a done deal, and the two men are apparently making the experience more endurable for each of them.



"While Perzel and DeWeese were phone pals even when they ran opposing caucuses, now they have a lot more time to talk."

I worked with DeWeese occasionally. A little of his flamboyant and verbose manner of speaking and vocabulary goes a l-o-o-o-o-n-g way. He loves to hear himself talk, and makes himself the star of most of his stories. I think a "violent offender" cellmate would have strangled him just to shut him up! To me, a cell with those two politicians in it would be like the 10th Circle of Hell.

Meanwhile, Mike Veon is doing his time at SCI Laurel Highlands - assigned to a 2 person cell, but mum's the word on whether he has a cellmate, or who that might be.
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Bill DeWeese and John Perzel: Cellmates (Original Post) Divernan Feb 2013 OP
That was interesting. Pat Riot Feb 2013 #1
Better they share a cell than inflict them on other women. Divernan Feb 2013 #2
WTF. Sounds like they are running the asylum Curmudgeoness Feb 2013 #3

Pat Riot

(446 posts)
1. That was interesting.
Sat Feb 23, 2013, 03:28 PM
Feb 2013

Maybe the Orie sisters can choose to be cellmates too. Would they be allowed to have hair-and-makeup slumber parties in jail?

Better jokes than when poor Martha Stewart was in the slammer.

Divernan

(15,480 posts)
2. Better they share a cell than inflict them on other women.
Sat Feb 23, 2013, 04:40 PM
Feb 2013

Sharing a cell with an Orie would constitute cruel and unusual punishment.

These are a trio of very arrogant, uptight, self-righteous, entitled women - and in the case of the two who have never married, and never been known or even rumored to have ever, ever dated - lifetimes of sexual frustration. (Being such devout conservative Catholics, being gay has never been an option.)

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)
3. WTF. Sounds like they are running the asylum
Sat Feb 23, 2013, 07:16 PM
Feb 2013

as usual. It never fails that the powerful continue to have power, even when they have royally screwed up. When will it be possible to put them in the same shoes as the rest of us????

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