Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Senator Cataldo Issues Rambling Non-Denial

Recently reelected NH State Senator Sam Cataldo ostensibly responded in Foster's to accusations made by me and others (Ann Wright, Miscellany:Blue) that his Masters Degree in Nuclear Engineering was purchased at notorious diploma mill LaSalle University, Louisiana.  In a rambling, often incoherent letter to the editor, Senator Cataldo confirms he got his degree from LaSalle University Louisiana in June 1996, offers nothing to refute the vast evidence that LaSalle at that time offered only fake degrees to be had for minimal effort and a one-time payment, and misrepresents his 2011 vote to lower the dropout age.

I think it's worth delving into the mind of this senator through his letter.  I'm going to include lots of inserted text, as I no longer trust the internet to preserve links.

On November 18, 2014 Foster's published Ann Wright's letter to the editor:
Disappointed

To the editor: Even though Foster’s was notified by various means prior to the elections, they felt that very relevant information that could impact the voters’ decision was not worthy of publication. How very disappointing.

It has been stated numerous times that State Senator Sam Cataldo received his Masters in Nuclear Engineering at LaSalle University in Louisiana. Even Foster’s has introduced him this way in both August 20th, 2012 and September 12th, 2012 articles. However, LaSalle University in Louisiana is a known diploma mill which was shut down by the FBI. The mail order degrees there are worthless and the feds notified all recipients that this was the case. Many people have tried to pass off phony degrees from LaSalle University in Louisiana as legitimate, including former Navy Surgeon General Donald Arthur, and the former President of Quincy University, Eugene Kole.

According to Wikipedia, the “US Attorney wrote to every person in the LaSalle files, officially informing them that LaSalle was nothing more than a diploma mill. All were advised that funds were available for refunds, providing they turned in their diploma(s). Many didn’t, presumably so they could continue to parlay their degrees for more money in the marketplace, with impunity (they could always claim ignorance, later).”

Foster’s endorsed Cataldo for State Senator in District 6 over Pharmacist Richard Leonard, whose degrees are legitimate, because Cataldo “has melded well with the Senate majority ...”.

I think it says a great deal about a person’s character if they work in a field (nuclear engineering) in which they know that their degree was purchased and not earned. Senator Cataldo voted to lower the dropout age for our high school students. Clearly the man has no respect for education, and Foster’s needs some schooling in Journalism.

Ann Wright
Lee
Senator Cataldo's response is a bit difficult to understand in one reading, so I go through it line by line below.  But first let's read the whole thing to get the full effect:
A person's character ...
Saturday, November 29, 2014

I am replying to a letter by Ann Wright alleging I received my diploma from a diploma mill — “A person’s character and a so-called diploma mill?”

This is the first I am hearing about this from what I am reading in this newspaper, via someone informing me that it was in Foster’s letter to the editor. Then finding a link to the New Hampshire progressive Democratic web site, in Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/NHProgressiveDems

First, I shall reply as to my voting. “Senator Cataldo voted to lower the dropout age for our high school students” as “mailed” to the citizens of New Hampshire by the N.H. Democrat Party.

House Bill 429; dated; 03/15/2011; when I was a “State Representative.” “Para. (g) The pupil has been accepted into an accredited postsecondary education program; (h) The pupil obtains a waiver from the superintendent, which shall only be granted upon proof that the pupil is 16 years of age or older and has an alternative learning plan for obtaining either a high school diploma or its equivalent. And, a student “can” at age 16, with the approval of the parents and the school Superintendent leave school.” Wish you had read the Bill. Also, two bills they said I voted for, in their mailings were wrong; gads, that one (1) day I was sick in 8 years in Concord. And I voted?

Yes, I did receive my degree from LaSalle University back in June 1996, not, as was written. I was working as a private contractor, and living in Baton Rouge, LA at that time. A week later I was driving home, back to New Hampshire. I worked in several nuclear health physics positions, from project manager to health physics shift supervisor, instructor, and site superintendent; prior to June 1996. I won’t talk about the 5-years at one nuclear plant in New Jersey where we went to school every 8th week for one (1) week and that allotted additional college credits from an “accredited” State University in N.J. Why leave the nuke business, June 1996? It was time to come home, period. In September 1996, with the help of NH Works, I went to computer school in Hollis at Micro C; while living in Newmarket. I completed and received my certification in Novell 4 and 4.1 in December 1996. I started teaching computer courses and Windows applications the following month at various companies throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts. My last class was Dec. 16, 2001. I began serving my first term as an elected N.H. state representative, in January 2002.

