Did I say Micek has the best poliblog in the state? Must have been a typo. In his daily tour de blog yesterday, he accused me of beating Sam Bennett's dead horse. This, in turn, led a reader to say, "Bernie is not beating a dead horse. Bernie is practicing placekicking with the footballs they made out of the dead horse!"Listen, PCN boy. All I want from you is silence, and damn little of that. When Bennett is elected Governor, you'll be asking, "What the hell just happened?" Not me, baby. I'm all over this like ham on rye. You can have your damn iPod.
So how about that Sam Bennett? Yesterday, I told you she was funneling money to her local PAC through the Northampton County Dems, giving them $1,000 for their troubles. I also decided to make a road trip from the boonies of Northampton County to review her year-end report.
I know this will come as a big shock to most of you, but her five-page campaign finance report totally fails to itemize $6,975 in campaign expenditures last year. This, of course, is a clear violation of Pennsylvania campaign finance laws, depriving the public of any meaningful ability to follow the money. Voting registrar Stacy J. Sterner was unavailable yesterday, but I'm sure Bennett will be asked to supplement her report.
Bennett's report does show $7,000 in contributions. This includes the $2,000 funnelled into her local PAC from her federal PAC as well as a $5,000 contribution from Philadelphia's Carpenters' PAC.
Her report also reveals $86,803.92 in unpaid debt. Most of this debt is owed to her own family, but also includes $12,500 owed to Bishop Blair Couch as well as another $10,000 to Allentown Rajah of Rezoning and big game hunter Abe Atiyeh.
33 comments:
Will no one rid me of this meddlesome Scam !
Scam Beckett?
Bernie,
I'm sure we're all keen to see Bennett brought down if she's guilty of financial mismanagement--something that no longer seems to be in question. Did you make a copy of her financial report and would it be possible to post the expenditures and unpaid debt pages?
An additional quick question for you, though--if one of your allies, say someone who reported to be reform-minded and fiscally conservative--were in a similar position (having misdocumented or misappropriated ~$2000 in two extremely small local campaigns), would you as eager to publish the information? I ask, in large part, because this is not a hypothetical situation and I am curious if you would be willing to fairly evaluate copies of the reports/their summaries.
Let me know.
Hey anon. i bet it depends on who the ally is. We all know Bernie plays favorites
It isn't Angle or Charlie or Stoffa or Mike Welsh or even Percy Dougherty. It is a current elected official, however
It’s a vendetta – Oxford dictionary - A prolonged bitter quarrel with or campaign against someone. – ORIGIN from Ital., from L. vindicta ‘vengeance’.
"would it be possible to post the expenditures and unpaid debt pages?"
Um, I can't post the expenditures bc she failed to itemize them. I can post the unpaid debts but I already IDed the non-family members.
"if one of your allies, say someone who reported to be reform-minded and fiscally conservative--were in a similar position (having misdocumented or misappropriated ~$2000 in two extremely small local campaigns), would you as eager to publish the information?"
What you're asking me is whether I'm a hyppocrite. But it really depends on the context. I know many candidates who make mistakes and are fined. It is not a regular thing. If someone misdocuments $2k in a small, local campaign, is it that big a deal? If someone misappropriates $2k in a csmall, local campaign, it is a very big deal.
There's a big difference between "misdocuments" and "misapprpriates."
In Bennett's case, I mention it bc it is part of a pattern of constant mismanagement. She botched two FEC financial disclosures, tried to be click with her federal PAC transfer, and now can't itemize expenditures.
If you show me one isolated incident of an otherwise good official making a mistake, quickly corrected, is it really that relevant?
But there is nothing stopping you from reporting this transgression yourself. Yiu can post the details as a comment right here. You even have the luxury of doing it anonymously. If YOU think this is something we need to know, tell us.
"It’s a vendetta"
No, it's called a campaign finance law violation. Those disclosure laws exist to enable us to follow the money. Bennett has failed twice in her FEC financial disclosures. Now she fails on a local level. It's blogworthy.
BO, Your so magnanimous!
It's "You're," not "your."
For someone who claims to know the OED, you should know basic grammar.
Bernie,
Please don't think that I was implying that you are a hypocrite. I just recognize that you blog in large part to further candidates and causes that you genuinely support. That's noble and respectable, as polemical writing serves a legitimate purpose in educating the public. In that role, you have no obligation to tackle causes that do not necessarily correspond with your immediate personal and political interests. What I wanted to know is if you were willing to investigate and publish material that would be damming to someone you've consistently supported and speak well of--there are a good many fine people who would not publicly expose and condemn their friends.
