Tales of Corruption from Tom Gordon’s NCC — Coverups, Double Dealing and GA Senators
First, go look at WDEL’s story on this. The story as currently released alleges that an employee of the county (and husband of Bethany Hall-Long) took confidential records of low-income housing residents in order to run his own personal phone bank for his wife.
A confidential source implicated Hall-Long’s husband, Dana Long, in allegedly using his position as a Section 8 housing property inspector–a contract position within New Castle County government–to lobby for his wife’s state Senate re-election bid.
A confidential source told WDEL that Long took the county’s protected contact list of low-income housing residents and cold-called them–on his own time–urging residents in his district to vote for his wife when she faced Republican John Marino in her 2014 re-election bid.
Long’s contract position involves investigating whether residents of subsidized housing are in compliance. Some residents apparently felt intimidated by Long’s phone calls, with one even lodging a formal complaint with the county. The source said Long admitted to taking the list, and that Long’s actions could potentially hamper the county’s ability to administer U.S. Housing and Urban Development programs.
And Tom Gordon’s reaction to hearing about this abuse from a county employee:
New Castle County Executive Tom Gordon, who’s also running for re-election, found out about the alleged abuse of power four to eight months after the November 2014 election and didn’t fire Dana Long. In recorded conversations exclusively obtained by WDEL, Gordon is heard admitting Long should be fired, but his wife is “too valuable.”
“I don’t want him fired, that’ll cost us $12 million–(Bethany Hall-Long’s) one of the ones I was counting on,” said Gordon. “We’ve got to find a way around that…here’s the problem, if you’re going to fire someone you do it when it happens, you don’t wait a f—— year.”
When it looks like WDEL was going with this story based on the recording they got, they started with the threats:
“If the alleged recordings are, in fact as you say they are, being a conversation between two county employees and the content is about a county employee…the content would be privileged as a personnel matter,” Timothy Mullaney Sr., New Castle County chief administrative officer threatened through a spokeswoman. “(WDEL) have been put on notice that if you knowingly release privileged protected material you could be liable for the breach of confidentiality of the personnel matter, which could result in legal action.”
I’m not a lawyer or an HR person, but this doesn’t seem to be a personnel matter when all you are doing is covering up for this misbehavior. Still, Mr. Long was in trouble over his wife’s campaign previously, having been caught stealing signs (and how did he keep his county job after that, really?).
Tom Gordon is failing in his duty to the county here. He shouldn’t be covering up this kind of misbehavior with county resources, no matter the cost. Because now people are now confirmed in thinking of his administration as an utterly corrupt one and BHL gets painted with that same brush. And if BHL is OK with her husband cutting these corners on her behalf, she shouldn’t be Lt. Governor, either.
Tags: Bamboozled!, Bethany Hall-Long, Corruption, Featured, Tom Gordon
Oh wow. It seems that sign stealing may only be a symptom of overall bad behavior.
This should come as a surprise to no one. I’ve heard rumors of alleged small-time sleaze from the BHL camp since my own blogging days. Though, I have to say, never thought they’d graduate to potential federal crime.
The sign stealing didn’t really touch her because she had an arm’s length excuse. I wonder if this will.
It will certainly stir the pot.
This quote is also interesting in that it may document the quid pro quo with the Democratic Elected official in Southern New Castle County for the Port Penn Farm Land Deals with Warren & Lester:
“I’m telling you, if we lose this f—— woman, we’re on a string right now of support with Karen Peterson going against me,” Gordon said. “This is one strong woman who has clout down there in terms of farmland preservation…any possible way we can discipline him or something, but firing him?”
It has been hard to understand why so many were supporting these $30K/acre “ag preservation” land deals for easements, not land purchases. I wonder if the cover up and a job for the Senator’s husband was the payoff for her support, and the support of Bruce Ennis, Bill Powers, & Bill Bell? They stay pretty close to the nest, even if the egg is rotten, south of the canal.
I wonder if there is more to this story. Hope they peal back the onion.
speaking of wdel, i caught susan monday by mistake this morning. apparently she cannot name a single author who has lived in delaware or written about the state. no clue. how does this know-nothing have this job?
more to the point, of course: gordon is really a scumbag.
In the interest of fairness, Gordon (being corrupt) projects corrupt behavior onto BHL. Who knows how sound his prediction is, or if it is based on prior experience.
That said… Jesus what an idiot that Dana Long is. I mean, really dude.
BHL’s husband’s behavior certainly helps paint the corruption behavior too. Making off with Section 8 contacts lists? Off the charts uncool.
Uncool is one way to say it. Another is betraying the trust of the people he was hired to serve. Taking advantage of people who have next to nothing through implied threats against their minimal standard of life just to get a few votes for his wife.
