Delaware Political Weekly: August 11-17, 2012
1. Gleanings From the Campaign Finance Reports.
Some stuff that hasn’t been reported that I find interesting. YMMV:
*The Rev. Chris Bullock has raised a pretty impressive amount of money, $42 K overall, with almost $16 K of it coming from contributions of $100 or less. That’s a lot of small contributions for a race this size. Renee Taschner has raised $22K. I admit I don’t know why I’ve seen nothing from the Bullock campaign, and have seen far more activity from Taschner. Maybe it’s just anecdotal, or maybe Bullock is focusing virtually all of his resources in Wilmington. I think that’d be a mistake, especially since he has the dollars to be competitive elsewhere. I don’t care how large the City vote is, it’s only about 11% or so of the county population.
*Cross the Burton/Longhurst race off of the ‘intriguing’ list. James Burton has raised $1150 dollars. Next.
*The Booth/Bodenweiser race doesn’t appear to be attracting big bucks. Bodie has lent his campaign $22 K, and Booth had raised about $20 K, but only a little over $7 K this year. I once again ask our Sussex spies: Is this race actually ‘low-key’? What’s goin’ on?
*The 6 SD race in eastern Sussex could well shatter the record for the most $$’s spent in a State Senate race. In fact, I predict it ultimately will. Staton, Lopez and Urquhart have raised and spent a lot already, and the ante will only be be upped in the general. BTW, Bob Frederick has only raised about $4500, almost all from family. No way he can compete with Andy Staton, who has raised, wait for it…$82K. Yikes! Staton’s also got lots of cash-on-hand.
*If money talks, then Bill Montgomery could still win the Mayoral primary. Already raised $62 K, almost twice as much as Kelley or Williams. However, he’s burned through his money quickly, so he’ll need refueling. BTW, Kelley and Williams have a much higher percentage of small contributions than Montgomery.
*Wow, Dennis Spivack has raised a nice sum of money, but appears to have pissed away even more than he raised on polling and professional consulting fees. How could he have raised over $40 K and wasted it like that? Here’s how: $12K for a pollster and $18,750 for ‘professional advisor costs’. Perhaps the pollster and advisor are recommending that he remain invisible…or maybe he’s polling for someone who can’t afford polling…strange stuff here.
*Sean Matthews has had little success in raising $$’s for his primary challenge of Rep. Dennis E. Williams in the 10th. Less than $3K in contributions and about $6K in loans. Williams has had an aggregate of about $30K available. Matthews should’ve waited.
2. You’re More Corrupt. No, YOU’RE More Corrupt.
Ladies and gentlemen, Tom Gordon and Paul Clark ‘debating’ each other. I’m voting for Shahan. He could be corrupt, for all I know. But Gordon and Clark have already proven to me that they are corrupt. BTW, WDEL, I searched for an audio link, but couldn’t find one. Please feel free to post it here. People deserve to hear this.
3. Is Williams Feeling the Heat?
It could well simply be supporters of other campaigns pumping up anecdotal stories, but we’re getting more reports of his temper showing through. Since the best coverage of the Wilmington mayoral race is being done right here at DL (here’s a great example), we can all follow along. Wouldn’t it be ironic if Williams ends up more closely tied to Baker due to his short fuse than Baker’s own chief of staff?
4.Poliquin Bows Out. Or So He Says.
Barred from practicing law this week, Ron Poliquin announced he was dropping out of the race for the 31st RD seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Darryl Scott. He is still officially listed as running and, as we know, nothing is ever certain in the Bizarro political universe of Kent County (*cough Andria Bennett cough*), but that’s what he said. Fortunately, “The Honorable” can always eke out a living in the squared circle in the game of human chess known as professional wrestling.
That’s it for this week. What did I miss and whaddayathink?
Tags: Bill Montgomery Delaware, Bill Shahan Delaware, Chris Bullock Delaware, Dennis E. Williams Delaware, Dennis P. Williams Delaware, Dennis Spivack Delaware, El Somnambulo, James Burton Delaware, Kevin Kelley Delaware, Paul Clark Delaware, Renee Taschner Delaware, Ron Poliquin Delaware, Sean Matthews Delaware, Steve Tanzer Delaware, Tom Gordon Delaware
I always had the feeling that Spivack’s race against Castle was hobbled by off site “experts” and advisers burning time and money. It was a slow motion campaign made slower (I heard) by his unwillingness to use email.
I see a lot of support for Harris McDowell in the city portion of his district (no surprise there, although I have no idea what he’s done to deserve it), while Dave Brady seems to be the leader in his neck of the district — Claymont, Bellefonte, north Wilmington. Any insight into this race? Also, does anyone know of any plans for a debate here between those two and James Martin?
– Jim Martin is coming to the CLNCC forum next Tuesday but the other two aren’t.
– Celia has a post up about the top 5 endangered incumbents. Clark is on it and Stewart isn’t. Surprise.
By the way, ElSom, I called Mitch to find out details about the various situations that have come up about his run for office including check-gate. He claims that he has no idea whether or not the checks are legal. I don’t know where you got your assurance that they are legal. It was not from the candidate nor from the Dept. of Elections.
Mitch says the person who did the NY fundraising for him is now investigating and if the checks must be returned, so be it.
Also, the idea of quid pro quo wasn’t my main thrust – but if one looks at the tons of other money this person disbursed, he did it with an outcome in mind. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is an agenda in Delaware he is expecting help with. The writing on the success of outcomes related to his political expenditures is extensive. Mitch says he was blind-sided by all of this. Not too swift.
