D ear Fellow Co mmillee Person ,

It's all about this coming November. I 'm the candidate for Co ntroller that can WiD in November ,

It 's no se cret that this is a difficu lt time for Democrats . And it's no sec ret th at the Republican Party has targe ted
Allegheny Count y fo r it 's next major su ics of win s. Last Fall we saw Republican Tom Corbett overcome a huge
Democratic registratio n edge to win Allegheny County. Jason Altmire lost the County . Dave Levdansky lost the
County . And loe Markose k can tell you thai Republicans did well even if they barely campaign ed.

Tbe GO P has recruited an experie nced, politically-savvy retired corporate executive to run against whoeve r the
De mocratic cand idate for County Controlle r is. Their fon des t hope is that our party nominates someone who is
either light in eJlperience or extrem ely vulnerable to allac k. because ofa public record so fra ught with probl ems
that the GO P campaign machine can make them the flash point against our entire slate of candida tes.

Let me pUI my cards on Ih e table : I believli: Ihal George M ana would be their id ea l nash point. W e Democrats
" annOI afford to e ndorse the candidate who cost the CO.l.l..nIY · S ...Qo.Q.foLa.Ie.de ral ...cilliirights.law.su.i.t
based on his persistent use of rac ia l s lurs who is the same candidate that cost the taxpayers another 5311,000 for
unfair emp loyee term inations. And the re's more . Th e GO P wiJl be relentless and even the most casual of vOlers
will pay atte nt ion and vote again:'>! u s up and dow n the tickel.

Think I' m being hard on George? Wait till you sec the GOP negati ve campaign effort workin g at fu ll speed. Th ey
don', have to dig fo r the facts , they' re already enti rel y on the publie rec ord . j'm not gjving th em any red mea t they
don ' t already ha ve. Th ey 're just waiti ng for the chance 10 use it.

Wor.;e. the GOP will back our Co unty Executive candidate Into a corner to wea ke n him b}' ru nn ing a
cam pa ign against the "l ea rn " of Matta & Flahe n y or Matta & fi tzgerald. Th ey will force our Gandida te to eith er
defen d George or disassociate himself from him. In either ca se it is likely that th e office of Co ntroller will go
Repub lican and the race for County Ex ec utive will be put at risk. It' s nevee pleasant to bri ng up uncomfortabl e
facts but eith er we deal with th em now ur deal with Ihem later. I am weary nfDemo cra ts need lessly lo sing
elt:ctions.

No opponent will sugg est that I'm light on experience . I have successful experie nce man aging 8 large county-
government department and am proud of the fac l lhat whe n my elected row off;ce pos iti on was eliminated, I was
a ppointed to re main in place as a me rit employee to manage simil ar fu nctions. J've hired and managed peopl e
based on their capabil ities, not th eir pol itics. I' ve ru n an efficient and successful Re al ESlate Departm ent fo r the
County and will do the same managi ng the Con troll er's o ffic e.

I have the education, the experience, t he profile and the record tbat mak es m y ca ndidacy easy to prom ote
and difficult for the COP 10 aUack . J'm tlte ca ndidate that can win in November and help our candidate for
Chief Executive do the same.

11 is for these reasons that I urge you {Q be certain to make it to the upco ming March endoJsement mee ling to
vote and to fav orabl y consid er casting a vote fo r me for tile nomination for Co unty Contro ller.

Sincerely ,

-:/t.hw-
Valerie McDonald Roberts

Th ere are motly sources oj in/o rmation about Ihe failu ru of George }.felllo while as 01'1 elected Ro ..... Officer. Perhaps
fhe most interesli'lg is contained in reportillg by Rich Lord w,.lllng in The City Paper. See his article titled "Ci",i/ Malia"
plJblished in OClobu. 2003.

Paid (o r by Allies with Valerie

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