Trouble In Camp BHL?
Does this story have legs and, if so, what the bleep is going on?:
Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, who is running for Delaware governor in 2024, announced Thursday evening that she is conducting an audit of her past campaign finance reports after possible issues have come to light.
Hall-Long said in a written statement this audit came after she “requested a review of my past campaign finance reports and learned there may have been reporting issues that require attention.”
She said she is working with “independent campaign finance experts and forensic accountants to thoroughly audit the finances.” She released a statement after “friends and constituents have asked about the status of my campaign.”
The candidate has canceled two fundraisers in recent weeks, according to emails obtained by Delaware Online/The News Journal. One of these was supposed to be hosted this month by Gov. John Carney, who quickly endorsed her when she announced her candidacy.
It’s not immediately clear if her campaign is suspended and if she is currently taking donations. She has not posted on her campaign Facebook page since Sept. 15.
Sounds serious to me. OK, spies, what’ve you got?
Several of her top advisors who have been close to her for years have left the campaign. Will they talk about what spooked them? One can hope.
Her campaign manager and finance team have also quit. Clearly, this isn’t a small issue….
Wow. It sure SEEMS like a big story.
Who will John Carney anoint next? Mike Purzycki? Maybe they can change places. You know, for the sake of the Chamber.
I mean, it’s hard to imagine Matt Meyer just waltzing to the nomination. But, if BHL abandons the race, who would have the $$’s to run?
Del Dem over at Blue Delaware speculates that there’s likely some sort of investigation that precipitated this, which makes sense to me.
Pretty sure that her current campaign treasurer is, or was, from Rhode Island.
However, if you go back to BHL’s filed annual reports for 2020 and 2016, the years she was elected Lt. Governor, you will note that nobody signed the reports as the Treasurer of Record.
Couldn’t have been the Sign-Stealer serving in that role, could it?
Why, yes, yes it could. This was added to the News-Journal story:
“Hall-Long’s husband, Dana Long, previously served as her campaign treasurer for her current fundraising committee, according to Delaware’s Campaign Finance Reporting System.
He is listed as serving in this role from Jan. 25, 2021 to May 2, 2023, according to the website.”
Scooby sez: “Ruh-Roh”.
BHL canceled a major campaign event yesterday due to a personal matter. Maybe she meant “personnel matter”
I’m hearing it’s both.
It’s a big story all right. State Senate and House members are scurrying around and trying to decide what to do. Have to leave it at that.
Matt Meyer is the happiest man in Delaware tonight.
If anything, we’ve understated this. You don’t have your entire campaign team quit, many of whom have been with her for a long time, unless there’s fire along with the smoke.
Calling Eugene Young, Collin O’Mara, Kathy Jennings, et al. …time to step up. We need a viable alternative to Meyer.
This.
Why? Against what MAGA freak are you measuring viability?
I think they mean viability against Meyer, who’s tainted because he’s backed by the non-MAGA Republicans.
Are you suggesting that Matt Meyer attracts support from people who aren’t crazy?
Whoa.
I don’t know what’s not to like about him. IMO he’s disliked by all the right people.
C’mon, man, let’s be real here. I support Matt in a race against BHL, but I find stuff I don’t like about him. I’ve even written about it–especially his penchant for filling his campaign war chest with developers’ money.
Some of the people who don’t like him would never be mistaken for Delaware Way regulars. So, while he’s disliked by many of the ‘right people’, he’s also disliked by some for whom I have the utmost respect.
Also, when the primary is the race, as is almost certainly the case here, the voters deserve choices. Personally, I didn’t like either choice and was hoping someone else would step in, but even devotees of one or the other currently filed candidate should recognize that if either of them goes down in flames this far out from election day, voters are better served when they have real options.
Meyer is also liked by some of the wrong people, mainly the Alan Levin wing of the GOP – you know, the Chamber non-crazies who migrated to the Democratic Party because their own party is populated by zombies who haven’t gotten a proper dose of brains.
Looks like the problem may well be the ‘Sign Stealer’. The News-Journal has updated its article:
“Dana Long has in the past created major headaches for his wife’s various campaigns. In 2014, when she was a state senator, Hall-Long admitted that her husband stole Republican political signs, which were along a road in Middletown. This came to light after a video showed him carrying signs to his car.
He was also accused of “abuse of power” when he served as a housing inspector for New Castle County. Hall-Long defended her husband against these claims. He does not work on her gubernatorial election campaign, a campaign official said Thursday.
Allison Murray, of Rhode Island, has been in the treasurer role since May 2. She is a partner of CFO Compliance, a firm that works with Democratic candidates and specializes in “state and local candidate compliance”.
I’ve heard more–as in misuse of campaign funds. Can’t report any more until confirmed.
Excessive loyalty to a shithead husband is an esteemed virtue in some parts of the country. Provo Utah and the The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) counties of Arizona come to mind.
We just need to do the math. Dana Long served as Campaign Treasurer ‘from Jan. 25, 2021 to May 2, 2023’, according to the DOE website.
He then was replaced by ‘Allison Murray, of Rhode Island, (who) has been in the treasurer role since May 2. She is a partner of CFO Compliance, a firm that works with Democratic candidates and specializes in “state and local candidate compliance”.
