A state game commissioner appointed by Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge when he was governor has been accused by two outdoor writers of threatening them. John Riley, 70, of the Pennsylvania Game Commission allegedly threatened syndicated newspaper columnist and radio talk show host Jim Slinsky of Jim Thorpe, Pa., and Karl Power of the Valley News Dispatch during separate telephone interviews. “I would like to take all the outdoor writers in Pennsylvania, line them up against the wall, and take care of them with my AK-47,” Riley allegedly said to Slinsky on Feb. 26. Slinsky said the comment came during a conversation about a controversial deer management proposal to place restrictions on the antler size of deer that can be hunted. “Riley left me almost speechless,” Slinsky said. “He displayed a level of arrogance that I have never seen before in a public official. I suppose his aggressiveness toward me was an expression of his dislike for all outdoor writers.” Power said Riley made the same statement to him and a more personal threat on March 4 while discussing antler restrictions. “I was asking Riley about the validity of numbers and logistics involved in the deer management plan, namely does the proposal make any sense from a mathematical standpoint,” Power said. “Knowing my name from discussions with the Game Commission and other columns I have written,” Riley suddenly said, ‘Oh, you’re the no-good son-of-a-bitch that wrote the deer meat processor story. You better be ready for bullets coming through your window and taking you out while you’re sitting on your couch watching television.” Power published stories last fall that outlined a Game Commission sting operation in which undercover game officers dropped off untagged deer at meat processors. If the processors accepted the untagged deer, they were prosecuted for violating state game laws. The operation was suspended after the publicity generated questions about the legality of the sting. “I’m not often baffled by anything, but this guy had my head spinning after those remarks,” Power said. In an interview Monday with the Valley News Dispatch, Riley denied having said anything to Slinsky or Power about lining up outdoors writers and shooting them. “He (Slinsky) made some reference to the game personnel, about how he just gets so disgusted sometimes he wants to line them all up and get his Uzi,” Riley said. “And I said that’s how we feel about outdoors writers. He laughed, and I laughed. It’s one of my quirks perhaps to put that kind of humor in my conversations. I didn’t think anything of it.” Riley said several days after his interview with Slinsky he appeared on the writer’s radio show, “The Sportsman’s Connection,” and “felt really at ease.” The show has yet to air, but Slinsky said Riley “did manage to squeeze in an apology” during their taped conversation. Regarding his alleged second threat about firing bullets at Power’s house, Riley said, “there was no foul language, no mention of a window or bullets or TVs to my knowledge.” Power said he called Game Commission President Sam Dunkle to tell him about the threats Riley allegedly made. Power said that during the conversation he learned Riley had made similar threats to Slinsky. “I can’t confirm or deny those comments were made as they are being disclosed,” Dunkle said. “Based on the information I have now, though, I believe that the comments are being taken out of context.” Dunkle said he did not reprimand Riley, but he talked to him about the comments to Slinsky and Power. “I or any other commissioner are really powerless to enter into a disciplinary action, and I’m not suggesting this even warrants one,” Dunkle said. 8 serve on board The Pennsylvania Game Commission comprises eight people appointed by the governor with the consent of two-thirds of the Senate. Commissioners serve eight years and receive no compensation except travel reimbursement. Ridge nominated Riley of Pocono Township to the board on Sept. 25. Riley was unanimously confirmed by the state Senate on Jan. 22. Currently, the Game Commission board has only seven members. Vern Schaffer finished his eight-year term in January and has yet to be replaced. Riley replaced Commissioner George Venesky, who was removed by Ridge in December 2000. Power and Slinsky have criticized Venesky’s removal and the Game Commission’s proposed antler restrictions. Riley represents District 7 in the northeast region, which includes Carbon, Luzerne, Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties. He is a certified public accountant and president of John R. Riley, an accounting firm with 28 employees. Riley also has served as an officer with the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsman’s Clubs, the Pennsylvania Wildlife Federation, the Institute of Conservation Leadership, the Broadhead Watershed Association and the Kettle Creek Environmental Fund. Neither the Game Commission nor the governor’s office intends to investigate the situation at this point. Jerry Feaser, spokesman for the Game Commission, said the commission will not pursue the matter because “there does not appear to be a need to take any steps.” David La Torre, spokesman for Gov. Mark Schweiker, said Schweiker supports Riley and his contention that he did not make the threats, but added that “the governor clearly does not condone such statements even if they were made in jest.” Although Power and Slinsky do not believe Riley intends to act on his threats, they are not satisfied with the reaction of the governor’s office and believe Riley should be investigated for ethics violations. “Mr. Riley is a public official now, and he’s responsible for his words and actions,” Slinsky said. “I don’t think extending him the courtesy of saying he was just fooling around or in a bad mood applies to a public official. Strong consideration should be given to removing him from the board.”

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