Failed LV Congressional candidate Sam (Siobhan) Bennett is doing the laundry ... with campaign funds. She apparently took in more dough than she spent, although those figures are still unavailable. Under FEC rules, she can refund the money, save it for her next congressional quest, donate it to a political party or charity, or give it to state or local candidates.That presumably includes herself. But rather than donating unused federal campaign funds directly to her local PAC, Bennett has laundered the money through the Northampton County Dems. Their year-end report shows a $3,000 contribution from Bennett's congressional campaign to Northampton County Dems on December 14, 2008. Two days later, Northampton County Dems gave $2,000 to Bennett's local PAC, Friends of Siobhan "Sam" Bennett. This expenditure is explained as an "Allentown Mayor Campaign Contribution." Northampton Dems appear to have kept $1,000 as a handling fee.
She's using excess federal campaign funds to replenish her local PAC, but wants to hide this from all her ACTBlue contributors in Oregon and California.
Oopsie.
That's a shitload of rakes.
ReplyDeleteBernie,
ReplyDeleteIt's also notable that the Carpenters' PAC of Philadelphia decided to give Siobhan "Sam" Bennett's Mayoral Committee a $5000 donation on 2/15/2008. Who knew that 2008 was such an important year for Siobhan on the local level?
http://www.phila.gov/records/pdfs/CampaignReports/2008-C1/33_342008.pdf
I get the feeling, however, that "Sam" will not be the only local loony in the news over the upcoming weeks for campaign finance indiscretions.
Nice Picture of yourself.
ReplyDeleteGreatest American Hero?
I think not. More like
"Northampton County Zero."
"Who knew that 2008 was such an important year for Siobhan on the local level?"
ReplyDeleteI'm going to check out her local report.
Was it illegal? Maybe her bank limits the number of checks she can write!
ReplyDeleteALERT - ALERT - ALERT
ReplyDeleteThe City of Alletnown as contracted out Local Income Tax collection to Keystone Municipal Collections. They no longer collect this tax in house!
A thief by any other name ...
ReplyDeleteSam Bennett running another convoluted scam.
ReplyDeleteSome things never change.
Attention John Micek:
ReplyDeleteBernie is not beating a dead horse. Bernie is practicing placekicking with the footballs they made out of the dead horse!
Anon 9:52 AM. Thanks for bringing that up. I know this is off-topic but perhaps would warrent the ire of Bernie as wellin another blog entry. I live in Allentown and my wife freaked out yeaterday when we received a letter from a collection agency, only to learn that it was only this years city tax bill. THAT IS NO WAY TO TREAT YOUR LAW ABIDING, TAX-PAYING CITIZENS!! Why couldn't the city permit the use of their return address or work out some other deal with Keystone to remove the "collection" aspect of their letter. This is tacky, insulting, and offensive.
ReplyDeleteAnon 12:40,
ReplyDeleteWith all due disrespect to my pal, John Micek, Bennett doesn't seem to think she's a dead horse. His pronouncement is a tad premature.
She has conducted an interview w/ a popular west coast blog to proclaim her interest in setting up a federal PAC to get rid of "regressive" bloggers like me. And he local PAC is beginning to show signs of life, lots of life.
breaking news! Taxi Ted withdrals from Obama pick. Also Bernie.. please use your fat pic instead of all these others, when you posted Nixon, we had a hard time figuring who was Checkers and who was the dick.
ReplyDeleteThe picture is wrong. Those aren't $1.00 bills shes a washing. NLV
ReplyDeleteWhy Dent was so wrong for the Valley:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhuzlPsJqhc
I looked a few campaign finance reports in the past and what I found odd was that people would donate $1K presumably at a fundraiser. Then the person would provide some services to the campaign and get $1K back at the end. I never really understood this practice. I’ve seen it more than once. You see it going back and forth between candidates. Is this just an example of people giving to get? Maybe some are trying to bolster their fundraising to scare opponents and only to give back at the end of the campaign. Maybe everyone just wants to be recognized for giving.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what is going on with this case, but do folks in Oregon and the like really care who a candidate gives money to?
If I lived in Oregon and contibuted under AxtBlue to an East coast candidate with the hope of taking back Congress, I would be miffed to see my money used instead to pay down debt on an Alolentown mayoral primary.
ReplyDeleteBennett's whole political career has been one scam after another.
ReplyDeleteAs long as she can make the right noises and get gullible "progressives" to give her money she will continue to be a political player.
She doesn't have to win anthing. She just has to keep running and "leading" and some fool or another will fund her.
That is a really sweet scam.