Inky Backs Jack Wagner for Governor

Morganelli, Two Other DAs, Endorse Jack Wagner

"I am privileged to endorse my friend, Jack Wagner, for Governor, as well as join him in support of his proposal to reform state government. Jack is uniquely qualified to make good government reforms a reality. I have seen his work as Auditor General in rooting out corruption and advocating measures that will ensure honest government. He has a track record of integrity and proven results, and will be a reform Governor capable of overhauling bad systems to reduce bad outcomes."

Those are the words of Northampton County DA John Morganelli, who today endorsed Auditor General Jack Wagner for Governor. Morganelli is still waiting for the campaign contributions that that gubernatorial hopeful Dan Onorato promised to send Morganelli in his AG race against Tom Corbett last year.

They're in the mail.

Two other DAs, Westmoreland County's John Peck and Schuylkill County's Jim Goodman, have also endorsed Wagner.

"I am honored to have the support of these individuals who aggressively prosecute people who violate the law and steal public funds," said Wagner. "I have worked with many of them throughout my career and look forward to continuing our partnership if I am fortunate to be elected Governor."

As Auditor General, Wagner works with federal, state, and local prosecutors to uncover waste, fraud, and abuse of tax dollars. The prosecutors have secured convictions as a result of this information.

For example, the Crawford County District Attorney asked for the Department of the Auditor General's assistance in a case involving the administrator of a personal care home. Together, they were able to prove that she stole $850,000 from the home and its residents, which led to her conviction of embezzlement and her sentence to 10 to 25 years in state prison.

Recently, the Delaware County District Attorney charged the treasurer of a volunteer firefighters' relief association with stealing $12,000, based on the work of Wagner's auditors and investigators.

In June 2009, based in part on information uncovered by the Department of the Auditor General, the Philadelphia District Attorney charged 18 people – including 16 city and state employees - with stealing more than $500,000 of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds and related crimes.

Jack Wagner Unveils Reform Agenda For Pa.

"The train is off the tracks. Voters know that government is politically paralyzed and not serving people well or efficiently. Structural reform is urgently needed. It is essential to growing jobs and the state economy, while keeping taxes low. Voters want competition, transparency, and accountability to improve government performance."

That's how Auditor General Jack Wagner, a Democratic candidate for Governor, sees things after visiting all 67 Pennsylvania counties. We're going the wrong way.

Today, at a Harrisburg news conference and follow-up news release, he made the following proposals to reform state government:

· Hold a constitutional convention to empower citizens to bring fundamental reforms to state government

· Reduce the size of the General Assembly by 1/3

· Eliminate bonuses in state government

· Get state government spending under control

· Pass state budgets on time

· Bring competition to every single contract in the state procurement process

· Ban local governments from attaching risky derivatives/"swaps" to their debt

· Ensure that taxpayers receive property tax relief promised by gaming

· Enact campaign finance reform and end pay to play

· Allow independent voters to participate in Primary Elections

· Take the politics out of the redistricting process and promote nonpartisan, compact, and contiguous redistricting

Pretty impressive. You can read more detail at his campaign webpage.

Dan Onorato's Land of Make Believe

Despite Allegheny County Exec Dan Onorato's huge advantage in campaign cash, he failed to garner a State Committee endorsement from fellow Democrats last month in his gubernatorial bid. Auditor General Jack Wagner, who's running as a reformer, snagged a majority (153 of 304) of the votes cast in that beauty contest. Wagner also polls better against presumed Republican nominee Tom Corbett.

In the Lehigh Valley, Onorato has picked up some endorsements, but not from Lehigh County Exec Don Cunningham or Northampton County Exec John Stoffa. Northampton County DA John Morganelli claims Onorato stiffed him when he ran for AG against Corbett last year, promising checks that must still be in the mail.

Now there's an anonymous anti-Onorato blog, Dan's Land of Make Believe. "The purpose of this blog is to expose Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato’s flip-flops, distortions and overall sketchy record. The track record he is touting across the state as a candidate for governor is truly make-believe. It would truly be a huge mistake to elect Dan Onorato the next Governor of Pennsylvania. For the record, I do not have a horse in this race at all. I am just doing my duty to provide my fellow citizens and voters with the truth. Over the next couple of months, I will be dropping in periodically to shed much needed light on Dan’s Land of Make-Believe, let’s hope someone is out there paying attention. If you have your own tale from Dan's Land Of Make Believe please feel free to share by posting a comment."

