POLS ON THE STREET: Will Chaka Opt Out Of 2nd District Race?

by Joe Shaheeli

SENATORIAL candidate Sharif Street was hosted campaign affair by N. Phila. nightclub magnate Sid Booker. From left are Sheriff Jewell Williams, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, L. Harrison Jay, Street, Bill Bergman and Sid Booker.

Ward endorsements are key to every race, with the 2nd Congressional Dist. entering that arena. That is because long-time incumbent Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-Phila.) is defending himself, not only on the political front, but against criminal charges posted against him by the Feds.

Growing chronicles of this additional headache have been covered in the local dailies. At least four contenders have stepped forward. Of these, the best known is State Rep. Dwight Evans (D-N. Phila.) – perhaps as well known as Fattah. While Chaka is working hard to get ward endorsements (the latest being the 36th), he will not have challenger Dan Muroff’s 9th Ward, and possibly several others in that neighborhood.

Word is Evans did receive, at a ward meeting of the 50th, Hon. Marian Tasco’s endorsement, soon to be made public. That’s a heavyweight punch to the kidneys for the incumbent.

Keeping Fattah in the running is the endorsement of the SEIU, the Service Employees International Union, which will net him some money and a presence on the street of election workers dressed with suitable t-shirts.

Dropping out of the race was State Rep. Brian Sims (D-S. Phila.), who finally realizes all politics is local and has decided to concentrate on his State Legislative district. He’s rushing back to quell the fire set up by challengers. Another contender, Lower Merion Township Commissioner Brian Gordon, did not file nominating petitions. Even with him out of the race, that county’s voters there will flee from a Philadelphia politician being hounded by the Feds. This was demonstrated in the case of State Sen. LeAnna Washington who lost her seat to a Montco-based township commissioner in Cheltenham.

Still, Chaka has to weigh his options. On the negative side, he must face the fact he will not have the campaign funds with which to adequately combat his opposition, not to mention the growing adverse publicity he is experiencing in the general media. Also weighing heavily on his fundraising abilities is the fact all the other candidates are moving into the hundreds of thousands of dollars collected.

Leading all the challengers is Evans with well over $350,000 in his war chest to date with funds collected from throughout the district. Muroff has over $210,000 in his till.

Also not to be ignored is the decision by Attorney General Kathleen Kane to withdraw from her primary, opening the field to several Democrats who now need to reorganize their campaign strategy. They are in similar boats, with hurricane winds blowing them around. She quit because she is under intense legal scrutiny – leaving Fattah to wonder if, even with union support, he can survive the bad press he will be getting. Does he understand his situation is as perilous as was hers?

Chaka has been using every trick of the trade, learned well over the years he has held that office. For instance, he has flooded the district with a mailer entitled “Your Voice In Washington” covered by franking privileges. (One constituent was impressed his address finally made the Congressman’s mailing list.) But time has run out on that type of free public-relations material sent compliments of Uncle Sam.

The Congressman has also opened a total of eight mobile offices for constituent service. They may have earned him loyalty from some voters.

If he were to survive the primary, the next question only he needs to answer honestly is if he can survive the federal charges. He hasn’t paid his legal beagles, reports the main media.

With his campaign minus some of his former sharp operators and with funds down to a trickle, we believe he may soon announce his withdrawal from the race.

Kane Survives Vote, But Decides To Quit

The Senate’s effort to remove Attorney General Kathleen Kane suffered a setback last week when a vote on a resolution to remove her from office by the full Senate failed, several votes shy of the constitutionally required two-thirds majority. But that victory wasn’t enough of an assurance for her she could survive a primary.

ENJOYING fundraiser for State Sen. John Sabatina, Jr., at Ladder 15 in Center City were Allen Lowenstein, Robert Lipschutz, former mayoral candidate Tom Knox and Sabatina.

She surprised many by announcing on Tuesday she was out of the race and for a host of obvious reasons, including lack of money, the bad press she would continually have to endure in that race, and the entry of a couple of powerhouse Democrats sure to draw away what was once her union support.

Enough State Senators understand the adage what you wish on another may be inflicted on you someday. They wisely voted to put an end to the effort in the Senate to unseat Kane. In so doing, several Democrats spoke about the arcane process being used to remove Kane, something they said hadn’t been used in over 100 years.

Though Attorney General Kane saw the failed removal vote as a victory, she understood she was not out of shelling range. The House has approved a resolution to allow a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee to begin investigating Kane for impeachment. That, plus the criminal proceedings pending against the AG, would assure almost-daily negative press.

Republican Attorney General candidate John Rafferty announced as Attorney General he would implement an ethics code for employees based on United States Dept. of Justice guidelines.

