My blogging intern, Michael Molovinsky, touched on the hypocrisy of whatever Team the Republican Commissioner candidates are running as on Tuesday. He made his points well, but I think no point is fully made until it is driven home with a sledge hammer. They may call themselves the Reform Team or the Results Team. What they really are is the Establishment Team. For from being a grass roots effort, they are a toy being played by gazillionaires Wayne Woodman and Lisa Schiller. When they get tired enough, they'll move back to California.
Their original Messiah, Scott Ott, has already fled the Lehigh Valley. He left town after losing the Exec race twice - once to to pagan Don Cunningham, and later, to infidel Tom Muller. Huckster that Ott is, he's established a GoFundMe account so that he and his family can spend a week this summer in Costa Rica, pretending to love Jebus. He's looking for 8 large.
The Establishment Team
While waiting for the Second Coming of Scrappleface, the remaining Establishment Republicans needed someone to replace Ott on the Board and selected Amanda Holt, a home-schooled piano teacher who lives with her mommy and daddy. Amazingly, she's running for election.
So is Brad Osborne, who ran as a moderate four years ago but now is one of the Establishment Republicans. Here's what Vic Mazziotti, another Establishment Republican, said about Osborne when he failed to inform fellow Republicans that then Exec Bill Hansell was going to veto a Budget they had just approved. "Osborne claimed he was fiercely independent," said Mazziotti. "What I've found is that he is fiercely indecisive, and that is one of his better points." Osborne quickly flocked to the Establishment Republican banner and became a Benedict Arnold to the rest. He voted to appoint Amanda Holt as Ott's successor after promising others he'd never support one of the Establishment Republicans. He is now a Wayne Woodman toadie.
Lisa Scheller, Wayne's wife, decided against seeking re-election. She's actually an attractive woman and a good, albeit conservative, Commissioner. Her loss is a shame. He husband, Wayne Woodman, recruited Olympian Marty Nothstein to replace her on the ballot. Now Marty knows all about recovery drinks and bicycles, but doesn't know a damn thing about county government. But because he's an Olympian who can blow thunderbolts out his ass, he'll probably be top vote getter.
The fourth member of this team, Vic Mazziotti, is a man I deeply respect and admire. Though I consider him one of the most intelligent people I know, he's under Wayne Woodman's spell. He only wanted to serve one term, but was persuaded to run again to keep Dean Browning, the man they all love to hate, off the ballot.
The Establishment Team's Money
In a story published in The Morning Call, Woodman insists he's an outsider who simply helps little guys who would never stand a chance but for his beneficence. What seems to have slipped his mind is that he was the frickin' at the time he financed most of these campaigns. He is the Establishment, right down to his elephant underpants.
Crony capitalists like Allentown Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski and J.B. Reilly have been pigs in the way they've bought Democratic candidates in Allentown. But on the County level, campaign spending has grown exponentially in large part because of the husband and wife team of Wayne Woodman and Lidsa Scheller. Over the past four years, they've spent $211,450 to get control of five Commissioner seats and the County Executive's office.
This year, they've kicked in $42,000 for the election of their Establishment Team.
2015 Election Spending by Woodman, Scheller
They can say "free speech," but this is the kind of speech that drowns out every other voice.
The Establishment Team's Hypocrisy
While they are perfectly willing to accept the free speech of Wayne Woodman and Lisa Scheller, they have circulated flyers hypocritically condemning Democratic Commissioner candidates for doing what they are doing. They are attempting to muddy them up over Fed Ed and Miked Fleck. Michael Molovinsky rejects that argument convincingly. "While the ethics of Pawlowski are certainly fair game for a discussion of City Council and school board candidates, whose decisions interact with the city, those questions are not relevant to the election of county commissioners."
Molovinsky is endorsing Dan Hartzell, a Democrat and The Morning Call's former Road Warrior. I will endorse Hartzell, Joanne Jackson, and Vic Mazziotti, who courageously took aim at pay-to-play with Joanne Eichenwald.