By the way Nancy, the candidate *actually* said that he believes that the checks are legal and he has the person who did the fundraising here double-checking into the LLC ownership. And yes, I checked too. The “blind-sided” was a fabricated detail on your part.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there is an agenda in Delaware he is expecting help with.
You mean, like getting a juicy consulting contract with the IC’s office? You’re *really* asking this question after KWS has funneled I don’t know how much money to her pals for this Captive Insurance boondoggle? You don’t have any credibility left in asking anything about anyone’s campaign contributions since you’ve been looking the other way on one of the most obvious COI issues I’ve ever seen.
Typical Cassandra-speak. If I don’t fall all over myself to fellate your agenda I can’t possibly be credible in presenting mine.
No, Cass all you have to do is click and read the news print. The donations this guy has given in and around NY have all realized a certain agenda from his wish list. It isn’t too far fetched to understand that the 10 thousand dollars he sent to Crane had expectations. Mitch is convinced they weren’t related to the insurance industry….or should I say, he told me that he told the person raising the funds only that checks may not come from the industry. There is no way in hell this person’s track record of taking his skin in the game in terms of specific influence isn’t in play here. (the 10k was reduced by 21 hundred since each of the seven checks were drawn for 15 hundred).
And sorry Cass, if you want to listen in on the conversation then you can have something to say about what was said.
Your guy Mitch said that he had nothing to do with raising the money and has no idea if the checks are legal. His fundraiser is researching whether the donor has controlling interest in his shell companies and will get back to the candidate.
The other things on my plate with Mitch are questions about an uncollected FOIA (I have FOIA’d the the IC FOIA request response to Meyer Persow so I can see for myself).
And also why Mitch sent me a mailer with the title DE IC Regulatory Counsel on it when he never passed the Delaware Bar. Mitch gave me an answer but there are other opinions (one from the Clerk of the Supreme Court and one from the Deputy AG) that paint a different picture. Time will tell what is what on all of the above.
I’ve read the report AND I’ve talked to the candidate. And I’m not the one fabricating a story here to suit your agenda. Certainly not after giving your own best pal a pass on serious pay for play.
But credibility has ALWAYS been your issue. No one knows where real information ends and the spin to create the desired story begins. So if you want to continue spinning up fake tales of your conversations with people you can take up room on your own blog for that.
I have read the report and spoken with the candidate so maybe that means he is the liar, Cass. It aint’ me.
Ruh, roh, do I have to do a screen save because Cass is getting ready to censure my comments!!!
However out of the three of us, you’re *still* the one with the longstanding reputation of a tenuous relationship to the truth.
Be sure to screen capture that.
Celia Cohen moves Bryan Townsend’s challenge to the Watch List:
http://www.delawaregrapevine.com/8-12endangeredincumbents.asp
I would like to ask a Serious question. If the Nov 6th election was today. Who would you vote for in the 7th senate race? Would you vote for the Queen Blevins. Or Libertarian James Christina?
Based on this infantile Web site, there’s really no choice:
http://dellibertarian.blogspot.com/
JM: Man, Celia really offers nothin’. Next-to-nothing but a couple of lines about each race. Let’s play a game: Name her sources. I’m going with Priscilla Rakestraw and Bobby Byrd. And nobody else.
I don’t care About her sources or yours but I betcha her results are better.
Cohen didn’t have to talk to any of her over-the-hill sources to write that piece. It’s all been on DL before.
From what i understand Blevins hasen’t been the best senator in the 7th district the last couple of years so who knows, change is what the 7th district might neeed.
PROOF: Clark’s $107,000 Assistant Campaigning For Him on County Time!
http://any1butpaulclark.com/proof-clarks-107000-assistant-campaigning-for-him-on-county-time/
And still not one word to support the claim that the current insurance commissioner deserves a second term.
I just heard the KWS ad that begins to air on your favorite radio station Monday, Geez.
It lists the IC’s accomplishments to your hearts desire.
I have no doubt that she’ll have plenty of citizen advocates of her department’s good work as well ready to speak for her as well.
I have heard the stories. One in particular was the panic that ensued when Crane allegedly told old folks that their Blue Cross insurance was to be stripped from them, which is bogus and fright tactics. I only heard the deets second-hand, mind you, but am waiting for the corroboration that should be available shortly.
El: When Delaware’s Broder says Bryan’s moved up to the watch list, the villagers rejoice.
Maybe McMuffin makes the next list?
With Marilyn deceased, you’re no doubt on target about her sources.
The IC office has really gone downhill since Matt Denn left.
I’m still waiting for ANYTHING from a candidate for NCC exec. If it wasn’t for reading here I wouldn’t know there was an election.
Shorter Nancy: I just listened to a campaign ad produced by Karen, and yet, I still can’t list a single accomplishment or reason for reelection.
How can someone call oneself progressive and support hacks.
Indeed, Tom. Especially those who, in support of their last unqualified candidate-crush, helped destroy Common Cause of Delaware.
Tom Gordon ran New Castle County like a dictator. There were “ins” and “outs,” and the ins were promoted and pampered while the outs were hounded and harassed. And no, Nancy, I’m not talking about land use.
He and his top aide drove out people on contracts with the county so they could replace them with cops and cronies. They promoted relatives to places of power, not just in the county but in the suburban PAL, which Gordon also ran (officially, he stepped down when elected, but the board remained packed with some of his closest cronies).
I do not keep up on Clark’s sins, not because I find them insignificant but because trying to keep track of one county executive was enough for my lifetime, thanks all the same. If I tried to write down all the stories of questionable behavior — not things that rise to the level of crimes perhaps, but a years-long pattern of behavior thats represents the antithesis of good government all the same — I could write from now through Wednesday.
