What The Fuck??!!
BREAKING NEWS: Branden Fletcher Dominguez is out of primary??
Here’s what just arrived in my e-mail:
On Friday, August 30th, the Department of Elections reached out to my campaign requesting documentation by Tuesday of this week that I unfortunately was not in a position to provide. After communication with the Department I have decided to withdraw my candidacy for the upcoming September 10th primary.
I deeply apologize to all my supporters, volunteers, and donors who have been working tirelessly for the last year to help me get elected to be the 3rd District State Representative. I want to thank you all for the support that you have provided me since we launched this campaign last summer.
While I will not be able to continue this campaign as planned, my commitment to the issues we fought for – affordable housing, addressing gun violence, and investing in our youth—remains steadfast. I will continue to advocate for the change our community deserves.
In the meantime, we still have an election coming up on September 10th, and there are other candidates that need your help. In the city, there are two challengers who will fight for our values at the city council that you should help out with:
Coby Owens in District 1: https://www.cobyjowens.com/get-involved
Christian Willauer in District 5: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScoSQeR0MATvyhV1FWda97uHkABcRo35SfERWqmcHojPLUGuw/viewform
Seriously, what the fuck happened?
Something stinks here! Branden needs to flesh this out ASAP.
See below.
This is why and this is what happened:
https://bluedelaware.com/2024/09/05/brandon-fletcher-dominguez-drops-out-of-rd3-primary-after-residency-investigation/
Redidency is an issue, but seriously, BHL isnt investigated?!?!?
Amazing how quickly Albence acts when it’s a WFP candidate who carney doesn’t want.
What sort of little shitty banana republic do we live in here?
Dave McBride’s absenteeism from his district became a legit issue when Marie Pinkney ran against him.
This, too, was a legit issue.
In fairness, if he didn’t live in the district, he was ineligible.
Thing is, he WORKED SO HARD. I honestly don’t understand why he ran if he knew he wasn’t a resident of the district.
I’m really depressed about this. He would have been a great state rep.
He also lied on an affidavit and forged a document. I was totally taken in by him. As a donor and public supporter of his, I’m angry.
While I’m angry, now’s not the time to just trash on Branden.
I’m sure he’s feeling horrible. Let’s give us all some time to heal, and then we can move forward. I still think he has a lot to offer.
So the DOJ will investigate this but not a school board member living in Pakistan who allegedly stole MILLIONS of dollars from the state and the feds? Ok, we are living in bizarro world now! Delaware is so fucking corrupt it isn’t funny.
100% agree about the double standard.
Except–the General Assembly took steps this year to strengthen the residency requirement–largely due to the issues with Dave McBride and the ALMOST issue with Melanie George Smith.
Besides, I don’t know if DOJ would go after Branden on this. Now, if they did WITHOUT going after Bethany, then we’ll talk.
I’ve heard rumors for years that Bethany and her husband have a place on the water in Maryland. I wonder where she goes to bed at night?
Ҥ3. Qualifications of members.
Section 3. No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained the age of twenty-seven years and have been a citizen and inhabitant of the State three years next preceding the day of his election and the last year of that term an inhabitant of the Senatorial District in which he shall be chosen, unless he shall have been absent on the public business of the United States or of this State. No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained the age of twenty-four years, and have been a citizen and inhabitant of the State three years next preceding the day of his election, and the last year of that term an inhabitant of the Representative District in which he shall be chosen, unless he shall have been absent on the public business of the United States or of this State.”
Just an FYI, Michael Alexander Smith will not yet be a Delaware resident (even on paper) until September 15th, 2024. That is 5 days after his primary. Why enforce this when it comes to Branden and not Mike? Oh, because one is rich and white. And because one is loved by Val and one isn’t.
“Just an FYI, Michael Alexander Smith will not yet be a Delaware resident (even on paper) until September 15th, 2024.”
