Dave Mattei? No Way!

Mattei at a picnic

Earlier this year, State Rep. Joe Emrick was well on his way to another two years in the 137th state house district. For a second time, Democrats had failed to field someone to run against a hardcore conservative Republican with a lifetime 90% rating from the American Conservative Union. It's a district that does include conservative pockets in Palmer and the Slate Belt. But it also includes Democratic boroughs and increasingly Democratic Forks Township. Democrat Rich Grucela managed to keep the seat for ten years, so why no one wanted to challenge Emrick was a mystery. People like myself, who are unhappy with Emrick, were delighted when insurance salesman Dave Mattei stepped forward, out of nowhere, to run as a write-in candidate. We were conned.

For one thing, Mattei has never voted as a Democrat. He registered as an independent in 1997 and, over the next 19 years, has only voted sporadically. He didn't vote at all in 2014 or 2015. This year, he was unable to vote in the very primary in which Democrats happily wrote in his name because he was still registered as a Independent. So far as I can tell, he still is.

In addition to being an independent with a shaky voting record, Mattei has no real roots in this area. He is originally from Jersey, and moved into the Lehigh Valley some time in 1997. At first, he lived in Easton and Washington Township, then moved to Lehigh Tp for 14 years. He has only been in the Nazareth area for four years or less.

Why did he move to Pennsylvania from Jersey? It appears that he was fleeing debt. According to New Jersey Courts public access, actions were brought against him at F002217-92, F003270-93, F005758-96 and F008490-96.

Mattei getting chickens

While living in Easton, in what appears to be its West Ward, he worked at Home Depot in Whitehall, a rather strange occupation for a retired New Jersey state trooper. It was during this time that his emancipated daughter sought and obtained a Protection From Abuse Act Order against him. What set him off is unknown, but the incident included allegations of throwing his own flesh and blood across a room and dragging her down the steps by the ankles.

Mattei never contested the PFA.

In 2000, Mattei left Easton for the greener pastures of Lehigh Tp. He bought a home, and over the next 14 years, managed to rack up nine mortgages. According to Northampton County's civil index, Northampton Area School District also ended up filing two municipal liens (2007-ML-6826 and 2008-ML-8846) against him because he failed to pay his school tax bill. Unable to keep up with his mortgages, he gave his Lehigh Township home back to the bank. He also filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy (15-12857-ref) and, on 8/20/15, was granted a discharge.

That's how he ended up in Nazareth, just up the street from me.

Anyone can go through a bad stretch financially. But for Mattei, bad financial decisions appear to be way of life. It sure looks like that's what caused him to flee Jersey. Ringing up nine mortgages on one property in 14 years is also pretty stupid.

If he's unable to manage his own finances, how can he be expected to manage ours?

What would prompt a bankrupt Independent who only votes sporadically to want to be the Democratic champion? He certainly has no burning interest in issues. But he sure does like to eat.

He just filed a 6th Tuesday pre-election report for the period between 5/17/16 and 9/19/16, even though state house candidates have no such obligation. (You can see it here). In it, he claims to have raised $15,836.00 and has already spent $13,901.70,  a lot of it on dinners and lunches.

The Easton Area Democratic Committee gave an independent outside of the Easton area $3,000. He also collected $3,000 from the trade unions. He suckered Martin Guitar owner Christian Martin into giving him $500, and sucked money from poor Glenn Reibman, Rich Grucela and the Bobbsey twins, Pete Schweyer and Mike Schlossberg.

Mattei gets cake for intern

What has he done with this money?

Eat.

A lot.

He's a hungry guy and, in his defense, did have a family BBQ this summer. He must have really been famished on June 13. He was at Subway, the Trolley Shoppes Restaurant and the Leaf Cigar Bar, all in one day.

I'd say the Leaf and Mickey D's are his two favorites. He's been to each five times.

Mattei has also been to Nazareth Diner four times, Pizza Joe, Villa Grande Pizzeria, Pies to Die For, Dunkin' Donuts, China Wok, Pita Pit, Blendlife Smoothie and Juice Bar, Fairways Cafe, Rice 'n Beans, Little Corner Cafe, Xpresso Cafe, Diner 248, Baby Harry Coffee, Wok Box, Chestnuthill Diner, McDonald's, WaWa, Sam's Club for groceries, Tuscana Pizza and Whitetail Golf Club.

He even charged a meal in New Jersey at DeLucia's. He has also picked up between meal snacks at the gas station across the street from his office. And let's not forget the booze from the liquor store.

All told, he has spent $1,662.95 in campaign contributions on food, cigars and booze. Over 10 per cent of the money he raised is in his stomach.

This has to be some sort of record.

He must be loading up for the winter.

He did give $1,000 to Controller Steve Barron for robo calls and another $300 to Rich Wilkins for consulting. Barron won't say whether his deal includes an "all you can eat" clause.

So we Democrats have really done well. We have an independent with a spotty voting record and an even more shaky financial history to run against an entrenched, well-financed incumbent. He is using campaign finances to play big shot. He has no chance of winning. My chief concern is that Mattei might explode before the election.