Will Valerie George And Brandon Toole Sell Their Offices To The Developers Before They Take Office?
We will know by Wednesday. That’s when the developers’ go-to law firm is scheduled to hold a fundraiser for both of the newcomers. Think about that: Having just been elected to 4-year terms in districts with huge D pluralities, the two newcomers are poised to (unnecessarily) fill their campaign coffers with bribes from developers and their law firms. Here’s what we’re talking about:
Got that? The law firm of Tarabicos, Grosso & Hoffman LLP is serving as bundlers for the entire development community in order to buy the votes of Council’s two newest members.
What’s stunning, at least to me, is that this is how business has traditionally gotten done in NCC. We’ve already chronicled the fact that the County Executive has been bought and paid for.
Tomorrow (or later today, depending on my degree of ambition), I will chronicle how every single current NCC Council member, with the notable and praiseworthy exceptions of David Carter and Dee Durham, have accepted bribes from developers and their lawyers.
If any Council member takes umbrage at my description of them as bribe-takers, please feel free to come on here and tell the world how having your campaigns funded by developers and their law firms does not constitute bribe-taking. These developers and their law firms depend on favorable consideration from the County to get their proposals approved with the least restrictions on them. They’re not paying off elected officials b/c they value their good government ethics. They’re providing their payoffs to ensure that good government ethics don’t even play a part in the approval process.
Valerie George and Brandon Toole: You’re on the clock. You can publicly reject any funding from the development community and announce that you will neither participate in this fundraiser nor accept the bribes that will be flowing in. Or you can make it clear that you too have been bought off by the people you’re supposed to impartially oversee.
We’ll be watching. And reporting.
Umm… Feel confident the “fix” is in, as noted this is yet another part of the Delaware Way and how “Business has traditionally gotten done”. Based on my observations the developers will do as they damn well please. As ever money will change hands and construction will begin, when the state is over built to the max the developers will target another area and walk away from the carnage.
*Maximum contribution allowable by law is $600 per person.*
I love that this is the only note about contribution amounts.
Sussex county’s cost is being killed by developers
Thanks so much for this series, El Som!!!!!!!!! I am just getting a chance to sit down and enjoy the county campaign finance reporting and the sunshine you’re shining on this travesty of a legislative system.
Meanwhile, on county infrastructures at risk….is this a little bit like Appo SD which keeps on electing Forsten to the school board?
“A lobbyist for the Saudi company buying up drought-striken Arizona’s groundwater for export has been elected to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, which has oversight of water disputes.
Arizona is undergoing a severe water shortage.”
https://twitter.com/kenklippenstein/status/1597298275367161857
I had been so focused on the General Assembly and the politics of Dover that I had no idea that this was going on.
When we talk about the ‘casual corruption’ of the Delaware Way, this should be Exhibit #1. The council members get bought off before they even take office.
Frankly, I’m stunned. Time to recruit candidates who will pledge to not accept contributions from the development community. We’ve got two in Carter and Durham. We need more.