DL Open Thread: Sunday, July 28, 2024
Been watching the political attack ads, interrupted, albeit briefly, by the Olympics.
Can we simply recognize the fact that the Delaware Way denizens are just pushing their chips all in on Bethany Hall Long’s candidacy? They’ve become the Democratic equivalents of MAGAts in that they are now overlooking what is clearly criminal behavior in order to protect this rotting foundation that puts coin in their pockets. ‘Bookkeeping’ errors do not explain away campaign money flowing into Dana Long’s bank account (which is illegal) that cannot be accounted for. The sweetheart arrangement between BHL and the Elections Commissioner is sickening: “Do me a solid and bury that report, and I’ll make sure you keep your job once I’m elected.”
Which is why it’s time for Collin O’Mara to end his candidacy. I was as psyched as anybody when I heard his presentation at the WFP Endorsement event. I have no problem with WFP making this endorsement. It could have, and should have, been the kickoff to his campaigning in earnest for Governor. But two months went by and–nothing. I generally divide a campaign up into three segments–introduction of the candidate (name recognition)–followed by the persuade/compare & contrast portion–followed by GOTV. The O’Mara campaign failed to adequately introduce the candidate to the Democratic electorate. It’s now much too late. So, our choice is to support the death rattle of the Delaware Way or to vote for Matt Meyer. O’Mara can now only be a spoiler. I can’t think of a single person who would flip from O’Mara to BHL. Sometimes, we simply must accept the good in lieu of the perfect.
While I’m at it (yes, this has turned into a stream-of-consciousness Open Thread), I urge Delaware WFP to return their focus to the legislative races. We have a bunch of winnable races that can change the nature of the Delaware General Assembly, the House in particular, for at least the next decade. Please target your efforts there, not on what has become a quixotic and well nigh impossible quest for Governor.
The Democratic Party and the DSEA should withdraw their endorsements of BHL. They never should have doled out the endorsements in the first place, particularly in light of the almost year-long saga of BHL’s hinky finances. They both placed cynical bets that she would win and that they’d be in her good graces. Now? Not so much. So if they can’t do it because it’s the right thing to do, they should do it because they’re backing a broke-down nag who is one step away from the glue factory. Who is running a corrupt campaign.
Oh, you can help. Click here, and send a letter to your elected officials. I already have. They’ve already blown past their initial goal. You can help them reach their new goal (and beyond!).
This race has become a proxy on whether we will allow ethically-challenged insiders to continue to control the reins of power in Delaware. Seeing as how challenging this insiderism and the secrecy that’s key to its success has been my main theme as a blogger since, um, 2009 (yikes!), I’m excited that we finally have a chance to reject the Delaware Way at the ballot box. If you at least partially agree, now’s the time to step up!
What do you want to talk about?
I often don’t agree with you El Som and think you are wildly off base at times but you hit the nail on the head here. And signed the letter and sent it to friends and family to do the same. I think the biggest and gravest error was the state party endorsement of BHL. It was a bridge too far for many who, while silent about her misdeeds, certainly didn’t think the party should get involved. Even absent the fact that the Governor (not Kathy Jennings) hired an experienced FBI investigator to look into and unearth significant wrongs and criminal acts, they shouldn’t be doing endorsements in any races let alone close ones.
We need to focus on defeating Bethany and on these important legislative races that will take Val and her contingent out of power.
Then we need to have a serious organizing effort to take back the party from these crooks. I think the letter campaign is a good start. Many people have been asking what they can do and I think we have the beginnings of what could be a powerful organizing effort. Rep district by rep district. After September, I’m focused solely on electing a new Chair of the party. I hope some courageous people come forward. There will be support.
I’ll also add that if Jennings can’t or won’t do anything then we need to be urging Weiss to step in.
I have to wonder if the state party is drawing its authority to govern from the membership. If not, what a hubristic crew!
I was a member of DSEA for 30 years. The organization has long been dominated by its hired staff. Especially their attorney. The board needs to insist that staff work for the rank and file, and follow suit. If you don’t want to lead as president, don’t run…
I’ve been writing a ton about Naveed Baqir on Exceptional Delaware lately. He is under federal investigation by the feds concerning $12 million in nutrition funds that went to Tarbiyah School in Newark. His numerous shell companies and properties are shady as shit. He is best buds with Bethany. She appeared at the masjid at Tarbiyah two years ago talking about land use deals with Naveed. Something to look into.
That is really terrific work Kevin. Glad to read that WHYY is working on the story.
“Sometimes, we simply must accept the good in lieu of the perfect.”
True. And then sometimes you have to accept the bad in lieu of the unacceptable.
By far my favorite blog by a musician is The Weekly Croissant by Rachel Baiman.
https://rachelbaiman.substack.com/
This week, she shares this from a poet from Myanmar:
“On my manhood rests
a tattoo portrait of Mr. President.
My beloved found that out,
after we wed.
She was utterly devastated,
inconsolable.”
“They’ve become the Democratic equivalents of MAGAts in that they are now overlooking what is clearly criminal behavior in order to protect this rotting foundation that puts coin in their pockets.”
Nailed it. I’d rather a closet R like Meyer than an incompetent and/or corrupt D.
BHL and Markell have been buddy buddy for a long time.and omara was markells secretary at dnrec. Could he have simply been a Markell/bhl plant solely to be a spoiler knowing he had no intention of being governor?
No.