Where has he been living and when? Taking the word of an anonymous blog commenter seems a bit chancy. Do you have any facts?
Get literally anyone with votebuilder access to confirm it if you don’t believe me.
I don’t know anyone with “votebuilder access” nor do I even know what “votebuilder” is.
What is it with people not wanting to back up their claims?
I assumed if you’re on here you’re a politico and would know what Votebuilder is.
Fuck it, just pull his data from elsewhere if you don’t believe me. Or wait until someone else here confirms it for you.
“just pull his data from elsewhere”
So, I looked at the Department of Elections filing data and apparently he lists an address in an apartment complex. How am I supposed to know how long he has been living there?
From where am I supposed to “pull his data” that will provide me with information about where he’s been living for the last three years as of November 5, 2024?
It’s not a matter of I “don’t believe” you. I just have no reason to believe or disbelieve you.
First, you mention the date of the primary, which has no relevance to the statute you quoted. The statute requires that he be (a) a resident of Delaware for three years prior to the general election, and (b) have spent the last year of those three years in the district.
Can you at least clue me in on which of those is at issue? For example:
1. Has he been a Delaware resident since November 5, 2021?
2. Has he been a resident of RD21 since November 5, 2023?
I gather you are saying that the answer to at least one of those questions is “no”. Do I correctly understand what you are saying?
Secondly, I’m unclear why the Department of Elections would know where he was living on either of those dates. Yes, they would have voter registration data, but people don’t always update that instantly when they move.
But if we are talking about the first criterion, then that’s a simple one. When did he move to Delaware?
If we are talking about the second criterion, then that’s a little harder. Either you have information about when he moved into RD 21, or you know that he wasn’t residing in RD 21 on November 5, 2023.
I’m genuinely trying to understand you here. You are accusing someone of “breaking the law”, so my assumption is that you have reason to believe that either 1 or 2 above is not true. Can you at least say which one?
And, to be clear, this is what you said:
“Just an FYI, Michael Alexander Smith will not yet be a Delaware resident (even on paper) until September 15th, 2024.”
Your post says that he will not be a Delaware resident until September 15th 2024. In what state is he currently living, and where on earth would I find out when someone is planning to move to Delaware?
Could you at least clarify what you are saying there, and how you know he’s moving to Delaware ten days from now?
That was an obvious typo on my end. He moved here (on paper) September 15th, 2021.
I am on my way to work but I’m sure by the time I get back someone will have clarified it for you. Hell, the people who run this blog have access and know lol.
Since the election isn’t until November, he would still qualify, I think.
Doesn’t go on the payroll until the day after the election.
2 people (one of whom is a supervisor) said the residency requirement applies to primary elections.
But I really gotta motor.
So first off, if he moved here September 15, 2021, he is qualified to run and be elected under the statute you cited.
Again, the statute requires him to be a resident of Delaware since November 2021, and to have been a resident of RD 21 since November 2023.
So, even on the information you have, you have made an entirely baseless accusation of ‘breaking the law’ when, according to your own facts he is well within the law.
Second, and more important, I contacted Mike about this and he sent me a copy of his residential lease on the apartment in question. It is dated prior to September 15, 2021.
Incidentally, like many residential leases, it requires the premises to be occupied. You use the qualifier “on paper” to pretend you have other information to the effect he has not actually resided there. Given the quality of your thinking and “facts” thus far, I doubt it.
If that September date is the date that he updated his voter registration with the Dept. of Elections, and again it is a perfectly fine date within the statute, that doesn’t tell you or anyone else when he became a resident of RD 21.
By your own admitted facts, your statement that he is “breaking the law” is complete bullshit.
If he has resided in Delaware and RD21 since September 15, 2021, as you yourself admit, then it is clear that you don’t know WTF you are talking about.
It is amazing that you would comment about whether responses are “civil” when you make a damaging, irresponsible and false accusation of lawlessness so casually.