Glad we don’t have these corrupt legislators in Sussex county
I’ve had a chance to interact with BHL over the last few years. She seemed to make it clear that she wanted no part of the farmland deal, or Gordon administration. I have to agree with Jason330, Gordon’s corruption seems to envelope anyone in his general vicinity.
I’ll be curious to read her response to this. Even though she may (once again) be an innocent by-stander, a picture of someone starts to form, and once that picture is locked in you can’t get it out of the voters mind with an 8lb. Stanley Fatmax Antivibe Engineering Hammer.
Mullaney’s yet another ex-cop using intimidation tactics to threaten those who would expose the rampant corruption of this administration.
The fact that Gordon ‘needs’ BHL (for what?) is for me a disqualifier for her as LG.
If this story is true, then the Feds should come after Dana Long with both barrels. And the corrupt officials who covered this up.
It is time for the breakup of ‘Copland’. A buncha ex-cops and their relatives getting rich on taxpayers’ money. I’m sick of it.
BTW, 19703?: “I’ve had a chance to interact with BHL over the last few years. She seemed to make it clear that she wanted no part of the farmland deal, or Gordon administration.” WTF does ‘she seemed to make it clear mean’ and how does she explain her husband’s involvement with that cast of characters? Nice try at deflection, though.
We get threats constantly from NCCo. employees whenever we post something about Gordon. It’s their bullying MO.
Dana Long’s job with the county is making sure people living in low income, Section 8 housing are in compliance with federal regulations – meaning Dana Long can get people kicked out of their federally subsidized housing.
Dana Long stole a confidential list of people living in low income, Section-8 housing, and shook them down to vote for his wife.
This is clearly voter intimidation, people with few resources and few options for housing were pressured to vote for Bethany Hall Long (or certainly face homelessness in some cases). Shameful and disgusting behavior that makes stealing campaign signs pale in comparison.
With so many good choices for Lt. Governor, why would we vote for someone whose campaign scared low income people into voting for her? And does anyone believe BHL was (again) unaware of what her husband was doing? I know one thing, I don’t want a state senator or a Lt. Governor who is so desperate to keep their job they will stoop to this kind of sickening behavior.
This is abuse of power and corruption. Bethany Hall-Long knew this was happening and was ok with it. Ridiculous!
This is strike two for Dana Long. I was willing to roll my eyes at the sign stealing incident. But this new thing is much more egregious, and I am no longer willing to give BHL the benefit of the doubt that she is not involved or aware of it.
Finally, this is not guilt by association. Gordon made clear on the tape why they wouldn’t fire Dana Long. He needed BHL’s vote against cutting the county’s portion of the realty transfer tax.
Here’s the quote:
“We got her (vote) because of her husband.”
Well, she’s proven that she’s well-suited for Delaware higher office in that we know she’s for sale like the rest.
The Feds need to investigate this cesspool that is the NCC Executive Office. Maybe Matt Denn could actually look into this, Delaware Way be damned for once.
It means when asked about her opinion on the county farmland and Gordon admin. she said she wants not part of them.
Pretty clear, I thought. I never mentioned her husband. That speaks for itself.
Looks like my Lt. Governor choices are down to Brad Eaby, Ciro Poppitti and Greg Fuller. I have eliminated all the women as being too corrupt or incompetent, or too Republican.
“We got (own) her because of her husband.” Because the government contracts with Mr Long, Gordon gets to own a Senator. How many other elected officials does he own via sweetheart contracts and jobs?
Sen Henry, who i normally respect, is actually supporting Gordon for the first time in 20 years. Tom employs her son too. Is this how he survives?
BTW, we’ve passed the point of no return on this. David Grimaldi is gonna bring this entire administration down, and he’s gonna bring along quite a few others as well. About damn time.
Gordon should’ve shoveled a whole lot of money at him to keep him quiet.
This is…GREAT!
19703, you made it clear. If she said it, it clearly wasn’t true.
“We got her because of her husband.”
Game, set, match.
Wonder who’s next up for Carney’s LG choice…he sure knows how to pick ’em.
Of course it’s two men who lead to the downfall of a leading female political figure. She’s a nice lady but this is abuse of power.
@El Somnambulo I agree with you. Grimaldi’s hand prints are all over this. The lord giveth and the lord taketh away. Should be interesting.
“Wonder who’s next up for Carney’s LG choice…he sure knows how to pick ‘em.”
A couple of hours ago you had her on an 8 year trudge to being another dreary Governor.
Yep, sure as bleep didn’t know that this was in the works.
Hey, I used the word ‘dreary’, didn’t I? Didn’t know about the other stuff.
Glad we don’t have any corrupt legislators in Sussex County
It is just crazy. I don’t get Dana. BHL was clearly going to win that race against John Marino. She won by an okay margin even AFTER the sign stealing story broke. Why would he get into all this petty & major illegal shit? It makes no sense. Did she know he stole the lists and made those calls? How could she not know? Why was she so worried about that race?
