POLS ON THE STREET: Kenney Leaps Into Philadelphia Mayor’s Race

COUNCILMAN AT LARGE Jim Kenney made it exciting when he announced he was resigning from City Council to run for Mayor in the Democratic primary.

Council President Darrell Clarke’s decision not to run for Mayor, followed by former City Solicitor Ken Trujillo’s surprise decision to withdraw as well, was followed by Councilman at Large Jim Kenney’s expressing interest in the mayoral race.  He made it official Tuesday he is  now in and today in City Council made his last speech to his colleagues in Council, formally ending 23 years of service in that legislative body.

During his tenure in city government, Kenney championed progressive causes and stood up for working families. He fought to protect the bargaining rights of police and firefighters, passed groundbreaking legislation that guaranteed broad protections for LGBTQ citizens, advocated for Philadelphia as a top destination for new immigrants to help stop our city’s population loss, and never backed down from confronting Philadelphia’s most-pressing challenges.

Giving him the leverage he needed to make the decision for this race, one he has worked toward for several years, is reportedly Workers Stand for America, a PAC of local labor leaders including Local 98’s John Dougherty.

This leaves the last shoe to fall on Controller Alan Butkovitz’s foot. He reportedly will make clear his decision this coming week. His entry could enhance State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams’ (D-W. Phila.) frontrunner position.

Williams hasn’t slowed in his efforts to become the Democratic Primary winner for Mayor. He could be the lone African American with substance in the race when filing closes. To his credit, are the endorsements he already has from much of organized labor and Congressman and Party Chair Bob Brady. For the last year he has addressed several hundred groups on every level of economic and social interest around the city.

In the race and going all out are District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham and former Common Pleas Court Judge Nelson A. Diaz.  Supposedly on target to announce for Mayor Feb. 7 is Doug Oliver, a former aide to Mayor Nutter, who has resigned from PGW.

GRANDSON Anthony dutifully listens to grandpop State Sen. Anthony Williams as he attends his first political event (Councilman Kenyatta Johnson kick off campaign). Mayoral candidate believes you’re never too young to learn.

You Can’t Trust What’s On The Web!

Candidates love the web. It costs nothing or just pennies (and that’s only if you need someone to drive your webpage for you). But today, you can’t rely on it any longer.

Incumbents are now victims. Challengers also find they’ve been screwed if they first announce their intention to run for election, then plan a webpage. The most obvious website such as their “name.com” is already on the web, but it goes elsewhere.

For instance, Ori Feibush-whacked Councilman Kenyatta Johnson on the net. All Kenyatta possible routes lead to Ori. He’s not the only savvy appreciative individual understanding the value of web manipulation.

A new millennial PAC, the 5^th Square, has cyber-whacked or squatted City Council Members. Don’t expect to find Councilman Jannie Blackwell.com when you go to that sight, nor MarkSquilla.com at what should be his website and so on for Curtis Thomas, Maria Quiñones Sánchez, Marian Tasco, Wilson Goode, Jr., and Blondell Reynolds Brown.

All URLs now forward visitors to 5thSq.com. So do billgreenleeforcitycouncil.com, AnthonyWilliamsForMayor.com and even www.philadelphiacitycouncil.org.

David Curtis, co-founder of The 5th Square, confirms the PAC purchased the sites at the end of last year. Curtis says the PAC is thinking about redirecting the sites in the future to “report cards” that it is planning to draw up for the mayoral and Council candidates in the  May 19th primary election.

All is fair in love, war, and politics. He’s quoted on a website “Citified”.

“They were there and they were cheap and we thought they were valuable assets,” he says.

Earlier this month, Curtis laid out the goals of his PAC to Citified.

“Cybersquatting,” as it is known, already appears to be a common theme of the upcoming election.

KenyattaJohnson.com, as well as KenyattaJohnson.net and KenyattaJohnson.org, redirect users to the campaign website of Feibush, a businessman who is running against incumbent Councilman Johnson this spring.