The closest parallel to Tom Gordon’s administration that I can think of is Richard Nixon’s. Nixon was not stealing money, either — like Gordon, his misdeeds were geared to gaining political advantage, not cash. Yet nobody doubted that the way he ran his presidency represented a perversion of democratic self-government.
Working to deny election to Paul Clark is a progressive activity. Working for the election of Tom Gordon is not.
And still not a single example of Karen Weldin-Stewart’s good works.
I especially look forward to a rousing defense of the sale of Delaware Blue Cross to a legally sketchy Pennsylvania hospital chain, based on a cry of poor-mouth that even Donna Lee Williams would have been ashamed to make.
“I just heard the KWS ad that begins to air on your favorite radio station Monday…”
And how did that happen? Was she previewing it for the public, her campaign volunteers, or her staff?
It’s really sad that neither Peterson nor Kowalko has the balls to run for anything other than a safe legislative seat. Either would have been a credible honest-government candidate for executive.
Please. “Working to deny election to Paul Clark is a progressive activity”….? Just a tad broad ?
How so? His is certainly not what I would consider a progressive administration.
I don’t think either one wants the job, SW. Neither did Kovach, who obviously could have won easily in the general against either Clark or Gordon. “Balls” have nothing to do with it.
I’m having a hard time with the executive race. On principle, I want to vote for one of the candidates who has no shot of winning, but, I wonder if I should try to choose a lesser of the evils that is going to win.
So, will my history friends help me out? We haven’t always had a county executive, several years we’ve been administered by persons perhaps largely notable for their corruption, and no intelligent prospect wants the job? Possible we have a problem?
The county exec position has been a political graveyard. Since the office was established in the late 1960s, the only exec to advance to higher elected office was Chris Coons, and, but for Christine O’Donnell, he would be finishing his second term right now.
(Hate to say this but, if Coons were still in office now, the 2012 race still could have come down to Clark-Gordon.)
Gordon and Clark are merely the latest additions to the list of ethically challenged county execs. (Mel Slawik and Rita Justice, anyone?)
So, if history is any guide, the exec has been administrator in chief, and he/she is not going to burnish a political resume by making sure the grass in the parks is cut, the sewers don’t back up and the library shelves are filled. Not much upside to that.
So the real fun in the office comes from helping your friends, screwing your enemies and hoping the folks in the real estate development community treat you nicely when you need campaign contributions or a little vacation.
Our corrupt county goes back to Levy court days. Good analysis media watch.
I think it was in the Middletown version of the Community News about two weeks ago, and I can’t find the link, but did anyone else notice that Alex Pires made a substantial contribution to John Carney’s campaign?
Bill Conner and Dennis Greenhouse completed two terms as County Executive with sterling ethical reputations intact. Mary Jornlin had a clean four years.
That said, for a certain element, the duties of the County Executive may be described as the near occasion of sin.
Mary Jornlin? I knew she was political, but didn’t remember what office/level she was in.
Of course, I was a wee lass, at the time. 😉
Yes, John, I remember the clean ones too. Just glad I didn’t omit any miscreants from my roll call.
Hereagain, Jornlin was CE in 76 defeating Earl McGinness and was followed by Richard Collins who defeated Joe Farley. Mel Slawick was CE before Jornlin.
Mary Jornlin was also State Treasurer before she was County Executive. Her husband Francis Jornlin was a city councilman & state rep , who represented what was then the 6th Rep District and is now the 4th rep district.
why wont you guys report this??!!
PROOF: Clark’s $107,000 Assistant Campaigning For Him on County Time!
http://any1butpaulclark.com/proof-clarks-107000-assistant-campaigning-for-him-on-county-time/
I can’t speak for the bloggers here, but uhm, maybe because it’s not “PROOF,” as you idiots claim.
Just because something happens during county hours does not mean it’s on county time. People can use vacation time, sick time, comp time, flex time, etc., to take time off. Perhaps she was coming in late that day because she had an evening county meeting! You simply don’t know. So to accuse her of that and say a single email is PROOF reveals you to be the stupid-as-f*ck amateur-hour dumb-*ss morons that you are.
If you had followed through, filed a FOIA request and gotten her work records for that day, THAT might prove something useful. Instead, it appears that you took the lazy-*sshole way out.
Nice work!
What SW said. Now tell us why you’re campaigning for an admitted lawbreaker.
I get calls from home at work. It just gets roped into what one does. Is one penalized for getting up from his desk, walking out his office door, walking down the hall, walking past the receptionist, going out the door, walking down to the bathroom, opening the stall, sitting down for 9 minutes, getting up, closing the stall, putting soap on his hands, turning on the water, rinsing off the soap, turning off the water, dispensing a paper towel, walking back up the hall, saying hi to the receptionist, heading again to the office, walking over to ones desk, and sitting down, then taking a few seconds to catch one’s breath?
I think not. It is an acceptable part of any work day. The same amount of work gets done were I to remain squirming in my seat, looking like I’m working while trying to hold it back for the clock to reach a certain time, or whether I get it out and done with. Every boss knows that…. During the whole time this trip to the stall took place, I could have dashed that email off and sent it, so.. what’s the difference? The work still gets done. Point is if something personal is occupying any person from being fully focused on their job, the sooner that personal task gets accomplished, the more productive any employee will be. Every boss understand that, because it happens to them too…..
