According to a Twenty-Four Hour Report filed Friday afternoon by Lehigh County Comm'r hopeful Hillary Kwiatek, County Exec Don Cunningham has just poured another $7,000 into her campaign coffers. She's just picked up another $11,000 from a mysterious "Committee for a Better Lehigh Valley" PAC.For months, I have heard that Cunningham was forming a separate PAC to obscure is heavy involvement in Commissioner races until after the election, when post-election reports are filed.
Hillary Kwiatek Committee - 2009 Pre-Election 24 Hour[1]
Who is funding this "Better Lehigh Valley" PAC? It's most likely Cunningham, but you won't know that until after you cast your ballot.
Before this 24 hour report, we know that Cunningham had already spent about $17k on behalf of Kwiatek. This latest disclosure of an additional $18k makes it very clear that the Exec is trying to buy a legislative seat.
This unprecedented involvement by the County Executive in a Commissioner race will clearly negate the ability of the supported candidates to act independently. It must be unpleasant to say no to someone who has given you $1k for a $40k race. But it has to be impossible to say no to someone who has given you $35k for a $40k race.
And there will always be times when a Board of Commissioners will need to say no. How many Allentown residents now wish Council had said no to the Mayor when he shoved a police pension contract down their throats?
Would you allow a wolf to buy your sheepdogs? That's exactly what is happening in Lehigh County.
16 comments:
You were never this understanding about the Democrats when Reibman supported Council candidates in Northampton. Your biasis is a true double standard. You are not an overweight Bill White.
I hope that, for once, Cunningham is the wolf in sheep's clothing. He learned a lot of dirty tricks during his time in Harrisburg.
This district is razor close, but I still think Glenn holds on. One of the characteristics of the demographic is their Reagan Democrat leanings and distatste for politics as usual. If the money is to improve turnout, Kwiatek has a chance, but I think it will energize her opponents voters more. I bet Geoff a beer that Glenn holds on.
I am glad to see this.
I live in West Bethlehem, and am active in local community groups. Glenn Eckhart must think his district stops at the Bethlehem line, because I never have seen him in Bethlehem. He has never attended a community meeting or block watch meeting.
West Bethlehem needs someone who will not forget we are part of Lehigh County too!
Suddenly the run for the governor's office by a low-profile Lehigh Valley pol starts to make sense. Cunningham was just the bag boy for a statewide fundraising scheme to funnel money into Lehigh Valley races. The LV is always called the swing region in the swing state during Prez campaigns. State Dems are paying to nudge the balance here towards their camp.
And all of this surprises us why???
Considering what has taken place over the lst week weeks it's no wonder. Cunnigham has now poured almost $30K - maybe more - into these races. As an R I voted for Cunnigham in the last election hoping that he would stand by his vow to work with both parties. Apparently, Mr. C only wants one party playing in his county sandbox. It's VERY disturbing to see all of these shennagins taking place on the county level. Then again, maybe we should have expected this since King Edwin seems to be playing by the same rules in Allentown. In fact, they both have the pay to play mentality - I wonder where they got that idea???
Me thinks the stink of Chicago has made it's way all the way down to the County Commish level...This Halloween it seems that all we got was tricks...there were certainly no treats.
Actually, it's closer to $70k, $35k in each of two races.
Thanks Bernie - meant to say $70K
What has Don done that is not transparent or wrong?
Nothing is wrong or even improper. But when you funnel last minute money through a PAC in the waning hours of a campaign, where there is no way to trace the money until after the election, it's hard to claim transparency.
You are assuming the money from the PAC is from Cunningham. There is no proof that it is from him as of now.
That's my point. The identity of donors is obscured for now. We will know, but not likely until after the election.
It may not be Cunningham or Cunningham-contrived. It may be a grass roots movement of well-meaning citizens who believe Kwiatek and McNeill represent all that is well and good in democracy. Maybe they went out and had 1,000 car washes. But I doubt it.
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "
4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
yup. dean browning is now fuming b/c he is being out done.
damn money is so corrupting.
"As an R I voted for Cunnigham in the last election hoping that he would stand by his vow to work with both parties"
I consider Cunningham fairly nonpartisan once an election is over. He has worked well w/ a Republican board. He has done nothing improper. But I question the candidacy of anyone who allows the person she is supposed to watch to fund almost all of her campaign.
Agreed West bethlehem is not going with the tax and spend Kwiatek. Demos will be checking cunningham and voting for the republican.
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