Contact:   Brian Kelly
Email:        This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Site:          www.briankellyforcongress.com
Date:        Thursday, February 25, 2010  Revised April 6, 2010 -- After Signatures

*** PRESS RELEASE ***

BRIAN KELLY ANNOUNCES HIS CANDIDACY FOR CONGRESS

  IN PENNSYLVANIA'S 11th DISTRICT
Says It Is Time To Return The Government To The People!
 

Brian Kelly, a former IBM Senior Systems Engineer and currently Assistant Professor of Business and Information Technology (BIT) at Marywood University in Scranton, announces his candidacy for Congress in Pennsylvania's Eleventh Congressional District.  Kelly, of Wilkes-Barre, is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Democratic Congressman Paul Kanjorski of Nanticoke. 

Of the three major candidates for the seat in District 11, two are full-time politicians. Only one is of the people. Brian Kelly has worked in the private sector all his life.

While requesting signatures for his nomination petition, Kelly took the opportunity to address friends and supporters, while answering the question as to why he is running for office:  "to return our government back to the people."  Kelly noted that government spending is out of control and that only a change in leadership can turn government away from more unpopular tax-payer funded bailouts, crippling taxes and government-takeovers. 

“We must create jobs, not destroy them. Today's policies are killing US businesses. Like many, I fear the building of a huge, never ending bureaucracy wherever you look. Government is the only "industry" prospering. I fear the government takeover of healthcare, the disrupting of the doctor patient relationship, and the bankrupt notion of repressive energy tax legislation. I fear that all of this excessive government, which the incumbent supports, will make it tough for Americans to live like Americans. You can be assured that I will work to stop these flawed changes brought about by poor leadership." Kelly said.

Kelly said that in order to restore the economy, "a brand new Congress must be committed to getting government to stop micro-managing the economy."   Kelly told his supporters, “Paul Kanjorski has spent his career pushing for bigger government, higher taxes and what can be argued as tax-payer funded bonanzas and even jobs for the politically well-connected.  This is exactly the medicine that we do not need." Kelly offered.

Kelly said:  "It is no accident that at the heart of the corruption problems in Northeastern PA, a certain few are still well taken care of under this huge 'Kanjo' umbrella, while the rest of the taxpayers waste their ink writing to this Congressman. These favors to special interests near and far squander economic resources, reduce economic growth, and are just plain unfair and wrong.  As good as Paul Kanjorski was for NEPA in his early years, it is time to return this important office back to the people. It is time for NEPA to have a level playing field wherever government touches the public."

Government takeovers, national debt, a huge deficit, and the cap and trade legislation are being rejected by all Americans. Pennsylvanians will be hurt even more than others by the cap and trade "energy tax" as we still have a viable coal industry. Yet, the incumbent voted to kill the energy industry. 

Besides being unfriendly to Pennsylvania business and industry, the only creators of lasting jobs, Paul Kanjorski is vulnerable in 2010 because his positions mirror those of the unpopular Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.  Why would our Congressman, against constituent write-ins, support the unpopular “health care reform” bill and other socialist, budget busting legislation?  

It's been hard to find Mr. Kanjorski lately to ask him why he chose not to represent Pennsylvanians in this important legislation. He was so obviously absent from the "Tea Party"  town hall meetings that many felt he had retired and would not seek reelection. Paul Kanjorski may be good for California and for Nancy Pelosi but he has lost touch with Joe the plumber and average Pennsylvanians.

Kelly sees the term “culture of corruption” as overworked but it surely fits this Congress.   "It is not enough just to unseat our own Congressman but all the members of the House -- all 435 of them must go, as well as 1/3 of the Senators. The broom does not necessarily have to sweep them all out but there are not many of these actors who have been doing the people's business.  Too many in Congress have chosen to serve by using their offices to benefit special interests at the expense of taxpayers. A new broom sweeps clean." Kelly noted.  

Though he is most concerned about the people of the 11h District, Kelly says, "Look at the heavily-criticized “Stimulus Package." This was correctly labeled "Porkulus" by its critics. 

They were right. And, how about the controversial “Wall Street bailouts?" Reckless spending will bankrupt America and it must stop.  Perhaps Congressman Kanjorski was so thankful for Barack Obama's coattails helping him win over Lou Barletta in a close one two years ago, that he forgot how to say, 'No!' "

Kelly boasts that he has the backing of no political machine and he is taking no political contributions. "It sure should save a lot of time, not having to run fund-raisers." Kelly said.  He is proud to say that his total war chest from contributions is $0.00, and he is nowhere close to having to pay the "Obama Rich Tax."  Kelly feels his message will be brought forth now that he is on the ballot and of the three candidates, Kelly will be listed first.  :The people will recognize that a regular old "John Doe," not a political operative has made himself available to the people."

