DL Open Thread: Friday, July 26, 2024
BREAKING: Bethany Hall-Long Broke The Law:
Delaware Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long’s political campaigns repeatedly violated Delaware law by not disclosing $298,000 in payments to her husband, and by failing to record advances the couple made to her campaigns as loans, a report from the state Department of Elections concluded.
Hall-Long’s campaign reports for 2016 through 2023, even after being amended in December, still have not disclosed $91,000 in payments to Dana Long, who had been his wife’s campaign treasurer and wrote the checks to himself, the report said.
The investigation, conducted by a former Philadelphia FBI chief Jeffrey Lampinski, found several instances of wrongdoing, sloppiness and incompleteness in how the Committee to Elect Bethany Hall-Long accounted for expenses.
“I find the Committee’s account of expenditures in its public campaign finance reporting incomplete, inconsistent, and often inaccurate, leading to an unreliable picture of its financial affairs,’’ Lampinski wrote in the damning 16-page report.
“Further, I find that several reported expenditures [especially in 2016] are questionably personal, and not campaign related. Finally, in those five instances in which the Committee misrepresented the true payee of an expenditure, I find its public campaign finance reporting misleading.’’
This, of course, being Delaware, Carney flunkie and Elections Chief Anthony Albence said he would not refer the report to the AG’s office. This, of course, being Delaware, the State Senate unanimously and without any questions, approved Carney’s nomination of Albence to serve another term as Elections Commissioner.
(AG Kathy) Jennings wrote that if charges were brought, a defense attorney “could credibly attribute the committee’s errors to carelessness. We cannot pursue charges where the law does not provide the standards to do so; but neither should we abide a precedent that flouts the spirit of the law when committees demonstrate negligence.”
Jennings wrote that the report “reveals critical failures in a campaign committee’s financial structures and official explanations from that campaign that do not survive scrutiny. That Delaware’s campaign finance laws are unclear enough to permit those inadequacies — not just of this campaign, but theoretically of any — tells me that they beg for reform.”
I needn’t add, but will for clarity’s sake, that BHL did not respond to the reporter’s questions.
Outside PAC Money Boosting BHL’s Threadbare Campaign Coffers:
A fundraising disparity that once plagued Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long’s campaign for governor could be closing after several outside groups entered the elections landscape – capped last week by a well-funded political arm of the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association.
The group, called the DLGA PAC, said in filings to state regulators that it received $475,000 on July 15 from a separate political action committee, called People for a Healthy Delaware – a group founded nearly a decade ago by former state Sen. Patti Blevins.
Stop the presses! Remember this magnificent magnum opus we published right here on Delaware Liberal? Read. Marvel.
But, I digress:
The DLGA PAC is the latest outside group supporting Hall-Long to announce its intention to influence the 2024 election campaign, which plans to spend $1 million to support Hall-Long’s bid for governor. In late spring, two others filed with the state elections department.
The organizations – called First State Forward and Workers for a New Delaware – each list the same Philadelphia address on their contact information in their registration with the state.
Property records show the address belongs to Jimmy Cauley, a Pennsylvania political consultant who last year ran the unsuccessful campaign of Philadelphia mayoral candidate Jeff Brown.
In order to fund its July contribution of nearly half a million dollars, People for a Healthy Delaware had to raise roughly $400,000 during the first half of 2024, according to state elections records.
But, the question of who gave it the substantial sum remains open, as Delaware’s deadline to file updated campaign finance reports is weeks away.
This is great reporting. It’s the work of Karl Baker. You will note, however, that the News-Journal has chosen not to credit the reporter with a byline.
Couple this with the BHL Opioid Slush Fund (we’re working on it, we’re working on it), and one can only conclude that Bethany Hall-Long’s campaign is the single most corrupt and incompetent in Delaware history. She simply must be defeated in the primary.
(Personal To The Leaders Of DSEA: Is this the kind of behavior you want your members teaching their students?)
Rupert Murdoch Tries To Keep His ‘Liberal’ Offspring Away From His Right-Wing Media Empire:
Rupert Murdoch is locked in a secret legal battle against three of his children over the future of the family’s media empire, as he moves to preserve it as a conservative political force after his death, according to a sealed court document obtained by The New York Times.
Mr. Murdoch, 93, set the drama in motion late last year, when he made a surprise move to change the terms of the Murdochs’ irrevocable family trust to ensure that his eldest son and chosen successor, Lachlan, would remain in charge of his vast collection of television networks and newspapers.
The trust currently hands control of the family business to the four oldest children when Mr. Murdoch dies. But he is arguing in court that only by empowering Lachlan to run the company without interference from his more politically moderate siblings can he preserve its conservative editorial bent, and thus protect its commercial value for all his heirs.
