WHAT DRIVES BLACK CLERGY P.A.C.? Many Reports Are Unfiled
BY DAVID LYNN/ Black Clergy PAC does not seem to be filing campaign-finance reports with the Commonwealth or the City of Philadelphia.
According to the Commonwealth Dept. of State Registered Committee List, the Black Clergy PAC is registered as Filer ID# 2009331. Their registered address is 1608 Christian Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19146. This would seem to indicate the committee was formed in 2009. This address corresponds to the address of First African Baptist Church, where Rev. Terrence Griffith is pastor.
According to an official at the Philadelphia Co. Board of Elections, campaign-finance reports have not been filed by any entity with a similar name for several years. A Right To Know request filed with the Commonwealth Dept. of State produced one report that was signed on Apr. 15, 2011. Another Right To Know request asking for other documents dating from 2009 through 2012 was denied on the grounds that the Dept. of State did not have the documents in question. The request was appealed to the Commonwealth Right To Know Office, and again denied on the same grounds.
Rev. Griffith was invited to submit information to the Right To Know Office for the appeal. It is unknown whether any representative of Black Clergy PAC submitted any additional information to the Dept. of State concerning the appeal. Rev. Griffith, whose email signature identifies him as President of the Black Clergy of Philadelphia & Vicinity, has indicated he believes Black Clergy PAC is in compliance with all campaign finance statutes.
When given an opportunity to produce copies of the campaign finance reports in question, Rev. Griffith did not produce any reports, instead indicating “Colliers and Heath†may have more information about previously filed campaign-finance statements. No phone number was provided for either individual, and FreePoliticalSpeech.com was not contacted by either.
One campaign finance report was obtained by FreePoliticalSpeech.com. It was not in the form of DSEB-502, but was instead filed as IRS FEC Form 3. It appeared to cover Feb. 1, 2011 to Mar. 31, 2011. This covered part of 2011 cycle 1 and a small part of 2011 cycle 2. It was filed by Robert Collier, Sr. According to the report, Black Clergy PAC received $12,100 during the period filed. The funds came from Nutter for Mayor ($10,600) and Friends of Edward C. Wright Judge ($1,500). Expenses were as follows: Barbara Ford $600 Food Service Catering Charalynn Howard $250 Work Performed For PAC Cailette Stevenson $300 Work Performed For PAC Lillian Henderson $1 Barbara Ford $1 Timothy Henderson $1 Monroe Press, Inc. $4,062.12
Except where indicated, Black Clergy PAC did not describe the expenditures on the report. Also, except in the case of Monroe Press, Inc., no mailing addresses were provided for the entities that received funds from Black Clergy PAC. In addition, all of the expenditures and one of the contributions listed were outside the time frame for which the report was filed.
Finally, total disbursements for the period were listed as $5,512.12, which is not the result one obtains by adding up all disbursements. Cash on hand at the end of the reporting period is listed at $6,588. No outstanding debt was listed.
