Sam Bennett's Homelessness Presentation

(Blogger's Note: I received at "urgent" advisory yesterday for a news conference at 11 am today at Hava Java in Allentown. I'm unable to attend myself because of my work schedule. It's kind of a combination discussion on homeless awareness along with an appeal by Sam Bennett for votes in her upcoming Mayoral campaign. Rather than making any editorial observation, I'l share this amazing news release with you in toto, and let you draw your own conclusions.)  

Wednesday 11:00 AM NOVEMBER 23, 2016

Hava Java Coffee House

526 N. 19th Street Allentown PA 18104

For one Allentown businesswoman HOMELESSNESS is PERSONAL:

Now in Dannielle Makdesi's sixth year feeding hundreds of homeless families

At her business Hava Java Coffee House

Press invited for the first time - time press and photographers/videographers can attend on Thanksgiving announced at press conference  

For one Allentown Mayoral Candidate HOMELESSNESS is PERSONAL:

Sam Bennett lived homeless on the streets of New York City in her late teens after escaping the white slavery she had been ensnared

ALSO provides first campaign update on funds raised to date

for her candidacy for Mayor

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 11:00 am Allentown, Pa. – Sam Bennett Candidate for Mayor of Allentown 2017 holds press conference with Dannielle Makdesi, Owner of Hava Java Coffee House in Allentown and Dr. Diane Scott, former ten year Superintendent of the Allentown School District. 

"Concerns about homelessness in our city rank fifth among Allentown residents in our ongoing All American City Survey we have been conducting throughout the city since Sam's campaign launched in June of this year" notes Dr. Diane Scott, who has been compiling this research as a campaign volunteer based on surveys collected at the door, at neighborhood and crime watch meetings and other gatherings.  "When I was Superintendent of ASD (from 1992 to 2002) homelessness was a very real issue for a significant percentage of our students.  I believe strongly, having observed Sam's ability to make positive change like the William Allen Construction Company that she founded when I was superintendent - that she is the right candidate for Mayor to help us improve our outcomes when it comes to homelessness for adults, families and ASD students." 

Dannielle Makdesi  stresses "it has been six years since I first started to feed the homeless on Thanksgiving here at my coffee house.  I pay for all my costs out of my own pocket and from generous donations from others in the community.  It is the least we can do for people who have, often through no fault of their own, find themselves homeless at this time of year, especially children."  Continues Makdesi,  "the press has always asked to take photos and I've always refused.  But this year, I'm inviting the press to come so others can see how important it is to give to others at this time of year - and because I'm supporting Sam for Mayor of Allentown.  She's been homeless herself and is an amazing leader.  I can't imagine a better combination for our next Mayor to deal with this issue."   

Though PA has fewer people experiencing homelessness relative to population: 12 per 10,000 versus 18.3 nationally, the Point-in-Time Count[1] administered by The National Coalition to End Homelessness in January 2015 [2] reported the Lehigh Valley had the highest percentage, 15% of unsheltered homeless people in PA, versus 11 percent statewide.  Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley reports that while 1 in 10 residents of the Lehigh Valley are now living in poverty, in Allentown, it is 3 in 10 with 38% of homeless children.  Of note, the largest subpopulation of homeless individuals and families, approximately 22% of the homeless population, were fleeing domestic violence.[3]

"My family and I are very much looking forward to assisting Danielle all day tomorrow.  Our son David and I are baking 200 homemade dinner rolls and sweet potatoes to serve the hundreds of families Danielle expects tomorrow" notes Sam Bennett.  "Having been homeless myself, I feel deep gratitude for the many blessings life has given.  We want our son David, now a freshman at William Allen High School, to experience the true meaning of Thanksgiving."

Continues Bennett "I have been a Governor Appointee to the Board of the Lehigh County Assistance Office for over fifteen years serving with pride with Linda Epstein and the late Attorney Jay Sherline.  But there are many that the assistance office might not serve, including many children - and this is of high concern" notes Bennett.  "For me, homelessness is personal.  Seeking to escape sexual abuse doled out by a 'family friend' at sixteen I ran away to New York City and was immediately snatched at Port Authority into white sexual trafficking.  Fortunate to escape when the slaver was severely wounded in a knife fight - I lived homeless on the streets of New York City during the winter of 1975 until I managed to get a job and save the money needed to get back home." 