I’m not sure they were very buddy-buddy, other than BHL is a reliable weather vane.
Is there any reporting on how a decision was reached by the Party to endorse BHL?
Was there a vote? Who voted to endorse?
The vote count should be made public, no?
Hah hah hah…you think the party is run democratically…how quaint!
Good question. I DO know that Sussex County (!) declined to endorse candidates who were involved in primaries. Did the Party just disregard those votes and plow ahead, or was there unanimity from the rest of those who voted?
Don’t know. But those who voted to endorse were all well aware of the controversy surrounding BHL’s campaign finances, and voted to endorse her anyway. Meaning, the Party leadership is full of rot from the head down. Hence, Erik’s letter.
It’s an odd year but nothing is more odd than that interview she gave last night to DETV. If her campaign wasn’t over before, it certainly is now. People can watch it themselves but’s it’s a disaster. Whoever advised her to do it and prepped her, should be black listed from working in politics ever again. Other industries have insurance for this level of malpractice.
For the life of me I don’t understand why she is doing that to herself, to her family, and to her supporters who have to be painfully embarrassed at this point. For what? She doesn’t even have a plan to do anything? Why is it so important that she be Governor of Delaware?
Do you have a link?
Here you go
https://youtube.com/live/fNU6Yx1G168?si=H6hWXKGD7hyY5eO9
She has all the charisma and appeal of someone who’s the head of HR at your corporate employer.
She never fully answered the most important question about releasing the Summit CPA report.
That only applies to people who see it. Very few will.
Agreed bad interview but the host either doesnt fully understand the nuances of campaign finance issue or avoided the toughest questions.
The million dollar question that should have been asked: “the new report clearly shows your husband took $33,000 of campaign donor money out of the campaign account into personal account*(s).
What are you doing to return campaign donor money from your personal accounts, back into campaign accounts?”
Also, “do you know how the missing $33,000 was spent? Was any of it spent on Section 8 housing purchases? After all, Karl Baker /or maybe Barish reported that BHL was at the closings.
See Karl Baker’s latest for more on the missing $33,000
https://spotlightdelaware.org/2024/07/27/credit-card-points-buying-time-and-a-missing-33k-the-hall-long-finance-report-explained/
Well. The last interview she did with DETV he never even asked a question about campaign finance.
Surprise surprise she gave DETV 100k from the opioid fund. So she has her own little state owned tv station now.
Source?
https://ltgov.delaware.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2024/07/1A_2023_Grant-Awardees-and-Descriptions-List_website-1.pdf
Thank you, and HOLY SHIT!
Gonna have to write an article about that list.
Virtually 80% of it looks like nothing but giveaways to organizations that have either nothing, or next to nothing, to do with addressing the opioid problem.
Do you have links to other grants that they’ve doled out? I’d love to look at them!
Never mind. I think I found it:
https://ltgov.delaware.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2024/03/1B_2023_Grant-Awardees-and-Descriptions-List_website.pdf
Man that grant to the Congos has the stench of payoff all over it:
“Congo Tarir Project
New Castle County:
“Funding will be used to support the establishment of a resource hub in an opportunity zone in Wilmington. The resource hub will be focused on youth and their families by providing opioid misuse education and prevention information.
The hub will also offer anti-opioid and other drug interventions in an environment that provides alternative activities known to prevent and decrease opioid use disorder in high-risk communities. $475,000.”
FUCK!
Glad you mentioned that Section 8 housing.
Lest anyone have doubts that the Hall-Long family has engaged in unethical and likely criminal acts for virtually the entire length of her career, Dana Long’s (a) sign-stealing, (b) illegally accessing contact information for Section 8 residents in BHL’s district and providing that information to her campaign, (c) being exiled to Brandywine Hundred b/c Tom Gordon couldn’t afford to offend an official of BHL’s stature by firing her ne’er-do-well husband’s ass, (d) forming an LLC with BHL’s Chief-of-Staff to acquire and flip houses in Brandywine Hundred using inside information, (e) the blatant misuse of campaign funds for personal purposes, and (f) unwillingness and/or inability to provide the public any explanation that makes sense, this laundry list should satisfy those doubts.
This appears to have been a family criminal conspiracy since the beginning of BHL’s political career. Period.
That video is the first time I’ve seen/heard Bethany Hall-Long (I mean BHL) speak. I have little doubt she broke the law, but I didn’t realize how tedious and robotic she is. I felt like Homer Simpson’s when a speaker bores him, his eyes glaze over and he starts dreaming about cigarette trees and soda water fountains. This should be enough to disqualify even the nation’s first potential “Nurse-Governor.” I like my government crooks to at least be entertaining.
By the way, I’m not sure I’d ever seen anything on “DETV,” either. I don’t follow local politics except for what I read on Delaware Liberal.Those were some softball questions. The guy’s no El Som.
I learned my interviewing style from Al.
That’s why nobody ever agrees to an interview with me!
WTF? The DETV interviewer characterizes the media reports as “mudslinging.”
Then he thanks her for “being clear.”
Can’t wait for when she goes back to teaching college students how to give flu shots.
It might have something to do with the fact that Bethany gave DeTV $133,000 in opioid fund grants.
Or, it might have EVERYTHING to do with that grant. If that’s not a bribe or a payoff, I don’t know what is.
BHL is having an office opening for her campaign in Georgetown tomorrow. Can we get some people to protest out front with signs calling for her to drop out and resign?
We should start picketing her events.