Rafferty said the public’s confidence in the Attorney General’s Office and the courts has been shaken by corruption and, in particular, an email scandal where prosecutors, agents and judges exchanged pornographic and inappropriate emails.

“There is no place in government, especially in the Attorney General’s Office, for that type of behavior,” said Rafferty. “It won’t be tolerated when I am Attorney General.”

Rafferty said he would require all Attorney General employees to follow an ethics policy based on United States Dept. of Justice guidelines for personal email use.

Rafferty is a former Deputy Attorney General. He is a State Senator from Montgomery County and the endorsed Republican candidate for Attorney General. Though endorsed, he has opposition in the Republican primary from Joe Peters, who had worked in Kane’s office.

Three Democrats, all well known in their areas of jurisdiction, can turn up the primary turnout if they all stay in. They are Montgomery County Josh Shapiro, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala and Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli.

Zappala picked up the endorsement early this week from Lt. Gov. Mike Stack. Ed Rendell has endorsed Shapiro.

To Kane’s credit, her office keeps functioning. She announced a $470 million joint State and federal settlement with mortgage lender and servicer HSBC North America Inc. The settlement resolves potential violations of civil law based on HSBC’s deficient mortgage-loan origination and servicing activities, as well as its alleged foreclosure abuses. It provides direct payment to Pennsylvania borrowers for past foreclosure abuses by HSBC. An account of $59.3 million will be established to make payments to HSBC borrowers across the country who lost their homes to foreclosure between 2008 and 2012.

Republican Ads Burning Bern A Waste Of Time

Early talk on social media indicate US Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) is being considered as having the potential to become the Democratic candidate for President – with Republican enthusiasts hoping it would be so. But the pragmatic developers of presidential election machines will tell you no matter how successful his campaign to woo the young to his democratic-socialist revolution, it will all come to a dead end against a Democratic National Convention wall of superdelegates.

SHARING thoughts with State Rep. Dwight Evans at Bazemore Gallery in Manayunk on his bid to challenge embattled Congressman Chaka Fattah in 2nd Congressional Dist. Democratic primary are Tony Caselli and Temple University VP and Assistant to the President Willam T. Bergman.

Hillary Clinton has a 359-to-8 edge of superdelegates, the group of unpledged party leaders and elected official delegates, going into the DNC meeting in Philadelphia. AP reports 210 of these remain undecided.

Though Clinton led in the superdelegate race in the 2008 presidential cycle yet still lost to Barack Obama, her support is far greater this time around in 2007.

At this time in the 2008 race, AP found 169 superdelegates were for Clinton to Obama’s 63 going into that convention. That’s a nearly 3-to-1 advantage. Her lead this year is 45 to 1.

Adding fuel to her campaign, to make sure, is her super-PAC, Priorities USA Action, which will be spending at least half a million dollars in paid advertising in the South Carolina Democratic primary. In the latest reporting period, Priorities USA Action reported it received $15 million in donations (equating to 60% of all donations) from financial industry interests. This super-PAC previously said it would only deploy its millions for the general election against Republicans.

Feeling The Socialist Dem Bern No Joke

Independent Democratic candidate for the Senate of Pennsylvania in the 1st Dist., John H. Morley, Jr. was on a high as he knocked on doors seeking signatures on his nominating petition late last Thursday afternoon. In just two hours he had acquired 30 signatures.

But he called it a day when his last door knock was answered by a woman who listened to his pitch for her signature, then screamed at him, “I’m a democratic socialist and I’m going to shoot you.” The woman then shoved him, trying to push him off the steps.
His comment, when she closed the door, was, “I don’t think Bernie Sanders endorses this woman’s interpretation of ‘feel the Bern.’”

Councilman Green Joins Phila. Speakers Bureau

DEREK GREEN

Philadelphia Councilman at Large Derek Green, Esq. has joined the Philadelphia Speakers Bureau, (484-562-0067; eMail: adcomtimes@aol.com).

His subjects include aid to small businesses and entrepreneurs. He is also available (depending on schedule) to nonprofit organizations, especially those involving children.

He and his wife Sheila co-founded the first autism support class at Houston ES to help other autistic children like their son.

Green brings a rich background to the dais. He has been an assistant Deputy Attorney General. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Temple University School of Law.

Ducky Birts To Wed Lovely Linda Bey

One of city’s well-known political leaders and one of Congressman Bob Brady’s top aides, Donald “Ducky” Birts, is having his wings clipped a bit Feb. 27 at 3 p.m. at Zion Baptist Church on N. Broad Street. This one he is enjoying.

