Below is a copy of the campaign finance report filed by Ann McHale today. Lobbyists, construction unions, AFSCME, contractors, lawyers and people obviously looking for something are McHale's supporters. I'll have plenty to say about this report next week, but thought I'd share it with you right away.
I will be posting Stoffa's report, too. He refused to accept cash contributions from anyone.
Ann McHale Campaign Finance Report Dated 5/7/09
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
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Friday, May 08, 2009
84 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
Is this the goon list? The people that stole the 600 Stoffa signs the night Ann's went up?
ReplyDeleteAnn is bought and paid for.
ReplyDeleteHere's a poster for your wall: http://despair.com/corruption.html
ReplyDeleteThere are 11 different unions, each with its own agenda and contract. They are basically the result of Reibman admin layoffs and frozen wages, all of which were endorsed by McHale.
ReplyDeleteIs Stoffa violating the campaign laws because the over sized signs that are up on Abe Atiyeh property are not covered as expenses to his campaign? Is this pay to play or will you call it attacks by the Joe Long Dems headed by the controller (oopsie)?
ReplyDeleteWalter Garvin's on here, the newest union hack trying to break into Council.
ReplyDeleteIf Stoffa makes an expenditure he fails to report, he violates campaign finance law.
ReplyDeleteIf someone makes an expenditure on behalf of a candidate without that candidate's authorization, the person who makes the expentire must report it. So if I offered Stoffa money and he turned me down, and I decided to send out my own mailer on his behalf or against McHale, I'd have to report it.
The same is true of Abe Atiyeh. I have not yet looked thru the campaign finance reports and am waiting until Monday bc of last miute filers. But if he spent more than a certain amount to make those signs, he must file his own report. If he did not, he has no obligation to report.
Stoffa has no obligation to report expenditures he never authorized. If Ron Angle, for example, decides to run news ads, then Stoffa can't stop him and has no obligation to report. But Ron would have to do so.
Yeah O'Hare you should have been a Nixon lawyer, you would have made G. Gordon proud. Oh wait you did, he and you both lost your law licenses.
ReplyDeleteNice job on McHale. Of course Stoffa has people doing things under the table, what integrity.
So Bradt will wait until the general election to hand over a $4000 check to ensure Republicans in Stoffa Administration.
The whole point of requiring candidates to disclose campaign finance is so that the public can follow the money. But most of the public has no time to go to voter registration and ask. So I posted it here. Is that a problem? Doesn't McHale want the public to know?
ReplyDeleteWhy is Don Cunningham giving McHale money? What's Lehigh Count's interest in her running? I just read your blog about the new law not allowing drug dealers to reside in Allentown and I worry that they will all move to Bethelehem. What's cooking there?
ReplyDeleteAside from unions she has many local donors, which you always says is important. I didn't know who I was going to vote for but if you hate McHale so much and unions like her then I am going to vote for her. By the way you are the biggest ass to ever walk the planet. There are no really bad donors on the list and unions always give to real democrats.
ReplyDeleteIs Abe Atiyeh a re-incarnated Tom Serverson ?
ReplyDeleteDon Cunningham is the king of "pay to play". "Birds of a feather". The "Queen of Mean" and the "King of Pay to Play" - perfect together!
ReplyDeleteBernie "the hatchet" O'Hare is at it again, even late on a Friday night.
ReplyDeleteThe irony is that every time he takes a swing at another person's credibility, all he does is chop his own.
He can't have much left can he? Maybe Bernie is dicing it now.
Impressive .
ReplyDeleteTHis is scary stuff.
ReplyDeleteThis is why voted for Obama, an end to the old Bush era of political machine and special interests, Obama was a candidate f the people, not the closed door cliques spending other people's money.
ReplyDeleteyou can't be serious. obama' transparency in gov. etc.... he's a liar.
ReplyDeleteobama yep thats change we can believe in.
ReplyDeleteReading through the report last night, I was not terribly surprised. If you generally read the expense reports of candidates for any executive office (County through Pres), Dems have a preponderance of labor contributions and Reps of business contributions. Not saying I favor the practice, just pointing out its nothing new.
ReplyDeleteTwo items raised eyebrows for me this morning while reading the Express:
1.) judicial hopefuls raising upwards of 90k. Not just one, but four candidates had over 70k. A second tier of three were in the 40 to 50k range. Who in the LV is contributing that kind of money? Approx $450,000. Considering the recent sensitivities of judges potentially hearing cases involving past contributors, who is donating?
