I plan to review the finance reports filed by NorCo's judicial candidates and the only contested magisterial race in NorCo. I had hoped to get it to you today, but I had several other commitments yesterday that made it impossible for me to spend the necessary time demanded to review and write about campaign finance. I will try to get to it over the weekend.
12 comments:
Thanks for the coverage Bernie.
Very interested in Clark’s - he’s paying Pintabone and Pintabone is listed as one of his endorsements.
Even if Pintabone is the “campaign manager” something really seems off about that being allowed. It’s once thing to receive money from an endorser, it’s another to give money to an endorser.
Why would a guy working for him not endorse him. I was told that the Eyer wanted Pintabone’s team as well, but he chose Clark.
Any interest in Eyer receiving an endorsement from the prosecutor Who’s office will try cases before him if he were Judge????
Pintabone and Vanderburg were hired by Clark to win an election. And they support him! Look how many paid employees, work for and endorse their boss. More concerning to me is the endorsement of someone who will actually do business with the endorsed
Anything on Lehigh County?
I am more concerned that Bob Eyer has not even lived in this county for a full year. He could have stayed in his west Allentown home and ran in Lehigh county. None of those running in Lehigh county would have beat him.
Aurand is doing everything possible to elect Zrinski. And he works for her and is paid by the taxpayers - feels way more egregious to me than a campaign staffer endorsing their boss
A county employee has a first amendment right to contribute to someone who employs him. But it does raise the question whether the employee is being coerced or is buying his job, This is commonplace practice and you see it in nearly every campaign. The legislature could limit it, but had chosen not to do so.
That's not quite the same thing as a campaign consultant who is also an elected official and who uses hos public office to endorse the very person who is paying him. It taints the endorsement. But it is legal.
Sorry, but I think it unlikely.
I have no idea if Aurand is career service or not, but the HRC does state: No person in any way shall solicit any assessment, subscription, or contribution for any political party, organization, committee, or candidate from any member of the career service.
It also states: No individual who seeks promotion or appointment with respect to any position or office shall directly or indirectly give, render, or pay any money, service, or other valuable thing to any person for or in connection with his past appointment, proposed appointment, promotion, or proposed promotion.
Tara CREATED a special role in her office for Aurand, how do we know he's not paying her back for that? How do we know they don't have a deal where he gets to be Director of Administration or Fiscal in her future cabinet?
All that raises way more flags for me that a part time city councilor working for a judicial candidate he believes in. Because Pintabone still had the choice not to work for Clarke and will get paid whether Clarke wins or not. Maybe I'd be worried about it if Pintabone and Vanderburg weren't doing any work - just getting a fee from Clarke's campaign - but no one can say they haven't seen those two out working hard for Clarke. Plus, I doubt Pintabone's endorsement is making or breaking Clarke's race.
You can't say that for Lamont supporting Tara, while Tara delays an audit on his administration. Or for Aurand supporting Tara with that group he runs that is supporting Tara - in addition to his monetary donations.
Endorsements/Donations/Paying Elected officials for campaign work - the key to questionable ethics is what the various parties get out of it. I don't see Clarke and Pintabone getting anything more than campaign staff/payment for the work done. Bernie, if you want to dig into the real questions here - the Exec's race is where you should be focused.
As always, looking forward to reading.
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