My name is Jesse White.

I had the honor of serving as state representative for the 46th District from 2006-2014,
and I am seeking the Democratic nomination to retake the seat in the April 26 Primary Election.
Whether you know me personally or your opinion is based on what youve heard from others; I am
respectfully asking you to take just a few minutes to read this letter before deciding who to vote for April
26. After reading this, if you choose not to support me, I respect your decision, but I want to cut through the
typical political rhetoric. Im going to do what everyone says they want a candidate to do- speak to you directly
about why Im running for state representative and what I hope to accomplish if elected.
Anyone who pays even the slightest attention to state government knows Harrisburg has become just as
dysfunctional as Washington D.C., if not more so. As a result of the partisan bickering and political games, our
communities have suffered, and our school property taxes continue to rise to offset the irresponsibility coming
from the state capitol. Something needs to change.
Youre probably thinking, "Wait a minute. This guy was in office for eight years and somehow hes trying to
sell himself as the voice for change?" Absolutely. Heres why:
During my time in the Legislature, I was considered controversial for speaking up when it was necessary for the
good of my constituents. Like it or not, politics is often a full contact sport, and as someone taught to stand up
for what I believe in, I took on more contact than many of my colleagues, who frankly were more interested in
keeping a low profile to get re-elected than actually doing their jobs.
I was first elected just before the 2006 Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling boom, which brought a unique set of
opportunities, issues, and challenges to our community. I did not oppose the drilling because the people I
represented had a legitimate financial stake in its success, but it wasnt long before constituents started asking
questions I couldnt answer, so I decided to educate myself on the issue.
Every answer led to more questions, and it didnt take long to realize the high level of corruption among thenGov. Tom Corbetts administration and some members of the drilling industry. They lied to us, not just about
environmental concerns, but about economic ones too.
Despite the industry's claims of creating hundreds of thousands of local jobs, the parking lots of area motels
remained filled with trucks sporting Texas, Oklahoma, or Arkansas license plates. Leaseholders couldnt get a
straight answer about substantial post-production costs deducted from their royalty checks. And we discovered
the Department of Environmental Protection was purposely omitting critical water contamination data from
their reports and ignoring the serious associated risks to give us a false sense of security.
So I made a decision- I chose people over politics, and "Harrisburg" certainly didn't like that. Instead of
pretending like there wasn't a problem where there clearly was one, I took action to try to protect my family and
yours, despite the political pressure that kept others quiet. In response, the drilling industry and their allies
launched an all-out smear campaign to damage my reputation and credibility.
And guess what? It worked. I lost the 2014 General Election to Republican Jason Ortitay, who gladly took not
only the drilling industry's money but their marching orders as well.
With help from a few media outlets earning significant advertising dollars from drillers, my name and
reputation were dragged through the mud for more than two years. Since then, Ive had no choice but to sue
several media outlets (including KDKA) for defamation; those cases are still pending in the courts. And the
attacks didnt end on Election Day.
After the election I focused my energy on my growing family and law practice, but three of the infamous
Concerned Citizens- a group of mainly older women (yes, the ones you've seen on TV) working relentlessly

with the drillers to help their propaganda machine- attempted to have my law license revoked. The scorchedearth tactics sent a message to the rest of the Legislature: sit down and shut up or we will replace you with
someone who will.
All told, I racked up $40,000 in legal fees to defend myself and protect my law license, which doesn't include
the loss in business from dealing with the situation. To be completely honest, I was bankrupt and uncertain how
I was going to support my family.
But instead of settling the matter by accepting a public reprimand from the Disciplinary Board (and admit I did
something wrong), I chose to fight and tell the truth. My amazing wife Eileen supported me 100 percent- we
both knew one day our sons were going to ask about this incredibly turbulent time in our lives, and we wanted
to be able to point to this as a lesson that when you do the right thing, the truth ultimately prevails. And it did.
A panel of objective attorneys I had never met unanimously ruled a few months ago at my trial before the
Disciplinary Board (it's not like I was charged with a crime or anything), I had done nothing wrong. They noted
the entire matter was "politically motivated" and that I had conducted myself honorably during my tenure as a
state legislator, as well as after leaving office. I have enclosed a copy of that decision for you to see for yourself.
When the dust settled, Eileen and I were sitting at the dinner table, feeding our two toddlers (while trying to
sneak a few bites for ourselves) when she looked at me and said something I never, ever thought Id hear her
say: You need to run for state representative again.
Her rationale was simple: Our kids will be in school sooner than later, and the way things are going in
Harrisburg, we have no way of knowing what our education system will be like when they get there. Our family
has been forced to deal with the life-changing horrors of the heroin epidemic (in ways Im not comfortable
sharing here), and weve seen first-hand how much work needs to be done to reform the law to protect children
who are innocent victims of their parents' addiction.
We want our kids to get a solid education, build careers and raise families of their own without having to move
three states away to do so. Like all parents, we want to make things just a little bit better for our kids and give
them an opportunity to flourish. Unfortunately, the recent track record of the Legislature doesnt give us much
hope unless something changes. As someone who has both sat in the stands and played on the field, I'm
telling you: State government is way more messed up than most people realize. It's really that serious.
Unlike most politicians, I'm not afraid of doing the right thing even if it means losing an election- again. The
reason we have such an embarrassing status quo in Harrisburg is because not enough people are willing to
challenge it. I have before, and I will again.
Before you vote, consider this: The last fight was about drilling, a polarizing issue you may not have agreed
with me on or may not have affected you personally. What if the next fight is about an issue closer to
home? Wouldn't you sleep better knowing there's at least one person you can trust to fight for you?
I humbly ask for your vote on April 26.

For more information, contact Jesse at www.supportjesse.com, or 724-743-4444, and join Jesse White for a live
Online Town Hall Meeting on Sunday, April 24 at 11:00 AM by visiting www.facebook.com/supportjesse. Jesse
will be taking questions live, so please join us!
Paid for by the Committee to Elect Jesse White