I don’t think the story makes clear whether he did the illegal calling before or after he stole the signs.
The margin was certainly much closer than it would have been had he not stolen the signs.
I think the answer as to why?: (1) Most politicians are totally insecure; and (2) She wanted the margin to be so large that it would jump-start her run for LG.
Oh, and as to Dana’s motives? Some people have no regard for ethics or the law.
I’m sorry but the story from WDEL appears to have a single, unnamed source. And then Grimaldi, who its not clear from the story, may also be the original source (who else would have provided the tape?)
Where is the complaint that was filed? Who are the people that said Dana “cold called” them directly?
This smells like a total hatchet job. I can’t believe WDEL would run with a story that didn’t have better sourcing.
Seems pretty damned well-sourced to me. A tape on which Gordon says he can’t fire Long b/c his employment bought BHL’s vote. Same tape shows that Gordon acknowledges what Long did and that he wanted the person fired until he found out who it was.
We also have the ex-cop/Administative Whatever threatening WDEL.
Hard to figure out what additional sourcing you need when you’ve got a first-person narrative from the key conspirator on tape.
A tape that I am hoping they’ll make public in its entirety!
Because Tom Gordon is politically calculating or paranoid is not news.
The audio tape – of which we have conveniently edited snippets and not an entire recording or transcript – does not show that Dana Long committed a felony. Sorry, it doesn’t.
I’ve actually never seen a news outlet publish such a thinly sourced, reckless story.
“I’ve actually never seen a news outlet publish such a thinly sourced, reckless story.”
Never? The Washington Post reported that there were 147 FBI agents investigating Hillary Clinton. Their only source for that was a single member of Congress (and almost certainly a Republican member). They didn’t have Director James Comey on audio tape confirming the number of agents.
Of course, subsequent media reports have said the actual number is around 12, which means the Post was only off by a factor of 12.
I’ve seen plenty of organizations run with thinner sourcing than an audio tape from a county executive confessing to a cover-up. WDEL seems on solid footing here to me.
Where is the evidence that Dana Long did that? Where’s a copy of the original complaint? Who was the complainant?
Was there more than one source or was the original source the same as the named source?
Did Amy Cherry do any work to see if the County had looked into the matter and what they found? Did she talk to anyone who actually received a call from Dana Long?
Who has editorial control over Amy Cherry’s work?
Gordon is on the tape saying to fire him, then, when he finds out who it is, saying to not fire him b/c of BHL’s vote that’s helping him.
If the guy did what Gordon said to fire him for, using his position to illegally access Section 8 documents to make political cold calls, and Gordon then chose not to fire him due to political expediency, that’s a cover-up of a Federal offense.
While Long may or may not be tried and may or may not be convicted, the fact that an ex-cop chose to sweep it under a rug for political reasons is cause for a criminal investigation. The entire sordid affair is.
Which, by the way, is a major problem here. All the ex-cops have Gordon’s back, and vise versa, but nobody is protecting, say, the Section 8 folks who were called by the guy who could throw them out of their housing. The county leadership is utterly corrupt.
That’s one problem with so many cops around. They not only know how to investigate, they know how to hide things from investigations. The thin blue line lives even when they’ve left the force.
I think that everyone sees that but you, JTF. But I’m sure you’ll get a pat on the head from Gordon on this. Good work.
I can confirm that David Grimaldi was not the original source. It was raised to several of us in the SNCC area, and as we tried to find confirmation we learned that a recording existed.
Given all that everyone knows about Gordon and the way he operates, I’d believe all of this even if there wasn’t a tape.
BTW, Gordon now has a Republican opponent. Barry Nahe, who either is or was an Engineer with NCC Special Services, has just filed.
US Atty Charlie Oberly and the feds need to seriously look into this….bottom line.
Did Dana Long identify himself — either by name, or as the Section 8 housing inspector — when he made those cold calls? It wasn’t clear from the story. It’d be a hell of a lot more coercive if he did.
“just to get a few votes” from the sec. 8 residents??? That’s all she needed, it was just over 200 votes that got her the win I believe. Small state, smaller vote count= every vote counts! And Delaware Dem, trust me on this one, besides his minions who continue to kiss his a$$, NCCo employees do NOT have his support this upcoming election.
Cliven, I’m assuming he did use his position (name included) as the article stated that one resident lodged a complaint as they felt intimidated. I take it as “vote for BHL or I’ll cite you for non-compliance”…..something to that effect
Wow. 267 votes was the difference. 6230-5963. Probably would have been somewhere around a 700-vote difference, or more, w/o the sign-stealing.
I’d really like to know whether the calls took place before or after he stole the signs.
