I believe that citizens, even those employed by state representatives, are permitted to volunteer for candidates in their free time. The problem arises when they are paid by the People to do campaign work. Meehan has yet to show any evidence of such a connection. And considering the whopping favor that Tom Corbett still owes Meehan for dropping out of the governor’s race, you’d think that the Attorney General’s office would be pulling out all stops. Yet, poor Pat is left to investigate on his own.

So lemme see if I have this right. Lentz had like 30 people working for him, all of whom got like 150k in taxpayer bonuses, and all that time Lentz had NO IDEA. Not even an inkling? A wrinkle of the whisker?

What a moron.

These people came in on a bus for one day and knocked doors. I don’t know how many campaigns you’ve been involved in Tony Soprano, but the candidate rarely is involved, and most likely only peripherally aware of that.

Now, this was the result of a contest by the HDCC, so I’m sure Lentz was aware they were coming in and knocking doors that day, but there is no reason he would assume anything other than that they were volunteers.

Groups send busloads of volunteers to help out campaigns all the time.

At least Pat Meehan has gone full stealth al la Palin and is hiding behind his twit campaign flack and not showing his punk face to reporters so he can avoid being embarrassed and called out on his sleaze.
First and probaley last smart thing he has done on his dumb-gate dud.

March 30, 2010 Philadelphia Inquirer: “The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office said yesterday that it would take over an investigation into possible forgeries on nominating petitions submitted for Republican congressional candidate Patrick Meehan.”

April 1, 2010 Philadelphia Daily News “[Meehan’s long time close personal friend and political godfather John] McNichol conceded yesterday that he hadn’t been the circulator, yet he signed a sworn affidavit claiming that he had been.” Paul Summers, another longtime friend and confidant of Pat Meehan “claims to have gathered 643 signatures on March 6 and 7, which, by the Lentz campaign’s calculations, means he averaged one signature every 4 1/2 minutes for 48 hours straight.”

April 1, 2010, Philadelphia Daily News: “Responding last night to the evidence of potential fraud that continues to emerge, Meehan spokesman Pete Peterson said: “Pat believes that any circulator who engaged in criminal activity should be held accountable, but the Lentz campaign’s accusation that Pat was involved in overseeing the signatures is just completely false.” [emphasis added].

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20100401_Petition_fraud_could_give_Meehan_a_bad_namee.html#ixzz0r3DEAcEM

Let’s get this straight:

So Pat thinks that he can walk away from the misconduct of his long time close personal friend and political godfather John McNichol and his friend and lackey Paul Summers, but jump Lentz because a group of people who were not recruited, screened, paid or befriended by Lentz come on a bus from Harrisburg for one day to knock doors and then some of them may have months later gotten a bonus. Pat, why don’t the same standards apply?

So, lets get this straight. Meehan is blaming
Lentz for not knowing about and stopping a high level conspiracy that was hatched before he even took office, while dismissing forgeries reviewed by his own staff.
When you are down in the mud, I guess the only recourse is to try and grab your opponent by the ankles.
So sad that this potentially reasonable candidate has nothing better to do. I am hopeful that thinking voters will see right past this hypocritical attack.

hi double…
I guess great minds think alike.
THanks for the references.

I loved watching that press conference. The instant Meehan goes off script, one gets the distinct impression that not even he believes there’s any substance to these accusations: “Why hasn’t Lentz been investigated by the PA Attorney General?” “Uhhhh…I dunno…ask Lentz maybe? Can I leave now, the consultant didn’t leave me anything else to talk about.”

I guess when you realize that you’re standing on the losing platform, it’s in your best interest to change the subject from the substantive to the scurrilous. I expected more from Meehan’s camp.

Didn’t Confucius say that one cannot get out of a hole by digging oneself in deeper, or words to that effect? Look, Meehan obviously got embarassed yesterday, it was almost like a “pantsing”…instead of just going about his business and talking about issues that people really care about like why doesn’t my neighbor have a job, or why can’t I get a loan, he wants to dwell on and put attention back on the most embarassing moment of his political life…yesterday was…unprecedented in its stupidity. He provided a perfect stage for Mr. Lentz to look authoritative and in command while he looked befuddled and lost…and noone has answered my question from the otehr post…where did the podium wiht the PA Coat of Arms come from? can I go to Harrisburg and get one whenver I want it to use? can I just as a regular citized request the right to use the capital rotunda to hold a presser like that? who sets it up? Is it free? what is the cost? Was Meehan charged? or did his friends perzel and corbett set it up for him? Just wondering is all

The whole thing is so astoundingly lame. Why doesn’t Meehan hold another press conference, this time at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., and accuse former President Clinton of improper relations with Monica Lewinsky. That’s about the freshness of the stories he’s coming up with.