Kelly has a lot of affinity for the "Tea Party People," and those like you and I, who are not part of a named group but who nonetheless are justifiably enraged at the unresponsiveness of our government.  He said:  "At this stage of my life, I see things that can be so much better if Americans had better representation. I feel in many ways like George Bailey from the Building and Loan in "It's a Wonderful Life," seeing the face of the corrupt Mr. Potter in too many hallways of government. I'd like to take the spirit of Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey and keep all the Potters out of government for an awful long time--even if it means that I have to put in a few years myself."  Kelly is not interested in a career in politics and when elected will stay for just a few terms.  Kelly says:  "A regular person holding an office becomes a politician when trying to be reelected."    

Paul Kanjorski has an awful lot of money.  He will have a dramatic financial advantage, as will Corey O'Brien the younger politician from Lackawanna County over challenger Brian Kelly .  Though not as well-bankrolled as Kanjorski's millions, O'Brien, who has been in politics since serving in the Clinton Administration in the 1990's, plus three years as Lackawanna County Commissioner, boasted recently of having over $200,000 to his credit as the campaign just began. 

Kelly expects the public to be overwhelmed by the media war chests of Kanjorski and O'Brien. "The biggest thing I have going for me is that I am on the ballot. When the constituents of NEPA get in the "voting booth," no matter how many dollars my opponents will spend to advance their candidacies, the very last ad voters will see is the name "Brian Kelly" right there on the ballot... And it will be the very first name on the ballot."

"The voters will ask themselves, 'is he a politician?' and the answer of course is 'no.' As voters across the US are trying to free themselves from machine politics, with votes to the highest bidders, I am betting that in Northeastern PA, being 'of the people' will matter more than anything on May 18. "  Kelly said.

Kelly, unlike his two opponents, is not a lawyer.  Like most of us, Kelly sees that as another big advantage.  Too many elected officials are lawyers and it is no accident that the laws are unnecessarily complicated for the people to read.  "That may be good for lawyers but it is not good for the people. Look at the poor legislation passed in the last year--despite public outcry.  Soon, the Congress will break the 3000-page legislation barrier without a single page being read."  

As an independent computer expert and consultant, Kelly is accustomed to solving big business problems. His career in Information technology and his 23 years with IBM and more importantly, his ability to listen and think about the big issues we are all facing,  give him the background to figure out the right solutions for US and then fight for them. 

For most of his life Kelly, like you, has observed the damaging results of entrenched power of all sorts on the lives of those of US living in District 11.  Politics!  Politics! Politics! Nepotism! Cronyism! And, then more of the same!  We have it all in Northeastern PA.  For Kelly it has gotten too much to take. Along with the mess the Country is in now, that is a major motivator for his candidacy for Congress. 

"While collecting signatures to get on the ballot, certain families that I have known for 30 years would not help me because Paul Kanjorski might learn that they carried my nominating petition. I guess what was not said is that they really have a big stake in the game.  This family may no longer be favored with big political favors from the incumbent -- such as government jobs. It really is disgusting and it is a shame. The playing field should be level for all citizens of District 11 for all matters.  It will change quickly when you send me to Washington to do the business of all the people, not the favored."       

As an author, Brian has written 41 books, most of which are in the high tech field.  In 2007, he began research for his first book about government. In 2008, he released these first efforts with a book titled, Taxation Without Representation, sold on the Internet at such places as Amazon.com.  Last year, he updated the Taxation book and wrote two new books. These are the product of major research as well as his clear opinions as to how the country has gotten off course.  The two new book titles are Obama's Seven Deadly Sins and Healthcare Accountability.

On May 4, 2010 Kelly released his 42nd book titled, Jobs! Jobs! Jobs! Subtitled, Where Have They Gone?  How Can We Get them Back. The text of the book is available free on this site and the paperback is available at www.itjungle.com/store.html  

Kelly is a defender of the Constitution and in two of the three 2009 books, the full text of the Constitution is included as appendices. Though not claiming to be the originator of the "Tea Party" movement by any measure, he does take pride in the thought process behind his 2008 Taxation Without Representation book. Kelly smiles as he reads the subtitle, "Can the U.S. Avoid Another Boston Tea Party?

By visiting the website at www.briankellyforcongress.com or by reading his books, it is easy to know that Brian Kelly stands where you stand on the issues of the day. He sounds like one of US because he is one of US.
   

On February 26, Brian was pleased to host a major signature event at the home site, the Barney Inn, 189 Barney St.  "Over forty different people helped me get 1519 signatures overall. What a job! A big thank you to all who helped and all who wished me well. I ask for the vote of all Democrats in District 11 on May 18th.  Don't forget to vote.  I promise that you will have change --- this time it will be change that you can live with."  And, won't that be a grand day.    ---------  Best wishes for a better America from Brian Kelly.