I mean, if it was AFTER, talk about doubling down on criminal behavior…
There’s no yard signs made a 400-vote difference. C’mon.
Here’s the News-Journal article:
http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2016/04/05/gordon-address-recordings-alleging-cronyism/32576159/
Bullmoose, people don’t like allegations of cheating or stealing. Between people flipping their vote, or just not voting for the candidate, I have little doubt that it significantly reduced her margin of victory. You don’t think that, in an election where over 12,000 votes were cast, this didn’t hurt her to the tune of at least 400 votes? If anything, I think 400 votes is on the low side.
GORDON 2016
^^^ Can I ban him?
😉
I suspect we will miss Al Mascetti more than ever today.
Yes. Mascitti would be all over this thing…we miss Al a lot!!
susan monday just said tom gordon is a republican. god do we miss al.
I know. When callers have to correct the local hosts on basic things like that, its embarrassing. Speaks volumes!! Its because down in Sussex, almost all the elected are Republicans. She has no feel for New Castle County.
El som is dead on.. The sign issue hurt her and everyone on the ballot in southern NCCo dramatcially. Look at the returns from that election and compare her performance in that area from previous elections. #’s are clear. But anyone who knows BHL can tell u that she is working almost 24/7 and it would be very easy for her spouse to pull these antics off without her knowledge. Her opponent last election is historically vicious and it’s very likely that BHL’s husband took matters into his own hands based on anger … With that being said… Gordon refers to “the kid” in these recordings and isn’t Dana Long approx the same age?
Why be surprised that Tommy referred to Dana Long as “the kid” in a conversation when he also had to be told that BHL was his wife? When you’re hiring the children of your pals, you can’t be expected to keep track of every political connection.
And it’s not like Tommy would ever think to ask who the county has put in charge of processing Section 8 applications. When done properly, it’s just a dull, mundane bureaucratic job.
But anyone who knows BHL can tell u that she is working almost 24/7 and it would be very easy for her spouse to pull these antics off without her knowledge.
What is she busy doing? I’ve only been able to find one class at the U of D that she’s taught in the past 2 years.
Gotta love this quote from the NCC statement
“Before any statement,” he said, “we are researching what can be said publicly without violating the sanctity of personnel confidentiality guaranteed by Delaware state law.”
Go ask Dave Grimaldi about NCC’s “sanctity of personnel confidentiality.”
http://www.nccde.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1067
The News Journal reported correctly what I said yesterday: The WDEL story had one source. It was misleadingly written to make it seem like it had two sources.
There’s not going to be a correction on this blog that what was written here and touted was, in fact, wrong?
What was wrong? If BHL escapes this, I’m calling her Conner McLeod because she is a political immortal.
Uh no, we are not making any corrections. The WDEL story comes from a tape they have (you can listen to it) and from Grimaldi’s confirmation that the tape is real.
JTF, you’re going to have to apologize to everyone here for not only being wrong, but for being an asshole about it.
I think what JFT is saying, and I could be wrong, is that the tape only confirms that there was a cover up of SOMETHING involving Dana Long. That much is clear. But the underlying allegation as to what Dana Long did that was covered up, that is only based on one source. Grimaldi’s confirmation is only to the accuracy of the tape, but the tape excerpts don’t actually mention what happened.
Not that I think that distinction is going to make much of a difference…but it’s possible there’s more to the underlying story than the one source has said. I imagine there will have to be a criminal investigation that will figure it out.
JTF is correct in saying that WDEL went with what was essentially a one-source story. They should have flatly stated that Grimaldi’s voice was on the recording and that he provided it to them.
But that bit of shoddy phrasing aside, it’s quite clear that the contents of the recording put both Gordon and BHL in an uncomfortable position. I have little reason to doubt the authenticity of the tape, but I have yet to see any statement that the recording both WDEL and the NJ have heard represents 100 percent of the conversation — with no deletions or edits
Bottom line: the tape speaks for itself. JTF is dreaming if he thinks a critical reading of the original WDEL story is going to make Tommy’s problem go away,.
I wonder if JTF (or family) works for Gordon lol
@JTF: Did you complain to the station, or just here? What did they say?
We can put an end to this nonsense once and for all by voting for any of his opponents in the Sept. primary. Lord knows what mess the next county exec will uncover once they get in there. Gordon bangs the drum that he has never raised taxes, yet left county in such financial straits after his first eight years Coons had to be the bad guy and raise taxes by nearly 50%. Even without the “Grimaldi Tapes” (our own Panama Papers?) the fact that there are a record number of ethics complaints speaks volumes.
“susan monday just said tom gordon is a republican.”
C’mon, everybody knows he’s a national socialist.
Bethany Hall Long has a history of making bad decisions! Why doesn’t someone find out why she never graduated from University Of Delaware??