Delaware Political Weekly: April 8-14, 2016.

1. The Karen Hartley-Nagle/David Grimaldi Connection Is Real…

and the outing of it is not the work of Gordon trolls.  This isn’t just a teaming of convenience, KHN is Grimaldi’s vehicle, and it’s all about retribution. Which explains why a sleaze like Vince D’Anna is involved. Oh, and before she was Grimaldi’s vehicle, she was Gordon/Grimaldi’s vehicle.

Dating back to the early days of Gordon’s third term, KHN was looking for a job with the county. Or somewhere/anywhere. Business as usual for KHN.   Gordon and Grimaldi tried to foist her onto a number of unsuspecting suspects, but they knew better. There’s a reason why people can’t get or keep jobs.

Enter the Machiavellian machinations of Gordon and Grimaldi.  You may recall that Gordon and Chris Bullock (and Karen Weldin Stewart) essentially ran on a ticket in 2012, all linked on the same sample ballots.  However, it didn’t take long for Bullock to stray from the Gordon line on Council. So much so, in fact, that Gordon had Grimaldi threaten Bullock that they would challenge him in a primary.  Their chosen challenger? Karen Hartley-Nagle. The confrontations between Grimaldi and Bullock were right out in the open, and pretty much everybody viewed at least one of them at the time.  The point being: the plan to have KHN run for County Council President had already been hatched at the highest levels of County government and was under way long before Gordon and Grimaldi had their falling-out.

Following the falling-out, Grimaldi, being her political Svengali du jour,  instantly changed her campaign rhetoric to all ‘Gordon sucks’ all the time.  Which is not what it was prior to the falling-out.  Bullock, who never seemed comfortable as County Council President, announced he would not seek reelection. Either with, or without a push, from Penrose Hollins. Hollins, who brings new meaning to the term ‘low-energy candidate’, emerged as the de facto Gordon candidate, which depresses me.  In his passive manner, he wouldn’t say whether he’s running on a ticket with Gordon or not, but he has backed Gordon far more than I would have hoped and expected.  All I can say is, if Gordon is counting on Hollins to galvanize the black electorate on his behalf, he’s in trouble.

Which leaves us, or at least me, with David Roberts.  I don’t know much about him other than he has had a long, and non-political, career working for the County.  I can only hope that he’s honest enough so that I won’t have to pass up voting in this race entirely.

I encourage anybody with more insight on this to comment.  I have a lot more, but it doesn’t fit the context of this narrative. Except to note that, indeed, Hartley-Nagle, Grimaldi and Vince D’Anna have become fixtures together in the halls of county government.

2. Bryon Short ‘Big-Times’ 7th RD Candidates.

In a truly-classless move, State Rep. Bryon Short (D-7th RD) has butted back in line and now seeks reelection to his state rep seat.  The failed Congressional candidate has decided either the district can’t do without him (false) or that he can’t do without the job (maybe true, likely false).  Now, put yourself in the position of the three candidates who had been running for the seat.  Short informed them and us last summer that he would be leaving the seat to run for Congress.  Based on that decision, three candidates, in complete good faith, made the difficult decision to put together campaigns and to run hard for the seat.  In this case, all three were indeed running hard.  Running for office isn’t easy, either for the candidates or their families.  Those candidates took Bryon Short at his word. They have now found out what I found out years ago:  Trust the word of Bryon Short at your own risk. Unless, of course, you’re the State Chamber of Commerce. Other than family, his only other loyalty is to business interests. I have little doubt that both Rob Cameron and Joseph Daigle will drop out, leaving only former State Rep. Dave Brady as a challenger.  I like Dave, but he continues to run b/c he still can’t get over how he was gerrymandered out of a seat by Wayne Smith–back in 2002. I’m not making this up.

3. Condolences to the Family of Joe Reda.

NCC Councilman Joseph Reda passed away yesterday at the age of 73. A ‘sheet metal worker, union man, bartender, husband and politician’, Reda earned the affection and admiration of all of his colleagues, regardless of political differences.   I encourage you to read the obituary.  He did a lot of good for a lot of people. People really liked him. Folks like that deserve to be remembered.

4.  Just A Question.

Have we gotten any explanation as to why Lisa Blunt Rochester skipped the UD candidates debate for Congress?  There has to be a legit reason as to why, and I’d like to know.

5. Jen Wallace Wins Newark City Council Election.

Leader of the Newark Residents Opposed to the Power Plant, Wallace defeated Arlynn Hall, 285-56.  Wallace had been endorsed by outgoing councilman Rob Gifford.

5. Filings.

State Sen. Cathy Cloutier (R-5th SD); Robert C. Wilson, Candidate for RD 7, Libertarian; State Rep. Mike Ramone (R-21st RD); State Rep. Bobby Outten (R-30th RD); NCC William Bell(D-12th CD, one of Gordon’s staunchest allies); Nadine Frost, Candidate for Wilmington City Council District 5, Libertarian.

That’s it for this week. What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?