Take it up with Department of Elections, then. Two employees (including a supervisor) said it’s not lawful. You can’t run for Rep if you’ve not been a resident for three years as of the primary (the first election)
And as documented here previously, we know that he’s broken other laws.
You must be white as a sheet to see the problem with DOE enforcing the law with Branden and not with Mike.
Leases can be photoshopped, btw. But I’d still like to see his handiwork. Please forward me the lease. Please email me at electioneerist@yahoo.com
I’m sorry you buy into this guy’s grift but you needn’t go on a tirade about it. Pretty sure a supervisor at DOE would know better than yourself.
I have really got to leave but I look forward to reading your email when I return.
That email address doesn’t work. You have some ‘splainin’ to do, shyshy.
Just read this thread. Quick take from someone who lives in this district: I’ve met Smith a couple times but was leaning Burns, until Burns went negative. In a race where I didn’t have strong feelings either way, that influenced me. Last Sunday, I voted Smith.
Congratulations. You’re a fool.
In what manner did Burns go negative? All I got from him was a contrast mailer with facts.
Many people in the district did hear Smith and his team go negative on Burns at the doors, however. I will give them credit for knowing how to identify their audience and play to it.
I’m not a lawyer, but I pretty plainly read “preceding the day of his election” as referring to this: “shall be a Representative”
Meaning the date being referred to is the date of the general election, not the date of the nomination of a political party.
If there is some sort of established precedent (or other law) clarifying or superceding, I’m happy to be corrected.
For the record, go Frank!
Thank you for asking civilly, Grant! So few people challenge things politely.
I actually had this confirmed for me by two people at the Dept of Elections, one of whom is a supervisor. PLEASE feel free to call them and confirm for yourself (I mean that in all sincerity, you can get through in less than 5 minutes today).
Smith is breaking the law in YET ANOTHER way.
“Smith is breaking the law in YET ANOTHER way.”
That’s not true, and by your own admission it is not true.
But I like the scheme. Back in September 2021, he took out a residential lease to establish a “paper” residence so that he could run in a primary against a then-unannounced opponent to take on a multiply-undefeated incumbent.
So, tell us, how many of these “paper” hideouts do you think he has? One in every district, or did he just hatch this plan for RD 21?
The only problem with his illegal scheme is that it is ACTUALLY LEGAL.
Imagine how disappointed he must be to be in compliance with what the law actually says! His unlawful plot is ruined!
Sorry, I must have missed something… what’s the OTHER way?
I’ll bet he tears the tags off his mattresses.
Incidentally, you don’t seem to understand this:
“2 people (one of whom is a supervisor) said the residency requirement applies to primary elections.”
Yes, it would apply to the primary election IF he would not satisfy the conditions by the time of the general election. But he WILL have satisfied the conditions by the time of the general election.
This is why a 34 year old can run for president of the US as long as they will be 35 by the time they take office, but a 33 year old cannot, because they are NOT going to be 35 by the time they take office.
But, the bottom line is that he moved into RD21 in July 2021. He then obviously registered to vote at that address in September. But he has already been a resident of Delaware for three years, and a resident of RD21 for the last of those three years since last month. So it is entirely moot and you are engaging in unlawful defamatory behavior.
Look into using a VPN.
I’m pretty sure they just don’t understand the requirement and thought he had to be here three years on the date of the primary rather than the general.
Litigious little bugger, aren’t you.
Exqueeze me? I’m not the one accusing others of “breaking the law” here, in a last minute dirty disinformation effort. Nor am I Mike Smith’s attorney. I would in fact advise a friend of mine to make sure their ass is covered if they are going to engage in this kind of thing. There’s nothing “litigious” about free advice.
But, no, I don’t think that making false accusations of “breaking the law” five days before a primary, and then using illiteracy as an excuse makes me “litigious”. I will accept being a “little bugger” but I have not sued anyone.
