Local Government TV

Friday, May 10, 2013

Callahan Files "Shock and Awe" Finance Report

In the military, "shock and awe" is the term used to describe overwhelming military force, one so large that a putative enemy withers away. That's the impression I had when reviewing Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan Pre-Primary Campaign Finance report.

During the period between January 1 and May 6, Callahan raised a whopping $198,503.11. To give you some perspective, that's more than three times the amounts raised by his opponents ... combined. As I told you earlier today, Glenn Reibman raised just $39,203, mostly from Pawlowski donors, while Lamont McClure, supposed voice of the people, only raked in $18,450. In fact, McClure had to kick in $16,000 of his own money because his supposed grass roots supporters are nonexistent.

Speaking of grass roots, Callahan listed 320 individual donors, big and small.

Don't tell Mayor Pawlowski, but many of these are the same people who contributed to Reibman. They just gave more ... a lot more ... to Callahan.

Callahan's campaign manager, Eric Nagy, said this finance report is proof that "John Callahan’s record of job creation and fiscal responsibility is resonating with voters.”

It's been a good week for Callahan. He started off with an Express Times endorsement, did very well in last night's debate, has over 40 local endorsements, and still has $130,000 plus to spend in the final days of the campaign. Reibman has barely $6,000, while McClure is in the hole.

McClure's biggest contributor, Abe Atiyeh, made an in-kind contribution worth $10,000 for that billboard on Route 22, the one annoying Palmer Township residents. I'm sure they'll think of Lamont when they vote. I'm sure Bethlehem residents will be thinking of Lamont, too, once they learn that his biggest backer is Abe.

33 comments:

  1. This race is O-V-E-R! Johnny Casino in a landslide. Time to hand out those plum political appointments. Darth Hickey returns as county administrator! Barron Von Footinmouth as Director of Fiscal Affairs! Ed Boscola is resurrected as the new Public Works Director. A shocker as Jim "Looney Tunes" Gregory takes over the realm as Human Service Director. And all with the support of Callahan's toady Bernie O'Hare. Life is good!!

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  2. I would be happy to see Darth Hickey back, trying to throw me off the courthouse roof again. But he's not coming back. The notion of Barron von Footinmouth as Director of Fiscal Affairs makes me want to hurl. Fortunately, Barron made the mistake of supporting McClure. Although I am sure he will try to worm his way in, nobody trusts him. Jim Gregory sent a LTE blasting Callahan over the ET editorial endorsement, and at the same time, defamed Hickey. Nobody trusts that squirrel, either. Ed Boscola is a Reibman, not a Callahan, man.

    Callahan said at the debate that NC needs change. Your list of cabinet officials is Exhibit "A" in support of Callahan's argument.

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  3. Jim Gregory is retiring this or next year. Nobody wants that Human Service job since Marcus decimated the department. Hickey was defamed by no one..Again, another Bernie lie!!!!

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  4. Whatever Callahan has, Brown will triple..If you don't believe that, talk to your friend Charlie Dent.
    That aside, the Unions hate Callahan and the COAF despises him.. There will be no turnout in Bethlehem in the fall. So tell me, oh wise one, how does he win??? With all his knowledge of County government.. Oops, forgot..He has none!

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  5. Jim Gregory, You most certainly did defame him, and I flagged your comment. It was deleted by the ET. You posted 16 comments to that LTE under the name "Jimmania" or something like that. You are crazier now than you were when you were hopping fences ad chasing Governor Rendell.

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  6. "the Unions hate Callahan and the COAF despises him."

    If the unions hate Callahan, why did they give him so much money? Far more than Reibman or "maclure." The COAF? Wow, that's a three-person cult run by a phony preacher.

    "Whatever Callahan has, Brown will triple."

    I've seen Brown's report.

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  7. Jim Gregory, I have deleted several of your comments. Iam tired of seeing you hijack threads with your own insane agenda. Although it's great for my readers, I am tired of the nonsense. Go cry on the Fake Rev's shoulder.

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  8. What money?? Cant wait for that report..I am speaking of the Bethlehem firefighters who endorsed his opponent and I am talking about AFSME who absolutely despises him and SEIU already gave money to his opponents but it hasn't been spent yet..So again Bernie, you are loose with the facts. What county union supported him?

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  9. the best thing JC can do is to completely clean house. most in the county halls are tainted.

    JC has an excellent staff to draw from in Bethlum if he so chooses.

    JG couldn't get a non paying volunteer job as the fifth assistant deputy animal control officer in roseto.

    what will be more fun then watching SWAMPton rebi and mcclueless crash and burn will the knowledge that queen ed loses once again to his better - u see ed - u can't buy everything

    BO for press officer

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  10. SEIU and AFSCME gave $0 to McClure or Reibman. They are not the only unions in the universe, and Callahan got plenty of union support from real unions in the private sector, far more than his opponents. Read the reports.

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  11. If SEIU gave money to McClure or Reibman, and they are sitting on it without reporting it, they have violated campaign finance law. These laws exist so we know who is contributing. When you sit on a contribution and don't report it untl after the election, you are deliberately deceiving the voters. So Mr Gregory, it appears that you've just admitted a campaign finance law violation.

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  12. lol..Yea, the coaf that got 23000 signatures. That group..We will see..
    The Labor Council endorsed Mc Clure and will be donating lots of time. The money will be there in the final report

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  13. Find the violation Bernie!! Where??

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  14. That group got very few of those signatures. Most of them were gathered by AFSCME. They have never been anything more than a front for your interests. And I know that many rank and file members of AFSCME support Callahan. This race is over. McClure and Reibman are dead men walking. They just don't know it.