CONGRESSMAN Bob Brady tells audience 2nd Dist. Councilman Kenyatta Johnson has full force of Democratic Party him in his reelection campaign. Kenyatta is happy to hear that. He won his first primary by 45 votes. Photo by Donald Terry

Only five of Philadelphia’s 17 Council Members have sites up and running on their “FullName.com” domain names. They are Bobby Henon, Cindy Bass, Ed Neilson, James Kenney and David Oh.

In short, what should be the shortest web route to identifying you is no longer yours, since it goes to someone else.

James, the 13-year-old son of our chief cyberwhiz, William Hanna, offered advice from the younger generation regarding the internet: “No one should trust the internet because you may find a place, such as Wikipedia, that says Jesus is God and in another location that Jesus is a prophet while others may say Jesus never existed. There are ways of trusting the internet when it presents information backed by a verified specialist in the field or out of scientific sources.”

You can trust the print editions of our two Public Records, since we will not intentionally misdirect our readers. Our web-site is now averaging 80,000 hits a month, making our weekly a leader in its field.

To all those in politics: Get your story in print. It can’t be swiped or misdirected once we hit the streets. It can only be quoted.

Ease Off The Bull In The 170^th

We know who the skunk is that keeps throwing mud at Sarah DelRicci, the Democratic nominee for 170^th Dist. in the Mar. 24 special election.  His smear attempts are backfiring and should he decide to run in the special election in that primary, we’ll publish his skeletons since they are true and irrefutable.

We have evidence to refute what he sent to us and to others. Such slurs take away from the race for both candidates and makes one wonder ever more why good people should accept the responsibility of running for office.

Sarah DelRicci … N.E. Dems’ Choice

DelRicci, a 34-year-old native of Northeast Philadelphia, attended Gibbs College and is the executive director of the Parkwood Therapeutic Riding Center. It provides children with special needs the opportunity to gain “a sense of independence, freedom, and skillset while being in a therapeutic equine environment.”

PHALANX of elected officials attended Ward Leader Bob Dellavella’s massive party at FOP Hall, including, rear, from left, Dellavella, Councilman Bill Greenlee, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, Councilman Ed Neilson; front, Ward Leader Bill Dolbow and State Sen. Tina Tartaglione.

Her GOP opponent is Martina White, 26, a financial advisor. The Republican City Committee believes she can restore that seat to its side of the aisle, a seat they had dominated for years.

Martina has been busy canvassing the district, meeting voters and raising money. She has two fundraisers: Tuesday, Feb. 3, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Toscana 52, 4603 Street Road, Feasterville, Pa. at $150 per person, $200 per couple. The other is Thursday, Feb. 12, 6-9 p.m., at Paddy Whack’s Irish Pub, 9241 Roosevelt Boulevard, tickets $40.

Rep. Sabatina Endorsed For Stack Senate Seat

Democratic Northeast Ward Leaders have chosen State Rep. John Sabatina, Jr. (D-Northeast) as their party’s candidate for the State Senate special election to fill the vacancy created by former State Sen. Mike Stack’s election to the office of Lieutenant Governor.

He said, “I am proud to accept the Democratic nomination for the special election to represent the 5th Senatorial Dist. Lt. Gov. Mike Stack has served his constituents in this district as Senator with honor, conviction, and incomparable leadership. I turn my attention to running a vigorous campaign to make our streets safe, fully fund our public schools, and creating good jobs through economic development.”

Sabatina is currently the State Representative for the 174th Legislative Dist. where he has served since 2006.

Steamfitters Local 420 Picks GOP’s Dan Tinney

Normally most Building Trades locals can be found supporting Democrats in primaries and then in general elections. However, Dan Tinney, a construction worker in the energy sector and a Committeeman for 45^th Div. of the 66^th Ward in Northeast Philadelphia, announced his intention to run for an at-Large Council seat on the Republican ticket with the hefty support of Steamfitters Local 420 before a packed house at Cannstatter.

Tinney, a graduate from Archbishop Ryan HS, has a degree in business logistics and international business from Penn State University. “My parents taught me how to put in a hard day’s work for an honest day’s pay,” said Tinney. “I know that only through hard work can we fix what is wrong with our city.”