Seems totally clear that Dana Long did something that precipitated an emergency move toward ‘state and local candidate compliance’.
I find it admirable that BHL has stuck by her hubby even though it’s politically-inconvenient to have done so.
However, how could she possibly have granted this screw-up unfettered access to her campaign funds? Don’t know if she can undo the damage he’s caused.
My prediction, possibly inoperative by tomorrow?: The Delaware Way denizens will try to circle the wagons around her until/unless her campaign is no longer feasible.
Agreeing with Blue DE on this one, there wouldn’t be chatter if there wasn’t an investigation. Funny bc the earlier rumor I heard was about one of our Congressional candidates using money from their state account in their federal race. And I’d bet one of the Congressional candidates does switch races now… so long as they have nothing to hide. Maybe, finally, there is some universal attention to these reports
Agree on the first, dunno about the second.
It’s clear that BHL’s campaign had to be aware of financial irregularities no later than May of this year, likely much earlier when you look at the mass staff exodus. Otherwise, you don’t replace her husband with an out-of-stater whose expertise is campaign finance compliance.
As to who replaces her if BHL drops out, keep in mind that we’re at least initially talking about the ‘Delaware Way’ lane. Those are the would-be kingmakers looking for an alternative. Starting, no doubt, with Carney and Carper. Which is not to say that others not aligned with the Delaware Way couldn’t step in.
It’s all clear as mud–which is just the way I like it.
Who do y’all think will carry the Delaware Way banner if BHL can’t continue?
Young.
I think Sen. Townsend probably has the banner rolled up in his garage, ready to go. Certainly the risk is coming from inside the Hall, or BHL wouldn’t have made such weird calls to the caucus there?
Word has it that the House was clued in, perhaps as recently as last night.
As for the rest of us…tick, tick, tick…
Visit bethanyforde.com. First thing you see is a pop-up soliciting campaign contributions.
id imagine thats standard for any campaign site
At this stage in the game if there is even the slightest malfeasance she has to drop out. It’s time to begin requiring politicians to be above board and clean. As stated he was treasurer for her campaign till May. My guess is someone on her staff found the issues, she wanted to cover them up and they threatened to go to the press. So, finally 4 months later he couldn’t be covered up anymore.
As you said, that’s a guess.
I won’t be calling for her to drop out until we hear the story, which we undoubtedly will.
For all my reservations about her as Governor, she is an extremely-accomplished person who has an inner drive that I have rarely, if ever seen.
Sounds weird, but I’m rooting for her to get through this.
An inner drive to pose in front of every camera she sees with that inane grin.
“look at that face!”
ok, donald.
if her(emphasis on her) appearance is really “one’s” go-to issue, i feel like the Dem primary is the wrong place for “one”.
Your quote isn’t what he said. That you interpreted it that way, rather than that she’s a publicity hound, says more about you than about SW.
I’m more turned off by her calling every member of the GA to pre-spin the story. I don’t trust her and, given this scandal, probably never will.
I agree with you Som.
Fuck, so we’re stuck with Matt Meyer?
Cmon, Eugene! this is your chance. switch what you’re running for and walk into the Governor’s mansion.
Beat up on pharma and the banks, destroy the carperTOcarney dynasty then knock off Chris Coons when he tries to slither his way to another term. Odd’s are in a few years we wont be in the same country as most of the Magatland, so theres a real chance to make a serious impact on NewAmerica.
Why Eugene? How about Sarah?
This is a great opportunity for Sarah! Gov. McBride… why not?
I don’t think it’s an insult to say that I think Young would make a better governor than McBride would. Do you disagree?
There’s an important question here: Which candidates/prospective candidates are reevaluating what they’re running for, and/or are thinking of jumping in because of the seeming unraveling of BHL’s campaign?
I too think that Young is better suited for Governor and McBride is better suited for DC. Especially considering McBride’s time spent in DC and on the Hill.
I think Young would make the better governor because he has executive experience. McBride does not.
Well, there ya go. Slam dunk.
I don’t expect it to happen. From his perspective the congressional seat is the easier hill to climb.
And Eugene’s experience as a legislative aide to Cory Booker holds no value? He’s probably got more connections but of course, the group of 5 commentators on this blog are obsessed.
First of all, I’ve already said I’m leaning towards Young because he needs the win more than McBride does, so your last clause is bullshit.
Second, again, how can you take my stating the fact that he has more executive experience as an insult? The fact that you have indicates you’re looking to be insulted, facts be damned.
Third, Cory Booker isn’t exactly Mr. Influence on Capitol Hill, and I’m not impressed with his politics of naivete, either. So spare me that line of reasoning.
Fourth, I get at least one fundraising request a week from Young, but none from McBride, so my takeaway is that Young is short on money. Not a selling point.
Fifth, the Young backers are the ones who appear obsessed. And when someone keeps attracting insult-slinging assholes, it makes me less inclined to vote for that candidate. So you might want to rethink your approach.
EY was Booker’s aide in New Jersey, not in DC. You don’t get much Congressional experience traveling around New Jersey. You do, on the other hand, get Congressional experience helping to lead efforts to pass legislation through Congress.