2. McHale v. Stoffa. Honestly, I still have not made my final decision yet. I see strengths and weaknesses in both. What raised my eyebrow was the quote, "Stoffa has said he still has $14,000 in expenses from his first run." I'm not privy to his report. If its to himself, why is he still carrying it? If he owes other people/companies, why hasn't he paid them after four years? Maybe it was just the way it was worded in the paper(?).
Lighthouse, It's debt that Stoffa owes himself. He could have had fundraisers to pay that off but chose to eat it instead.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I read the Express article too fast. There were five in the second tier of judicial fundraisers. So over $550,000.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I had a feeling that was the case.
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:22,
ReplyDeleteI posted this on a friday night bc i consider it important. I posted the actual campaign finance report so that the inmformation presented is factually accurate.
Bernie, Thanks for loading the expesne report. This is why blogs rule.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that Koury is the only legistlative candidate supporting Ann. That says something right there.
ReplyDeleteWhat a waste of money, better spent gambling in Callahan and Cunningham's new casino, while those of us outside Bethlehem deal with the increased costs of Bethlehem's new needy rehab population of prostitutes, petty criminals, and the relocating drug dealers from Lehigh County.
ReplyDeleteGET OFF THE SOFA AND VOTE FOR STOFFA!
ReplyDeleteA VOTE FOR MCHALE IS A CHECK IN THE MAIL!
McHale's contributors demonstrate that the people who know what a lousy job Stoffa is doing are willing to put their money where their mouths are. Unfortunately, Stoffa will squeak past McHale because she did not run a campaign.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason Stoffa doesn't have to collect money is because McHale and Long are so incompetent at running a campaign he doesn't need it. Their every bumbled misguided move helps Stoffa. They need to quit or lay off while they're behind before they damage Ann's political career and her seat in the Council.
ReplyDeleteSweet. A $20,000 enemies list for Stoffa's second term. HOld on to your hats, folks, 2010 is going to be interesting.
ReplyDeleteTHe unions and the special interests elected Reibman and the "people" of NOrthampton County elected SToffa. We get it already, Bernie. BUt understand that the people on this list you call special insterests are just as much part of Northampton County as anyone else and their vote counts just as much. Well, except for the people on this list from Saylorsburg, Coopersburg, Quakertown, Shillington, Philly and Harrisburg. BUt everybody else yes.
ReplyDeleteOh, and of course, good old Allentown. Couldn't she have at least used vendors from her own COunty?
ReplyDeletePeople support McHale because although not perfect she is the only alternative to Slick Stoffa. His underhanded campaign is one point. The worst is his terrible Administration, probably the worst in County history.
ReplyDeleteHe is no leader and nees to go home and play with his peacocks.
There are mailrooms in Easton and Bethlehem that are hurting in this economy. Shame.
ReplyDelete"Unions are the real Democrats." Now, there's a winning strategy.
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/10/mccain-adviser.html
Isn't Koury a judicial candidate? His donation would be a violation of the Rules of Judicial Conduct right?
ReplyDeleteI'm rsearching that question, to be honest. Specifically, I'm looking at Canon 7. I know of no other judicial candidate willing to contribute to a candidate for partisan office. To be honest, I'm also troubled by the Hollenbach signs touting Boscola.
ReplyDeleteThe rules allow candidates to purchase tickets to attend political gatherings. The price for the McHale party was $150.
ReplyDeleteAre you telling me Koury's $150 is the cost for admission to McHale's fundraiser? Did he speak at that event? If so, did he advocate McHale?
ReplyDeleteUm...are the Reps even having a primary? Does anyone even care? Hello out there?
ReplyDeleteWhile I was there, only Ann and Lisa spoke at the event.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very blue county in a very blue state. Rs are mostly long gone (except for small enclaves like Bushkill Township, which has seen only one tax increase in over 15 years, and where you can still leave your doors unlocked at night). Those who claim to be Rs are usually Ds who couldn't climb to the top of their festering heap. One party rule gets you Allentown, Reading, Philly, and Pittsburgh. Enjoy the paradise you voted for.
ReplyDeleteWe all await with baited breath to see who Lighthouse will endorse.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I saw at the Cunningham fundraiser, the judge candidates that were there, state and local, bought tickets to get in.