I hedged between "misdocumented" and "misappropriated" because of the extremely poor preparation of the five reports--in some cases, the errors appear to be the result of recklessness and carelessness (hardly appropriate qualities for someone who presents himself as fiscally responsible, but I digress), in others significant sums of money (ranging from $50 to $1600) either disappear with no documentation whatsoever or are paid by to the candidate by the candidate's campaign account for unitemized and highly questionable "expenses," subsequent to trying to terminate the account with the money unspent. I didn't want to make any specific allegations in this forum without having you first review the materials and give your assessment of them. The reports date from 2006 and 2007 and have not received corrections or amendments.
For what it's worth, I do think it's a big deal and not an isolated incident. Would you like me to forward you my findings?
Anon 9:10,
Please forward the information. Unfortunately, it does not sound like an isolated incident.
This post is proof that Sam is perfectly qualified for my cabinet. Only little people pay taxes or itemize campaign documents honestly.
She would make a perfect Rake Czar.
God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
Thank you.
Bernie,
The information has been forwarded to your email account.
One additional bit on the Bennett matter. If the Carpenters PAC put $5000 toward paying off her personal 2005 mayoral campaign debt, they were essentially putting $5000 directly into the pocket of an active Congressional candidate. There are tremendous ethical concerns about this activity--it could be reasonably interpreted as a bribe--but it also appears to be an attempt to subvert federal campaign finance law.
You forgot to take the "blue pill" this morning. You'll be happier with this story. Bennett is un-touchable.
O_o
Bottom line is that any way you slice it Sam Bennett is a scam artist whose only interest in politics is what she can get for herself in recognition to fill her ego needs and money to line her pockets.
It is very unfortunate that local unions in the Valley have drunk her Kool Aid and keep giving her money because she wags her booty at them and makes all the right noises.
They can't tell that she is playing them because they don't think it is politie to call her on some of her BS.
The same goes for the so-called "progressives" in the blogosphere.
She is running a money scam with thousands of well meaning lefties all over the nation through her clever use of progressive blogs and bloggers.
They have no idea that on the ground here in the Valley she is seen by many of us who really know her as a passive agressive, power mad egomaniac with a bottomless need for attention.
She makes the right noises, basks in the attention -- and gets paid big bucks for her efforts.
Can't believe that the local media lets her get away with this.
Oh wait, yes I can believe it because most of the local media poltical reporters are only one step away from being poltical groupies themselves and she knows how to play them too.
What a situation!
Sam B is the proof in the pudding. The pudding is "Even Obama's monster popularity can not get awful candidates in office!"
Seriously Dent's district contrary to "Pundit claims" is anything but a "Hardcore Conservative district".
It's only a matter of time until Team Obama tells Barack. "There is no need to keep kissing up to Dent. We just need to find a clean Democrat in the Lehigh Valley to run."
Maybe Obama's posse will talk Bob freeman into running.
But then again Bob is such a appeaser, Dent would eat him for a snack like Landjagers.
Only it would be through a "unrelated group" that would destroy him. Like Crazy ass carpetbagger from New England Pat "My wait staff goosesteps to the tables" Toomey.
That sleezy group he became the head of after he lost to Spector would probaly doctor pics to show in ads. Like a affair with a alien from Uranus.
There's not a single one of Sam's political positions that Rogan can honestly say (or attempt to spell) that he disagrees with. The triangulation into the usual deflections is typical and boring.
Spike should stop paying taxes like his gods in DC. See how long Obama's crooks let him slide.
Sam's his kinda girl. He's just a little heartbroken.
No, Rogan got it right -- Sam Bennett is, was and will always be a bad candidate.
The problem is that she is also a very good self-promoter and she has found her niche in the blogosphere where she can market her overwhelming 11 point Congressional loss (oh, and she ran 30 points behind Obama in the Congressional District!)as somehow a positive because, as she constantly proclaims, she got "more votes than any Democrat who ever ran in the 15th CD."
She keeps to message, shining this pile of crap, and her legions of blogosphere worshippers, who have no way to verify anything she says, keep sending her money.
This is a sick lady -- clever, but sick.
Actually, her Congressional loss was 18pts--she did 7pts net worse than Charles Dertinger, despite having 11 times his funding.
What has Sam Bennett done wrong that is any different from our current Treasury Secretary?