"There are powerful 'best practices' from around the world addressing homelessness we need to consider here in Allentown.  There are many superb stakeholders who are doing much to address this problem in our community.  What we cannot do is pretend this chronic problem doesn't exist.  What we need is a Mayor with exceptional collaboration skills and a personal stake in this issue so we can maximize outcomes for our city, its residents and its homeless population.  If elected CEO of our city by my fellow residents, I would be such a Mayor."

"On Thanksgiving Eve - we'd also like to thank the many volunteers and donors, like Dr. Diane Scott and Danielle Makdesi who have given our campaign for Mayor of Allentown 2017 an ever increasing momentum as we approach the December 31, 2016 campaign filing and January's 2017 petition outcomes that will determine who is on the ballot for the May 16, 2017 primary."

"I'M WITH SAM" CAMPAIGN SNAPSHOT as of 11/22/2016

·      Funds raised to date for campaign                              $40,096.15 ($8,019.23 per month average raised since campaign announcement June 2016)

·      Number of donors to date                                           87 donors ($460.87 average per donor to date - almost 20% of donors giving small amounts of money monthly)

·      Facebook Friends for Candidate                                 3552

·      Likes for Facebook Campaign Page                            700

·      LinkedIn Followers for Candidate                              1796

PRESS CONFERENCE AGENDA

11:00 am         Dr. Diane Scott, former ASD Superintendent of Schools

11:10 am         Dannielle Makdesi, Owner Hava Java Coffee House

11:15 am         Sam Bennett, Candidate for Mayor of Allentown 2017

11:25 am         Dannielle Makdesi, Owner Hava Java Coffee House - announcing when press invited on Thanksgiving Day so all can understand the importance of this issue to Allentown and the Lehigh Valley community at large.

[1] endhomelessness.org; The 2015 Point In Time Count Is Finally Here; Lisa Doran and Emanuel Cavallaro; retrieved November 19, 2016.

[2] crossroads.newsworks.org; Homeless Population Up In Pennsylvania Down Nationally; Emily Peviti; retrieved November 20, 2016; "considered...the most reliable source of statistics on homelessness in the U.S."

[3] caclv.org Who-We-Serve:Hard-Facts; Retrieved November 20, 2016.

Sam Bennett Dedicates Mayoral Race to Michael Donovan

Political panderer Sam Bennett has made clear she intends to run for Mayor in Allentown next year, but I still threw up a little when I read her Facebook tribute paid to Michael Donovan: "Sad and deeply moving to be at Michael Donovan's funeral at the gorgeous Historic Zion Church and gathering at wonderful BrewWorks afterward. Michael we will miss you - and as conversations inevitably steered towards public service and politics, your deep and abiding passion - we sense your piercing intelligence and wry deprecating humor overseeing the proceedings. In our politics we honor you dear friend - in the words of Pastor Bob Stevens, our "Social Justice Gyroscope". This upcoming Mayor's Race in 2017 will be in your honor."

If you don't support her, you're a sexist.

Molovinsky Speaks to Sam Bennett

Newspapers generally shy away from coverage of political races especially when they're three years away. Besides, in urban growth regimes like Allentown, democracy is pretty much dead. But Allentown blogger Michael Molovinsky, who prefers opinion pieces, did a fairly balanced interview with possible Allentown mayoral candidate Siobhan Sam Bennett yesterday. He even took notes.

It's very well done, and I recommend anyone from Allentown to give it a read.

Can You Say Mayor Sam Bennett?

Though they're still washing the dishes from Allentown Mayor Edwin Pawlowski's inaugural ball, Allentown blogger Michael Molovinsky has an interesting post about Hizzoner's possible successor.

City Council Prez Julio Guridy would like the job. But Molovinsky passes him over for former Congressional candidate Sam "Curly" Bennett and Charlie "I used to be a Republican" Thiel, a registered Democrat who might run as an Independent.

I have no idea whether Bennett is really serious, but I hope so. The blogs will write themselves.

Sam "Shiobhan" Bennett on Hardball?