Few media stories have been watched as closely as the succession battle over the Murdoch empire, both because of the irresistibly Shakespearean nature of the drama, and because of the empire’s outsize political influence. Mr. Murdoch’s decision in 2018 to formally designate Lachlan as his heir put to rest years of speculation over his wishes for the company.
What it did not do, though, was ensure that Mr. Murdoch’s wishes would survive him: The existing trust gives all four of his oldest children an equal voice in the company’s future.
Just wondering: Is there a Tom Wambsgans in the mix?
Trump Chickens Out. BTW, did he name Vance to the ticket so that they’d only have to change the first two letters of the VP candidate’s name?:
“Given the continued political chaos surrounding Crooked Joe Biden and the Democrat Party, general election debate details cannot be finalized until Democrats formally decide on their nominee. There is a strong sense by many in the Democrat Party – namely Barack Hussein Obama – that Kamala Harris is a Marxist fraud who cannot beat President Trump, and they are still holding out for someone “better.” Therefore, it would be inappropriate to schedule things with Harris because Democrats very well could still change their minds.”
Ho-kay.
As to Barack Hussein Obama:
“Michelle and I couldn’t be prouder to endorse you and to do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office,” the former president told Harris on a phone call joined by his wife, according to the video.
The former first lady said she is proud of Harris and expects the upcoming election to be historic.
“I can’t have this phone call without saying to my girl, Kamala, I am proud of you. This is going to be historic,” she told Harris.
Next excuse.
Starting to think that Harris wins this thing pretty handily.
What do you want to talk about?
I’m surprised that Barrish or Baker haven’t cross checked the PAC payments to see just how deeply connected BHL and the PACs which she can’t legally coordinate with truly are and oh while you’re at it, how many of those organizations which received opioid $ also have top leadership of the organization donating to her campaign…
I’m pretty sure that reporting on the opioid $$ giveaways and BHL’s contributors is in the works.
All seems a lot like a shakedown, doesn’t it, all these establishment figures and groups backing her despite these allegations?
Who’s pulling these strings? Think about it. BHL, like Carney before her, is a weak and indecisive figure – Christ, she can’t even keep her husband’s hands out of the till – so who’s so hellbent on installing her in office? It’s one thing for lawmakers who benefit from the status quo to back her, but why is the DSEA getting involved?
Here’s the crucial question: Who’s giving money to these dark-money funds? Find the answer to that and you’ll find out who’s running the state of Delaware.
Looks like one of the groups is affiliated with The Laborers’ Union–the regional laborers’.
Also why would DSEA endorse for that office on a different schedule than other offices?
My 2 cents – a campaign can’t be corrupt and incompetent. It’s either/or. Ergo, it’s just plain corrupt. But in today’s political world who cares? It’s not like she raped anyone or started a coup or stole top secret documents. Oh right, those don’t matter either
I think it can be. When Danny Rappa primaried Carper, Rappa’s campaign was corrupt AND incompetent.
Perhaps BHL’s campaign isn’t incompetent. But it’s corrupt, and she is BOTH corrupt and incompetent.
There. I think that’s more accurate.
You’re wrong about that. There are corrupt but incompetent people everywhere you look in government.
If they were competent at being corrupt, we’d probably never know about it. We only find out about the incompetent corrupt ones.
This is a litmus test for local Delaware journalism. The AP, ABC and the Washington Post had articles up last night on this story.
Where is Delaware Online, WDEL and Delaware Live?
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/forensic-review-finds-improprieties-delaware-gubernatorial-candidates-campaign-112289735
https://apnews.com/article/campaign-finances-gubernatorial-contest-delaware-5f5859f6dc98095e84571667ab92384e
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/25/campaign-finances-gubernatorial-contest-delaware/16d13970-4add-11ef-9149-c75da5dd9201_story.html
Delaware Online picked up the story, but didn’t do the reporting. That’s what I linked to. WDEL? Uh, no. Bay To Bay? Yes. Too bad Randall Chase doesn’t also get to write his own headlines:
“Forensic Review Finds Improprieties In Delaware Gubernatorial Candidate’s Campaign Finances”.
C’mon SAY THE NAME! Cowards.
Just on principle it’s a crappy headline, designed to deter readership, because “improprieties” is not a headline word. It’s a piece of bureaucratese that screams “dull.”
“Broke Delaware law” is what you put atop a story you want people to read.
Where did Delaware Online pick up the story about the campaign finance violations covered in the Albence report? It is not on the delaware online website unless I am missing something.