As your quotes indicate, it’s not really breaking the law, in that nobody is going to jail. It just disqualifies someone from representing a district – as we’ve seen, in theory, and now maybe in practice, too. Just as defamatory behavior is subject to civil, not criminal, law.
Beyond that, do you really think Mr. Smith wants to take action against an anonymous blog comment? The Streisand effect would come into play.
Barely qualifying isn’t a great look, either. He’s been in Delaware three years and he wants to tell everyone else how to fix the place? Yeah, right.
Hey not-so-shy, what was the purported OTHER WAY(S) that Mike Smith supposedly broke the law? We wanna know…
How odd that you are so preoccupied with this and came out of the woodwork to repeatedly make this inquiry. Some of what was referenced was covered here: https://delawareliberal.net/2024/08/27/delawares-most-intriguing-primaries-4-rd-21/
Strange that there was no response to this one or its comments.
Well that’s one way to commit political suicide.
We don’t know all the facts about what happened with the residency. I honestly don’t believe there was any true intent to mislead anyone. He’s too smart for that.
I am truly sad about this – this is my district and for the first time in a long time I was so excited about voting for someone.
I wish Branden the best of luck. He has a great future in front of him.
I do, too.
He has been a tireless advocate against homelessness.
If that has befallen him, he deserves our support.
I just read his facebook statement confirming his housing insecurity. I feel just awful for him. He would have been amazing for so many in my district.
This was clearly a hit. I hope whoever did it is proud of themselves.
If I’m Matt Meyer, I’m reaching out to Branden tomorrow to see if Branden would be willing to be Matt’s homelessness czar.
Matt created the Hope Center, so he has a strong record in this area.
Monica Beard lived in NJ and voted in Delaware. I know she’s one of our darlings but we can’t be hypocrites if we want to be taken seriously.
Uh, who are you, and what evidence do you have?
Now, now…. be civil.
Just so everyone who finds this thread hears the follow-up in Branden’s own words, here’s what he sent via email and posted on socials.
> Since withdrawing from the race earlier today, a lot of people have been reaching out and asking what happened. I wanted to give some more context to my supporters and volunteers to let you know why things have ended up this way.
> While campaigning, I have been experiencing homelessness. This has made it difficult for me to establish a permanent residential address. Ultimately, I decided it was best to withdraw my candidacy for 3rd district state representative.
> I haven’t tried to hide my experiences with housing insecurity, but I also haven’t always known how to talk about it—renting out rooms, staying on friends’ couches, sleeping in cars. I am navigating the same challenges so many in our district face; the very challenges that made me want to run for office.
> Despite these obstacles, I have and will stay rooted in my community and continue to fight for those enduring similar struggles. Our campaign has been about standing up for everyone in our district, especially those fighting to keep a roof over their heads. I may have stepped out of the race, but I am still in the movement.
That’s a legitimate problem not just for candidates but for all voters who experience some form of what we call housing insecurity. This is one of the reasons Republicans like to purge voter rolls.
That’s IT. All this shit is going into moderation.
Not only are we going around in circles, it’s completely off-topic from Branden’s withdrawal from the race.
lol your candidate would be a couch surfing bum
Anon – Brandon has a lot more integrity than Val and any and everyone around her. Brandon will likely get support for what he needs and he will get his affairs in order and have a bright future. Because he did the right thing.
Now, I don’t know who you are supporting for governor, but I do know you seem like a total piece of shit. In my experience not every piece of shit is a Bethany supporter, but every Bethany supporter is a piece of shit. So I’m going to make an assumption that you could be a Bethany supporter. Given your take on the unhoused, you could be Bethany. Who knows.
Anyway, Brandon has a future. Bethany – and her supporters – do not. Bethany and her husband are probably going to jail, and her supporters – are probably never going to get another job in this state. I don’t think they’re fully prepared for the world after next week. And I’d be very cautious about calling anyone a couch surfing bum considering the job prospects for BHL staff and supporters.