After running for Allentown Mayor twice, and never making it out of the primary, Sam "Shiobhan" Bennett set her sights on Congress in the last election cycle. During a time when virtually every other Democrat was riding Barack Obama's coat tails to an easy victory, Bennett was trounced. The highlight of that campaign was when her comments during a televised debate had to be bleeped out. Incredibly, she had to make this request herself, after irresponsibly and falsely claiming that a local bank had failed.

These days, Sam is now Executive Director of The Women's Campaign Forum, where she gets to send out letters asking for money. She signs them like this. --->

She's also apparently a pundit, too, having appeared on last night's Hardball. I don't watch TV so I don't know what pearls of wisdom she imparted to her grateful viewers. But fortunately for me, I have a Sam Bennett email sent out right after that "devastating" loss in Massachusetts. Strangely, her magic touch failed to pull Martha Coakley over the finish line. "It is with deep sadness that I report to you that Attorney General Martha Coakley, a WCF-endorsed candidate, did not win tonight's special election for the Massachusetts Senate seat." Imagine that! Sam then asks for money.

Properties of Merit Broke

Remember Properties of Merit (POM)? In happier times, it raked in nearly all of its annual $351 thousand budget in state and other public money. Nearly 1/3 of that, $110 thousand, went right into executive director Sam Bennett's pocket. Of course, she helped set that salary herself. Hey, you think it's easy handing out garden rakes?

Sam is no longer with POM. She's in D.C. No, she was not elected to Congress. She now heads up yet another nonprofit that promotes women in politics.

Looks like she jumped ship just in time, too, because funding at POM has dried up. S I tried calling several times last week, left several messages, and no one has returned my calls, even when I pose as Ed Rendell. I've been told that its two staff members have been laid off and the office is closed. No money. Communities planning on a program this year are still wondering what has happened to their ballots.

So if you're expecting a golden garden rake, better pick one up at a yard sale.

Update: We're Still Kicking! Just got off the horn with John M. Krumenacker, President of POM's Board. He tells me that POM is currently experiencing a cash crunch, but it's temporary. He expects that the staff will return and is just putting the finishing touches on a contract for a new Executive Director.

Bennett Blames Congressional Loss on LV Sexism

I'm upset. Just last month, blogger Howie Klein (DownWithTyranny, FiredogLake, Huffington Post) talked with failed LV Congressional candidate Sam (Siobhan) Bennett. She blamed her loss on regressive reporters and local bloggers like me.

Now, Howie and Sammy are claiming the real reason she lost to incumbent Charlie Dent is because she's a woman. Her defeat is the result of Lehigh Valley Misogyny. Hey, what about us regressive bloggers, damn it! Do you think it's easy to go weeks without shaving or deodorant?

Howie laments, "During the campaign, I couldn't help but notice a shocking amount of sexist invective aimed at her." He fails to note a single example, but I've noticed he never lets silly little things like facts get in his way.

Even more silly is the essay that Sammy writes herself.

Post announcing my bid for U.S. Congress this same newspaper [Morning Call] day after day ran with this verbatim quote from a local blog [hey, that's me!] on its front page: "Sammy Bennett is a phony political w**** who gives good h*** and makes cheap, blatant political opportunists look like Mother Fucking Teresa. Even her c*** is made of plastic." Though over the next year the paper never cited the differences between my opponent and I on issues, they ensured the launch of my bid for U.S. Congress linked me to "c***," "w****" and "h***." Next this paper promptly dove into a multiple week query about my salary as the newly minted statewide director of a non-profit. Professional women still look me in the eye "Sam, if you were a man, no one would have said a word about your salary."

When Boscola hatchetman Bernie Kieklak crashed and burned, his Bennett snark was just one of many misogynistic remarks noted by local papers, which were mostly directed at other women. His Bennett slam was given no special prominence over his many other absurd comments. It certainly appeared in no headline. No story ran day after day.

It must have slipped Bennett's mind that the Lehigh Valley has already sent three women to the General Assembly and another woman to the Pa. Senate. The President Judge and President of county council in Northampton County both happen to be women. Sam must have forgotten that she fired two female campaign managers and replaced them with a man whom I'm told was paid more than his two female predecessors. Finally, her little essay fails to mention that the objections to Bennett's POM salary had nothing to do with her sex.

Instead of blaming a sexist Lehigh Valley, Bennett might try looking in a mirror if she wants to know who is responsible for her loss.