Matt Meyer stands a great chance of becoming Coons 2.0, a county exec who lucks into a higher office due to an opponent’s unexpected failing.
The concern that he becomes Coons 2.0 on policy is quite real. Coons talked a good progressive game when he campaigned and we saw what happened. I see Meyer becoming yet another typical DelaDem, vocally progressive on social issues and in lockstep with the Chamber of Commerce on damn near everything else.
P.S. to Emma: What’s your game? Has Eugene promised you a job in Washington? You’d have more opportunities to troll on his behalf if he settled in at Woodburn. (BTW, I like both Eugene and Sarah and wish they weren’t running against each other.)
What? Because I support Eugene for Congress, it has to be for a job, and I’m “trolling”? Nice!
“Coons talked a good progressive game when he campaigned and we saw what happened. I see Meyer becoming yet another typical DelaDem, vocally progressive on social issues and in lockstep with the Chamber of Commerce on damn near everything else.”
I couldn’t agree more. Meyer and BHL are both Delaware Way candidates for different reasons.
It’s an open question whether Delaware can elect a non-Delaware Way candidate for governor.
If we’re thinking about the same people, El Som, the “mass exodus of staff” narrative is wrong. BHL’s former campaign manager did leave her state office, but for a higher-level position elsewhere in state government. BHL had actually made multiple strong hires in the past few months.
What I’m hearing is that there are no paid staff left except for one staffer that has given notice and is on vacation until almost their last day.
For Stewball: Yea? And how many of those strong hires are still with the campaign? Word is she was asked to withdraw from the race by her closest advisors. When she didn’t, they walked. My theory: They aren’t talking because they don’t want to damage her further. These are some of her most loyal and ardent supporters. They still consider her a friend. But instead of listening to them, she’s been persuaded she can survive this by people who want her in office because they believe they will benefit from it–at least one thinks BHLwill appoint them to a cabinet position, another thinks they will have strong influence over her. She’s being propped up by people who just want to use her for their own ends. Her true friends want her to withdraw.
This is really heartbreaking for people who are huge BHL supporters and have been for years. All of the staff and advisors who actually have seen all of the documents have quit, which is a really bad sign and goes against her narrative that it’s just a small, clerical error.
If it were a small, clerical error it would be easy to amend the reports quickly and be done with it. Clearly, it goes a lot deeper than that.
She’s bringing on new people though, and she still has her official-side staff. So maybe she’ll be able to weather this. But it’ll be without her longtime kitchen cabinet.
What I don’t get is why people have been huge BHL supporters, at least for the governorship. The kind of thing she has campaigned for over the years are not the things that make up the important part of what a governor does.
I doubt that she had very little grassroots support.
She was the Delaware Way choice–meaning continuing the corporate-friendly policies dating back to Pete DuPont.
Sounds like we all just need to give her space to sort things out.
She’s been so focused on this for so long that folding the campaign must be a devastating possibility.
“we all just need to give her space”
I miss Jason already.
Time to get her story straight would be more accurate. I don’t want her husband anywhere near Woodburn.
Time for a silverware inventory.
Getting ahead of ourselves, if her campaign implodes, it’s hard for me to imagine that BHL will serve out her term as Lt. Governor.
In the event of a vacancy, the President Pro-Tem of the Senate or his designee would serve in that role. It’s not as if the Lt. Governor is required to preside over every session anyway.
if this were a politician with an R next to their name, the pitch forks would be heating up in the furnace. (yes id be the one turning on the propane.)
Delaware is small and close knit, so im sure there are people here who like the Lt Gov on a personal level. Thats great. looks like your friend is about to have more time to hang out. That said, corruption is corruption. If it’s not corruption…. and i havent “Seen anything”, only the apparent reactions of those who have…. it’s ineptitude. either way. disqualifying.
I also dont like matt meyer, so will Eugene Young please accept the nomination?
Kinda interesting that no Rethugs have the pitchforks out.
Also interesting that, despite what we all seem to know, the press hasn’t either gotten anyone, or tried to get anyone, to spill the beans.
I think that some of the people who have commented on this thread are or were Bethany supporters, and they know how bad this is.
Can’t be kept quiet for much longer.
Rethugs don’t have pitchforks out for two reasons:
1. They don’t have a candidate, so they can’t say that their person is clean.
2. They know damn well that they’re better off with BHL in the race than having Eugene, Sarah, whoever as the D nominee.
She has had plenty of time to have this sorted out! BHL from my memory at LegHall was never much hands on and high maintenance for her staff. This is probably why something like this happened. Executives need to be somewhat hands on in their jobs. It is not like being a State Senator or Lt. Governor which is not much different than a State Senator. This is showing that her executive judgement is questionable; up until May her husband was in charge of hundreds of thousands of campaign dollars. I can tell you right now, her not saying much and letting this fester is is not helping her! She needs to have a press conference or something to clear this up and needs to do it fast. Who knows maybe a popular Republican like the former Treasurer comes out of the woodwork to run. This needs to be resolved fast.
There are no popular Republicans.