Update: According to a Quinnipiac University poll reported on this morning at Capitol Ideas, the Democratic candidates are "almost invisible men," although Onorato has a slight edge.
Update #2: According to Just Read It, Northampton County DA John Morganelli is sending emails to Lehigh Valley Dems that go something like this: "Please know that this man lied to me when I was running for AG in 2008. He then supported my opponent AG Tom Corbett after promising to help me. He also did not support Judge Jack Panella who recently lost a close race for Supreme Court. He turned his back on candidates from the Lehigh Valley and now wants our support."

Jack Wagner Sole Gubernatorial Candidate to DiscloseTax Returns

In addition to being reform-oriented and tight-fisted with taxpayer money, he's transparent.

Onorato Has More $, But Wagner Draws Most Votes at State Committee

Allegheny County Exec Dan Onorato was hoping to have this wrapped up today. He expected to pick up the Democratic State Committee's endorsement for Governor. After all, he's the money man.

But when the snow dust settled in Lancaster today, Auditor General Jack Wagner was the one on top. He led both in ballots cast; and on the second ballot, he earned 153 out of 304 votes. That's 50% of the vote, and twice the total of his nearest opponent. He also earned the majority of votes in 43 different county caucuses.

How the hell did that happen?

"Our party must stand for reform and that is why so many members of our party - the party of small business and working people - gave me their support today," said Wagner. "People want change. People want reform. The status quo is not acceptable. The back room deal is not acceptable. People matter to me and to this Democratic Party and that is the message delivered today."

Looks like money can't buy everything, not even the Democratic State Committee. Go figure.

Maybe next time he makes promises to the Democratic candidates for Attorney General or Supreme Court, he'll consider keeping his word.

Blogger's Note: Disqus coments enabled.

Onorato Supports Corbett?

For at least the past three years, Allegheny County Exec Dan Onorato has been running for Governor. In that time, he's raised $8 million, which is twice the sum that Republican blueblood Tom Corbett has received for his campaign warchest.

What distinguishes Onorato is not impassioned pleas to put Pennsylvanians back to work, or promises to straighten things out in the land of midnight payraises. What makes him the Democratic frontrunner is his ability to raise oodles of money from virtually every special interest in the universe. He's a walking ATM machine. So, without knowing where he stands on anything, Democrats are already rallying around his banner. Governor Rendell, no slouch at raising money himself, already refers to Dan as Pennsylvaia's next Governor.

The candidate who actually does have views, Jack Wagner, is pretty much ignored. After all, he's got this crazy notion that state contracts should be bid competitively. Imagine that! What would that do to campaign contributions? Without all that campaign dough, how would Onorato pay for his trips to Europe?

Earlier this week, Onorato stopped in Easton, where Mayor Sal Panto, Councilwoman Elinore Warner, Councilman Ken Brown, Treasurer David Fleck and Controller Tony Bassil fawned all over him. They all said "Baaaa. Baaaa." From there, he hopped over to Allentown, and picked up some tips from Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski on how to squeeze every last dime out of a potential campaign contributor. Pawlowski's campaign manager, Michael Fleck, is working for Onorato. Now he can send convicted criminals to homes throughout the Lehigh Valley!

Council member Julio Guridy is a fan, too. He said "baaa" in two languages.

These local Dems lavish praise on a man who, as County Exec, was actually booed during a 2008 speech on his home turf. And for good reason. According to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Mr. Onorato cut 200 jobs from the county payroll to help balance a $727.6 million budget. He also persuaded council members to approve drink and car rental taxes ... ."

A drink tax? Wasn't there a little revolution over something like that just a few years ago?

In Allentown, when he finally discussed an issue, Onoroto actually endorsed the notion of extending KOZ benefits to big business beyond what they already get. That should make potential campaign contributors like Nic Zawarski very grateful. But experience shows it puts no one back to work.

One Democrat who refuses to bleat like the other sheep is Northampton County DA John Morganelli. You see, Onorato actually supported presumptive Republican nominee Tom Corbett last year when Morganelli was running against him for Attorney General. That's OK with John, but what irks him is that Onorato misled him.