So, what is known about Black Clergy PAC? According to data published by the Dept. of State and the Philadelphia Board of Ethics, multiple candidates claim to have given money to Black Clergy PAC and similarly named organizations. Contributions totaling $120,653 were made by the following PACs: Black Clergy PAC and similarly named entities from 2000 to 2011. They are as follows:
Committee/Candidate - Amount – Description – Date
GORDON, ROGER COM TO ELECTÂ Â $10,000Â CONTRIBUTIONÂ 11/13/2000
Progress 2000Â Â $50Â CONTRIBUTIONÂ 2/1/2001
GORDON, ROGER COM TO ELECTÂ Â $50Â SOCIAL EVENTÂ 2/3/2001
JIMENEZ, NAZARIO FOR MUNICIPAL COURTÂ $1,500Â Â 3/7/2001
TRENT, EARL W.  $1,500 CONSULTING/ENDORSEMENT 3/8/2001
FANNING, MICHAELÂ Â $1,500Â Â 3/12/2001
DYCH, JOE FOR JUDGE COMÂ Â $1,500 PRINTING CAMPAIGN LITERATUREÂ 3/15/2001
RAU, LISA M. COM TO ELECT JUDGEÂ Â $1,500 PROMOTIONÂ Â 3/16/2001
JIMENEZ, NAZARIO FOR MUNICIPAL COURTÂ $1,500Â ELECTION DAY EXPENSESÂ 4/3/2001
COHEN, DENIS ELECT JUDGEÂ Â $1,500Â ELECTION DAY EXPENSES-GET OUT THE VOTEÂ 4/3/2001
DEFINO, ROSEMARIE COM TO ELECTÂ Â $1,500Â Â CONTRIBÂ Â 4/4/2001
PEW, WENDY FOR MUNICIPAL CTÂ Â $2,000Â Â Â Â DONATIONÂ 4/20/2001
WOGAN, CHRIS CITIZENS FORÂ Â $200 Â CONTRIBUTION (EVENT TICKETS)Â 1/24/2005
SAIDEL, JONATHAN FRIENDS OFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $60Â PURCHASE TICKETÂ 2/4/2005
BISHOP, LOUISE CITIZENS FORÂ Â $240Â CONTRIBUTION FOR ATTENDANCE AT BLACK CLERGY EVENTÂ 2/16/2005
HEFFLEY, MARILYN FOR JUDGEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $60 Â TICKET – LOAN TO COMMITTEEÂ 2/19/2005
WILLIAMS, MARVIN L.  $60  BENEFIT  2/19/2005
MULDROW, BEVERLY  $120  event ticket purchase 2/19/2005
The Committee to Elect Sharon Williams Losier $300  INSTALLATION BANQUET  2/25/2005
Friends of LeAnna M. Washington  $500 ELECTION DAY EXPENSES 4/15/2005
BRONSON, GLENN COM TO ELECT  $500  Contribution                                     4/15/2005
The Committee to Elect Sharon Williams Losier $55 LUNCHEON 1/11/2006
GORDON, ROGER COM TO ELECTÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $60Â LUNCHEONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1/12/2006
GORDON, ROGER COM TO ELECTÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $60Â LUNCHEONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2/10/2006
ORDON, ROGER COM TO ELECTÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $60Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 4/13/2006
GORDON, ROGER COM TO ELECTÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $26 Â BIRTHDAY CAKEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 4/21/2006
GORDON, ROGER COM TO ELECTÂ Â $37Â LUNCHEONÂ 5/27/2006
GORDON, ROGER COM TO ELECT          $10,000   Contribution 10/26/2006
Keeping America Competitive         $100  CONTRIBUTION                                 3/15/2007
JONES II, C. DARNELL                $600 Ballot 5/10/2007
Eubanks, Joyce Com To Elect         $600 election day printing 5/10/2007
COLEMAN,GREGORY COM TO ELECT          $600 Donation 5/11/2007
Committee to Elect Ellen Green-Ceisler   $600  BALLOT                                  5/11/2007
BERRY, WILLIS                      $1,000    GOTV printing expense 5/11/2007
Daniel Anders                      $300  contribution 5/11/2007
IRVINE, JONATHAN                      $600 Printing of ballots. 5/11/2007
Friends of Judge John Younge          $600 ELECTION DAY OPERATION 5/11/2007
Committee to Elect Charles Hayden   $600 Donation                                     5/12/2007
Gregory A. Coleman, Esq.          $600  PRINTING COSTS                              5/12/2007
JUDSON, LINDA FOR JUDGEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $600Â Â 5/13/2007
Committee to Elect Fran Shields    $75 Ticket to dinner.                              12/4/2008
SEGAL, DAWN AÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $500 Â Â Â Â CONTRIBUTIONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5/12/2009
SEGAL, DAWN COM TO ELECT         $500     Endorsement                                     5/13/2009
Committee to Elect Angeles Roca   $500     CONTRIBUTION – GOTV                               5/14/2009
PATRICK, PAULA COM TO ELE   JUDGE TO SUPERIOR CT               $500     Contributions                                     5/14/2009
Committee To Elect   Joseph C. Waters, Jr.         $500     PRINTING COSTS                               5/14/2009
MULDROW, BEVERLY COM TO ELECT         $500     Contribution                                     5/14/2009