Old news, boring, irrelevant, stultifying. Victory for Lentz!

Meehan should include Corbett as a taxpayer funded worker for Republican campaigns.

No one cares about any of this. Lentz loses this race in this political environment. The national political landscape/Obama backlash will drown Dems in competitive races: http://hotair.com/archives/2010/06/17/shock-poll-obamas-endorsement-makes-voters-less-likely-to-vote-for-a-candidate/

Lentz has enough of an independent reputation that he can withstand an anti-Democratic wave, if such a thing actually occurs. He has no palpable association with the incumbent “national” party – he’s a local legislator, with significant accomplishments and unblemished ethical record, regardless of the dredges Meehan’s team is rehashing.

The fact that Meehan is digging up an issue long since buried is a clear indication that he knows he can’t win on an “anti-wave” alone, so he needs to resort to dirty tactics. The fact that Bryan showed him up at his own press conference shows you the kind no-nonsense lawmaker he is.

Lentz voted with the Dems in Harrisburg repeatedly, including casting votes for tax increases and bloated budgets. Republicans will spend their millions making sure voters know that Lentz is an Obama/Pelosi Democrat. He won’t survive the impending anti-Democrat tsunami.

1994…

What about this story does no one care about? The fact that Meehan completely embarrassed himself and his campaign, or the fact that he gave Lentz a golden opportunity to address such a baseless accusation by stupidly conducting this “press conference” in Harrisburg, where Lentz WORKS? You may blindly follow Meehan and keep reiterating the same dribble that Rush, Beck etc. are pushing, but no sane person can look at that video and say that Meehan was successful in this press conference.

A note to the Meehan campaign: if you want good press, don’t piss off the reporters that know the facts on bonusgate, or those from the 7th district that drive 2 hours or more to report on a worthless “bombshell” that has no factual basis whatsoever. Or continue doing so, it gave me a laugh. Thanks for deciding my vote for me so early in the year- If this is your show of political skill and persuasion, I do NOT want you as my representative.

well said DELCO.

Pat shold hold his next press confernce and announce a apology to BP and link lee harvey Oswald to osama bin laden.
The real story is that Pat Meehan was for his entire career the adopted son of Arlen Specter. He us befuddled and lost without daddy.

And do you folks think real voters are actually paying attention to any of this? How many voters even know about these dueling press conferences in Harrisburg? How many care? Zero.

Fair or not, Lentz loses because of Obama/the economy/unpopular health care law, etc. Just like Republicans lost in ’06 and ’08 because of Bush/Iraq/the economy.

All politics is national. Meehan wins because voters aren’t happy with Democrats this year.

’94:
That is wishful thinking bordering on delusional. All politics is local and in mid year elections established candidates who are appealing will capture crossover voters irrespective of the Republican trying to make the issues an appeal to fear and tea bag talking points.
Meeehan pedigree ( only only past qualification for anything he has done in the last 10 years) with Arlen will be toxic with the rank and file republicans. Contrived working in Pelosi, Reid or Obama into talking point sound bites sounds stupid and people are not going for it.
Barton’s apology to BP yesterday was a defining moment and crystallized the foundational flaw of the pro big business ” let them eat cake” free marketeers and tea baggers.
In the end, Bryan vs Meehan Bryan has a platinum life story and substance on policy which is gonna appeal to Rs and Ds.

I stated this on the other article on this issue. Lentz took an oath (that I am familiar with as a soldier myself) as a United States Army officer to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the land. Either he knew about this person and this scandal and he is breaking the law, violating common ethics, and devaluing his word, or he was unaware and is incompetent. I have a hard time stomaching either with all the respect I have for officers and Rangers, but either violation would be proof of his inadequacy to serve in Congress.
Meehan is a solid candidate with good conservative values and a rock steady moral foothold.

