Over the past week or so, Lehigh Valley mailboxes are getting loaded with mailers from candidates seeking local office. There have also been a few negative mailers aimed at Bethlehem City Council candidate Hillary Kwiatek, Bethlehem Mayor Willie Reynolds, Easton City Council member Taiba Sultana and Allentown City Council member Natalie Santos. Who is behind them?
The mailers against Sultana were paid for by Pa Citizens PAC, funded exclusively by immigration lawyer Ray Lahoud. You may recall that when Sultana ran a few short months ago for State Rep., Lahoud's PAC paid for and posted campaign signs around Easton calling Sultana "CRAZY, CHAOTIC, CRIMINAL." Most of them disappeared or were defaced in a few short hours, and state police nabbed Sultana's children (both minors and one adult) in flagrante delicto. In an effort to silence Lahoud, Sultana sued his PAC for libel. Ray appears to be undeterred. She'll have to sue again.
The mailers against Willie Reynolds, Hillary Kwiatek and Natalie Santos were paid for by the Pa. Local Leaders Fund. My friend Jeff Ward, who publishes the very informative Lehigh Valley News Briefs, did a little digging and learned that this PAC was formed on April 22 by Ray Lahoud. Whether he is the sole funder is currently unknown. We'll know when the pre-primary reports are filed.
Unfortunately, I have none of the mailers prepared for Allentown candidates. But I do have several. Let me post and offer my editorial observations:
Anti-Reynolds mailer:
While the mailer is accurate, it's effectiveness is destroyed by its amateurish attempt at a Face-in-Hole picture. There's another that's a bit more damaging.
Anti-Kwiatek Mailer:
I'd say this is pretty good. Factual and it makes Kwiatek look like an elitist who appears to be more interested in an espresso than Bethlehem's working class.
Anti-Sultana Mailer:
This one is the best. It is accurate and exemplifies precisely why Sultana is called CRAZY, CHAOTIC, CRIMINAL.
Interesting that there is no mention of the you tube adds that have running against Mackenzie non stop since before the last election. who is paying for that, a lot more than posters .
ReplyDeleteI'm sure McCluless has something to do with them
DeleteThe Tigers are not happy about these hateful mailers and will formulate reprisals in the next few days LaHoud is a filthy infidel and must be stopped
ReplyDelete@6:17am: just using the phrase "filthy infidel" means that you are a Christian hating, anti-Jewish, Sharia law loving muslim that should go and protest in Gaza. Hopefully, the Trump Administration will arrest and deport you soon!
DeleteLove the Kwiatek piece. She is the epitome of a liberal elite and thinks she is the smartest in the room. I don’t get Lahoud’s motives, though.
ReplyDeleteI think all three are good because they’re factual. Kwiatek is typical of what the democrats party has become. We must open up primaries to all voters so moderates of both parties have a chance.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work, Ray.
ReplyDeletePa Citizens PAC could be one of those shady money laundering groups like similar efforts revealed by DOGE. Who knows? Maybe our esteemed (sarc) Morning Call newspaper will get to the bottom of all this. I’ll try to do my part by voting FOR any candidate they unfairly attack.
ReplyDelete@7:18: actually, it is not a "shady money group." It is quite transparent. You should do some research and you will notice that it discloses what it does.
DeleteIllegal immigration lawyer trying to drum up business by helping pols who will help him. It's a story as old as time. Reject mini-Soros and his dirty tricks.
ReplyDeleteAll three are good but Taiba’s is the best! Can’t get much better than a picture of you in handcuffs lol.
ReplyDeleteSo, the obvious question is: What is Mr. Lahood’s angle here? Why is he spending his own money on these mailers, regardless of what you may think of the candidates he is targeting? What does he stand to gain. Follow the money…
ReplyDeleteLahoud is all about moderate candidates that can actually get things accomplished and done. He isn't for far left or far right candidates.
DeleteRay Lahoud is a brilliant young man with a deep interest in politics. He is actually one of the few local donors I know who actually nothing does have to gain with his local contributions and plenty to lose. It is not in his financial interest to oppose people who want to make legal immigration easier, but he is doing it. It is not in his financial interest to piss off local officials who can try to make life miserable for him. I think Ray is making a play to become a local power broker, which can be good or bad. He will support Ds or Rs, depending on the person.
ReplyDeleteCan you show us the Natalie Santos mailer? When 3 candidates describe themselves as a "slate," I suspect, should they win, the trio and Ce-Ce will commandeer council.
