I hate pay-to-play. Ironically, in Congressional or statewide races, where mounds of money are needed, it's hard for Big Oil or Big Whatever to buy a pol. But on a local level, a little bit can go a long way, and it does. In my latest Patch column, I tell you what I've learned from a review of the latest campaign finance reports:
♦ Developer Lewis Ronca, who is still shopping for a TIF tax break at Martin Tower, lined the campaign treasuries of Bethlehem City Council Prez Bob Donchez ($500) and Finance Committee Chair J. Willie Reynolds ($470). They're both up for re-election this year.
♦ Northampton County DA John Morganeli, up for re-election this year, raked in $87,874.37 last year. He accepted lots of $250 assessments from defense lawyers who might want to negotiate a plea or ARD. He took a whopping $20,000 from Baltimore asbestos lawyer Peter G. Angelos. Morganelli employs Sandra McClure, whose husband works at the Angelos firm.
♦ Ron Angle took $500 from Eckert Seamans, the law firm negotiating Gracedale's sale. He's up for re-election, too.
♦ Ron Angle also accepted $2,000 from Ramzi Haddad, whose business partner is Abe Atiyeh. Atiyeh is currently negotiating terms for a treatment center in West Easton.
♦ Controller Steve Barron took $500 from Ken Kraft's IUPAT, and then spoke in favor of keeping Gracedale in County hands at an elections commission meeting chaired by Kraft. Barron, like the other I mentioned, is running for re-election.
I had a long conversation about this with Angle last week. He at one time hated pay to play as much as I do, but claims that if you fund a race yourself, you just open yourself up to the charge that you're buying elections. He adds that if you only accept small donations, someone else will come in and kick your ass.
You all know I think very highly of Ron Angle. Donchez, Morganelli and Reynolds all have integrity. But when you accept money from people who deal with you in your official capacity, aren't you asking for trouble?
In Ron's case particularly, he will be accused of having sold out for $500.
How do we change this? Clean elections laws?
No wonder Angle is so cozy with the Gracedale sellers. He is also willing to use the money for Aliyah's drug prison.
ReplyDeleteNow it all makes sense.
reynolds doesn't have integrity, only a rubber stamp for callahan and a supposedly hot girlfriend.
ReplyDeletepragmatic standards.
ReplyDeleteno one's vote ot position on an issue is influenced by 500.00.
Definitely public financing. The amount of time politicians have to spend on the phone dialing for dollars and meeting with donors is absurd. That time would be much better spent meeting with constituents, and learning about policy issues. You don't want them only learning the details that lobbyists care about.
ReplyDeleteAngle's rationale for accepting political bribes is weak. He has MORE than enough money to run an effective campaign in his district. Stoffa did it county-wide with pocket change and NO outside funding. Who is going to really challenge him anyway? Dirtinger? Ron should not be taking money from a firm doing business with the county or Atiyeh. This is disappointing from the self-proclaimed champion of "good government."
ReplyDeleteHeard Angle may run for Controller? Any truth BO?
ReplyDeleteCap amount that can be raised by office, force the return of funds over that amount, and prohibit politicians making contributions to each other.
ReplyDeleteChuck Schumer's shameless bribes during the 2010 election cycle, lining up support in case Reid lost, was revolting.
Also, cap spending by sleazy, backroom dealing 527's like MoveOn and ACT.
ReplyDelete"Heard Angle may run for Controller? Any truth BO?"
ReplyDeleteYou never know.
Several people are talking about Barron being mentioned in poll done by someone calling into NorCo. Barron and Angle would be an awesome race. Barron wins though easily.
ReplyDeleteActually, there are other Rs considering a run at Bsrron, but I've been asked not to write about it yet. Some Dems are considering going after him, too. He has needlessly politicized his office, used his official position to engage in union activity and intimidate businesses and people are still stealing from the County. He was supposed to stop that.
ReplyDeleteBO I hope you now see what a sleez bag your bulldog really is.You rip into other politicians that take donations no matter who they are or what they do how about the bulldog being in bed with good old Abe and the other individuals you mention in your article.Hmmm!!
ReplyDeleteAs predicted, the Anglephobes start their smears. I disagree with Ron and every other person mentioned here. I do not consider their behavior unethical, but hate to see how money plays such a big part in politics.
ReplyDeleteThe money stolen in the criminal division was actually caught by procedures Barron put in place from doing audits down there. You are just mad because Disadore and Barron caught the crime, stopped it and it was not The Green Lantern and Kato.
ReplyDeleteLet me get this straight. Barron put procedures in place to make theft possible. What a guy!
ReplyDeleteMaybe he should consider spending a little more time in the office.