ReplyDeleteLightouse, the guy who went to a college where they had a toilet in the middle of the dorm room between the two bunk beds. I still want to know where that was. Weird.
ReplyDeleteHow sad! A $1,000 contribution from a Bethlehem lobbyist? Gee, no PTP there, huh? How about the lawyers and construction companies? No paybacks there - right? The most nauseating donation was from "Friends of Don Cunningham". Why in the world would Cunningham stab Stoffa in the back that way? They have been working together for years in a spirit of regional cooperation. What does "Dapper Don" gain by throwing a colleague under the bus in this manner? I had a lot of respect for Cunningham until now. He's just another slimy politician who will betray anyone to score points with his party.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about th mailrooms. They will unionize and we'll have 12.
ReplyDeleteanon 10:43 and 10:55,
ReplyDeleteSince on two different posts, yes, what were rooms made for two become for four with bunks. My analogy stands corrected in the toilet (though the communal facilities accommodating twice what designed for, also)....doesn't change my opinion that I could care less if there are four to a cell.
However, whether I vote for Stoffa or McHale, I will have areas of disagreement...part of democracy, so what is your point?
My point was that i wanted to know where this college was where they @@@@ in the middle of the dorm room so I don't send my kid there. But I respect you for correcting yourself. Peace.
ReplyDeleteAnn McChaos
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteFrom what I saw at the Cunningham fundraiser, the judge candidates that were there, state and local, bought tickets to get in.
I guess that means that Koury was the only judge candidate that went.
Are MC and ET going to endorse in Exec race in primary? What about other races? When do endorsements come out?
ReplyDeleteAnn McHale has absolutely no achievements of her own. I love how she took credit for the health care plan. "That was because of me." She's become increasingly obnoxious as she her campaign continues to fester.
ReplyDeleteSEND STOFFA TO THE SOFA
ReplyDeleteHELP THE COUNTY PREVAIL, VOTE MCHALE.
Most elected officials like Cunningham amd Callahan will tell you that Stoffa is the most difficult elected official to work with. He never follows through, he is indecisive and believes a speech is the same as an action.
ReplyDeleteOther than give Lehigh County, Allentown and Bethlehem most of the Casino money that was due Northampton County, they find him ineffectual.
Time for a competent team to fix the County and get us moving again before Stoffa blunders into another idea and totally depletes the massive surplus he inherited.
Bernie,
ReplyDeleteNot only did I see Boscola supports Hollenbach, one of the magistrate candidate's in Bethlehem claim to be endorsed by her too. Sorry to say but I think that's borderline corrupt. How can you be impartial interpreting a law, if your on the team of the people creating it? I think it needs to be looked at. Soon there will be no checks and balances.
Sorry Ann, my rhyme was better.
ReplyDeleteSorry Jeff, my rhyme is more accurate.
ReplyDeleteDon Cunningham is the one and only member of the Don Cunningham Party. He only cares about Don Cunningham. He has lead a charmed political life. He is using Lehigh County. If he had an character, he would not run for County Executive and focus on Governor. He doesn't. Any one who votes for or supports him is a sucker. There is one born every minute. One of these days his sleeze will catch up to him.
ReplyDelete$20,000 doesn't seem out of line for a county wide race.
ReplyDeleteDon't really see what you are complaining about here Bernie.
Jacob,
ReplyDeleteThe primary purpose of this post is to get the actual report online so that people could follow the money themselves.
My secondary goal is to show who is backing McHale - we're not talking about a bunch of $10 and $25 contributors. We are talking about special interests who will expect something in return for their legal bribe.
The amount is inconsequential but the figure will be much larger when the 30 day post election report is filed.
Bernie,
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with you posting the report, however your inference that there is something dirty on this report is puzzling. Yard signs, mailings, and campaign literature cost money. One would expect someone running for office to go to people whose interest they naturally support for contributions.
If we had a fully publicly financed system and a limited election time frame like in other countries this might not be the case.
However, McHale is doing nothing different than any other person running for office in either party right now. I'd like to see Stoffa's report as well.
I will be posting Stoffa's report, too, but there's not much to it. Stoffa is doing dsomething different from the ther candidates. he has refused to accept outside contributions from anyone at a time when politicians should be ashamed for sticking their hands out.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am disturbed by the number of lobbyists and consultants throwing money at McHale as well as disgruntled unions and contractors.
They're not doing this bc they think Mchale is great. They want something in return.