But you know what! If trying to pin the entire Gordon/Paul election upon whether an underling did or did not write an email on company time is all you have… then your candidate doesn’t belong in office. In fact, cheg541… you just cost Gordon the election. Because you just reminded me of what it was like back then…. You hounded people. Took one tiny little thing, that makes no difference in the big scheme and just hounded them. They knew you didn’t have a case, but due to the onslaught they had to defend themselves against your kind. and it got nasty, because your side never would just.. let.. go. You know, it’s all coming back now. That is exactly why we all in New Castle County REJOICED when you left office. I remember that fully now, I’d forgotten it’s been so long. Since you’ve been gone we haven’t had it, and you know what, it has been nice…..
The problem is not this employee’s time, maybe 9 minutes… The problem is you., Your character. You don’t care about his time. You just want to hurt. You just want to control You don’t give a damn about New Castle County… If you did you’d find something more substantial than 9 minutes of county time to hinge your entire election upon… What’s sad. is you can’t.
I’m done with Gordon. and thank you….cheg541 for bringing it all back.. I’d forgotten and that brief spell of forgetfulness, well I’d entertained the option of what a Gordon candidacy might have provided. but you, cheg, you brought it all back.. in one instant…. I hope you are happy… I hope Gordon is happy… You are exactly the reason New Castle County cannot stand to have Gordon running the County for any amount of time what so ever…..
You proved it for all to see. I thank you for clearing things up for me. Now I’ve got some work to do. Goodbye.
Clark also allowed a county employee to work on his campaign on county time, geezer. Sure, he denied knowing she was stuffing envelops at her desk. He also denied the list he told her to keep of the people who spoke out about him in meetings was anything but a Christmas card list. And he fired her the day he took the Exec. office because he could.
He also deleted thousands of emails on his NCC account when he realized the Ethics Commission was going to be taking a close look at his business after Coons leaked the Saul Ewing memo to Angie Basiouny.
I agree that the email copy on the post doesn’t prove that Terry Reilly was on the clock at the time. Adam Taylor established that when he wrote the article about it.
Clark has made millions through his wife by positioning himself in NCC government and distorting the code. Now by right and code compliant record plans are potentially huge problems for residents because of these statutory contortions understood only by the legal minds named Scott, Tarabicos, Tucker, and Tracey who ghost wrote them in the last decade.
Gordon absent Freebery is a better choice than Clark and Scott any day of the week. Too bad Shahan and Husband don’t have a shot in hell.
Got e-mails from Baumbach and Grant. Baumbach wants $600 Grant wants $25 or $50.
The brainstrust running that Clark site has Brightfields categorized wrong, the one that Marion Young runs is a local environmental consulting firm, not the MA-based redevelopment group. A lesson in not just looking at the first entry from the Google.
@John Maniford
I was wondering why your against the Libertarian, James Christina. I have looked at the whole website of the link you put up. I do not see anything infintile about it. I do see that there are quates drom the Delaware Liberal. Other then that it seems all up to par. If real change is to happen. All the people on here who do not like Blevins and arein her district need to back her opponent as so that we can finnaly get her out of office. 21 years of Blevins is far far to much.
“Gordon absent Freebery is a better choice than Clark and Scott any day of the week.”
We have no way of knowing that for certain, as Gordon has never served absent Freebery since his rise to police chief. We also don’t know who his budget director would be, and how he’d be able to balance the budget given the continued real estate environment. People forget that when he “consolidated” departments upon taking office, he eliminated vast swaths of county-funded activities: day-care centers for low-income people (yeah, you “progressives” supporting Gordon, bet you forgot how the poor got screwed upon his arrival), all sorts of arts and adult-education programs, even recreational sports leagues that were using county sponsorship mainly for more affordable access to insurance: Out they went in the name of the looming deficit. No such potential savings exist today, unless you start mothballing libraries.
Yes, you can argue that the county should not have been providing such services. Is that a progressive argument to make? It sounds more like the stingy conservative argument to me. If a Republican wants to make it, let him. When a Democrat makes it, let’s not pretend it’s progressive.
Beyond that, the question is, “Better at what?” The battles you fought are for the most part over. The “workforce housing” slums-in-a-box are already legal, the mass-transit requirement already has been consigned to the crapper. The plans for Bayberry and Whitehall and all the Stoltz projects already are in place. Over 5,000 other units have been approved as well. I don’t think there’s much damage left to do, especially in a housing market that still hasn’t recovered in a state where unemployment is double its pre-crash norm.
Keep something in mind: If Clark’s agenda was unpopular, he wouldn’t be able to get it through council. You might not like all the development, but a lot of people depend on it for a living, which means it has a significant constituency. Has Gordon pledged to overturn those measures? Even if he has, how will he do it? None of his council cronies are left except Bill Bell, whom Gordon helped elect (remember the phone bank?) after having hired him on contract as a “liaison” to the volunteer fire community — as if a “community” that gets millions per year from the county needs a hired hand at the county to help it get along.
One of the reasons Australians accepted the introduction of the European red fox to their continent was that they thought it would help control the population of the rabbits that were introduced around the same time. Instead, the foxes preyed on the native animals, and there are more than 7 million of them in Australia today, and even more rabbits.
As you like to say, just sayin’.
Unless Shahan wins, I’m voting Blake in November.
I think you can look to Obama and the dearth of banking and other big business support this time around. Not a builder or attorney has sent a dime over to Gordon. His friend Bhatta gave him $200 but is on the Clark fundraising committee at the same time.
Gordon kept the civics close at hand for advice and council and actually respected them. Not so Clark. He has nothing but contempt for anyone who won’t just let the landowners get away with what they can with the ‘right’ person at the helm.
Clark is that person for his wife’s industry.
And I hate this expression but I will say that I threw up a little in my mouth reading Kavips on Allan Loudell’s post just now after reading what he wrote here earlier.
Gordonbery was a bully and Clark an appeaser? Wrong. Clark has been the biggest, meanest bully of all to the civic community.