But what do I know? I'm one of them there "regressives."

Bennett Fails to Itemize $6,975 in Campaign Expenditures During 2008

Did I say Micek has the best poliblog in the state? Must have been a typo. In his daily tour de blog yesterday, he accused me of beating Sam Bennett's dead horse. This, in turn, led a reader to say, "Bernie is not beating a dead horse. Bernie is practicing placekicking with the footballs they made out of the dead horse!"

Listen, PCN boy. All I want from you is silence, and damn little of that. When Bennett is elected Governor, you'll be asking, "What the hell just happened?" Not me, baby. I'm all over this like ham on rye. You can have your damn iPod.

So how about that Sam Bennett? Yesterday, I told you she was funneling money to her local PAC through the Northampton County Dems, giving them $1,000 for their troubles. I also decided to make a road trip from the boonies of Northampton County to review her year-end report.

I know this will come as a big shock to most of you, but her five-page campaign finance report totally fails to itemize $6,975 in campaign expenditures last year. This, of course, is a clear violation of Pennsylvania campaign finance laws, depriving the public of any meaningful ability to follow the money. Voting registrar Stacy J. Sterner was unavailable yesterday, but I'm sure Bennett will be asked to supplement her report.

Bennett's report does show $7,000 in contributions. This includes the $2,000 funnelled into her local PAC from her federal PAC as well as a $5,000 contribution from Philadelphia's Carpenters' PAC.

Her report also reveals $86,803.92 in unpaid debt. Most of this debt is owed to her own family, but also includes $12,500 owed to Bishop Blair Couch as well as another $10,000 to Allentown Rajah of Rezoning and big game hunter Abe Atiyeh.

Update: Voting registrar Stacy J. Sterner has contacted Bennett and asked her to amend her report to itemize her expenditures. Bennett apparently used the money to repay some of the money she owes to herself.

Sam Bennett Does the Laundry ... With Campaign Funds

Failed LV Congressional candidate Sam (Siobhan) Bennett is doing the laundry ... with campaign funds. She apparently took in more dough than she spent, although those figures are still unavailable. Under FEC rules, she can refund the money, save it for her next congressional quest, donate it to a political party or charity, or give it to state or local candidates.

That presumably includes herself. But rather than donating unused federal campaign funds directly to her local PAC, Bennett has laundered the money through the Northampton County Dems. Their year-end report shows a $3,000 contribution from Bennett's congressional campaign to Northampton County Dems on December 14, 2008. Two days later, Northampton County Dems gave $2,000 to Bennett's local PAC, Friends of Siobhan "Sam" Bennett. This expenditure is explained as an "Allentown Mayor Campaign Contribution." Northampton Dems appear to have kept $1,000 as a handling fee.

She's using excess federal campaign funds to replenish her local PAC, but wants to hide this from all her ACTBlue contributors in Oregon and California.

Oopsie.

The Rise of the Regressive Party

I hate to admit it, but failed Congressional candidate Sam (Siobhan) Bennett was right about me. I've been patiently waiting for some "progressive" blogger to out me, but they're all regressives, too. So it's time to come out of the closet and announce that I'm really a proud member of the Regressive Party.

You won't see us on any ballot because we believe everything is best done behind closed doors. We're like the Masons, minus the goofy costumes. Some of us are nominally Democrats or Republicans, but that's just to throw you off. Here's a few of our super-secret positions, distilled from our party platform. They've been penned by Maddox, the Jefferson of the Regressive Party.

Presidential Favorite: A box of tic-tacs.

Family values: Love your kids? Then beat the shit out of them.

Abortion: We oppose abortion, but support killing babies. Usually we'll just leave them on the rocks like the Spartans. As stated in our party platform, "I'm neither pro choice, nor pro life; I'm pro you-shutting-the-hell-up."

Idaho: Return it to Britain.

Old People: "I came out of the theater and saw old people dancing to country music in the courtyard. I couldn't remember the last time I saw a group of people begging this hard to be aborted."

Vampires: "Vampire hunting will be a government-sanctioned profession."

Photo Credit: Maddox. He sells bumper stickers here.