26 comments:
So you endorse the spiritual leader of the Lehigh County Republican establishment, Mazziotti? OK.
I do. None of the others. But I like Vic.
I was at the second marathon budget amendments meeting a few weeks ago. Both Brad Osborne and Vic Mazziotti voted for an amendment by Geoff Brace that would have, in my opinion, given the Commissioners some oversight over some of the human services work, particularly as it relates to the County's role in helping establish an emergency winter shelter. Amanda Holt voted against it, as did Percy Dougherty. That was a real shame. It was defeated 5-4. If I were to bet on how Scott Ott would have voted, I'd say the amendment passes if you give me a thin spread.
Human services is in near-crisis in certain ways in Lehigh County. I think Joanne Jackson can help with that. I think both Osborne and Mazziotti would take watchdog roles when it comes to the nonprofits getting Country contracts. The truth is, we need more spending, and that spending needs to be accounted for, not just because we want tax breaks, but because for too long a lot of Valley agencies have gone unchecked.
It is awfully interesting how O'Hare is not reporting on the hypocrisy that is happening with the Ramos, Armstrong, Smith, and Hershman campaigns. All four of their mailers were paid for by Common Sense Solutions. Who is Common Sense Solutions? It is a PAC that was established just 45 days ago on 9/15. Who established the PAC? Dean Browning established it. How much money? In the past 45 days those 4 campaigns have received a total of $17891.40 in donations. Ramos: $4,375, Armstrong: $4,570.70, Hershman: $4,210.70, and Smith: $4,735. Why are these "Independent" candidates taking so much from a PAC that is run by a person who does not live nor vote in Allentown? Why are 90% of all the contributors to the PAC do not live nor vote in Allentown? Why is the blogoshere not reporting that information? Seems one sided on the reporting.
The only reason for the Maz hypocritical support is the Stoffa connection. Mazziotti is as whacky as the rest of them.
What's hypocritical is that the Establishment Team as Bernie calls them is attacking Dan Harztell for a $3,000 donation from Pawlowski while $42,000 or 40% of their entire campaign is coming from Wayne Woodman and Lisa Scheller. Even the treasurer for their PAC is bought and paid for. Woodman and Scheller gave $10,000 to Mike Schware when he ran and that was almost half of what he raised and spent. When asked why she wasn't running, Scheller commented that she would have just as much influence off the Board as she does while she is on it. Given the amount of money that she and Wayne have spent on electing their candidates, that is no doubt the truth.
3:36,
While I am an independent thinker, I am a conservative, and a Republican. I am happy to accept help from Dean Browning, a good friend, and a person who has, over the years, actively assisted many local Republicans with their campaigns. He is very good at it and has often done so selflessly.
Honestly, without his help and encouragement I would not have run for a second term on the school board. It looked like mission impossible in the spring and frankly I don't need it in my life to be happy or fulfilled. That said many people asked me to seek a second term, Dean made it possible. If I win tomorrow it will be because of Dean Browning's support.
Scott Armstrong
Schiller & Woodman are my favorite 1%ers.
"Compassionate pricks."
Anon 3:26-
I set up the PAC to be able to help the Lehigh County Republican Committee and to be able to support candidates running in Allentown. The PAC was able to give a large donation to the local party that funded a substantial portion of a mailer that was sent county wide and to Allentown supporting all the state, county and Allentown Republican candidates that are on the ballot tomorrow. And, as you point out, the PAC raised money for candidates in Allentown. While I do not reside in Allentown, my wife works there and pays the local income tax. There are other PAC donors that either live in Allentown, or work there or own businesses there. Regardless, of residency, I'm one of those that believes that Republican's can not continue to ignore Allentown. You can not have a successful Lehigh County without a successful Allentown. Allentown is home to 1/3 of the citizens in the county. The blue model has not worked for the city or the school district so we need to elect candidates that will take a different approach. That's why I set about to raise money to support, Bob Smith, Scott Armstrong, Lou Hershman and Steve Ramos.
