State lawmaker: Pa. Lt. Gov. Mike Stack's wife flipped me off and threw soda on me
If you see Pennsylvania Democratic Lt. Gov. Mike Stack's wife on the street carrying a Coca-Cola or Dr Pepper, be advised: you should consider her armed and dangerous.
At least that's what one might think after hearing about Democratic State Rep. Kevin Boyle's weekend. He said Tonya Stack flipped him off and threw an entire cup of soda at him inside a Northeast Philadelphia parish hall Saturday.
The alleged incident took place inside St Dominic Church's parish hall during a fundraiser for the family of slain Northeast Philly military veteran Michael Strange. Boyle has been on the opposite end of a well-documented political feud with Stack.
"She sat down and flipped me the bird within three to four seconds of sitting down," said Boyle, adding that he assumed the obscene gesture was related to his ongoing beef with Stack. "After she gave me the bird, I said, 'What a trashy move.'"
The next moment, Boyle claims, he was covered in what he described as a dark-colored soda.
"She aimed the soda at me and it landed directly on me hitting from my chest to my lap," he said.
Boyle added that he was seated next to Michael Strange's grandmother, who would have also been soaked had he not absorbed most of the liquid missile. He said Stack's state trooper detail then grabbed Tonya Stack's arm and quickly whisked her away, saying 'You're coming with me.'
Tonya Stack had been present at the event, in Stack's old state senate district, to speak on his behalf.
Stack's spokesman, Gary Tuma, wouldn't comment on whether or not the incident occurred. However, he did say he was "aware of the event [Tonya] attended Saturday" and repeatedly insisted that "she left under normal circumstances."
"A state trooper is always with the lt. governor's wife," he said. "She decided when to leave, and the trooper accompanied her as he always does."
Kevin Boyle and his brother, U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D), have publicly clashed with Stack and Northeast Philly ward leader John Sabatina. The dispute has centered around who should ascend to Stack's senate seat and Brendan Boyle's state Assembly seat, with both camps pushing for different candidates.
But Kevin Boyle said Monday the feud had gone too far.
"This was a ridiculous and immature act that shouldn't have happened and hopefully won't be repeated. We have to be civil about our differences in politics," said Kevin Boyle, of the incident.
The Michael Strange Foundation was founded by relatives to "provide unconditional support and services to the families of recently fallen service members by professionals in several fields" and covers mental health and grief counseling costs for relatives of fallen service members.