"What has Sam Bennett done wrong that is any different from our current Treasury Secretary?"--Anon 2:26
I am pretty sure the current Treasury Secretary would never have incorrectly stated (twice) that two area banks folded during a televised debate in the fall of 2008. Nor would he have misfiled a third financial disclosure document after being caught with erroneous ones twice previously during the same campaign. And, he probably would not have taken a third of a small non-profit's newly-state-funded $300,000+ budget right off the bat. This is purely educated speculation, but we might also assume that Sec. Geithner would also refrain from calling other nations involved with Middle East diplomacy "Tontos" or falsely state that Iran's president is "is building up nuclear armaments as we speak" while out on the campaign trail.
Need more? Just click here.
But to be fair, we have no proof that Ms. Bennett has filed equally as inaccurate tax declarations as Sec. Geithner over the years. Are you implying that you know something the rest of us don't in that regard?
"Are you implying that you know something the rest of us don't in that regard?"
No. I'm stating that the subject of this post is inaccurate financial reporting. In that regard, Sam's transgressions pale in comparison to Savior Geithner.
Bernie: You seem to have an extraordinary interest in Sam Bennett this is almost like cyber-stalking. Almost like what you accuse Bill Villa of doing. I think you spend more time thinking about Sam than is healthly. If I were her, I'd be a littled creeped out.
Yeah, I have this quaint notion that people who seek public office should disclose where they get their money and how it is spent. That notion is shared by the Penna. legislature and a large number of the commenters here.
As far as Villa is concerned, I haven't charged him with anything. But the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has charged him with criminal harassment.
"Bernie: You seem to have an extraordinary interest in Sam Bennett this is almost like cyber-stalking. Almost like what you accuse Bill Villa of doing."
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
This guy, he's so brilliantly devious! Plant the seed in the Ramblings readers' heads that turns the tables on BOH, then people will start thinking he's an obsessed stalker, too. That's so subliminal and clever, Batman!
It's like this guy's in advertising/marketing or something. We (the public) are too simple to catch on.
Fail!
the more I read the more I wonder why I should care about her. She's not going to run for anything else ever again. At what point do you ignore her and let her just disappear.
Honestly, just ignore her and she will go away.
What power does she have? I am a Democrat and I cannot understand it. I have met her, she is Ok but not that original and certainly not the brightes bulb in the room, what gives?
So many Party people continue to come up and say, she is great, look how popular she is, she is the heart of our Party?
What the Hell am I missing? I donot have the O'Hare hate thing going but I honestly don't get it. Many successful Pols lose a race or two. Many incumbants of today have some losses in their past. As we know in politics you are only known for the last race you were in. Lose eight and then win and you are great. This person is batting 'ZERO'.
I just don't get how Labor will ignore folks with political success and continue to throw money at her.
This isn't an O'Hare set-up asskiss job, I am truely mystified.
Slamming Sammy was great at plugging herself to Liberal Blogs that have a national audience.
She was also landing plugs on national Liberal Talk shows. (Almost exclusively Air America shows, an awful network that should just die).
The Young Turks Show praised her when they were still on AAR until I sent the one producer of the show the real facts on Sam.
Cenk wouldn't touch her name with a ten meter pole then.
I like how some right winger tried to spin my other post into (I really like her, and am a sore loser.)
You forgot to add I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn, NY!
And I'm next in line to replace Ratzinger as Pope/Hitler Youth all grown up.
Dumb Ass.
And in refrence to the Villa post.(And off subject to Sam B)
I got a message two months ago from Chris Casey. He posted on the comments of my post on Heath "Heil Stupidity" Cambell.
Apparently he was e-mailed that I accused him of supporting Villa stalking O'Hare. He set the record straight.
He didn't like the "Que ball" joke about him. (I was being nice considering what he said.)
And he is NOT on Villas side. But I'm just a stupid O'Hare fan and was too dense to get.
(Casey mocked O'Hare making a complaint.)
So I thanked Casey for clearing it up. Then noticed he deleted the link on his blog to mine. then a few days later announced he was done blogging. A few days after that he again said he will no longer blog.
Then a few weeks ago he made his blog by invitation only (Like a Beltway dinner!). For a blog he is done with, he sure has alot to do with it still.
I would have just abandoned it, and not worried about deleting links to blogs that may not agree with me.
Just thought I would float all this out there. Now can Deep Throat e-mail Casey and ask him why his ended blog is invitation only?
Spike,
Very interesting.
This is a little late to the table, but please read this article where Sam Bennett talks about all the sexism she has experienced during her campaigns. Her spin on events and why people react to her the way they do in the district is simply unbelievable. She even blames the uproar over her initial POM salary on sexism.
Does she think that people in the LV don't read Huffpo?
Pete, A link to theis story was sent to me a few days ago, and I intend to blog it. I thought she lost the race because of regressive bloggers. Silly me.
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