JEE-zus, you’re right! Cris Barrish at WHYY and Randall Chase of the Associated Press wrote separate stories about it.
Karl Baker broke the dark money story, which is the one the News-Journal picked up.
BTW, Cris has written a follow-up story:
https://whyy.org/articles/delaware-election-bethany-hall-long-campaign-finance-illegal-governor-primary/
Albence and BHL are two peas in a rotting pod:
“Hall-Long received the report last week and had urged Albence in writing not to release the investigatory files, arguing they were not public documents, “until such time as we can discuss our concerns with you.” Albence responded in an email that he did “not intend to publicly post or release” the report unless a public records request was made.
WHYY News made a Freedom of Information Act request last Tuesday for the files upon learning that the report had been completed after a six-month investigation, and Albence’s office released it late Thursday afternoon, nine days later. Sources have said Jennings had prodded Albence to make the report public.
Albence had not responded to requests for interviews about Hall-Long’s campaign finances since issues arose publicly last fall following a revolt within her campaign over more than $200,000 in unreported payments to Dana Long. Albence similarly has not made any comment since the report’s release.
Hall-Long would not agree to an interview about the report, but continued her practice of releasing written statements about the controversy, as she has over the last nine months.”
This is award-worthy coverage. The follow-up is highly-recommended.
“The statement Hall-Long released late Thursday night reiterated that she ‘voluntarily disclosed discrepancies with previous campaign finance reports’ in the fall and since then has cooperated with Albence’s office ‘on a confidential process to amend previous campaign finance reports.’”
So wait a minute. The Commissioner of Elections knew since the fall that Bethany’s campaign finance reports were STILL inaccurate and he never thought to share that information with the public????
Oh and Colin Omara. Drop out. Your campaign is non existent. It is a joke. You have become a joke. Vacate the premises and come back when you can actually keep a campaign manager on board. You aren’t cut out for this. Sorry. I’m sure this dashes your childhood dreams. I hope you get over it. But you’re never going to be governor. I don’t know if you could get elected state rep. Go away.
Betsy Maron can’t resign. It’s the family business.
News-Journal has added Baker on the website now…. Great work.
Yes, it is great work. Cris and Karl are the only ones holding the powerful accountable. Which is what journalists are supposed to do.
To his credit though, Albence appears to be the one who commissioned the report and reading the report, he got the right people to do it rather than trying to paper it over. The report is dated 7/13, not sure why it took almost 2 weeks to surface.
It discredits the “audit” done earlier. A copy of that report is shown as an exhibit but it’s not a live link.
I’m really not sure how BHL survives this.
Certainly not the person I’d want managing billions of dollars.
And Albence told BHL he wouldn’t make the report public unless he had to.
That’s a firing offense right there, IMO.
The worst thing about all of this is that she could still win the primary and thereby open the door to Mike Fucking Ramone being our next governor.
This site hates BHL so much that they would prefer Meyer for the position and I just shake my head. When he is in the last year of being NCC exec., he is taking money in his campaign PAC in ’23. Then, in ’24, he creates a new candidate campaign PAC because he is now “officially” running for Governor. He accepts money from the same people and no one here thinks that is an issue. Sounds similar to BHL complaints.
Only a scattered few talk about the end of his ARPA money being given to churches for construction ($100K) that we all know shouldn’t be used. Where is the argument for separation of church and State? How about certain parks being fixed NOW to garner votes from the area when they have been in shambles for his entire administration? How is he able to have multiple County paid aides attend all of his nighttime and weekend campaigning across the State on our dime? I thought they should be paid for work on behalf of NCC? How has this group forgiven Meyer creating a hostile workplace for female Officers at the NCC Police dept when he was told that a certain administrator was sexually harassing subordinate female officers and administrative employees when he was lower in rank? Matt solved that issue; he promoted him to Chief so that he could continue the abuse and create a predatory environment. He didn’t even want to ask for a resignation when all the facts were laid out in the papers and courts. How do you feel about all of the millions of dollars that the County paid out to the victims, lawyers and Courts that could have been used for the citizens? Smiley (NCC Council head of finance) has been going around to different meetings telling everyone that there is a 20+ percent tax increase coming in the next 2 years because of all Matt’s spending. BTW…Smiley supports Meyer so it isn’t a target. How do you feel about that? I remember a few years ago when Tom Gordon spent money on his way out, that this website went crazy along with others and many nonprofits had to give money back to the County because of the uproar. It may be considered politics, but I think this group will be very surprised at all the people Matt has promised jobs in order to get their support. How about who is behind the scenes really running the show. I hope you liked Markell because it is the same group of Republicans.
