CITY HALL SAM: Brady To The Rescue
CONGRESSMAN BOB BRADY has once again come to the rescue. This time he is trying to save the Manayunk Bike Race. The race draws competitors and tourists from around the world. The main sponsor has dropped out and the race was cancelled. The city will lose millions of dollars. MAYOR MICHAEL NUTTER has seemed reticent, but Brady is fighting to find funding. What makes Brady so smart is his ability to spot the obvious and go to work on it. It is self-evident that the city cannot lose this race and the revenue. LANCE ARMSTRONG got his big start as a 19-year-old when he won the race. He’s gone on to glory and disgrace since then.
STATE SEN. ANTHONY WILLIAMS offered $25,000 of campaign funds toward a reward in the Bryant School kidnapping case. He showed outrage about the lack of progress in the case at a press conference where he was joined by Mayor Nutter.
JUDGE SCOTT O’KEEFE is working hard to raise funds to retain his judicial seat. Observers say he has done an outstanding job since being appointed to a vacancy and confirmed by the Senate.
WARD LEADER DAN SAVAGE is rumored to be preparing to run against STATE SEN. TINA TARTAGLIONE next year. In addition to Savage, STATE REP. ANGEL CRUZ IS rumored to be a candidate for the 2nd Senatorial Dist.
There are fresh rumors that union powerhouse JOHN DOUGHERTY may be considering a run for Mayor. The field informally sits at Tony Williams, COUNCILMAN BILL GREEN, CITY CONTROLLER ALAN BUTKOVITZ, COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL CLARKE, PNC Bank President BILL MILLS, and perhaps COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN. But Brown will likely be out of the running for recent ethics violations. Because of his private-sector position, Mills must demur in public.
Johnny Doc would likely become the immediate frontrunner should he get in the race. No one could bring the campaign-funding clout or the large organization that he does. And a crowded field would benefit him. There are likely to be more entrants in the future.
A stimulating rumor holds there may be yet another entrant into the Mayorr’s race: former Republican COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO, JR. – who, in this scenario, would run as a Democrat!
The powerful Laborers’ Union has pretty well settled on their judicial slate for the May 2013 primary. For Common Pleas Court it will be SIERRA STREET and for Traffic Court OMAR SABIR. The only missing piece is Municipal Court, where FRAN SHIELDS is assured of a Laborers’ endorsement should he decide to have another go at it.
The Screen Actors Guild celebrated at Dave & Buster’s on Sunday night. The occasion was the SAG awards. Philadelphia has a large contingent of union actors. SAG merged recently with AFTRA; the combined union is large and formidable. The Executive Director, STEVE LESHENSKI, recognized STATE REP. TOM MURT and STATE SEN. MIKE STACK for their work on behalf of the union. Both legislators have moved bills that create fairness for union actors. Stack is also an SAG member.
The Consul General of Israel, YARON SIDEMAN, is a newcomer to Philadelphia, but seems to be getting around. He has been visiting legislators in Harrisburg and Philadelphia. Helping to open doors for the Counsel General is lobbyist ROBIN SCHATZ. Schatz is the former chief of staff to former City COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO.