Jacob you are right. O'Hare plays the inference game well. Four years ago Stoffa received a check from Republican strongman Jack Bradt to oppose Glenn Reibman. Neither O'Hare or the newspapers said anything. This year, every Abe Atiyeh property has a huge 4x8 sign supporting Stoffa next and in some cases on Abes business signs. This is the man who is going to get the big contract for the work release building from Stoffa. Wow.
ReplyDeleteMany Republicans surfaced in the Stoffa Regime thanks to that special Bradt check. Sad thing is they have been a disaster. Stoffa says I want the best people for the job. Question seems to be when does he plan on hiring the best people.
Stoffa refuses to play the usual political game during a time when people are struggling to pay rennt. He has refused all contributions. But he is unable to stop a person who decided, independently, to endorse him. So if Atiyeh is responsible for those signs, he has a First Amendment right to make his voice heard. he is required to file a report for any independent expenditures he makes on Stoffa's behalf. Stoffa can't stop people from supporting him, but he will accept no aid.
ReplyDeleteI will not stop you from building a house for me, but I will accept no help in building my house.
ReplyDeleteYou are a classic O'Hare. Tell us about how Pope Angle will not run for it but accept if nominated.
This is America and Stoffa has no control over whether people decide, independently, to express their support. What would you suggest he do, shoot the person?
ReplyDeleteStoffa is accepting nothing from anyone. He is not bought and paid for by special interests.
Bernie,
ReplyDeleteI guess in troubled economic times you only expect people with $20,000 to throw into a primary to be allowed to run.
I guess if you want a government by the wealthy, for the wealthy, and controlled by the wealthy that is a great standard.
This entire bought for and paid for by special interest nonsense is like the chicken and the egg.
Unions support real Democrats because real democrats largely support unions. If you took the financial contributions out of the equation, my guess is real democrats would continue to support unions.
There is no there, there in this report.
i'm voting for ann mchale, she has buisness sense,is people friendly, and knows how to talk to people. i admire her drive, and willingness to see things improve.
ReplyDeletestoffa took contributions he last go round. so why all this hoopla about mchale? did stoffa have an ephiany or what?
ReplyDeletesend stoffa to the sofa, vote for mchale let fairness reign.
ReplyDeleteJacob,
ReplyDeleteStoffa is by no means wealthy. When he spends his $ on his campaign, he does so at huge personal sacrifice. McHale could buy and sell Stoffa.
Real Democrats don't hang out at the Saucon Valley Country Club. Reral Democrats don't walk out on Michelle Obama.
Real unions don't file grievances when one of their own breaks a patient's arm at gracedale.
We're not talking about the Minweworkers fighting against insafe working conditions.
Stoffa is a better Democrat than any person sitting on Council, including McHale. He has consistently stood for progressive solutions. But he is honest and the machine boys just hate him for it.
honest? about what? he can't make a decision, he has you and angle helping him do his job.
ReplyDeleteIf either Ron or I were pulling the strings, you'd see a much less kinder, gentler county executive. But we don't. He does things his way. The people elected him and they will reelect him next Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteRon Angle?
ReplyDeleteI saw that doofus and that psuedo-preacher Scott Ott on Business matters get trounced by a 19 year old college student and some local democratic activist. I was slightly disturbed to discover that he was an elected official and the other guy was running for County Executive in Lehigh County.
My father's GOP is truly dead.
Jacob,
ReplyDeleteRon Angle is probably the brightest guy in local government. Those who underestimate him do so to their detriment.
REALLY?
ReplyDeleteBernie,
ReplyDeleteIf he was so bright how did he get schooled by a 19 year old on business matters? I'm kind of partisan and granted, these silly tea parties, aren't the best topic to judge one's intellect on if you are in the pro column but I seriously question someone's ability to be a good representative of the public when a 19 year old college student can stand their own against him.
It's possible that Ron was schooled by a 19 year old. But Ron is the brightest person in local government. Don't let his poor grammar fool you.
ReplyDeleteCunningham is a sleeze.
ReplyDelete$1,000,000 spent on Union grievances is not that much when you consider that's 1/350 of the budget. I'm sure that old lady at Gracedale that got her arm broken probably voted for Stoffa.
ReplyDeletegood luck ann mchale you have my vote!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete$1,000,000 a vote good for Stoffa. I think he inherited enough cash from Reibman to buy a few more.
ReplyDeleteSend old Stoffa to the Sofa.