I shall verify this so-called “diploma mill” not via “according to Wikipedia.” And also, verify that another school purchased the school in 1999?

In closing, a little tidbit about this Senator. I have 5 grown children, 17 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. And yes, “you” will never know how pleasurable it was to have my great-granddaughter sitting in my Senate seat when her 4th grade class came to visit their state capital. I was 15 when my dad died and I worked summers and weekends to assist to maintain a living for my mom and I. I didn’t drop out of school. But some families who had farms did. And with the $88 per month back in 1953, we received from my dad’s Social Security.

We survived. Thank you all.

State Sen. Sam Cataldo
R-Farmington
District 6 
I find this letter pretty incomprehensible.   Let's go through it slowly.
I am replying to a letter by Ann Wright alleging I received my diploma from a diploma mill — “A person’s character and a so-called diploma mill?” 
The first half of the sentence makes sense.  But the unattributed quote is odd -- it does not appear to be from Ms. Wright's letter.  Is the senator quoting himself?
This is the first I am hearing about this from what I am reading in this newspaper, via someone informing me that it was in Foster’s letter to the editor. Then finding a link to the New Hampshire progressive Democratic web site, in Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/NHProgressiveDems
I think he's trying to say someone informed him of Ms. Wright's letter in Foster's and he also found a link to a progressive Democratic Facebook page.  Why the reader might care is left a mystery.  (Dear Foster's, did you know that liberals use the internet too?) It's clear the senator gave up before he finished turning his thoughts into sentences.  Also, I didn't see anything on that Facebook page about the senator.
First, I shall reply as to my voting. “Senator Cataldo voted to lower the dropout age for our high school students” as “mailed” to the citizens of New Hampshire by the N.H. Democrat Party.
The first quote indeed comes from Ms. Wright's letter.  I have no idea where "mailed" comes from -- again the senator appears to be quoting himself.  Maybe these are scare quotes deriding internet posts as not really mail.
House Bill 429; dated; 03/15/2011; when I was a “State Representative.” “Para. (g) The pupil has been accepted into an accredited postsecondary education program; (h) The pupil obtains a waiver from the superintendent, which shall only be granted upon proof that the pupil is 16 years of age or older and has an alternative learning plan for obtaining either a high school diploma or its equivalent. And, a student “can” at age 16, with the approval of the parents and the school Superintendent leave school.” Wish you had read the Bill. Also, two bills they said I voted for, in their mailings were wrong; gads, that one (1) day I was sick in 8 years in Concord. And I voted?
I was tickled by the use of the scare quotes around "State Representative," as if the senator is acknowledging he was not really a state rep.  We're also getting some very creative uses of semicolons here.  When I read them as hiccup marks it starts to make more sense.

Here is the relevant text of House Bill 429 (which passed in the house but not the senate).  I've included the parts the senator attempts to quote as well as the parts that follow.  Note the formatting scheme is from the original.  Text in regular type is the same as existing law -- not anything the bill changes.   Text in bold italics are proposed insertions, and [strikeouts] are the proposed deletions.  Note the parts the senator tries to reference were (and still are) current law (RSA 193:1) and would be unchanged if this bill became law.

(g) The pupil has been accepted into an accredited postsecondary education program; [or]
(h) The pupil obtains a waiver from the superintendent, which shall only be granted upon proof that the pupil is 16 years of age or older and has an alternative learning plan for obtaining either a high school diploma or its equivalent.
(1) Alternative learning plans shall include age-appropriate academic rigor and the flexibility to incorporate the pupil's interests and manner of learning. These plans may include, but are not limited to, such components or combination of components of extended learning opportunities as independent study, private instruction, performing groups, internships, community service, apprenticeships, and on-line courses.
(2) Alternative learning plans shall be developed, and amended if necessary, in consultation with the pupil, a school guidance counselor, the school principal and at least one parent or guardian of the pupil, and submitted to the school district superintendent for approval.
(3) If the superintendent does not approve the alternative learning plan, the parent or guardian of the pupil may appeal such decision to the local school board. A parent or guardian may appeal the decision of the local school board to the state board of education consistent with the provisions of RSA 21-N:11, III; or
(i) The pupil is 16 years of age or older and furnishes written permission from a parent to the superintendent of the school district.
2 Truant Officers; Duties. Amend RSA 189:36, I to read as follows:
I. Truant officers shall, when directed by the school board, enforce the laws and regulations relating to truants and children between the ages of 6 and 18 years not attending school, or who are not participating in an alternative learning plan under RSA 193:1, I(h); and the laws relating to the attendance at school of children between the ages of 6 and 18 years; and shall have authority [without] with a warrant or the permission from a parent to take and place in school any children found employed contrary to the laws relating to the employment of children, or violating the laws relating to the compulsory attendance at school of children under the age of 18 years, and the laws relating to child labor. No home school pupil nor any person between the ages of 6 and 18 who meets any of the requirements of RSA 193:1, I(c)-[(h)] (i) shall be deemed a truant.

