Anna Thomas, who is seeking to upset incumbent Joe Emrick in the race for state representative in Pa. 137, has raised won the money race, outraising Emrick 14.5 to 1. She raised $290,633.70 and has received $309,877 in in-kind contributions, giving her $600,510.70 in the closing days of the race. In stark contrast, Emrick has raised $39,930 and has received $1,413.33 in in-kind contributions for a total of $41,343.33.
Her largest contributor appears to be the "Leaders We Deserve" PAC, a grassroot dedicated to electing younger progressives to the US Congress and state legislatures. Emrick's largest contributors appear to be Republican state legislators in safe seats as well as, oddly enough, money from trade unions.
I have previously told you that Emrick is known for being nonresponsive to the public. An example of this appears in Armchair Lehigh Valley's report on the race. He refused to even respond to two requests for an interview.
Updated 10:40 am: In my original version of this story, I incorrectly stated that the amount Anna received exceeds NorCo's proposed budget. I was off by a factor of 100. I apologize for my poor math. I can't help it. I'm a Democrat.
28 comments:
"I have previously told you that Emrick is known for being nonresponsive to the public. An example of this appears in Armchair Lehigh Valley's report on the race. He refused to even respond to two requests for an interview."
There are a lot of examples of this lately. Last week PBS and Lehigh Valley News broadcast a great forum on early education and childcare. Emrick didn't bother to show up:
https://www.lehighvalleynews.com/elections/watch-tonight-candidates-forum-on-early-child-education
And a few days before that, the Hindu Temple and the Indian American Association of the Lehigh Valley invited all the candidates in the area to speak to their members. Again, Thomas showed up, Emrick didn't.
He doesn't seem to feel he's accountable to people at all, which is not a good trait in a legislator.
Can't wait for Joe's office to turn into some sort of retail storefront in beautiful Downtown Nazareth!
Nearly three quarters of a million for a state house race? The seat is being bought, but by whom? Thomas will be in debt to someone. Emrick stinks, but this is foul.
just what we don't need - a progressive female
Lol grass roots that helped her raise more than the Norco budget…righhhhhhhhht. Norco’s budget is less than $600k in 2025?
this PAC is basically ACT Blue and run by David Hogg which is under investigation for money laundering. Below are videos of people being confronted of donating thousand of dollars to Act Blue and denying it. Keep in mind these people being interviewed are democrats. Bernie, you are a lawyer is this evidence???
Co-Founded by David Hogg
By proceeding with this transaction, you agree to ActBlue's terms & conditions.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=james+o+keefe+act+blue+videos
https://www.newsweek.com/actblue-democrat-pac-money-laundering-virginia-attorney-general-1933976
Democrats! The worst that "Funny Money" can buy! This haul is more than 3 terms worth of paychecks, No wonder she wants this job so bad. Better than a Real job, which she's never held....
First of all, NORCO budget is around $600 MILLION not $600 THOUSAND. Bernie, you should know better.
Secondly, the story should be, who is investing so heavily into local races like this? Its not grassroots nor local.
David Hogg is the face of the PAC but the real story is the funding (or money laundering) behind ACTBLUE.
ACTBLUE is know to have made thousands of donations in peoples name's who have never made said political donations.
Where does the money come from? Look into FTX and the money that went overseas.
There is something much bigger and more sinister at play. Good Journalists would be digging into this.
Bigot! She'll get shit done while you get fatter, poorer (cult/maga trinkets) and suffer from diabetes!
It should be concerning that, 1. This amount of money was raised for a state house race. 2. The amount of money funneled to a candidate with Zero life experience.
Joe is a dud who should be replaced, but Thomas is not the answer. Her "experiences" do not represent the district, i.e. farming warehouses.
Then again, Joe is so bad that everyone will vote against their self-interest.
9:36, You are correct and I am mistaken. I corrected my post to reflect my error.
I understand that ACTBLUE does not require CVV verification of card donations, and this does create the possibility of money laundering. Senator Marc Rubio has proposed closing that loophole legislatively, and this would affect all contributions. I would support this change and also support campaign finance limits. I hate the game, not the players.
The word progressive scares me
The sickening amount of outside money is reason enough not to vote for her. Outside money on that level has no place in local politics. If you've got that much money, use it for good; not some small potatoes state legislature race.
Sorry. I can't vote for someone like her who has no job/work experience and someone I really know nothing about. All I see from her is advocacy for abortion. Abortion doesn't put food on my family's table or gas in our vehicles, or keeps our electric and heat running. If she could show what she has accomplished in her short life, I'd feel differently. No one even knows how old she is, do you Bernie? Has she even reached 30 years of age yet? Let's get some honest to goodness facts about her age, marital status, parenthood, in addition to anything she may have actually accomplished in the work force. Why is she hiding personal details?
So where does this PAC get its money? Who is putting in so much dark money for one state rep seat? Why? Because if democrats can get full control of PA they’ll implement their radical agenda. Shapiro is more moderate, but he has his eyes on higher office at some point, so he may play ball. 600k for a state house seat. It’s crazy!
10:52, Are you sure it isn't the word "female" that scares you? Anna Thomas is certainly progressive but is no extremist. Teddy Roosevelt was progressive. I look for extremes and am leery of that, but have no issue with someone left or right of center.
So basically this smiling, sweet , innocent AOC wannabe is already bought and paid for! People don’t put up that kind of cash and not expect a return on their investment.
i voted for her, thanks for the article
Bernie, Are you going to ask her why she is accepting money from a pac that is under investigation for money laundering? We all know the Morning Call or Lehigh Valley live won't do it.
I can only speak of my experience with Mr Emrick. I had an issue that I don’t want to go into. I called his office as and I spoke with his office guy. He was responsive. Then Emrick himself called me. Assisted me as best he could with the problem. This was about 5 yrs ago so maybe he has changed, but I thought he was great to deal with.
Here’s a story about a democrat operative who worked for the Soros organization getting the progressive DAs elected. He regrets it now. He feels these DAs have tarnished the word progressive.
https://www.newsweek.com/i-worked-democrats-years-billionaires-have-unfettered-influence-opinion-1961471
I am a female. Frankly as a woman I am hesitant to vote for a female president but not for a position such as this. However progressive has come to mean for me extremist. I prefer middle of the road. I do however want a strong president and if it's going to be a female one day I would hope they at least appear capable of speaking to the press at a news conference and not one on one only and someone who is capable of speaking to world leaders.
No Show Joe was no where to be found when his constituents were protesting a new warehouse in Upper Nazareth -- the community where he lives.
A representative who doesn't represent the people in his district is of no use to anyone except the developers who want to cover the Lehigh Valley in concrete.
I find it amusing that MAGAts are so invested in the intricacies of democrat fund raising but are conveniently silent about the fat orange cheetoh's misuse of millions of dollars in campaign money for legal fees. There is no deep dive or major investigation opened by these nitwits when their false god has been found GUILTY of hush money to help influence the results of an election. The hypocrisy is blaring, and yet they go about their day blaming democrats for something their own party has been found guilty of. Because I know it's never been political principles, it's about keeping a black female President away from the white house. By any means necessary. Racist pricks.
That's just BS. If she was capable maybe people would vote for her
Lol there some whataboutism right there. 600k for a state rep seat for the future PA version of AOC. At least AOC tended bar. She cites her Christian then in the same breath believes that abortion up to the moment of birth is ok.
What a terrible choice, between an arrogant, 14 yr. plank, and a wing-nut, who will be controlled by all of the outside money she's received!
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