Anonymous 8:42AM
ReplyDeleteYou are right on the money, cap the spending. I would also add the time allowed for the campaign for all elections should be limited to a month for the primary and a month for the general election. . Why do we have to put up with a presidential election that is going to go on for two years. The same holds true for state and local elections. In addition we need to limit the number of terms for local officials. Supervisors have a 6 year term and are allowed to serve forever. That needs to stop so we can get new folks into office
We also need to participate in the process. Volunteer for a candidate(s) and give them some money. They need to get there message out. Mr. Angle is correct in that you're damned if you acccept donations and damned if you fund yourself.
As to Mr. Geeting's suggestion, that is just plan silly. Just as you can't make people buy health care or a car or TV, you cannot force them to contribute to a campaign.
As stated by some of the folks here, $500.00 doesn't buy much influence, but regarding Angles's Eckerd donation, one would expect much better timing from such a skilled politician
ReplyDeleteDoes Geeting EVER have a suggestion that is not ridiculous?
ReplyDeleteREALITY CHECKER
It takes money to run for campaigns. Unless you want millionaires and billionaires running the country (most of the Senators in the US are millionaires), you need to raise money to get your message out into the public. So you have to raise money; it's a necessary evil.
ReplyDeleteWhere do you get the money? You aren't going to go to a homeless shelter to ask for donations. You need business people. You need institutions. You need people who are active in local politics. So they accept money from local business people. Where are they supposed to get money from? California? Hawaii? The moment they do, everyone yells that they are accepting money from outsiders.
Sure, it's messy. But I don't want my freedom of speech to be limited if I want to support someone's candidacy. I would rather the Ron Angles of the world, who attempt to be answerable to the people, be in local government than some dandy who has never worked a day in their life but has a trust fund to buy prettier posters and billboards.
I'm no Stoffa fan. But he did do it with money from returned A-treat soda bottles. Same with Scott Ott, who almost caught a campaign superfunder with eyes on Harrisburg. Guys like this deserve credit. Angle doesn't need money. But he always seems in pursuit of it. I guess it's true that if you watch the nickles, the dollars take care of themselves.
ReplyDeleteHow 'bout raising money from individual voters who believe in you? Ron doesn't need the money and should not be accepting campaign funds from companies that do business with the county. It's called ETHICS!
ReplyDeleteLet's not forget about J. Willie Reynolds accepting a sizable donation from Callahan in the last election and then sitting the last 4 years as a rubber stamp for the administration. Then there is the donation from the owner of Starter's Pub to Willie. Gee, then the vote to have the owner of Starter's be given the bid to run the club at the City Golf Course.
ReplyDeleteStop it already. Stoffa had both Newspapers as in-kind campaign contributors. He ll they corona ted the guy when he announced.
ReplyDeleteHe had the Republican machine behind his campaign. A former Republican Chair gave the guy his largest contribution. He got thousands.
Angle was giving him free air time on his show.
Enough with the folklore about the Stoffa campaign. behind the scenes he got plenty of help that never showed up on any forms.
Bullshit stopper!
I don't know that $500 is worthy of concern.
ReplyDeleteJon - my problem with public funding is that I do not want my tax dollars to assist the likes of Ron Angle.
ReplyDeleteBut then I think most campaign finance laws violate the First Amendment -
Bernie hates PAY TO PLAY but he wants to sellGracedale How much of that money is going to line his pockets with his disbarred lawyer lawsuit? $$$$ for him and we have to pay for his antics. Henry Schaadt
ReplyDeleteDonald said...
ReplyDeleteI don't know that $500 is worthy of concern.
it isn't
it is the possible other contributions that might not have been disclosed
who knows what evil lurks
The Shadow Knows
In the world of O'Hare a mancrush taking money is logical. If you are not a mancrush it is pay to play.
ReplyDeleteVery simple really. You need to pay attention.
Excuse me? I admire Angle and Donchez both, but this is the only place reporting that they accepted money from outfits that are looking for something. Basically, this post proves you are full of shit.
ReplyDeleteNo, because no other source claims that other politicians are practicing "pay to play". This is the source of all those unproven allegations. Your evidences, they took money from someone therefore they are in their pocket. You have done entry after entry on all those people.
ReplyDeleteYou have listed their donors again and again. You have claimed people payed for jobs. Not one shred of real evidence.
So there certainly is a great deal of shit around but if you want to find it, take off your depends.
If I could prove a connection, it would be bribery. As it stands, it's called PAY-TO-PLAY.
ReplyDeleteBo people might accuse him of almost selling out to GEO for the 3,000 dollars that they gave him that you forgot to mention.Hmmm!!
ReplyDeleteI did not forget I simply did not know about GEO when I wrote this, or that would have been included, too.
ReplyDelete