ONORATO, DAN FOR GOVERNOR, LLCÂ Â Â $700 Â Â Â Â CAMPAIGN DONATIONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5/14/2009
ONORATO, DAN FOR GOVERNOR, LLCÂ Â Â $500 Â Â Â Â ELECTION DAY BALLOTSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5/15/2009
ONORATO, DAN FOR GOVERNOR, LLCÂ Â Â $500 Â Â Â Â ELECTION DAY BALLOTSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5/15/2009
ONORATO, DAN FOR GOVERNOR, LLCÂ Â Â $500 Â Â Â Â CONTRIBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5/16/2009
NICHOLS, CAROLYN HÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $500 Â Â Â Â GOTVÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5/17/2009
Friends To Elect   Edward C. Wright Judge         $500     CONTRIBUTION                                     5/18/2009
Ladov,Sayde for Common Pleas Court   $500     ENDORSEMENT FEE                               5/18/2009
COKER, DERRICK WÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $500 Â Â Â Â ELECTION OPERATIONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5/19/200
Committee To Elect Tom Fitzpatrick   $12,400  DONATION                                    10/22/2010
LEVANT, HARRY J COM TO ELECT JUDGEÂ Â Â $12,400Â Â DONATIONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 10/22/2010
NICHOLS, CAROLYN HÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $100 Â Â Â Â CONTRIBUTIONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 10/26/2010
FRIENDS OF NYCOLE WATSONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $100 Â Â Â Â CONTRIBUTIONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 10/26/2010
PHILADELPHIA DEM CAMPAIGN COM OFÂ Â Â $15 Â Â Â Â FUNDRAISERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2/12/2011
Friends of Seth Williams         $10,600  Contribution                                     3/29/2011
GREEN, BILL FOR PHILADELPHIA         $1,500   endorsement                                      4/4/2011
Green for Philadelphia               $1,500   BALLOT PRINTING/ADVERTISING                   4/25/2011
Friends of Wayne Johns               $1,500   Endorsement – Election Day ballots             4/25/2011
Friends of Juan F. Ramos         $1,500   Contribution                                     4/25/2011
Friends of Blondell Reynolds Brown   $1,500   ENDORSEMENT / SAMPLE BALLOTS PAID BY CANDIDATE 4/25/2011
Forum 2007                           $1,500   Advertising                                     4/25/2011
Friends of Scott Cummings         $1,500   Ballot Printing                               4/26/2011
David Oh                           $1,500   CONTRIBUTION                                     4/26/2011
FRIENDS OF Alan Butkovitz         $2,500   Contribution                                     4/27/2011
Friends of Seth Williams         $1,500   Election Exp                                     4/28/2011
Forum 2007                           $1,500   donation                                     4/29/2011
Friends of Andy Toy               $1,500   BALLOT PRINTING                                5/1/2011
Friends of Blondell Reynolds Brown   $1,500                                              5/1/2011
Friends of Cindy Bass               $1,500   CONTRIBUTION                                      5/2/2011
Friends of Curtis Jones, Jr.         $1,500   Election Day expenses/printing                    5/3/2011
Friends of Darrell L. Clarke         $1,500   Contribution                                      5/3/2011
Friends of Jannie L. Blackwell   $500     Printing of ballots                                5/3/2011
FRIENDS Of Marian B Tasco         $1,500   Advertisement                                      5/5/2011
Kenney For Council     $500     CONTRIBUTION                                      5/6/2011
Nutter for Mayor                     $250     CITY WIDE BALLOT ELECTION DAY EXPENSE              5/9/2011
David Oh                           $5,000   GOTV                                           5/13/2011
Frank Rizzo ’11 Committee         $1,000   EVENT                                           7/25/2011
Friends of Maria                     $500    Fundraiser/Golf Outing                         7/25/2011
Green for Philadelphia               $75    event ticket                                     9/30/2011
Friends of Cheri Honkala         $200    LUNCHEON – DINNER                               (no date)
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