Dean N. Browning
Mr. Browning
That sounds so nefarious. Can't believe you are putting it in writing.
Allentown Democrat Voter
@8:36, while browning's signed comment is straightforward, your anonymous comment is just an attempt at innuendo and distortion; that is nefarious.
MM, I believe that comment was sarcasm. Perhaps you heard of it. Kinda' like when I say you are handsome.
"The only reason for the Maz hypocritical support is the Stoffa connection. Mazziotti is as whacky as the rest of them."
Although I only got to know Vic bc he worked for NC, I really grew to admire and respect him. I have been highly critical of some of his decisions, but have really appreciated some of his others. He has always been open with me except for a brief period during the 2013 election when I pissed him off over my criticism of Ott.
I have never understood the animosity between Dean and Vic. They are both brilliant, both personable and think alike in so many ways.
bernie @9:00, you might be correct about comment 8:41 being sarcasm. unlike here, where every comment appears, i moderate (pick and choose) the comments at molovinsky. i rejected numerous comments, probably from the blog mentor, which were left handed remarks about the republican candidates, feinting support, while casting doubts. while i'm here, let me also tell your readers that i cannot support joanne jackson for commissioner, because she recommended that the blog mentor replace her as school director, when she resigned the allentown board.
MM, There is much to be said for your way of doing things over in your neck of the woods. There is much to criticize in my penchant for allowing so much. Also, I do not fault your refusal to endorse Jackson. I believe she endorsed Blog Mentor's wife, but I could have that wrong.
3:26, On top of everything that Dean has written himself, i addressed this yesterday. To be clear, I am delighted to see these guys get a fighting chance from someone who does not have his hand out and is not expecting anything from them, except that they be themselves.
Maybe I'm missing something here, but what are Woodman and Scheller getting for their contributions, other than what they believe is good government?
On the other hand, we all know that donations from Ed Pawlowski always come with strings attached.
In addition to contributions from Pawlowski, the Democrat candidates are also being funded by Muller. That same arrangement hasn't worked out too well for Allentown.
" what are Woodman and Scheller getting for their contributions, other than what they believe is good government?"
Near dictator control and power by someone who is not elected.
"Near dictator control and power by someone who is not elected."
Yeah, because people are so willing to just be figureheads in the position and sit through four years of public meetings only to vote the way someone else tells them to.
Could you come up with a MORE ridiculous and weak reason?
Nothing ridiculous or weak about that argument at all. I can recount story after story of Woodman instructing elected officials what they must do. It started with his savage attacks on Dean Browning for daring to vote his conscience. His tyranny is why he no longer chairs the GOP. I don't believe that works on someone like Vic, but it works plenty fine on others.
So it all goes back to Browning?
Don't people, Woodman included, have the right to have an opinion as to whether Browning was right to vote to raise taxes?
And just because someone thinks Browning was wrong for voting to raise taxes they're under Woodman's control? I didn't realize Woodman controlled 60% of the voters.
Browning lost because the voters didn't agree with him, not Woodman. I would imagine less than 1% of the population even knows who Woodman is, and that's likely being generous.
I'm not going to debate extensively with someone who lacks the personal integrity to identify himself. Woodman engineered Browning's ouster. He engineered two election contests against Browning since that time. People are slowly growing wise to Woodman, as they did to Ott. If you wish to continue this discussion, identify yourself so people know which Woodman toadie you are and how much he paid for you.
O'hares endorsements are akin to round-up poured on sidewalk weeds. He is enraged about successful people who excercise their rights to fund the candidates they support. Word has it, he's always enraged about something....anything, all things...did you file another lawsuit about the place that served up lumpy mashed potatoes, moron?
Mezzacappa, this is not about me or your persobnal animosity towards me. Can't you find something better to do with your time?
Woodman gives rich pricks a bad name.
mazziotti is a piece of garbage, should have stayed retired
proved his worth by being a puppet and ran again when the kings queen scheller didnt want to run again
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