P.Lombardo

You obviously don’t know Pat Meehan personally, he is an arrogant jerk who doesn’t give a hoot about the voters of Delco. That said, he’s probably still the frontrunner, but not by much.

94:
Have you polled the 7th District for the “massive unpopularity” of President Obama, health care, and so on? I haven’t either, but I would imagine that there is still at least SOME affinity for the President that the 7th District gave 56% of its vote to less than two years ago.

Even if it is an anti-Democrat wave election, I would imagine that Rep. Lentz’s record as an Army officer and a reform-minded legislator would inoculate him at least somewhat against succumbing to the wave.

In any event, it’s quite an entertaining race to watch!

WOW, Meehan has really touched a nerve with this issue! Never saw so many fake-named Lentz supporters on here! Lentz must think a lot of himself to believe that Harrisburg employees would come and campaign for him for nothing! He’s the new Bobby Kennedy! More like the new SARGEANT SCHULTZ – “I KNOW NOTHING!”.

I think Meehan would be smarter to talk issues, most of which are on his side, than corruption in this campaign.

Mr. Lombardo:

Mr. Lombardo:
Ok- by that logic ,Meehan knowing that his “team” engaged in massive election fraud and now hides out the issue makes him either “unaware or incompetent”.
I guess you have a strong stomach for fraud, only if it is for the benefit right party.
ALL THE WAY!

ALL THE WAY!

27 workers and he didn’t know about it. Is he going to know about the Democrat state budget, with job stifling tax increases?? Or are we gonna hear about jumping out of planes again?

s.d.-
Do you have any idea how many volunteers helped Lentz when he ran for the house? It is impossible to know the motivation of everyone who offers to help a campaign. Moreover, there is no evidence that Lentz could have known that these folks were in line for a possible bonus from their boss.

In contrast, Meehan, was presented with multiple forged petition signatures, and chose to look the other way. Do you need a link to the forgeries to be reassured that Meehan submitted illegal “signatures”?

Those who say these cases are similar are comparing unicorns to a chameleon.

C Guiney: When was Meehan “presented” with multiple forged signatures? Are you sure that candidates sign every petition? And to use your logic, how was Meehan, when “presented” with petitions, to know that they were forged? Are forged signatures automatically highlighted in yellow? Best be careful here. Your man Bryan had his chance to prove his case against Meehan but he spit the bit when it was time for court. That was the first time, and won’t be the last, that Lentz backed down from Meehan.

On the other hand, when a busload of young state workers pull up to the Lentz headquarters and spend weeks “volunteering”, does Bryan ever bother to ask who these people are, how they are getting paid and why they came to work for him? If he didn’t ask, he is either complicit in the scheme or so self-aggrandizing that he thinks people who do not know him will “volunteer” a half state away because he is the second coming.

The more I think about it, Lentz’ over-the-top reaction at this press conference had to be because he thought Meehan was going to reveal something else – something personal perhaps? Something very unappealing to female voters?

P. O’Neill,

Have you looked at the candidates petitions?

seems to me that the meehans r the ones trying to spina tail and overreact…why…cause meehan showed himself to be no different than any other mudslinging delco repub politician and political stepchild of arlen specter…meehan certainly not carry the mavericky reformer image he tries to portray.

P-
Candidates do not sign petitons, but every credible campaign looks at petitions before they are submitted. You are welcome to defend Summers repeat signing of the same voters 2 or 3 times (look up Rita Lamb’s name on the records). I am not a politician or a handwriting expert, but after Bradley’s forgery was uncovered, it was very easy for me to see which pages (of 50 names) were obviously written by one or 2 individuals (rather than by 50 people). From what I understand, hundreds of signatures are in question….. but less than the 2300 or so that would be required for Meehan to lose his slot on the ballot. Meehan has still not distanced himself from the multiple problems associated with his petition drive.

I will stack that anyday against some volunteers who spent one afternoon knocking on doors. Even if Lentz could have uncovered the conspiracy to give end-of year bonuses before it happened, what do you want him to do – re-knock the doors and confiscate the literature? Or perhaps he could have donned his Superman suit and whisked Veon to prison as the checks were cut. It’s doesn’t quite work that way.

As I said – unicorns vs a chameleon.

Your thinly veiled homophobia is pathetic, and totally inappropriate. Lentz’s reaction to this garbage was quite calm. Did you read the reactions of the press who were hoodwinked into driving to Harrisburg by Meehans press release?