The main thing being voted on was the addition of subhead (i) which lets parents allow their kids to drop out at 16.  I think it's clear that Ms. Wright fairly characterized then State Rep. Cataldo's vote, and that in his letter Senator Cataldo is attempting to mislead as to what the vote was about.

The bill also greatly weakens the authority of truant officers to return children to school, requiring them to have a warrant or parental permission before acting.

The senator addresses subhead (i) in his letter, but it's hard to follow because it's still within what's supposed to be the quoted text of the bill.  Here it is again, from where the quote deviates from the actual bill:
And, a student “can” at age 16, with the approval of the parents and the school Superintendent leave school.” Wish you had read the Bill.
Given the senator's track record, you won't be surprised that the word "can" does not appear in subhead (i).  (It doesn't appear in the rest of the bill or the affected law either, which says "shall attend [...] unless.")  Ironically, it appears the senator has not read the bill.  He must have read an imaginary bill where superintendent approval was required, because there's nothing about it in this bill.

State Rep. Cataldo is clearly listed as a YEA vote in the HB 429 record.   Since he brought it up with his snarky aside, let's spend a few more seconds on the question of whether Senator Cataldo read the bill.  Here's the beginning of HB 429:
HOUSE BILL 429

AN ACT permitting a child 16 years of age or older to withdraw from school with parental permission.

SPONSORS: Rep. Parison, Hills 3; Rep. Mirski, Graf 10; Rep. Sova, Graf 10; Rep. Ingbretson, Graf 5; Rep. Bates, Rock 4; Sen. White, Dist 9

COMMITTEE: Education

ANALYSIS

This bill permits a child 16 years of age or older to withdraw from school with the written permission of a parent.
I don't really see how it could be any clearer that this bill is about lowering the dropout age to 16.  Parent permission is required; superintendent permission is not.  Let's move on.
Also, two bills they said I voted for, in their mailings were wrong; gads, that one (1) day I was sick in 8 years in Concord. And I voted?
Free associating, the senator starts to vent here about a mailer he didn't like. Gads!  I'm not sure what he's saying about being absent. What two bills, and who's "they"?  He appears to be claiming that the Democrats have chosen to go after him for two bills that happened to be voted upon on the one day in eight years he missed. I'll be as mad at the Democrats as he is if this one's true.

Now the senator finally gets to the topic at hand.
Yes, I did receive my degree from LaSalle University back in June 1996, not, as was written.
Huh?  I didn't see any claim of a different date in any of the sources.  This is a first person verification that he did indeed obtain his degree from LaSalle U La (youtube). Though I can imagine his laywer one day arguing, "my client issued a clear denial: 'Yes, I did receive my degree from LaSalle University back in June 1996 - NOT! ' "  
I was working as a private contractor, and living in Baton Rouge, LA at that time. A week later I was driving home, back to New Hampshire. I worked in several nuclear health physics positions, from project manager to health physics shift supervisor, instructor, and site superintendent; prior to June 1996. I won’t talk about the 5-years at one nuclear plant in New Jersey where we went to school every 8th week for one (1) week and that allotted additional college credits from an “accredited” State University in N.J. Why leave the nuke business, June 1996? It was time to come home, period.
The relevance of most of this is questionable, but it's nice to have an interlude of pretty good grammar.    I think the senator's point is that he didn't use his fraudulent degree to obtain employment in the nuclear industry, which we can all agree is better than the alternative.  I and others were careful to raise this as an important question without asserting it as fact, though Ms. Wright did go a bit too far in her letter.  It's odd that Sen. Cataldo would purchase the degree as he was leaving the field, but I suppose plans change. Again, note the amusing scare quotes around “accredited,” making it mean not really accredited.  And you went and talked about that thing you just said you wouldn't talk about.
In September 1996, with the help of NH Works, I went to computer school in Hollis at Micro C; while living in Newmarket. I completed and received my certification in Novell 4 and 4.1 in December 1996. I started teaching computer courses and Windows applications the following month at various companies throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts. My last class was Dec. 16, 2001. I began serving my first term as an elected N.H. state representative, in January 2002.
More irrelevant biography.  I'd love to hear from any of the senator's former students.