Sam Bennett Targets "Regressive" Local Bloggers

Firedoglake, published by Jane Hamsher, is no local poliblog. Yet that's where failed LV Congressional candidate Sam (Siobhan) Bennett explains her loss to Congressman Charlie Dent. As she tells it, local blogs are just too "regressive," and she's going to change that.

"[W]hat I need to do, and what I'm going to do, working with others in my district is keeping that coalition together that worked on my race--feminists, Greens, unions, environmentalists--and forming a federal PAC and putting up our own blog. Right now the blogosphere in my district is uniquely dominated by the regressives not the progressives."

Do you think she's talking about me? Funny, I don't feel like Benjamin Button. Maybe she means fellow blogger Pam Varkony, who does look like she's getting younger every day.

Whoever they are, diabolical "regressives" painted Charlie Dent as a "moderate." "My guy is so UNmoderate, he makes Gerlach look like a tree hugger!" But here's the thing. Charlie Dent really is a moderate. And Sam really is a primal-screaming lunatic whose campaign was so idiotic she had to ask broadcasters of her televised debate to insert a disclaimer to protect voters from her own remarks.

But in her interview, Bennett's loss is blamed on those damnable "regressives."

"Believe it or not, the blogsphere in this district is dominated by ‘regressives’ not progressives. So we are looking forward to getting our own progressive blog up “LV Blue Values” so we can get our voice and our values out there — and make sure local folks know exactly what Dent’s and other R’s voting records truly are."

Bennett was asked, "Do you already have a local blogger lined up? It’s quite a commitment to run a blog."

Her answer? "Understood how time consuming it is to do a good job — but we are determined not to let the 'regressives' continue to dominate."

Wow, we regressives must be pretty bad. But we make great Geico insurance reps. Bashing Sam Bennett? So easy a caveman can do it.

In addition to the regressive blogosphere, Bennett takes aim at the local news industry.

"Another challenge we face in PA-15 is the local paper in Lehigh County (PA-15 is very UNjerrymandered with two counties Lehigh and Northampton predominating) that is so wedded to Dent, they allow themselves to be part of a Rovian cycle of Dent sends a press release, they write about it, Dent makes a mail piece out of it. 'Half truths, lies and inuendos (sic)'. I often felt myself a character straight out of that excellent movie, 'The Contender' when as a candidate for Congress here in PA-15."

Funny thing. Sam blames blogs and newspapers for her failure at the polls when perhaps she should be looking in the mirror. Her parting words? "[D]on’t worry, I WILL RUN AGAIN!" And lose again. I'm not worried.

Those of you who regularly trash this blog should contact Sam Bennett immediately. Why not get paid by a federal PAC for your bon mots? Gee, maybe I'll apply and trash myself. I know lots of dirt about me. It's so easy a caveman can do it.

Sam Bennett on Arlen Specter: "You Just Can't Kill Him"

Failed LV Congressional candidate Sam Bennett, in a blog interview at Firedoglake, actually complains about Senator Arlen Specter's longevity. Pennsylvania's senior senator has been battling an advanced form of Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer, since 2005.

"We are beginning to regard Arlen as the Glenn Close (what WAS that movie with Michael Douglas?) of PA politics — you just can’t kill him." Bennett later adds, "I meant to say 'you just CAN’T kill him' in reference to the unfortunately indomitable Arlen Spector.[sic]"

Nice person, isn't she? Not a single "progressive" condemned her insensitive remark.

I'll have more to say about Sammy tomorrow.

Sam Bennett's Bodyguards

"The dodo bird has landed. I repeat, the dodo is in the nest."

That's Secret Service talk, folks. They use codenames for the people they protect.

According to Morning Call reporter extraordinaire Brian Calloway, former LV Congressional candidate Siobhan "Sam" Bennett, showed up at an election night party with two Secret Service-like dudes. One of them was wearing an earpiece and everything! Local banks must have been concerned she might claim they were folding again.

Allentown's Motto: Stupid is as Stupid Does?

Although I'm a Democrat, I'm no fan of straight-party voting. It originated among resentful Democrats in the post civil war deep South, but its practice today is limited to just fifteen states, including Pennsylvania. It enables the election of weak candidates, the "coat tail effect."

In the last Lehigh Valley Congressional race, it could have easily resulted in the election of Siobhan "Sam" Bennett. Although Congressman Charlie Dent was easily re-elected, he lost in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton. Many city residents just pulled the lever, thinking Sam must be a very nice guy.