We, the public, were literally put under gag orders during the 2012 Comprehensive Plan Update process.
When he chaired the Board of Adjustment people say he loved nothing more than to bring people to tears – POWER does that to people. Gordon is no saint and Freebery was an out and out crook but puhlease, don’t repaint Clark into a picture frame of sweet red roses. Kavips even said that poor Clark couldn’t help that his wife was a land use attorney. THEY GOT INTO THE GAME, WERE PAID HANDSOMELY TO WARP THE RULES and THEY WON. TOGETHER.
At any rate….because of Kavips’ revisionist BS, I am totally motivated to go down to the basement and drag out my 2005 – 2010 notes so I can recount in DE Way blog posts Clark’s extrememly nasty demeanor in his own words, thank you very much.
And by the way, Kavips, the FOP in their neon lime tees are lined up front and center in the video of Clark’s budget presentation eons before Gordon decided to enter the race. They probably were the ones who convinced him to run. They are pissed at Clark over their contract. It is still in litigation.
Whatever deameanor they showed Wed. night was much more about Clark than it was about Gordon.
And on another note, one thing I gleaned from looking at that video yesterday was how Clark is privatizing all sorts of areas of the county but didn’t lay off any staff. In his words, we found them all jobs somewhere else.
Isn’t the point of privatization to reduce the workforce and ergo the benefit obligation? I believe Gordon’s restructuring of county depts when he came into office included a fair amount of staff reduction but I won’t swear to it. I know Coons didn’t lay anyone off when he got rid of Community Governing. He just pissed off the staff because they were all put under Annie Farley’s control and she was a true ‘red-haired step child’ from all accounts.
Whatever deameanor they showed Wed. night was much more about Clark than it was about Gordon.
Which then begs the question about what the FOP (and firefighters) have been promised for this support. Because no matter who is in the office, money is still tight and people deserve to know what it is that goes away to pay for these promises.
I just wanted to add that I would be very interested in what Nancy pulls out of her basement and I’m sure a lot of other people are too…
We know she is very anti-Clark, so the reaction she had, was expected.
And if she offers up her address, I’d be happy to send over some toothpaste…. 🙂
What I gleaned from campaign finance reports is that some city candidates did not file a report.
PJ – It may be that the reports did not get scanned. Call the Commissioner’s ofice & they will tell you if a report was filed and if it was, request that it be scanned.
I would think our candidates are sophisticated enough to use the on-line filing feature. If not these young guys are not worth much.
I thought that on-line filing was mandatory now — or does that phase in?
I thought so too. All I know is I looked for my councilman and his report was not there, but the challengers was.
Paul Clark for local jobs? No way! I just received a campaign mailer from County Executive Paul Clark. He states that he’s “planting the seeds for economic growth,” and jobs in New Castle County. After a little research (looking at his finance report and the mailing indicia), I found out that this mailer was designed by a firm in Bryn Mawr, PA and printed and mailed by another firm in Scranton, PA. Thanks, Paul. I think I’ll vote for the other guy.
Jeezus Christ. There are certainly a lot of reasons not to support Paul Clark, but, most countywide and statewide campaigns develop their lit programs with out-of-state companies. So, too, do many state legislative campaigns. It’s not like the state’s crawling with qualified political consultants. And the lit is produced in such quantity and on such a schedule that they’re printed out of state as well. What the bleep do you want Clark to do? Fork his money over to Charlie Copeland?
Man, I am sick of the shit being thrown in this race.
Hey, at least Tom Gordon acknowledged wrongdoing during last night’s GHADA debate. That’s an important first step towards rehabilitation.
Geez, it struck me last night when Clark again retorted that Gordon should unseal his court records that the guy who may have the most to lose (being a top land use attorney now in private practice) if the truth were out has most consistently been in the room at these debates supporting the incumbent….Shawn Tucker.
What a sweet irony if Gordon were to bare all that is in those tape recordings and the magnificent sleeze of Shawn Tucker was now available for public amusement. From the things I have heard, he really needed the immunity granted him for carrying the wires for what, a year and a half?
I don’t know how to read it –true or not– but Gordon has said that many of the times Shawn was taping him were late nights after Shawn had a few cocktails he’d come into the office where his boss was still at work and engage him in banter. The phrases that may seem enticingly culpatory may in fact have been jests if examined in context. Just sayin’.
04/09/2010 Bronstein & Weaver 24 N Bryn Mawr Ave Bryn Mawr PA 19010 $24,000.00 $12,000.00 – Velda Jones Potter , 2010 Primary.
08/19/2010 Bronstein & Weaver, Inc. 24 N Bryn Mawr Ave #206 Bryn Mawr PA 19010 $1,220.00 $1,220.00 – Velda Jones Potter ,2010 Primary.
06/20/2012 Bronstein & Weaver 24 N. Bryn Mawr Avenue #206 Bryn Mawr PA 19010 $37,085.00 $6,000.00 – Paul G. Clark , 2012 Primary.
– Any Similarities ?
LNCC —
How about … inept direct mail campaign on behalf of candidate who would not take his/her hand out of the cookie jar until it was too late?
What sickens me is that Clark made the statement that the Police were using the death of one of their on as a bargaining chip . . . I and my significant other who retired after that incident after serving 28 PROUD years find that repulsive. Those men went to the bargaining table offering 0-0-0 and were willing to take the 2.5% cut from that point on because they knew that they had worked with a 25% workforce deficit long enough to have recouped the other 2.5% in salaries long before they sat at the bargaining table. Instead Clark took that 2.5% retroactively even knowing that those salaries lost working at a 25% shortage of manpower added to his pot had already put our policemen in danger!!! That makes me SICK!!!!