The occasion is his marriage to the lovely Linda Bey, who will now keep him focused on his many activities.

A lifelong entrepreneur from a chain of shoe stores to now having eggs, “Ducky” hotdogs and Peachee Weechy juices now available at nine of the Brown’s Family ShopRite supermarkets in and around the city. The money realized from these is going to the educational foundation he has created, which will soon announce location for his Recreation-Education School.

Ducky earned his nickname as a basketball star in Camden, N.J. schools.

In The Race For Endorsements

State Rep. Kevin Boyle (D-Northeast) has announced the endorsement of the Philadelphia Fire Fighters & Paramedics Union Local 22 in the primary for the Democratic nomination for Pennsylvania’s 5th Senatorial Dist.

“I am honored and grateful for the support of Local 22 as I run to continue to represent Northeast Philadelphia in Harrisburg,” Boyle said. “In my six years in the State House I have always fought to make sure our firefighters have had all the resources they need to do their jobs protecting our families, homes and businesses. They risk their lives every day for us, and I take it as my mission to be a voice for them, as well as our police and other emergency workers who protect our communities.”

In addition to Local 22, Boyle has received the endorsement of the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5.

Rep. Davidson Has Council Problem

First she was faced with an open primary rather than an endorsement of her incumbency. Now 164th Dist. Legislator Margo Davidson lost a good chunk of her support when the Upper Darby Democratic committee voted to endorse Township Councilwoman Sekela Coles, her challenger. The Upper Darby Committee represents the largest municipality in the district. Last week, the Delaware County Democratic Party also refused to endorse her, as a majority of its membership supported Coles as well. Coles has long history of service in Delaware County.

192nd Challenge A Nutter Effort?

Mayor Michael Nutter’s long-time position as Democratic leader of the 52nd Ward, now filled by Steven Jones, leaves one to ponder if it is the former Mayor who has a hand in the fact Ward Leader Jones has announced he will challenge Congressman Bob Brady’s entry in the 192nd Legislative Dist. primary Lynwood Savage? With the former Mayor enjoying a host of offers, some with national significance, we think not. But then again, some find it tough to totally quit the political arena.

Curtis Jones’ Mom Service Fri.

Barbara E. Jones, the mother of 4th Dist. Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr., will be honored after her recent passing at Pinn Memorial Baptist Church, 2251 N./ 54th Street, tomorrow. Viewing will be from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., at which hour homegoing services will commence. Interment will be at Fernwood Cemetery.

Online tributes may be sent to www.cwoodfh.com.

Florida Launches Term-Limited Congress

The Florida Legislature has passed legislation making it the first in the nation to call for an Article V amendment convention exclusive to the subject of putting term limits on Congress.

The memorial, HM 417, passed the State House and State Senate by an overwhelming voice vote. It is part of a national movement led by US Term Limits to fight careerism in Washington.

Article V gives State legislators a way to make term limits on Congress a reality without needing congressional approval. For the convention to be called, 34 states must pass similar legislation. If the convention proposes an amendment, 38 states must ratify it for it to be added to the US Constitution.

The President of US Term Limits, Philip Blumel, said, “Seventy-five percent of Americans support term limits on Congress, including huge majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents. This is a rare, truly bipartisan issue with national support.” This bill was supported by both Democrats and Republicans in the State House and Senate throughout the process and passed unanimously through two committees.
This effort in the Florida Legislature was led by Florida State Rep. Larry Metz and State Sen. Aaron Bean.

What’s True Cost Of Wolf’s Budget?

It is claimed the State budget’s true cost is more than double Gov. Wolf’s proposed $33.3 billion budget! It could reach an incredible $80 billion if Wolf’s plan is enacted. That is the claim of Matthew Brouillette, president and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation.

He stated, “Too often, elected officials avoid revealing the true cost of state government. Just like hidden charges in your cable bill jack up the real price over what’s advertised, the real cost of state government is far more than what we’re hearing. It may mean sticker shock, but taxpayers should know the bill they’re footing is far larger than the General Fund budget.”

The total operating budget includes the General Fund — $33.3 billion as proposed by Wolf — plus federal funds for state programs, “special” state funds (like the Motor License Fund and Lottery Fund), and more than 150 “other” state funds.

“Many of these programs are set on ‘autopilot’ — with spending increasing every year without the need for new legislation,” Brouillette continued. “As a consequence, spending has ballooned.”

Sestak Posts Truth Columns

Adm. Joe Sestak has put together a clever “What Toomey claims and what he does are two different things” series of columns on the web. Could earn him some points. We see US Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) having to do some answering soon, or these could tear some loyalists away.

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