All about money
Posting will be a little thinner than normal over the next week when I’m busy pitching on the air for WHYY’s spring fundraising drive.
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Speaking of money, a revealing item by Chris Brennan in today’s Daily News shows just how far Philadelphia Republican leaders were prepared to go to try and prevent announced mayoral candidate John Featherman from getting the party’s nomination.
Not only did the party recruit a Democratic committeewoman to enter the GOP primary, but it turns out she’s got the kind of financial problems that would seriously undermine a serious candidate.
Brennan reports that Karen Brown has four bankruptcy filings and a PGW lien since 1997. Brennan notes the irony of Brown criticizing the Democrats for fiscal irresponsibility, and reports that Brown attributes some of the problems to her husband’s illness.
Blogger Aaron Proctor reported on Brown’s difficulties earlier this week.
And I’m happy to report that my nagging Philadelphia candidates to meet their legal obligations to file information about their campaigns with the city Board of Ethics has had some effect. At least I’d like to think so.
The Ethics Board reports that all but one candidate has provided the required information about their fundraising committees so the board can make sure they live up to the city’s campaign finance law. The lone holdout, whom the board hasn’t yet identified will likely be facing an enforcement action.
And mark your calendar if you’re a Philly political junkie – next Friday, May 6th is the day municipal candidates have to file reports showing what they’ve raised, what they’ve spent, and what they have on hand in their campaign funds.
I’ll be at the board of elections Friday afternoon, and you can find regular updates on who’s filed and what they’ve reported right here.
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