I understand. I was, uh as I think some of the rules here apply, ” Just checking the Facts”. – No “Hearsay” or ending the persons name with a “Y” , “EY” to try and make it sound cute. I know that’s too much for some one to try and do when she writes about such things….
Nancy: Tom has a malleable memory. Trust it at your own risk. And your dislike of land use attorneys aside, Shawn Tucker worked for Gordon, not the other way around. If he was as sleazy as all that, why was he on the payroll?
From what I understand, the one facing the most embarrassment should the tapes come out is Ron Williams.
Geez, if Ron would be embarrassed, what would that say for Ledford and the few remaining mucketymucks at Creekwood?
If the truth were known, how low would their credibility sink?
Ledford came long after the Gordon stuff. That said, I don’t know why TNJ is treating Gordon with kid gloves — plenty of people have noticed that Clark’s record is getting a thorough airing while Gordon’s record is restricted to his guilty plea. I suppose the lawsuit Freebery threatened them with still scares them.
@ John Manifold I see that you are dodging My question that I had asked you. So does this mean what you said .Was you talking out your ass?
Geezer, I agree. Adam Taylor’s bro-mance with Gordon is out of control. There’s a rumor around council that he was offered the Comm Director position by Gordon. I’m sure that is just rumor, but he’s not helping by the stories he’s writing.
Way to anonymously spread the slime about a reporter who can’t come on here and defend himself. Jackass.
SW, pretty quick to judge, aren’t you. As I said, I’m sure it’s not true. That would be ridiculous, but also something Gordon would attempt. You do have to admit, the reporting has been one-sided. It is inexplicable why the media has been tip-toeing around Gordon.
A decision like that is not made by the reporter.
If it’s not true, why bring it up?
You are a fucking idiot.
Don’t assume either that Gordon has not made an offer to Taylor or that Taylor would not be interested if such an offer were made.
Delaware politics and government circles are littered with former reporters/editors. Many have moved into government because the pay is better, or because government (even if working for someone elected for only a 4-year term) offers more security and hope for your future than does the dying newspaper industry.
Toss in that Taylor has been at the paper for nearly 15 years, that he has coveted but never been assigned the political reporter beat (given in the past few years to less experienced reporters like Gibson, Livengood and Starkey), and that it’s part of a reporter’s genetic makeup to have conflicts with editors, and you can build a case for him moving on if Gordon gets elected.
So it’s not as implausible as some might think. That said, Taylor was around the NJ for much of the Gordonbery administration,and saw much of their bullying and manipulative tactics. I’d be stunned to think he could be seduced by Gordon, but the soft reporting does lead one to wonder … and the lures of better pay and perhaps greater job security can be incredibly appealing to a reporter who is getting tired of what he’s now doing.
I’m not saying Taylor would never take the job, but the editors, not the reporters, determine what you term “soft reporting.”
Mediawatch is correct.
I don’t know about the soft reporting but the article is accurate. This was one of the debates where the questions were “REALLY” difficult LOL. I know even a couple of the candidates asked “was this one of the questions that you gave us?”. Won’t touch the IC better to say nothing than to criticize voting for Crane, leave it at that. Dunn did a great job IMO.
My impressions: Mr. Townsend – Outstanding. Wow if this young man does not win then you guys need to check the machines. Stood out way above the rest. Mr. Baumbach next. Another stand out. Very articulate, passionate, and super intelligent. Clearly an asset to his constituents winner IMO. Rev. Bullock really impressed of the two candidates definitely got my vote.
Leaving the debates two fresh faced kids were handing out xeroxed copies of Gordon’s chronological indictment which to me shows a move of a desperate opponent. These young kids too young to even know better when asked “who asked you to do this?” said Paul Clark. They were being spoken to by a State Trooper as I drove out of the parking lot. Not a good idea whoever is running his campaign, felt so bad for the kids, at least have the decency to put adults in this situation!!!
The debates at Troop 2 will be up soon on the CLNCC website and DE Way. Vince White’s Delaware Real Estate Commission presentation earlier in the evening was also recorded.
Paul Clark challenged White on whether or not new home seller disclosure forms should disclose to a market rate home buyer, in say Bayberry North or High Hook, that they were purchasing a home in a Workforce Housing community.
A market rate home value buyer is still on the WFH Master Plan. By virtue of being in that Master Plan (Pam Scott’s invention – have the FOIA’d docs if anyone wants to see them) the market rate owner heavily subsidizes maintenance org fees, suffers in resale from having 15 year fixed rate lower value homes next door, etc. So why not at least make sure that they are told they are buying into a WFH community before purchasing?
Clark wants to disguise that there are WFH units in WFH communities on the seller disclosure forms of market rate buyers because it might violate fair housing anti-discrimination law. He should have discussed all this with his wife before signing her invention into the county code.
White said the DRC is there to protect the consumer. So the buyer should have all of the information they need ahead of purchase no matter how much harder it may be for Jay Sonecha or Shawn Tucker and Pettinaro to sell homes SoCanal.
media watch, you are one to talk about suspicious connections and ‘writing while paid’ aren’t you? The miserably tainted pap you are writing on behalf of special interests paying you on your web site has been excoriated over on John Young’s blog.
If Gordon was paying Taylor why would every story outline Gordon’s past ethical and criminal dilemmas? It is wishful thinking and very sleasy. I hope Taylor and his editors go after you.
Well, Nancy, I don’t have a website. But if I did, I would defend your First Amendment right to say whatever you want with little regard for the truth.
MW, I think I have it in writing who you are from our past email correspondence, I will check. because I did alert Adam to your identity.