Have a nice week and get some sleep. 451am is very late to be up. There is help out there for substance abuse. Just have your candidate stop wasting all of the money on her political benefactors.
The only reason I’m not trashing anon’s comment is because your response put that jerk in their proper place.
But anon is one and done. No more freebies.
To be fair. If Brandon out right lied about his residency, while also calling people for money, taking volunteers time, all to withdraw a week prior….he doesn’t have a bright future. I’m sure he is a nice person. But this is quite the horrendous start to whatever he is trying to pursue. Maybe the young man should settle on finding reliable employment and a place. Politics can wait. He has plenty of time.
But I’m not personally gona make this kid into a hero. He made a very bad mistake. He should learn from it.
If Brandon seems like a hero, it’s because all we seem to have are villains around here. The bar is low, I guess.
And people can have bright futures that don’t involve politics or running or office. It’s beyond me why anyone runs for office anymore but I’m thankful for the good ones who do.
I like leaders who admit their mistakes and take the L and work to do better and be better. I hope that’s the case with Brandon. If it is, then yeah, that’s the sort of person who I’d want to see in elected office at some point.
But let’s not it twisted. This is a hit job and it came from a bad place. From the very people who have done more to damage the party and the politics and integrity of this state than anything I’ve witnessed in my life. I’m certainly not taking lessons in virtue and honesty from them.
And I’m certainly not going to pretend that the poor brown kid was not treated differently than the rich white lady because of who her friends are…. It’s fucking appalling.
Thank you for your sage advice.
Would you like to be our Sage Advisor?
For me, it’s Penzey’s. Every time.
Congratulations to Anthony and Kathy for their prompt and decisive action, amazing work! I look forward to seeing the same action around the admittedly much less substantive issues around the Lt. Guv’s alleged violations. The DOE and the DOJ are a joke!
Oh you woke up. Good morning.
Not sure what a “real job” is, versus another type of job but I’m sure your family is very proud of you.
Unfortunately, I read the comments as I scrolled down here to type. My heartbreak has turned to anger. I regret that Branden wasn’t able to amend his paperwork with temporary housing, but I look forward to understanding if he tried to do so. The idea that the law as written forbids impermanent inhabitation is something I strongly believe the Courts should take up. The Code specifically states ‘inhabitant’ NOT ‘resident,’ and those are different terms! As far as I am concerned, he can be an inhabitant without being a f-ing landowner or long-term leaser or short-term renter. What did DOE ask him for and why? Did they pull the Cathy Cloutier handbook out and ask for a god damn water bill? I want all the records. Get the FOIA requests rolling.
It appears he did commit an offense by filing with a past address. But what due course was he given to correct this? What time? BECAUSE OTHER CANDIDATES GET PLENTY.
I pretty much understand all the legal technicalities here but there’s something absolutely shameful about what’s going on.
Housing instability is a problem in the 3rd RD, and in many other parts of Wilmington, not to mention in many parts of the state. Who better to speak to this issue in the General Assembly than one who is personally experiencing this condition?
Similarly, as we all know, addiction is a major problem throughout the state. To seriously address this issue, we should have individuals who are in recovery serving in our legislature.
Instead, we have chosen leaders who believe that the solution to the housing crisis is the trickle-down impact of building more $2,000-a-month high-rise apartments, who think the drug problems will be solved by doling out grants to agencies run by their friends.
I don’t know either candidate, but I suspect that Branden was dimed out by an oppoent (or friend of an opponent) who couldn’t accept losing fair and square. And in my heart I believe that some among our political “leadership” became extremely fearful of the prospect that an elected representative might roll out a sleeping bag and sleep on the House floor, or on the lawn outside Legislative Hall, for two nights a week.
Branden would be invaluable in helping attack the issue of homelessness.
If Matt Meyer wins, he should appoint Branden as his top official to tackle that problem.
Anyone who has met Branden knows that he has so much more to offer than virtually all of the non-entities in the General Assembly.