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LEFTOVERS: ‘Fumocrats’ for Meehan, Payton backs Onorato, Pike still wants a pledge

A few things slipped by us toward the end of the week.

Apparently former U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan is getting some help from friends and allies of the man he helped put in prison, the convicted Vince Fumo. The Philadelphia Daily News reports on a few “Fumocrats” who have given to Meehan’s 7th District congressional campaign, including former Philly mayoral candidate Martin Weinberg and former City Controller Thomas Leonard.

Meehan’s allies says this shouldn’t come as a surprise.

“Pat’s highly respected in the Philadelphia-area legal community,” Delaware County GOP chairman Andrew Reilly told the newspaper. “Whether you agree with him on the issues or not, I think everyone agrees that he’s a person of integrity.”

The campaign manager for Meehan’s likely Democratic opponent, state Representative Bryan Lentz (D-Delaware), naturally had a different take.

“Pat Meehan is a career politician who has spent the last 30 years doing and saying anything that would win him favor with the political establishment,” Vincent Rongione said.

Meanwhile, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato got another southeast lawmaker to back his Democratic campaign for governor. State Representative Tony Payton (D-Philadelphia), said Onorato “has what it takes to bring jobs to our communities.”

“His economic plan will attract the high-growth firms that are shaping our 21st-century economy and creating quality, well-paying jobs,” Payton said in a statement. “Dan also recognizes the connection between quality education and a growing economy; his plan to invest in early childhood education will help Pennsylvania compete over the next twenty years and beyond. Dan has a clear vision for Pennsylvania’s future and the proven experience necessary to take us there.”

And out in the 6th District, Democrat Doug Pike still wants to make a clean campaign pledge with primary opponent Manan Trivedi. After Trivedi turned down his initial entreaty, Pike wrote to Trivedi again “urging you to reconsider.”

“A formal agreement for a positive campaign would ensure that whoever wins the primary would have a much better shot at defeating Jim Gerlach in the general election,” Pike wrote. “Either of us would be much better than Jim Gerlach for the people of Pennsylvania.”

Having spoken with Trivedi campaign insiders, we can assure you that this just ain’t happening. Pike’s proposals are pretty broad, take any kind of contrast campaigning off the table, and with the contours of the race having shifted radically, the Trivedi people just don’t feel any need to tie a hand behind their backs.

March 14, 2010 at 2:35 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Bryan Lentz, Dan Onorato, Doug Pike, Manan Trivedi, PA-6, PA-7, Pat Meehan

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