~
“From what I understand, the one facing the most embarrassment should the tapes come out is Ron Williams.”
That got my interest – for sure
(I am reading the comments in reverse chrono order here….).
A lawyer who would know told me at the GHADA debate that Shawn Tucker has said publicly that he was forced to wear the wire in exchange fo getting immunity for ‘a problem’ he was facing – probably related to the goings on at county hall.
We know how it went down for Mario Capano and the kings of SoCanal DEMs, the late Harry and his son Chris Roberts. Capano had to wear an FBI wire to catch Harry, and later Chris, in accepting bribes but Chris had it all go away because he convinced Colm Connolly that he had valuable infomation on Gordon — maybe Chris Roberts is the one with the most to lose if the recordings are unsealed….
(Continued)
Nancy, I have learned over the years to be very careful about how I phrase my writing. If you had read my post carefully, you would recognize that never did I suggest that Taylor was being paid by Gordon. Rather, I laid out a plausible fact-based scenario which could logically result in him going to work for the next county executive.
Like Geezer, I stand by my belief that the NJ has engaged in soft reporting of Gordon during this campaign, the repeated references to his misdemeanor conviction notwithstanding.
I’m not going to speculate as to why the reporting has been soft, and I sincerely hope the NJ puts the hammer to both Gordon and Clark in the next two weeks. (But I wouldn’t bet a cup of Wawa coffee on it.)
To me, the greatest disappointment of this campaign has been the inability of Husband and Shahan to truly identify themselves as ethical and integrity-filled counterpoints to Gordon and Clark. Shahan has been further disappointing in his failure to take on Gordon.
First, nobody said Gordon was paying Taylor. They said he was offered a job. Big difference.
Second, every story “outlines” the bare minimum about Gordon’s past dilemmas, in contrast with the more detailed recaps of Clark’s ethical dilemmas. If you don’t believe me, count the paragraphs devoted to the baggage of each one.
Pointing this out is not “sleazy.”
Give it up, Nancy. Lots of people know far more about this than you do, and you’re getting all your information from Gordon. You know one of the big reasons I don’t respect Gordon? Because every time we met, and it was fairly frequently — far more than I met with any other politician — he was eager to share embarrassing stories about other politicians. He is a smear artist, and from what you write I can see he hasn’t changed.
You’re embarrassing yourself, not least in your embrace of a guy who is anything but liberal. It’s one thing to fight for your causes; it’s quite another to try to elevate Tom Gordon to good guy status. You are not elevating him; you are lowering yourself.
Hi everyone,
I have not been offered a job by Tom Gordon or any of the candidates in the race. There have been no discussions about it, no hints, no winks, no nudges, no nothing. The first time the concept entered my mind was when this totally false rumor hit.
As is the case with most campaigns I’ve covered in the 27 years I’ve been doing this, supporters of one candidate think I’m too tough on their person and too soft on the opponents. They count paragraphs, etc… to prove their point.
I don’t care who wins the race. As always, I’ve tried my best to be balanced. Also, there’s more coverage on all the candidates still to come, including a story that will appear within a week that goes into detail about the indictment against Mr. Gordon.
Thanks,
Adam
Thanks for posting. Gives a few of us one less thing to gossip about. Meanwhile, keep pushing to get all the facts out in this important race. We do appreciate your efforts.
@Adam Taylor hahahahaha that was priceless!!!!! Good for you for coming on here!!!!
Thanks for jumping in to clear this all up, Adam. Looking forward to more of your work covering this race.
Adam’s a hard-edged professional and decent person in tradition of Jeff Montgomery, Tom Curley, Lisa Pope, Rolf Rykken, Bob Frump and Cy Lieberman, each of whom covered county government in generations past. Thanks for posting.
John — what about Terry Spencer and Dennis Thompson?
Sorry to interject, and not to rush or anything, but the election is creeping closer, and was wondering if Nancy had time yet to go down to her basement and drag out her 2005 – 2010 notes so she could recount them on her DE Way blog… We’ve been sitting on pins and needles anticipating her posts documenting Clark’s extrememly nasty demeanor in his own words, …
ah, I see I have struck a wee nerve with our Mr. Kavips Spivak spelled backwards. Patience, dear, is a virtue. For Clark’s mean demeanor in the meantime, please visit the many clips of his candidate debates in recent weeks.
Can’t wait to see Adam Taylor’s in depth reporting on Gordon’s indictment and expect he’ll get something out on the spectrum of Pam Scott-Paul Clarky shenanigans too, considering the amount of basement tapes I’ve forwarded….
Geezer, I have heard about the quibble between you and Tom that was personal and yes, his defenders like to couch as a hater for those reasons.
I don’t necessarily buy into that story nor do I believe everything anyone tells me, especially Tom Gordon. But for your sweeping pronouncement that Gordon is not progressive? Well then you haven’t paid attention to his record in community policing or in the development moratorium and the good government installation of the Unified Development Code meant to counter the rabid purchasing of NCC political votes with a by right, code compliant system.
The ‘industry’ reacted with fury and immediately got to work to destroy the code by elevating people like Clark. I am sorry if discussion of fact about Gordon makes it unbearable to the haters. It is more an effort to ensure that none of this vitriol disguises Clark’s true MO. And no, I haven’t done the best job of delineating that here. As Cass likes to encourage, if you want to listen to Nancy, go to her blog and do it.
All you have to do is browse by hitting labels on the right hand corner and scroll down to Pam Scott-Paul Clarky or Stoltz, or Bayberry or NCC Council, you get my drift.
