Spoiling It for the Spoiler

Spoiling It for the Spoiler

by Mary F. Patel

After more than a year of door-knocking and fundraising, Larry Farnese has dropped out of his race for a state House seat. Farnese was planning a second challenge of long-time incumbent State Rep. Babette Josephs in the Democratic primary. Josephs serves in the 182nd District, which encompasses parts of Center City, South Philly, Washington Square and Grays Ferry.

Farnese's campaign manager, Renee Gilinger, confirmed last Tuesday that Farnese was no longer running for Josephs' seat. "We sat down and thought about it and decided that Larry could win against Fumo," she said.

The beleaguered Fumo faces a federal trial in the fall for 139 counts of fraud and tax evasion. Local activist Anne Dicker is running against Fumo in the primary, as is IBEW Local 98 Business Manager John Dougherty.

Peggy Banaszek and Bob Gormley are left running in the Democratic primary against Josephs. Gormley is on the executive board of Local 98, which raises the question of whether Dougherty and Farnese had a falling out, and whether Gormley was in the race as a spoiler — the Grays Ferry activist would have hurt Farnese's chances. Now that Farnese is out, will Gormley stay in?

Speaking of Gormley, political watchers are wondering whether the buzz around a Local 98 lawsuit, filed in court last week, will impact his candidacy — and Dougherty's, as well.

The union filed suit against the city's Board of Ethics, claiming its free speech is being violated. The union has a Political Action Committee (PAC), called the Committee on Political Education (COPE), and the Ethics Board asked for all of COPE's expenditures over $25 for inspection.

The union maintains in its court filing that it has complied with all state regulations, and that the city is overreaching in its request, thus violating the union's constitutional rights.

Union lawyer George Bochetto said that COPE has complied with all state laws and that the city's action is politically motivated.

Cheryl Krause of Dechert LLP is representing the Ethics Board.

It's not clear if the Board is also asking other union PACs to provide the same information, and, if not, why Local 98 is being targeted. In any case, this could go a long way — 98 has deep pockets, and Dechert is representing the Ethics Board pro bono. [* correction appended].

It was a hot party at the Union League last Wednesday night as Republicans and some Democrats gathered for the Germantown Republican Club's 119th Lincoln Day dinner. The club, founded in 1888, is the oldest Republican Club in America. This year it honored Pennsylvania Society Executive Director Carol Fitzgerald and Republican State Committee co-chair Renee Amoore.

Cocktails were flowing at the reception as political candidates circulated.

GOP state treasurer candidate Tom Ellis made the scene after receiving the endorsement of the GOP State Committee earlier in the month.

Ellis, who ran unopposed in the GOP's selection process, is a bond lawyer at Ballard. He has Judith Camiel fundraising for him, and Ballard Chairman Arthur Makadon serving as his finance chair.

The Democratic State Committee, meanwhile, was divided in its endorsement preference, and both Bucks County Democratic Chairman John Cordisco and Rob McCord, a Montgomery County venture capitalist, will run in the primary.

The treasurer's seat is wide open, since former treasurer Bob Casey resigned in 2006 after beating Rick Santorum in the U.S. Senate race. Robin Weissmann was appointed by Gov. Ed Rendell to serve as interim treasurer until the election.

John Morley, the Republican candidate running against Fumo, attended the dinner and offered some poorly-received jokes about his opponent: It was so cold out, he said, that Fumo had to keep his hands in his own pockets.

Later, an eclectic crowd including Kevin Kelly, Sean Reilly, Republican City Committee Executive Director Al Schmidt, and City Councilman Bill Green convened at the Union League's main bar to dish. Green was enthusiastic about the new regime on City Council, although he was hesitant to go into much detail. It appears that local Republicans are resigned to John McCain as the GOP presidential nominee. Former PA Gov. Tom Ridge's name is being tossed around as a running mate.

(rcpatel@aol.com)

*This article originally stated that taxpayers would be footing the bill for Dechert LLP’s representation of the city’s Board of Ethics in its legal battle with Local 98. This was incorrect; Dechert has been and continues to represent the Ethics board pro bono.