Finally we get the actual attempt at a denial, though it's not really a denial.
I shall verify this so-called “diploma mill” not via “according to Wikipedia.” And also, verify that another school purchased the school in 1999?
The senator seems to be questioning the veracity of the Wikipedia article, but he fails to offer any evidence to the contrary (why should a 1999 sale matter?).  OK, let's verify that LaSalle U La is a diploma mill.  It's pretty easy -- I did it in my original post about the topic.  Here's just one well-sourced highlight from the Wikipedia article, already partially quoted in Ms Wright's letter:
The school was shut down after a July 1996 raid by the FBI, U.S. postal inspectors, and the Internal Revenue Service.[7] According to John Bear, the U.S. Attorney wrote to every person in the LaSalle files, officially informing them that LaSalle was nothing more than a diploma mill. All were advised that funds were available for refunds, providing they turned in their diploma(s). Many didn't, presumably so they could continue to parlay their degrees for more money in the marketplace, with impunity (they could always claim ignorance, later). The FBI report stated that LaSalle had only one faculty member serving 15,000 students (and her only degree was a Bachelor's from LaSalle). Furthermore, the back of the student application forms contained a disclaimer advising students that their signatures simply made them Ministers of Kirk's World Christian Church, and that any degrees they might get would merely be religious degrees, regardless of the subject.[8]
John Bear is an expert in diploma mills, and co-author with FBI agent Allen Ezell of the book Degree Mills: The Billion-Dollar Industry That Has Sold Over a Million Fake Diplomas (amazon).   Minister Cataldo has not attempted to refute any of this.  Note the timing -- the FBI shut down LaSalle just one month after the senator got his degree from there.

It's a bit ironic the senator uses the phrase "so-called."  That happens to be a very good definition of the meaning of scare quotes, which the senator has repeatedly demonstrated he does not use correctly.

Brace yourself for a final burst of irrelevant, semi-grammatical biography:
In closing, a little tidbit about this Senator. I have 5 grown children, 17 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. And yes, “you” will never know how pleasurable it was to have my great-granddaughter sitting in my Senate seat when her 4th grade class came to visit their state capital. I was 15 when my dad died and I worked summers and weekends to assist to maintain a living for my mom and I. I didn’t drop out of school. But some families who had farms did. And with the $88 per month back in 1953, we received from my dad’s Social Security.

We survived. Thank you all.

State Sen. Sam Cataldo
R-Farmington
District 6 
The quoted "you" makes this especially bizarre.  Even without the quotes, which the senator appears to (incorrectly) use for emphasis, it's odd.  Is the senator taunting his defeated opponent?   More bad sportsmanship.

I'm not immune to the charming story of the senator's great-granddaughter's 4th grade class visiting their senator, who as a boy supported his mom when his dad died.  If I were to advise the senator, I would recommend he try to draw attention toward the great-grandpa stuff and away from his credentials and lucidity.  He might also want to let someone else write for him going forward.  By the way, $88 a month in 1953 is $782 a month in 2014, or $9,384 a year -- a nice boost from the government.  

The overall level of the writing in this letter makes me concerned with the abilities of our legislators in general.  I would have hoped one would know how to write before one was empowered to write laws, but apparently that is not the case.  You'd think a senator, especially one who struggles with the written word, would have the sense to have someone else proofread their letter before publishing.

Senator Cataldo was not given a committee chairmanship in the upcoming session.  I'll speculate that this may be recognition by his Republican peers that someone with this particular combination of poor literacy and jumbled thinking should not be supervising the production of laws.  It's scary enough that he has a vote in the chamber. 

I do take it as hopeful that Senator Cataldo appears to be a Republican who values Social Security.  Let's end on that positive note.




Full disclosure: I've known Ann Wright at least since 2009 -- her daughter and mine were together in Mrs. Nadori's wonderful 2nd grade.  While she served, Ann was my favorite person on the Oyster River School Board (which I also blog about).  Ann is the president of the Lee NH Democratic Committee (leenhdems.org), of which I am a member.