Toohil Responds to Photos Showing Her With Drug Paraphernalia (Watch Video)

http://youtu.be/zs9y55AC_-0

Today, State Rep. Tarah Toohil acknowledged the photos of her with drug paraphernalia in anonymous YouTube video has been circling among staffers in Harrisburg for a week.

The images also show Toohil leaning affectionately toward another woman. It’s been viewed over 16,500 times.

“Over a decade ago, I was one of the young women in some of those photos. However, I am not that young woman today,” she said in a response video (below) posted on her legislative accounty. “This is a blatant and personal attack against me as a legislator.”

Toohil, 33, is a freshman from Luzerne County. She ousted Majority Leader Todd Eachus in 2010 after switching to the Republican Party. She opposes the decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana.

“If you’re a young person out there, I want to tell you that if you think that doing drugs is cool: it’s not. And if you think that doing drugs is OK, its not. The decisions that you make in life – good or bad – have an impact. Just be careful with the choices that you make.”

PoliticsPA tried unsuccessfully to contact the person who posted the video.

Here is Toohil’s response:

Why respond so openly? Toohil said she was genuinely concerned that the video could give young people the wrong idea, especially not her two daughters.

“It was about young people,” she said. “I’m one of the younger members of the House. I am a role model. And I want young people to know, if they think this is cool, it’s not cool. If they think this OK, it’s not OK.”

“This YouTube video will be around until the end of time. I wanted my response to be right up there till the end of time with it.”

PoliticsPA originally reported that Toohil was seen to be kissing another woman. A second look at the video shows that she was not one of the women kissing in the third photograph. PoliticsPA also changed the headline, originally “Toohil Responds to Photos Showing Her Drug Use,” as the images did not show Toohil actually using drugs.

29 Responses

  1. Most all of us did something dumb when we were young. That doesn’t mean somebody can’t be a leader as an adult. Give me a break.

  2. Maybe if opponents of the reps views were to frame clear arguments and present them in a polite, well communicated manner, she could be convinced to moderate her views. She appears intelligent and well spoken. that’s how it works. You can use the voting booth as well!

  3. To the pharmacist and Tim Potts, it appears to be simply a background image – likely super-imposed on a green screen or something similar. If it were in the actual Chamber, the backdrop would be clearer and not as grainy. So much for your ethics investigation, I would hope HRCC would be smart enough not to film in the actual Chamber.

  4. The pharmacist is right. Who made this campaign video, apparently in the House chamber? When will Toohil reimburse taxpayers for that? When will the Ethics Commission investigate?

  5. She never answered the charges. In her response video how is she allowed to be on the House floor talking politics and who paid for that production of the YouTube video.
    She continues to abuse her power.

  6. Who cares about the marijuana? I want her to talk more about her lesbian activities. HOT!!!!! You got my vote

  7. Tarah Toohil voted FOR disenfranchizing LEGAL VOTERS – HB 934, costing taxpayers $11 MILLION DOLLARS to try and ram an unconstitutional law down our throats.

    Tarah Toohil voted FOR fracking on OUR Pennsylvania childrens’ college campuses. – SB 367.

    Tarah Toohil was an ORIGINAL SPONSOR of the Pa. bill which would MANDATE THE GOVERNMENT TO FORCIBLY PERFORM AN INVASIVE VAGINAL ULTRASOUND on women considering an abortion. The “anti-big government” gang.

    AND MOST HYPOCRITICAL OF ALL (SEE VIDEO):

    Tarah Toohil opposes access to medical marijuana and decriminalization of marijuana

  8. Obama is lucky that consumer video recording equipment was not available during his misspent youth.

  9. “GOP Perfection on October 17, 2012 at 6:31 pm said:

    Looks like an illegal activity to me. Resign now.”

    Right after our esteemed president does so

  10. “It’s true kids, pot leads to more serious stuff. Like the state legislature.”
    Or the Presidency….

  11. This doesn’t bother me what bothers me is she is buying all kinds of bling with taxpayer bucks according to the paper

  12. Don’t pick on Tara…she’s a V ery E asy R espectable E gotistic B ombshell and loves polishing desks.

  13. Toohil hasn’t grown up much since those photos. She’s still partying it up in Harrisburg, sleeping with married state reps and lobbyists. Some Republican values.

  14. Yep, the decisions you make in life have an impact alright. Looks like you used pot, didn’t get caught and still got elected to state office. Pass the bong please! What a fucking hypocrite!

  15. Tarah, follow you heart and leave that hypocritical disgrace of a political party you currently belong to. I don’t blame you for changing your party to get the job you have, but now that you have it, switch back to us.

    We won’t condemn your for getting high and having fun with your friends when you were young, unlike your boss, Herr Turzai.

  16. Well, after she loses this election she can defend people who were busted with drugs in her law practice.

  17. to sabrina – congrats on the post with the usual ok-sounding rhetoric that slips past a lot of folks but wouldn’t stand a chance in an open debate with an informed person, someone like me, for example. I congratulate the PA legislature which so far is showing mettle, intelligence, and social and moral common sense against the well-funded same-sex activists; this is more than can be said for our mid-Atlantic neighboring states.

  18. In a few more years she can make another video talking about the dangers of “getting around” in the workplace…just sayin’.

  19. I would have voted for her then, certainly not now. Then she was honest. Now she is a hypocrite who says one thing to constituents then votes again local democracy on every issue. Were it not for her votes on these issues, I would consider this video an invasion of privacy, but she can’t have it both ways.

  20. Answered my own question Street Dancer by Avicii, or at least thats what Shazam told me.

  21. The message this sends:

    “Dear Young People of Pennsylvania:

    I’ll admit that some years ago I smoked marijuana. I did not get caught. But I’ve since decided that it’s not cool, and I think that if YOU get caught, you should still face criminal charges. Sorry, as we say in NEPA, dem’s da breaks suckers.

    Also, if a marriage equality bill ever comes up for a vote before the legislature, of which I am now an esteemed member, I will of course follow the orders of my socially conservative male Republican leaders and vote against it, because I think it is right for society to deny full civil rights to same sex couples in committed relationships; also, the idea of two women enjoying each other’s company in a committed monogamous relationship is offensive to me as a traditional, family values oriented practicing Catholic and frankly grosses me out, but hey, if you want to tie one on and sloppily make out with another chick in a drunken stupor, that’s just fine. Nothing wrong with that at all, it happens, ya know?”

    What a hypocritical disgrace of a woman.

  22. Although I do not agree with your party’s line I do commend you on standing up and taking responsibility for your actions. Further to use your life experiences as a ‘teaching’ tool for others. After all that is part of what one is to do with their life experiences. Your honesty is refreshing in the (many times shameful ) world of politics.

  23. TO THE OWNER OF THOSE PICTURES: stop holding out on us with those girl on girl action pics. at least post the topless ones.

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