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MAY 29, 2016

PITTSBURGH EDITION

2016

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A late shower
or storm A10

Despite rebound, natural gas

industry remains far from normal E1

Investigation
puts scrutiny
on lobbyists,
political ties

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First sellout in
decade in place for Indy 500 B1

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IN MOST AREAS

VOL. 128 NO. 117 10 SECTIONS 120 PAGES

THERES JUST NO QUIT IN HIM

THE WILL
TO RECOVER

Influence on campaigns
called conflict of interest
by

bRAD bUMSTED
MIKE WERESCHAGIn

AnD

HARRISBURG For lawmakers seeking campaign help and the lobbyists who want to influence
them, the path to power can run through the same
offices that line State Street here.
On behalf of industries and professionals they
represent, more than 900 lobbyists spent more
than $500 million last year to push, shape or block
legislation in Pennsylvanias General Assembly.
Thats nearly $2 million per legislator and far more
than the about $287 million state taxpayers pay to
run the nations largest full-time legislature of 253
members, a Tribune-Review analysis found.
Those same legislators pay some lobbyists
many of them their former aides to run their
election campaigns, meaning each
relies on the other for millions of
dollars every election cycle. But the
lobbying industry again is under
increased scrutiny as a result of a
federal investigation.
The probe resulted this month
in the guilty plea of lobbyist John
Kevin Shivers, Estey, former Democratic Gov. Ed
Rendells chief of staff, to wire
a registered
fraud. It occurs as those seeking
lobbyist, said
to reform the industry push for full
when he travels to national
spending disclosure, a gift ban and
conferences,
an end to lobbyists running legislaPeople ask,
tive campaigns.
what the heck
I think its a danger. It is a conis going on in
flict of interest, said Sen. Scott
Pennsylvania? Wagner, R-York County. I dont
care how you shake or bake it.
Estey wasnt the only lobbyist contracted by the
FBIs front company. Long Nyquist & Associates, a
lobbying firm founded in 2009 by former top aides to
Senate Republicans, lobbied on behalf of the sham
company Textbook Bio-Solutions LLC, according to
state records. Long Nyquist has not been accused
of any wrongdoing.
There are no conflicts that exist, Long Nyquist
wrote in an emailed response to Trib questions.
LOBBYISTS A8

WHO soothes
fears over Zika

Delaying, moving Rio Olympics would

not stem spread of virus, agency argues

TOP: S
TOP
Seth
th th
throws the
th ball
b ll from
f
first
fi t base.
b
BOTTOM: Seth uses a special grip to bat.

PHOTOS: ANDREW RUSSELL | TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Seth Apel, 12, of Knox warms up on the third-base line at Rimersburg Elementary School in Clarion County. On Nov. 7,
he lost part of his right arm when his sleeve got caught in a piece of tractor equipment. He has developed a strong
swing despite his injuries.

FAMILY ASTOUNDED BY RESILIENCE OF BOY

WHOSE ARM WAS SEVERED IN ACCIDENT
by

bEn SCHMITT

BERLIN The World Health Organization on

Saturday rejected a call from 150 health experts to
consider postponing or moving the Rio Summer
Olympics because of the Zika virus in hard-hit Brazil, arguing that the shift would make no significant
difference in the spread of the virus.
The U.N. health agency, which declared the spread
of Zika in the Americas a global emergency in

resounding crack of the baseball bat, a loud cheer from his teammates, and there was Seth
Apel intently sprinting down the first-base line.
The mid-evening sun bounced off the dirt infield as Seth beat the throw to the base. He
smiled, self-assured but not arrogant. His father, coaching first base, stood at his side and
exhaled.
At 6:42 p.m. May 3, Seth smacked his first hit of the spring Little League season an infield single to
the shortstop during an away game at Rimersburg Elementary School in Clarion County.
It was a routine ground ball, but it meant so much more.
I was really excited, he told the Tribune-Review afterward while chomping on a hot dog. I felt
good swinging the bat. And, hey, we won the game.
Seth, 12, lost part of his right arm Nov. 7 in a freak accident at his Knox home. His coat sleeve became
entangled in a piece of tractor equipment. As it continued to rotate, the machinery tore off his arm
just beneath the shoulder.

ZIKA A7

SETH A8

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ONLINE
TO SEE A
VIDEO OF
SETH, GO TO
TRIBLIVE.COM

Angst surrounds election matchup

Distaste for likely nominees
crosses party lines, poll finds
ASSOCIATED PRESS

ALLENTOWN Mary Heintzelman shakes her head in disgust over

the presidential election.
I dont think we have a candidate
thats really suitable to be president
in either party, says Heintzelman, an
administrative assistant from Whitehall, Lehigh County.
Her son suggests she write in a candidate when she votes in November,
but the 68-year-old says despondently,
I dont even know who to write in.
Heintzelman is hardly alone in her
angst over the prospect of a November matchup between presumptive
Republican nominee Donald Trump

Gloves come off

Sanders changes tone on

Clintons email situation. A7
and likely Democratic pick Hillary
Clinton.
While 65 percent of Americans say
theyre interested in the White House
race, just 23 percent say theyre excited as the presidential contest shifts
from the primaries to the general
election, according to a poll by the
Associated Press-NORC Center for
Public Affairs Research.
Majorities of Republicans and
Democrats say the election has left
them angry, helpless and frustrated.
Only 13 percent of Americans say
theyre proud of what has transpired
in a campaign in which surprising

candidates have thrived and Trump in

particular has defied political norms.
Election experts say the gap
between Americans high interest
and low excitement makes the race
to succeed President Obama highly
unpredictable.
Turnout can be low when unpopular candidates are on the ballot, but
the unusual nature of a race between
a billionaire businessman who has
never before sought elected office and
a former first lady who would be the
countrys first female president could
offset voters sour mood.
Were in uncharted territory here
with these two candidates, said
Michael McDonald, a political science professor at the University of
Florida who studies voter turnout.
He said that although Americans
VOTERS A7

AP

Police try to disperse protesters and Donald Trump supporters who

clashed Friday near the San Diego Convention Center, where Trump
held a campaign rally.