Diven's top aide charged with forgery

[Judi Lynn]

Diven's top aide charged with forgery
Investigators say lawmaker's chief of staff faked signatures on nominating petitions
Saturday, July 29, 2006

By Moustafa Ayad, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The chief of staff for state Rep. Michael Diven was charged yesterday with falsifying nominating petitions after an investigation revealed that a number of signatures on the lists were fraudulent.

Debora Romaniello, 51, of Brookline, who has worked as the representative's chief of staff for the past five years, was arraigned yesterday on charges that include unsworn falsification to authorities, perjury under the election code, and false signatures and statements in nomination petitions. She was released on her own recognizance.

Police said Mrs. Romaniello made a false statement under oath to election officials when she turned in nominating petitions containing signatures that were names of several dead people during the run-up to the May primary. According to a court affidavit, Mrs. Romaniello signed an election affidavit as the person who circulated the nominating petitions.

Daniel Romaniello Sr., her husband and a Pittsburgh Public Schools board member, declined to comment and referred questions to her lawyer, Wayne V. DeLuca. Mr. DeLuca did not return phone calls to his home and office last night.

Mr. Diven, a Republican from Brookline, called the charges "gutter politics at their worst," and said he firmly believed that Mrs. Romaniello would be exonerated in court. He said he had no plans to demote or fire her.
(snip/...)

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06210/709553-179.stm



Republican Rep. Diven!


John Cleese (twit!)

[MADem]

1. Mr. Diven, a Republican from Brookline looks like he took a cinder block

upside the head at high velocity...was he in some sort of horrible accident? He looks rather...asymetrical in that picture.

To say nothing of the fact that he looks like he thought he could get fit on steroids without exercise....

[progdonkey]

3. I'd almost believe that's photo-manipulation...

because I can't accept that Mother Nature could be so cruel. :spray:

He looks like a fun-house mirror or something. Eyes almost "melting," freakishly huge ears.

[LynnTheDem]

2. "no plans to demote or fire her". Of course not; what's a bit of fraud

and perjury etc between republicans!

Breaking the law is the rightwingnut way of life.

[w4rma]

4. Probably because she was ordered to falsify them by the GOP rep.

So if she goes to prison, she may cut a deal and he might join her.

[longship]

5. Ahhhh! The Upper-Class Twit of the Year

We need to stop this utterly corrupt group. The whole bunch of them
need to be cast out of office. November needs to be a route.

Everybody needs to keep working hard. The madness needs to stop NOW!

Please, let this mean another Repug loss.

[Divernan]

6. That's an OLD pic.Former Dem. Diven looks even worse now.

Check this link out. He's added a few chins and now looks like that Scottish/sumo wrestler character from an Austin Powers movie.

www.post-gazette.com/pg/06146/693373-179.stm


Also: a link about his switch from Dem to GOP party. The GOP didn't really need him, having such a large majority in the state House. I think they did it just to be in-your-face to Dem House Minority Leader, Bill DeWeese. DeWeese had unsuccessfully tried to defeat Diven by throwing a lot of money into backing a primary opponent - something very rarely done. Diven's 30 pieces of silver equalled the GOP making him their nominee for the State Senate. He lost.
www.post-gazette.com/pg/05030/450059.stm
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Saturday, July 29, 2006


Brookline Democrat Diven switches to GOP
Sunday, January 30, 2005

By Tom Barnes, Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau



State Rep. Michael Diven, of Brookline, has been a member of the Democratic Party for all of his voting life. But that's going to change. During a spaghetti dinner at Resurrection Church in Brookline last night, Diven told about 200 constituents and supporters that because of his growing dissatisfaction with the state House Democratic leadership, he's changing his party registration to Republican.

That's not all he's up to. He hasn't made a public announcement, but he's all but certain to disclose plans soon to run as a Republican candidate for the 42nd District state Senate seat. It's the seat just vacated by Jack Wagner, of Beechview, who is now the state auditor general."I decided to change to the Republican Party because I will be better positioned to serve my constituents," Diven said in a phone interview.
Diven is the son of legendary Pittsburgh figure Joey Diven, of Oakland, whom Sports Illustrated once called "the world's toughest street fighter."

Michael Diven once had a job as a driver for former Allegheny County Commissioner Tom Foerster, one of the most powerful Democrats in the county. Diven, as a Duquesne University senior in 1993, ran but lost a race for City Council, and he narrowly lost a race for the state House in 1996.

[Judi Lynn]

7. Whoa! He looks dazed! Better them (Republicans) than us!

Thanks for the background. Had no idea he had happened to the Democratic Party at one time! Thank God he saw the light, and left to be with people with whom he has more in common.

[Sadie5]

8. He has shown his true colors

Dems don't need this kind of guy in our ranks. Better that he crossed over to the thugs, but to me it looks like he has become another cast off of the tainted party as they no longer need his services.