UPDATED: Following the Money: First Responders Sink $22,350 in Allentown City Council Races

Seven candidates, all Democrats, seek three seats on Allentown City Council on May 16. Two of them, Ce-Ce Gerlach and Candida Affa, are incumbents. One Council member seeking election, Santo Napoli, was appointed earlier this year. The other candidates are Luis Acevedo, a manager at RJ Walker Plumbing; Promise Neighborhood's Rodney Bushe; Tino Babayan, who has been interested in Allentown City government for many years; and Sarina Torres, a 2019 graduate of William Allen High School. 

Council member Ce-Ce Gerlach has marched against the police. She has voted against every grant provided to them. She has even voted No to police hires. She wants social workers, not first responders, sent to many 9-1-1 calls. If a citizens' initiative is placed on the ballot, voters will have a chance to answer that question themselves.  Two candidates - Rodney Bushe and Sarina Torres - are tied to Gerlach. 

Police and firefighters have noticed. They've spent $22,350 to bolster the campaigns of Candida Affa, Santo Napoli and Tino Babayan. 

Luis Acevedo raised $21,060, which he spent on campaign material. His biggest contribution was a $5,000 in-kind contributions for radio commercials. He lists VP Broadcasting as the contributor, although corporate contributions are illegal. I believe he meant to identify Victor Martinez, who owns VP Broadcasting and is a fierce advocate of attracting more Latino candidates in a mostly Latino community. 

Candida Affa raised $20,500. Her big contributors are Allentown's FOP ($9,500) Allentown firefighters ($1,000), California resident Cedar Crest College Hall of Famer Claudia Merkle ($2,500), pub owner Don Ringer ($750), Maingate owner Dominic Germano ($1,000), salon owner Jason Roth ($500), successful businessman but absolutely shitty Hearts player Nat Hyman ($500) and Allentown Parking Authority Exec Director John Morgan ($500). 

Her biggest expense was $3,332 to Attorney Craig Neely to defend her against Rodney Bushe's failed attempt to toss her off the ballot. 

Tino Babayan raised $8,330, with his biggest contributions coming from Allentown's FOP ($1,000) and IBEW ($2500). Allentown firefighters also kicked in $350. 

Ce-Ce Gerlach started this race with $11,100.45, thanks in large part to a $5,000 donation from Anthony DeFiore last year. He defines himself as a "Big City, Liberal Democrat w/ a Marciano right." This year, she's raised an additional $10,718.99, which gave her $21,819.44 to spend in this race. Most of the money came from unions: District Council ($1,000); IBEW ($2,500); SEIU ($500); United Steelworkers ($2,500); and Plumbers ($1,000). 

She spent $20,666.09. This included the cost of three mailers, yard signs, $3,655 for paid canvassers and even a $100 translation fee to Enid Santiago. 

Santo Napoli, just appointed to City Council, was able to raise $22,575.00. His biggest contributors were the Greater LV Realtors ($10,000); Allentown FOP ($9,500); and Allentown firefighters ($1,000). 

He spent $4,849.43 for palm cards and two mailers. He has a $900 debt for a social media video. 

He still had $17,725.57 for the closing days of the race.  

Sarina Torres has filed no report, but is instead relying on the Pre-Primary report filed by the United Youth Party. If this is her authorized committee, she is required to sign this report. She failed to do so. 

This committee started with nearly $200, and raised $2,293.96, giving it a total of $2,492.93 to spend. Her committee's biggest contributor is identified as Cash App ($758.48). That's actually a mobile application through which users can transfer money., not a contributor. The report fails to name the people who actually donated.  It also claims to have received $384.51 from Act Blue, but again, this is just a transfer service. The report fails to identify who contributed, thus making it impossible to follow the money.  The biggest contributor, and the only person actually named, is Ian Finestein ($481.27)

Of the $2,388.43 spent, $540 is supposed to have gone to Echo Live Agency (no address). Echo Live might actually be Echo Dead. A google search tells me it's permanently closed. $132 was spent on flyers.

Rodney Bushe unsuccessfully challenged Candida Affa's nomination petition. You'd think he'd be a stickler for the rules, Maybe his is. Maybe not. There is no report listed for him on the City Council website, and Lehigh County forwarded all reports filed by the candidates. Maybe his report was filed and missed. Maybe he filed an affidavit indicating he would spend under $250. I don't know. 

I called him and asked. He said he'd get back to me this morning. I asked him to post a comment, which I'll attach to this story. As of now, I have no information regarding him.  

Noon Update:

At 9:52 this morning, Bushe filed his Pre-Primary report. It was six days late. 

He reports having raised $2,405.His biggest contributions are $1,000 that he kicked in himself and $500 from Dan Bosket. He has spent $1667 with marketing agency Faces International and owes this outfit $3,333.