Scott Armstrong, who publishes the always-informative Allentown Commentator, has written a short essay about this, aimed specifically at Allentown. But his insight applies to each of the three LV cities.

City Motto

"Stupid is as Stupid Does"

Upon taking time to peruse the election results I noticed that, once again, many of Allentown's Democrats voted straight ticket. By doing so they again threw their support to a proven self serving incompetent. In the past this sort of obedience to the party has meant that confirmed bunglers like Julio Guridy, Dave Howells, Marty Velasquez, and Frank Concannon were given second and third chances to wreak havoc on the city as elected officials. This time Allentown's Democrats sacrificed their integrity to support "Sam" Bennett. Sam was a "known" commodity in the city even before the campaign began, and, true to form, her race for congress was an embarrassment from start to finish. The coverage of her blunders was front page news so no one can credibly claim ignorance as an excuse for their support. No, the truth is much uglier and simpler than that; it is clear that Allentown's Democrat voters would rather vote corrupt and/or incompetent Democrats into office than elect the better candidate if he or she is a Republican. This lemming's approach to party loyalty is a disservice to the city and its residents. Allentown has declined and compromised its future because too many of the city's Democrats continue to place a priority on partisanship rather than good government.

Scott Armstrong

Sam Bennett Campaign Chronology: A Comedy of Errors

Below, in chronological order, I've listed links to stories over the last two years about Sam Bennett's LV Congressional campaign. She's a nice lady with "good hair," but her campaign has been a joke, from beginning to end.

In a heavily Democratic district, how did this happen? When we allow party bosses to preselect candidates, we only have ourselves to blame.

Congressional Rumblings in the 15th District (2/22/07) - State senator Lisa Boscola's flamboyant chief of staff, Bernie "Gonzo" Kieklak, wants to get this message out about Sam Bennett. Never heard of her? Party boss Joe Long is "clearing the field" so she can run for congress.

Boscola's Congressional Hopes Fade, Thanks to Aide's Sexist Remarks (6/13/07) - If Lisa Boscola was ever really serious about running for congress, she isn't anymore. Her chief of staff, Bernie Kieklak, has single-handedly managed to "clear the field" for Sam Bennett.

Congressional Wannabe Sam Bennett: The Gift That Keeps on Giving (6/25/07) - Bennett screw up her first financial disclosure, claiming she has between $150 and $250 million set aside for retirement. "Take three zeros off all of it, and you've got the right answer," her campaign spokesman chuckles.

Sam Bennett's Nonprofit Helping Her Congressional Ambitions (7/11/07) - The Morning Call's Josh Drobnyk, told us a few days ago about congressional candidate Sam Bennett's outrageous $110,000 salary at Properties of Merit, a nonprofit whose annual budget is just $351,000. Most of us believe she simply conned Governor Rendell into a nice $100,000 grant so that she could run for Congress full-time without worrying about a job.

Congressional Wannabe Sam Bennett Takes a Stand ... and Bends Nonprofit Rules Again (8/28/07) - Bennett politicizes antiwar nonprofit.

FEC Thows Penalty Flag at Bennett's Former Employer (9/27/07) - Bennett's former employer, Americans Coming Together (ACT), hit with a massive fine by the Federal Election Commission for their activities during the 2003-2004 election cycle.

Sam Bennett in Congress? (4/24/08) - Bennett in Washington to speak with "special interests." What did she say?

Sam Bennett Interview: Iraq and Foreign Affairs (5/9/08) - Bennett unable to name President of China, France's Prime Minister, Germany's Chancellor, India's Prime Minister, Afghanistan's President, Syria's President or Sudan's President. "I've got to work on that. I'll research it today."

Justice Delayed & Denied to Allentown News Carrier (5/27/08) - Bennett refuses to call police after her own 78 year-old news carrier, is mugged and assaulted outside her home. She gives conflicting accounts about what happened.

The Sam Bennett Meltdown: You Want This in Congress? (7/19/08) - Bennett's bizarre 2001 concesssion speech. "Wuh, wuh, wuh, wuh, wub, wub, wuh nyuk, nyuk, nyuk."