Tinney was joined at the podium by Anthony Gallagher, business manager of Steamfitters Local 420, and State Rep. John Taylor (R-Northeast), Chairman of Philadelphia Republican City Committee.  Gallagher said, “As Dan’s life experience shows, he knows how finance works from our dining rooms to the board room. Dan has the skills set needed to be a new, dynamic leader in City Council.”

Taylor added, “I need people like Dan in City Hall to help me work on very important issues such as job creation and public safety to help all the people of Philadelphia. Dan has the energy, drive, and ideas to change City Hall.”

TOM WYATT, left, pitched in on MLK Day of Service as part of massive volunteer turnout to give facelift to Andrew Jackson ES in S. Phila. Wyatt, who serves on Education Committee of Passyunk Square Civic Association, is running for City Council at Large. He is joined here by Maura Dwyer, Principal Lisa Kaplan and Pat Kaisinger.

Big Names Head Deeley Fundraiser

Big names top the first official fundraiser being held for Lisa Deeley as she launches her campaign for City Commissioner on the Democratic ticket tomorrow morning at a breakfast at the Famous Deli from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. They include Local 98’s John Dougherty, Sheriff Jewell Williams, AFL-CIO President Pat Eiding, Steamfitter’s Wayne Miller and Councilman Bob Henon.

She deserves the support, having served the citizens of the City of Philadelphia. She began as Chief of Staff for then-State Rep. Alan Butkovitz for 12 years and when Alan was elected to serve as City Controller, he tapped Lisa to lead the Controller’s first Community Affairs Division. In 2012, Lisa became the director of community outreach for 6^th Dist. Councilman Bobby Henon.

At the age of 14, this Rhawnhurst native began stuffing envelopes and running phone banks for the campaigns of Congressman Bob Borski and the late State Sen. Jim Lloyd. Since then, she has been involved in the conduct of elections for the last 30 years, first as judge of elections, then as the elected Democratic Committeeperson for her division. Her mother is retired Sheriff of Philadelphia Barbara Deeley.

For nearly 10 years, Lisa has been the president of Northeast Victim Services, a nonprofit organization that supports and advocates for victims of crime and assists the community in reducing the effects of crime through outreach and education. She is also involved in many civic and neighborhood organizations, including the Rhawnhurst Athletic Association, Mary Kate’s Legacy, the Darfur Alert Coalition, and the Delaware River City Corp. She is a former member of the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1776.

Judicial Candidates Keep Popping Up Everywhere

Private fundraising receptions were being held around the state.

Most notable, perhaps, was one held by Allegheny County Officials for Judge Kevin Dougherty, indicating how well his brother John’s efforts are paying off. This fundraiser by Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Treasurer John Weinstein and DA Stephen Zappala, Jr., indicates Kevin has the support of the strongest counties, in vote getting this coming primary.

His brother is ensuring he has the biggest campaign war chest and a case of election towels to boost his campaign.

With three Supreme Court seats up for grabs, Dougherty will easily take one of those. Vying for the other two seats are declared Democratic candidates Superior Court Judge Christine Donohue, Jefferson County Common Pleas Court Judge John Foradora, Superior Court Judge Anne Lazarus, Superior Court Judge David Wecht, Montour County DA Rebecca Warren and Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge Dwayne Woodruff.

For the Superior Court, the next bench down, Alice Dubow, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge, is receiving help from David Cohen in her pursuit of a seat on that bench. She has a host of competitors as well.

Former Chief of Staff to Gov. Ed Rendell and now Exec. VP of Comcast, Cohen hosted an invitation-only brunch fundraiser for Dubow at his house.

Germantown GOP Club Marks 126^th Lincoln Day

The Germantown Republican Club will hold its 126th annual Lincoln Day Dinner on Feb. 12 at the Union League. Featured speaker will be Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks). US Senator Pat Toomey will be the special guest.

Founded in 1888 to support the election of President Benjamin Harrison, this Germantown group is now the oldest Republican Club in the nation.

Tickets for the Lincoln Day event are $65.

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