DeleteI've known Ray a long time. Quality dude. And let's face it, in the wake of Allentown, there's a lot of open spots on the Lehigh Valley political bundlers' roster.
DeleteMailers or no mailers, I’ve never checked so few boxes on my ballot in the Democrats’ primary.
ReplyDeleteThe local party has to do a better job of recruiting candidates.
Jeff Ward, Bethlehem
i agree i did not vote for LVH either
DeleteI wouldn’t either. Even though she has democratic friends in power that vouch for her, she votes with the Republicans. If I wanted to have someone I’m voting for vote and appoint republicans, I would change my party. She should change hers. She has been a disgrace to the Democratic Party.
DeleteIf you don't have a political party to vote in their primary you can always register with the D's or the R's. No independent, communist, or whatever you think you are should vote in a primary that isn't in line with your beliefs. NO OPEN PRIMARIES. Vote your party.
ReplyDeleteWhy are you scared of open primaries? 40% of registered voters are independent are denied their right to vote. I’m one of them. You’re scared because it would open the door for common sense middle of the road candidates.
DeleteI am a senior citizen living alone and I greatly fear Tara Z. potential plan to reassess Northampton County properties. She stated that this will capture sums from commercial properties, but this is going to kill seniors.
ReplyDeleteNice! You just convinced me to vote for Tara!
DeleteI wasn’t aware she’s for reassessment but it makes sense. She’ll be a big spender and this is a way to raise revenue and still say that she didn’t raise taxes. No thanks!
DeleteRay is a genuinely good person. He supports the person, not the party. He did everything he could to help Kevin Dellicker in his primary against Ryan Mackenzie but Kevin simply didn’t have the campaign infrastructure, or a competent campaign manager, to win.
ReplyDeleteRyan Mackenzie is a fraud and will be exposed in due time. He rode the PA Trump wave and Susan Wild frankly is a joke. He will be a one term congressman.
I support Ray's efforts- Wee Willie is an arrogant lightweight, who's been a terrible Mayor, and the other two are simply crazy!
ReplyDeleteHe claims to be there for the people yet never interacts with them, unless they're building fancy apartment buildings
DeleteOne look at Hillary, and you know she's crazy!
ReplyDeleteYou can say that again. I know her and think she is unstable and has an attitude even worse.
DeleteTaiba is. A premier local SJW, the local haters are Patriarchy stooges hell bent on tearing down a strong desi Muslim who roars without hijab.
ReplyDeleteWe see you serve pray and slay sister, keep fighting!
She’s a crazy chaotic criminal
DeleteToday, I received a mailing from the Pennsylvania Democratic Party endorsing Cozze for county exec. When did the state party start interfering in county primaries? A mistake plus the enclosed letter from “ desk of former Senator Bob Casey” should inform Casey that there is no desk anywhere for former U.S. senators. They just fade away along with their former political weight. I don’t like it. I will vote for the other candidate.
ReplyDeleteI had the same question. The mailer was sent by PA Democrats, but so was a previous mailer sent by Tara. It doesn't say PA Democrats endorsed Amy; it says Bob Casey did.
DeletePA Democrats and the local party did not endorse.
I don't know for sure, but I bet he has a desk at his office at home
Deleteyes we feel the same way you do
DeleteThe Party has some deal to send out mailers for cheap. I have no real understanding of it but to my knowledge all candidates can send mailers through them to knock the price down, but they do need to get approved by Party Lawyers/content team.
DeleteI;ll plug my nose and vote for Cozze- anyone but Bullhorn Zrinski, a lightweight who runs for a new office every other year!
DeleteI am no fan of Lahoud, but these mailers are spot on. He also needs to target Bob Eyer for moving into the county last year, and Janet Jackson, who ironically still lives in Bethlehem but is somehow running for Monroe County judge.
ReplyDeleteAll 3 pieces are very good for one reason. They are accurate and let the voters know who these people are behind the scenes.
ReplyDeleteLahoud (or someone) should also look at school board candidates. Example: Easton appears to have a candidate who's got a collections agency after her for 2 grand (filed March 13, civil action notice unclaimed April 11). That needs some investigation. Easton wants to build a 300 million dollar highschool. A person who may not be able to manage her finances and is possibly dodging creditors may not be the best option for a decision maker of tax money. Questions to be answered.
ReplyDeleteThat Kwiatek is known in my parts as Kwakitec.
ReplyDelete