Onorato supported Corbett? Kinda' makes you wonder why he's running against someone he supported just a few short months ago.

Sources close to Morganelli tell me he made three trips to Pittsburgh last year, having been lured there, by Onorato, for fundraisers that would raise all kinds of serious money. On his first five and a half hour drive, to attend a fundraiser at some Pittsburgh hotel, Morganelli walked into an empty room. This happened twice more before he finally got the message. Onorato was stiffing him, and wasting valuable campaign time. Rather than just honestly admit to Morganelli that he was supporting Corbett, Onorato strung him along repeatedly.

If he could not be honest with Morganelli, do you really think he'll be straight with you?

Jack Wagner Disagrees With Obama's Afghanistan Surge

Auditor General Jack Wagner, running for the Democratic nomination in the Pennsylvania Governor's race, told a Camp Hill crowd on Saturday night that he opposes President Obama’s recent decision to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. Wagner is a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran of the Vietnam War.

“I disagree with the President's decision to substantially expand the number of American military personnel in Afghanistan. The previous administration squandered numerous opportunities in Afghanistan, but those mistakes should not be compounded by another.”

Wagner is also concerned about the war’s horrific impact on U.S. soldiers and their families, noting that more than 5,100 military personnel have been killed and more than 32,000 wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I fear that this is another mistake that will fall most heavily on the soldiers and their families who will bear the burden of this dangerous deployment,” said Wagner. “No matter where you stand on the political aspects of the war, we must keep our troops and military families in our thoughts and prayers for their ultimate sacrifice in protecting our freedom.”

I disagree with Wagner, but am gratified to see a candidate willing to take a position and lead from the front. Wagner may be running for a state office, but is willing to risk losing a few votes by saying what he thinks.

John Callahan, who is running for Congress, is still hiding in his city hall office, trying to figure out which way the wind is blowing.

Governor Cunningham Increasingly Likely

The Pennsylvania Report, a subscription only political news report, has cast its glare in the direction of the gubernatorial ambitions of Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham. After reviewing his strengths and weaknesses, the Don is classified "a very serious challenger for the Democratic nomination."

Strengths:

1) POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Bethlehem City Council, Bethlehem Mayor, Secretary of Department of General Services, Lehigh County Executive. "[H]e will be the candidate that can rightfully claim to hold the most executive experience (as Mayor and County Executive)."

2) NEW FACE: "[T]he 'fresh' face argument could be Cunningham's #1 campaign line."

3) POLICY KNOWLEDGE: "[I]mplementing a budget and saving taxpayer dollars could provide him a platform that other possible candidates, both Republicans and Democratic, do not have."

Weaknesses

1) LACK OF STATEWIDE NAME RECOGNITION: According to this analysis, potential candidate Jack Wagner is much better known. Jack who?

2) FUNDRAISING ABILITY: "Cunningham most likely will have a difficult time raising the kind of money needed to keep up day-to-day with a state-wide office holder running for Governor."

3) HISTORY: "Pennsylvania has a history of switching parties in the Governor’s mansion following one party’s 4 or 8 year hold....Thornburgh (R) - Casey (D) - Ridge (R) - Rendell (D), etc."

I have my own problem with this supposed insider's report. It only compares Cunningham with potential candidate Jack Wagner. It never even mentions Allegheny County Exec Dan Onorato, who has a $4 million warchest and is expected to make a formal announcement later this year. That makes Cunningham's chances even better. Wagner and Onorato are both from the western part of the state and will draw votes from each other.

This analysis also misses another Cunningham characteristic - the luck of the Irish. So far as I know, there are still no serious candidates from the eastern part of the state. Everything has to fall just right for Don, but that's exactly what's happening.

Update: Morning Call Micek has chimed in with these three observations: (1) Who the hell has ever heard of Pennsylvania Report? (2) Why the hell don't these insiders say a word about Don Onorato? (I made that point myself, Micek). (3) What about gazillionaire Tom Knox from Philly? (OK, I missed that one. If Knox is serious, Don's in trouble.)
Update #2: It appears that, contrary to what the Cunningham camp told me, I did not get a complete copy of the Pennsylvania Report analysis. I'll have the details for you in a separate post tomorrow.