In the past few days, Tony "the Hatchet" Rybak has gone negative in the race for the seat being vacated by T.J. Rooney, flooding voters with mailers falsely portraying Joe Brennan as hardened criminal. Former County Councilman Joe Brennan has taken the accusations in stride, posting humorous remarks to this and other blogs, and appearing on Angle's radio talk show as recently as yesterday. He's a class act who spoke highly of his remaining opponents, Jose Rosado and Dennis Pearson.But Tony could not stop with character assassination. First, he claimed on his finance report (which is not so readily available) that he was somehow able to send out 40,000 pieces of mail for around $7,700.00. Yeah, right. Second, he ignored campaign laws that require his reports to be filed both with the state and in his own county, too. Third his mailings falsely tell voters that he paid for them when in fact it was his PAC. Strike three, you're out of here! He'd fit right in with the current crop in the land of midnight legislative payraises.
Today, Brennan calmly fired back with a letter to the Attorney General, who just happens to be the main man for enforcing our campaign finance laws. He must be busy these days.
Election Eve Update
Tony "the Hatchet" Rybak tells us on election eve that he's for "honesty and common sense in state government." That's nice. But his campaign finance report tells a different tale.
Rybak's campaign finance report still is not published on the state's Internet site, and he failed to file a copy with the county until late last week, well after the deadline. As Joe Brennan points out, sending out 40,000 pieces of mail for $7,700 defies common sense. And in a Morning Call article published yesterday, Rybak would have us believe that, although he uses a campaign consultant, he does not have to report that expense because he was not charged for the service.
Wrong answer, Tony!
If Rybak uses a campaign consultant who does not charge for services, it's a reportable "in kind" campaign contribution. But as it develops, Tony WAS charged. He acknowledges in the same story that he bought mailing lists, and that expense is not listed on his campaign finance report.
Also not listed, either as in kind contribution or paid expense, is the cost of Tony's web site or his AOL mailing address.
If Tony can't be honest in his campaign finance report, do you really think he'll be honest as a state rep?
Jim,
ReplyDeleteI think you are missing the point of why Rosado is the correct choice on Tuesday, and not Mr. Brennan. If we are truly looking to see change in Harrisburg the last thing you want is a political insider. Mr. Brennan is the handpicked choice of the local Democratic Party political insiders (Joe Long, John Calahan, etc.). What would make you think he is something different than what we have now in, his boss, Mr. Rooney?
Mr. Brennan has not said anything to make me believe that he thinks any different than any other political insider. He has not distinguished himself as anything other than status quo. If the status quo was what we want, what we need, then the uproar over pay raises, "tax reform," etc. would never have occurred.
Hello Dave, Rosado is a fine guy and is running a clean campaign. He'd make a great state rep. But let me clarify something about Brennan. He is NOT the hand-picked favorite of strongarms like Joe Long. Joe Long and Rooney have been at odds for as long asd I remember, so why would Long want someone who worked for Rooney?
ReplyDeleteAnd while I'm at it, Joe Long is what is wrong with our local Democratic party - not T.J. Rooney.
It is because of local party "leaders" like Joe Long that local Dems could not field a candidate to run for Congress at a time the Rs are running scared. Now, we're stuck with a carpetbagger who gets all of his conhtributions from Jersey.
Two years ago, I did a stint as guest host for a talk show on WGPA. I wanted to do one show that was devoted entirely to Democratsd seeking office, followed by another for Rs, and a final show for third party candidates. I made repeated calls to Long, and they were ignored. When I finally did get through, he told me, "We're not interested in doing things like that." I placed another call to T.J. Rooney, and he had candidates available the very next day.
And I do think Brennan has distinguished himself from the status quo with a pledge on term limits, refusdal to accept any pay raises and a realistic property tax relief plan.
But I don't fault you for supporting Rosado. There are 3 good candidates.