Neither of these candidates, Lentz or Meehan, are fit to serve the taxpayers of Pa. It is an absolute joke that these are the names on the ballot in Nov. Zero leadership in this state, all bureaucrats caring about themselves ahead of their constituents. We all deserve better but the political system in Pa. is rigged. It’s either suffer along or move out of state.

BB:

I have to oddly defend both Lentz and Meehan here, and thousands of other elected officials and candidates. Where exactly is this pool of angelic, without-original-sin leaders who would ride to the rescue if not held back by the “rigged” political system? In the land of the unicorns, to carry over the imagery of the previous posts? I had no friends, family, schooling, or previous involvement in politics when I got involved in 2002. Five years later, I won as the first Democratic councilman in Morton in 32 years. Where were the people who were supposed rig me out of winning? The most effective rigging of the system is by the millions of people who just want to complain, or tune out, rather than getting involved and doing something about their concerns, let alone voting. If you feel you can do better, you should run.

Mario Cimino
D – Morton Borough Council

Councilman Cimino…It’s your prerogative to defend these candidates, I still maintain taxpayers in Pa. deserve better than these two running for this seat. BTW, I have voted in every election since I was first eligible to vote at age 18 in the 1970′s, EVERY ELECTION no matter where I lived. So I am hardly tuned out. I have attempted to get involved but have been either rebuffed or completely turned off by the individuals with whom I may have been getting involved with because of the characteristics incumbent in all politicians and their staff, putting their own agenda ahead of their constituents — NOT SERVING THE PEOPLE. It’s built into the fabric of human nature. Win an election, or popularity content, if you will, have money funded to your campaign or already be independently wealthy breeds power. The power becomes overwhelming, and it becomes toxic. So your indirect point is WELL TAKEN. There are NO “angelic, without-original-sin leaders who would ride to the rescue.” NONE in U.S. politics. And, how do we know for sure the system wasn’t rigged to make sure you won to become the first Democratic council member in your town in 32 years?

Re-read the candidate’s affidavit Einstein.

Anidiotsayswhat, why lower the quality of this site and YOUR reputation with the name calling? You don’t know me, your comments are simply throwing out noise pollution with nothing substantial to offer in response. If you don’t like my thoughts fine, I respect that, but at least have the same respect for people that do not agree with you. Name calling takes away what little credibility all of us have that respond to comments on this site. We follow PA2010 politics and the like, it’s not life or death here. Lighten up already. I don’t need to re-read the candidate’s affidavit to support my opinion on the validity of certain candidates running for office, or who have won elections. The comment section is simply about people sharing their opinions related to blog posts. Nothing more, nothing less.

BB wrote:

“And, how do we know for sure the system wasn’t rigged to make sure you won to become the first Democratic council member in your town in 32 years?”

You have every right to ask the question, but anyone who has had an eyee on Delco politics, no matter the party, would have to admit it’s absurd.

The larger point is this:

Winning elections in a competitive swing locale as we now have in Delco requires excrutiatingly hard work. For a key case in point, that is Joe Sestak’s “secret” to success. And he’s gotten a raft of criticism for it. My older posts on the subject go into great detail on this point.

And more importantly, the point about what it takes to actually govern if you win:

It’s far more difficult than winning a campaign. It involves refereeing the competing interests of thousands of constituents, some of whom are hell bent on trampling on the rights of their fellow citizens, sometimes intenitionally, often inadevertantly. Then there is the equally difficcult matter of effectively managing what is essientially to a small to very large business, depending on the level of government.

I absolutely agree that constant vigilance is necessary to make government work. There are buracracies that genuinely hate my guts because I insist they do their jobs correctly. But that has to be tempered with the realization that every part of governing is a lot harder than it looks.

Mario Cimino
D – Morton Borough Council

Councilman Cimino, Thank your for your response and I do not doubt your contention about the hard word required to govern, and will take your word for it that it would be considered absurd to think that any element was rigged to help your election, after all I do not follow Delaware County politics as closely as you do living in another near-by county. But it still does not change my point of view that when elected to public office a candidate puts himself or herself ahead of their constituents, and the fact that neither of these two candidates are the best fit to serve in this 7th district house race. That’s what makes the world go round. Again, I appreciate your response.