Stop the Presses! Dent Attends Great Allentown Fair! Has Good Time! (8/27/08) - After Bennett falsely accuses Dent of skipping out on Musikfest, Congressman Dent issues preemptive press release to announce that he's attending the Great Allentown Fair.

Bennett Misses Yet Another Candidates' Night (9/5/08) - After continually claiming that Charlie Dent is ducking her, Bennett misses her second opportunity to mix it up.

Sam Bennett Needs Revolving Door for Campaign Managers (9/16/08) - Bennett picks up her fourth campaign manager.

Is Bennett's Nonprofit, POM, Playing Politics? (10/8/08) - The answer to that question is Yes. POM's Board President was forced to resign over that nonprofit's political activity.

BLEEP! Bennett's Fact Free Debate (10/14/08) - In a televised debate between LV Congressman Charlie Dent and challenger Sam Bennett on Business Matters, Channel 69 has to insert a disclaimer before the show ever airs. The station even has to blur her lips and blank her audio. BLEEP!

The Sam Bennett Primal Scream (10/29/08). It used to be "Wuh, wuh, wuh, wuh, wub, wub, wuh nyuk, nyuk, nyuk." Now it's "Ni, ni, ni, ni, ni, ni, ni, ni, nyuk, nyuk, nyuk."

PBS's TEMPO Mires Itself in Congressional Politics

I just got a robocall from state Democrats telling me to tune in to Channel 39's Puff News Tempo tonight. Host Amy Burkett, aka Harriet Nelson, polls a married couple after LV Congressman Charlie Dent and contender Sam Bennett sits down separately for dinner with them - spaghetti and meatballs. Since Democrats are spending money telling folks to tune in, I can only conclude that Burkett, consummate news professional that she is, has already tipped the Bennett camp in advance, enabling them to promote their candidate and her show.

Last week, Properties of Merit Board President Jim Molchany fell on his sword and resigned after allowing Bennett's propaganda minister, Gary Ritterstein, help organize a news conference.
This time, the news arm of another nonprofit crosses the line to help Sam Bennett promote her campaign.

Isn't that nice?

The call came from 616-712-1796 and the automated caller states the call was paid for by the Pennsylvania State Democratic Committee.

The Sam Bennett Primal Scream

About thirty seconds into this video, LV Congressional candidate Sam Bennett treats us to her primal scream. Looks like another meltdown is in the works.

Another Nail in Sam Bennett's Coffin

Sam Bennett for Congress: I Have Nicer Hair!

In last week's televised debate between LV Congressman Charlie Dent and challenger Sam Bennett on Business Matters, I saw something that has never happened in local politics before. Amazingly, Channel 69 had to insert a disclaimer before the show ever aired. The station even had to blur her lips and blank her audio. In a fact free debate, she falsely claimed two local banks, Wachovia and Sovereign, had folded. Needless to say, these banks were less than thrilled at this kind of advertising, which could have resulted in bank runs. As if that were not enough, moderator Tony Iannelli actually had to take a "shoe break" so that Bennett could find some missing footwear.

Last night, part two of that debate aired. Although there were no disclaimers or shoe breaks this time, it was still bizarre. This time, it was hair.

At the end of the debate, Bennett noted that Charlie Dent is a "nice guy" with "nice hair," but went on to claim that she's nice, too, and has even nicer hair. So I guess we should all vote for her.

All righty then.

One More Reason Why Democrats Should Support Charlie Dent

Most Democrats agree that LV Congressional contender Siobhan "Sam" Bennett is a lightweight, at least when standing next to incumbent Charlie Dent. The Express Times, which endorsed Dent on Sunday, notes he "has become authoritative on several issues because he's invested time and effort, such as traveling overseas and investigating alternative energy technology." Some Dems will privately acknowledge this, but plan on voting for Bennett anyway. The argument? A heavily Democratic Congress will enable Barack Obama to push his agenda.

Here's my counterpoint. According to no less an authority than Speaker Pelosi, Dem will increase their majority this November to 250 members. So there's no real justification for pulling the straight party lever to back a candidate whose campaign has been riddled with, among other things, recklessly false statements about the financial stability of two local banks. It makes more sense to put a thinker in office.

Currently, Democrats account for 233 of the House's 435 voting members.