I have been threatening for some time to dig through the basement.
http://delawareway.blogspot.com/2010/08/chad-livengood-wilmington-news-journals.html
I did dig through and faxed Adam Taylor several Chancery Court depositions (mine and Scott’s) when the prospect that Pam Scott’s pal, Steve Nichols, may have deliberately allowed his historic property to deteriorate beyond repair.
The Historic Review Board at their July business meeting expressed alarm that in order to ‘move forward’ on plans for more development (he is now in bankruptcy proceedings of which a member of our Historic Review Board is a party….) Nichols may have done damage to our heritage so he could make a few more bucks.
I have always maintained that Nichols should have sued Pam Scott, not Friends of Historic Glasgow, Scott and Co. apparently leading him believe he could buy a 236 acre Historic Zoned property, pretend the heritage was meaningless and so ignore it. Their record of active determination to pull a fast one on the citizens of this state is clearly documented.
Instead of the easy sailing he and Scott seemed to feel entitled to, Nichols was forced to spend tons of money in archaeological studies of the prehistoric, Revolutionary and early 19th Century known heritage existing on La Grange farm.
The heritage the citizen’s of Delaware cherish and that Paul Clark’s oath of office have directed him to actively protect.
ah thanks, these early morning screeds always warm me up for my post of the day.
Breaking news! BOTH Gordon and Clark are unethical slime balls, neither of whom deserve elected office. Their only “qualification” is that they are democrats in delaware and they “are” the only choice… there are other Dems running for County Exec and other party members too. I can think of no better way to tell the state party how much they suck for forcing us to choose between these two, than by electing neither. If ya ask me, THIS is Chrissy-O’s chance. THAT might wake em up, Id probably vote for her.
I dont know either one personally, i DO know their public record of crime and/or near-criminal activity in regard to how they are done the job, and that alone should disqualify them.
“Comment by JL on 22 August 2012 at 6:08 am:
Geezer, I agree. Adam Taylor’s bro-mance with Gordon is out of control. There’s a rumor around council that he was offered the Comm Director position by Gordon. I’m sure that is just rumor, but he’s not helping by the stories he’s writing.”
Hey JL, maybe you are in on who sent this ‘rumor’ anonymously to Adam Taylor a few weeks ago? I heard yesterday that this story is not new. Who else knows about it but Paul Clark people? Signs of desperation. And money. A toxic mix.
The most odious stuff though is this reporting from Linda that children were enlisted to distribute Gordon’s timeline outside of Troop 2 the other night. I understand that it was a certain realtor who set the kids up and was observed hanging out with Clark in the parking lot after the forum.
Nancy: With all due respect, you’re grasping at straws. IF you want to talk about his police record, ask him to give you a copy of the report on the NCCo police force that he buried rather than release to the public because it said the force was the most politicized it had ever studied.
The UDC was a good-government move? Really? The wholesale rezoning of parcels without meaningful public comment, the change from mailing notices to neighbors to just putting up an unreadable sign on the property, that was a GOOD government move? Remember, it was the UDC that took power from the elected council and gave it to the unelected land-use office. Under the UDC, council CANNOT vote to stop a project, provided that the project meets the UDC requirements. Therefore the mass rezoning cemented in place changes that the public had minimal input on.
You sound more like you’re trying to convince yourself than anybody else. Those with memories are not impressed.
“Hey JL, maybe you are in on who sent this ‘rumor’ anonymously to Adam Taylor a few weeks ago? I heard yesterday that this story is not new. Who else knows about it but Paul Clark people?…”
Oh, I don’t know Nancy, how about everyone a the Dem Party, where I heard it. Weird how your world doesn’t fit into a nice little conspiracy theory.
Geezer is right. – The General managers can make determinations at their discretion. And, Also,one of the examples of the UDC land maps: In ONE night, the UDC maps which Sherry F. had direct influence over, rezoned Delaware Park from residential zoning ( S , or the old R-2 pre-UDC classification)to CR zoning ( Commercial Regional ) which is the same as Christiana Mall , thereby making the owners of Delaware Park INSTANT Multi-Millionaires, thereby increasing their wealth to borrow more money.
– Of course, Nancy only wants to deal in innuendo, hearsay, thinking she’s history expert and trying to get attention by attempting to speak as if she is an insider.
Well, I see I have at least one Clarky fan – nice name, anony.
So, which entity is one of the biggest supporters of Paul Clark in his career from the very first recorded report? Delaware Park interests, natch.
Not a penny to Tom Gordon.
No developer is giving money to Gordon. I have heard that the ‘industry’ is doubling down – watch for PACs giving going down the home stretch.
You only have to be rezoned once. Ask Keith Stoltz.
And where’s the evidence it’s a Clark fan? An attack on Gordon does not constitute support of Clark.
No fan of either. Clark to say the least! – Well, you got a rise out of me with your “Conspiracy” theory. And, of course, I notice that others have pointed out,, you use the Cutesy Y thing.
Now I see why most people don’t responded to you. I should have known better. I think I’ll go out for a few weeks and try to do something else, like watching paint dry.
And, I thought I was talking about Freeberry and her micro managing, getting involved in everything County Government and even the personal lives of others. She “Owned” Venezsky , Miss “Good Government” from Newark by having “Girl Talk” with her. Then went further to have “Girl Talk” with Moseley to the tune of a lot of money in a Loan which she screwed up on on her mortgage application in one of those fine details of, “The IRS can always get you”. – Freeberry needed more than that one to get her out of office. The things she did, one couldn’t even think to make up! As far as Clark, he should have stayed in the private sector hawking goods for Boscovs.
– I also notice you now go back on these older entries on this topic which was posted on August 17. It is now August 24.
What’s up with that name, Ms.” Swilling” ?