“I find the Committee’s account of expenditures in its public campaign finance reporting incomplete, inconsistent, and often inaccurate, leading to an unreliable picture of its financial affairs,’’ Lampinski wrote in the damning 16-page report.Nowhere does it mention criminal. AND…I find it interesting that the report comes out right before the election.
So, a bunch of volunteers were SLOPPY. WOW, I wonder if that ever happens anywhere? You may want to ask Karl Baker if he has receiving any payment from anyone connected to the Meyer campaign. He seems Singley focused on one candidate. As a “for hire” independent journalist, his articles sell if they are sensational and cause a stir. Has Karl asked for info or a tour on the Hope Center to verify that the money Matt spent benefits the persons who need it the most? Was the purchase made properly and did we get the best value so we could spend more on the people than the building in the flood plain?
I will continue to support BHL through the primary and on to the Governor’s office in November. I will hope that she finds bright minds to fill positions where they can best serve the citizens of Delaware. Minds like Colin OMara who I have heard numerous times speaking about education. I don’t necessarily agree with all he says but he would be excellent in the State heads somewhere. At least I can see his passion to serve and do the right thing. All I see with Meyers is a passion to promote himself.
Hope you feel better after that big dump.
“Sounds similar to BHL complaints.”
No, dear child, he did not hire his spouse to handle his finances, and $91,000 in checks were not made out to his spouse. What part of this don’t you understand?
You then try to smear Meyer without a shred of fact to stand on, on spending he made with county money, not his own campaign.
It’s people like you who convinced me to vote for Meyer. You got nothing but resentment, which means you’re almost certainly a county employee.
BTW, anyone with half a brain has figured out by now that Colin O’Mara is a cat’s paw for BHL.
If she is the nominee, I will either abstain or vote for Ramone. Probably Ramone, because the shitful Democrats of Delaware need an Augean stables-level hosing out.
Kathy McGuiness was criminally prosecuted for less than this.
Albence should be impeached/removed by the GA
DOJ should be investigating
BHL should stand down
end of.
Paul T seems delusional
This is a moderated blog. Doesn’t matter which side of an argument you’re on. If your comment disappears, reread it, and you’ll know why it disappeared.
I read this site every day and have read about BHL from you guys/gals every day.
It occurred to me a few days ago I had never seen her before until her commercials this week on msnbc. She’s on morning and nights airing her weak commercials.
Anecdotal I know but just saying. For someone “tuned in” it struck me as strange that such a supposed prominent figure was a faceless entity until now.
I’ll be voting for whoever is not her
‘Faceless entity’ sums it up well.
A great wrestling name if this whole governor thing doesn’t work out.
A perfect jobber tag team:
‘Ladeez and Gentlemen’, from Parts Unknown, the Faceless Entities’.
I have a few funny thoughts about names that would apply to each member of bWo from ECW to Delaware politics.
Blue world order. Hahaha. Delete if necessary but thought you’d get a laugh.
That’s a deep pro rasslin’ dive.
Here’s everything you needed to know about the Blue Meanie:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blue_Meanie
Here’s a deep trivia question for you: Which WWF ‘superstar’ legit beat up the Blue Meanie, who had accurately called him a bully?
You don’t get this on ANY OTHER DELAWARE POLITICAL BLOG!
I couldn’t figure out how to message you directly with this stuff
I didn’t wanna jam up the thread Lol
I had to defer to my uncle because he was the one that took me to every show ring side at ECW arena. Great times.
“Yeah JBL, at the One Night Stand ppv, big ‘brawl’ in the ring, like 30 guys and he punched Meanie and broke his nose”
Also playing the role of meanie is Pete in that scenario proposed earlier
There’s no such thing as jamming up a thread when we’re talking about the (Larry Zbyszko reference) ‘game of human chess’ known as pro rasslin’.
https://x.com/jayrousedc/status/1816970152098902383?s=46&t=aup0-Xj7TF0k8ZcuUfsvNg
Hall-Long insiders are on X trying to defend her now.
Is that her new campaign manager? I heard she’s on her third now. Maybe fourth?
Say, I’VE got an idea.
How about Bethany Hall-Long come out and answer questions? Publicly. Enough with her mindless minions running interference for her.
I think we’re pretty close to the dam breaking. If it hasn’t already.
“We live in a cynical world, a cynical world, and we work in a business of tough competitors.”
3words: Glasgow Park shootings.
New Castle County police punching a defenseless woman in the head.
Where’s Matt?????
Uh, you DO know that the NCC cops don’t like Matt, don’t you??
If police accountability is an issue for you, Matt is infinitely preferable to BHL. C’mon, your campaign can do better. Or maybe not.