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  15. The labor council endorsed because some vps forced the vote against potters reccomendation. Potter will sit this out since he knows callahan as it. The endorsement was pay back for Schlener.

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  16. "Find the violation Bernie!! Where??"

    You claim contributions have been made, but McClure and Reibman are sitting on them. If this is so, they have violated campaign finance disclosure laws. All contributions made on or before May 4 must be in the primary pre-election report. Those made after that date must be reported separately.

    I saw the reports. No contributions are listed. Yet you claim they are sitting on them. That's illegal. We'll see.

    Thanks for alerting me.

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  17. "The endorsement was pay back for Schlener."

    So in your insane union world, Callahan is a bad guy for firing a firefighter who gets into an accident and is DUI after reporting in sick. And that's why you supported McClure, to get even. It has nothing to do with good government, but is just some petty vendetta. That won't play well, even with most union members.

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  18. Gregory will be "retiring" long before the end of this year, if you know what I mean...

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  19. You are right about that worm, Barron. He will kiss Callahan's butt after the primary trying to weasel his way into Johnny Casino's cabinet. If that fails he will be a thorn in Callahan's side until BVF's sordid term in office is over. Just Norco politics at its finest.

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  20. Bernie,

    Leave him alone..He hasn't bothered you at all. Keep him out of this!
    Thought we had an agreement. angel

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  21. Callahan is the King of Pay to Play, the for sale sign for the courthouse is already made.

    You attack everyone, yet this guy is swimming in special interest money for a county race. Have you ever wondered what people expect for that kind of payola? Oh thats right, they give it to him for his pleasant personality.

    Even his old patron saint, Cunningham has said this guy is trouble.

    The county is in deep crap.

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  22. Okay, here's the line up after Callahan wins. Reibman licks his wounds and is hired as the County's first lobbyist to the Delaware River Joint toll Bridge Commission. McClure is hired as a co-ordinator of attorneys, a new position to handle the more than twenty five attorneys on the county payroll. That way he can work from home. Onembo comes back as the "Court Jester" or better known as the Director of Court Services. Gawlick comes back as the head of a new department that arranges trists for lonely department heads ala "Vince dominick". Seyfried comes back as the head of the new kung-fu department of self defense. Heckman talks too much so he will be back heading up the health department and giving vaccinations with old victrola needles. Spirk will be back at the head of the "Mammory Department". WHo knows more about latching onto the public teat than Sparkie. Stoffa will be offered a position in the new alzhiemer department. He is living proof that you can survive that dreaded disease and still function as a moron. Jim Gregory will be his consultant. He will teach Stoffa how to climb fences.Jim Hickey will head up the new veterinary department perfecting the art of monkeys flying out of assholes.
    There you have it.

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  23. "Loose with the facts." Amazing. Everyone in this thread is visibly insane and certainly delusional. I'm sure Callahan is shaking in his boots right now about... LAMONT MCCLURE and his negative $16,000 bank account. No one knows who McClure is outside of the troll(s) on this blog. That's why instead of spending another dollar on these lunatics, Callahan's sitting on $130K. If you're worried about losing, you spend, not sit. And no amount of fantasy money "being withheld" by a union will make a single dent in the outcome of this race. On May 22, unions will line up to kiss the ring. They have no choice. As for John Brown, (again, who?) he has a whopping $7,000 on hand. $130K to $7K. Terrifying to be sure. Is any collection of more-money-than-they-know-what-to-do-with Callahan haters going to cover the other $500K he is bound to have at his disposal come November? Brown (who!?!?) is going to triple that?? Definitively, no. Again, you're all nuts.

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  24. John Brown will be requesting ANOTHER $7,000.00 from bangor boro council for "training". Instead of fixing the multitude of potholes on the boro streets, Brown is investing in his future? If Brown talks about fixing bridges in the county, remind him to fix the roads in bangor!

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  25. 10:23AM....I don't know who you are. I'm going to take a guess. You are Bill White signing in anonymously. If you're not Bill White, you missed your calling.

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  26. O'Hate, mock the C.O.A.F at your own peril, they have changed the nature of Lehigh Valley's blogosphere and will continue to be a bastion of truth and integrity while others play fast and loose with the facts. RMM is a great man who served this nation honorably in the Marine Corps he also saved Gracedale.

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  27. @10:30 Jim Gregory will not serve as Stoffa's consultant, he has M.I.L.F Inspector skills and expertise.

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  28. As for Labor council no one forced a vote. All candidates were given the same amount of time but on county issues Mr. McClure was clearly more knowledgeable than Mr. Callahan. Mr. McClure was there for Gracedale and will not raise your taxes in the first term. The other opponents will raise taxes look at there records. Look at Mr. Callahans record with labor the fire fighters in his own city where he has been the mayor for 10 years won't endorse him. Did he have a tax increase for a new ems station? Did he use that money somewhere else? Did he close the fire station on Dewberry and turn it into the ems station? Vote McClure on May 21st he is clearly the best choice and I think you know it's true too Bernie.

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  29. Hey 11:29... The labor vote was a McClure sham, you should know that because you were there. The trick to anonymous blog trolling is to avoid using campaign talking points. So we pretty much know you are one of the 5 people supporting McClure. Pledging to not raise taxes is some dangerous right wing nonsense and it totally handcuffs you before you take office. Luckily, in this case, we're talking about the joke candidacy of Lamont McClure, so there's no chance of that actually happening.

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  30. It's really unfortunate that public sector unions no longer hold any weight...

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  31. Johnny Casino the King of Payola politics. "County for Sale!

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  32. Callahan is a sleeze.

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