Good to see you have taken what I hae to say seriously. Joe Long IS the problem. He is a man who only works for his own self interest and does NOT have the good of teh Party in mind. I blame Joe for us not having a candidate for the 15th and don't forget how he acted after John Stoffa defeated G. Riebman in the primaries.
ReplyDeleteI can tell you, Bernie, that you are not the only one who has gotten the runaround from Joe Long. A group I am associated with was having a candidates night in April that he refused to promote. His reasoning was that Chuck Pennachio was invited to attend and the Party endorsed Casey. We also invited Casey, but that didn't matter (because it was just some BS excuse).
Mr. Brennan, I have new respect for you that you are not associated with Joe Long, but you do have close ties to Mr. Rooney. Whether you like it or not the perception is that, as one of his staffers for the past 10 years or so, you are more closely tied to him than you may like in the perception of the public. You do understand that his actions and statements regarding the pay raise were poorly received, right?
Joe Brennan will win on Tuesday, Bernie, you can take that to the bank. He has worked the hardest, said the most positive things about what he will do once in office, and has the experience in dealing with Harrisburg that will make him most effective. Nothing against Jose or Tony, but Joe is just more qualified and ran a better campaign.
ReplyDeleteAnd to the person who said that Tony will deliver the 133rd to a Republican--THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN! Voters are much much smarter than the Bernie O'Hares of the world think! AND the Ron Angles of the world. His end is coming and it is not going to be pretty.
Oh, by the way, please tell Bonnie Dodge that GOD took her yard signs!
To the anonymous poster who is hunched over a keyboard, pecking away at 2:30 AM:
ReplyDeleteThe 133rd will "NEVER" go to an R? They used to say that about the 15th Congressional district. Ask Rooney's uncle. They used to say that about Northampton County Council, too. Never say never.
And who said anything about Dodge's yard signs? I didn't. Nobody posted anything about that. My guess is you must have heard it listening to Angle's show.
I'd say more, but I'm going to vote now. I'll be busy doing that all day, atabout 40 different precints. I'ma Dem and that's what we do.
Hey Joe B,
ReplyDeleteSorry that you didn't get invited to the DFA event (we have renamed the group the Lehigh/Northampton Progressive Alliance). The reaction to Jose was very favorable at our group, to be completely honest with you. As a group we believe that there needs to be more ideas outside the box of Harrisburg and we felt that Jose has some new ideas to bring to the table. He is also the only candidate, to my knowledge, who has actually advocated working toward lower government spending (not just "smaller government" of less represntatives). If you plan on working for government spending controls I did not see or read that anywhere, but I could have missed it.
It has already been discussed among our group and if you win today we plan on asking you out to our next meeting to address the group. It would be the "off season," so to speak, for you and would also enable you to recruit some or all of us to help with the campaign. In general, we are selective about who we will work for.
Just as an FYI to everybody else ... I went to vot ethis morning and, for all teh hoopla surrounding teh Dertinger campaign, the only person outside my polling spot this morening was representing Chalie Dent. Not a Dertinger rep or sign to be found anywhere. Way to go Joe and Fadia.
Dave
Seems to me that sending out 40,000 pieces of mail would round out to at least $12,000. I guess the government is starting a discount for cheap politicians.
ReplyDeleteFunny how no one wants to bet against Joe Brennan winning in the 133rd!
ReplyDeleteBernie, I'll bet you $100 that the 133rd does NOT go Republican in the next 10 years. Put up or shut up.
And, you're gonna be awful lonely at those 40 polling places, because the TO is a tsunami-like 20% today... maybe this will finally prove to the media that they aren't relevant anymore.
How am I supposed to bet anything if I don't know who you are? But I understand what you are saying. The 133rd is a heavily Dem district, and my suggestion aboiut a Republican trap is a taqd far-fetched. Your prposed bet is one I would be happy to lose.
ReplyDeleteAs far as turn out goes, it was light in Nazareth, too. The new machines in Northampton County make it very easy to cast a write in vote.