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Schneller says he didn’t know circulators had ties to Lentz
Jim Schneller is having a tough time accepting the idea that Democrats helped get him on the ballot in the 7th Congressional District just to help election one of their own.
In some of his first public comments since news broke that Democratic insiders and activists made it possible for him to gain ballot access, Schneller said he didn’t know that some of the people who circulated nominating petitions on his behalf had ties to Democratic nominee Bryan Lentz. He insisted that anyone gathering signatures for his candidacy on the American Congress Party ticket did so because they believe in his candidacy. And while he acknowledged that it’s “feasible” Democrats would help him to tip a close race away from Republican Pat Meehan, he said such tactics would be a mistake.
“I’ve got news for Bryan Lentz’s campaign: These were given to me, in support of me, I filed them, so thank you,” Schneller told pa2010.com. “Your opponent is now on the ballot. We now have a three-candidate ticket.
“Both parties know that I’m forceful and energetic,” he added, “and it would be a silly decision by either candidate to collude to stack my signatures.”
Lentz’s campaign has so far declined to comment on to what extent it was involved Schneller’s petition drive, despite the fact that some of the two-term state representative’s staunchest supporters were among those gathering signatures for the third-party candidate. The campaign has referred all comment to Schneller, and Lentz himself passed on a chance to comment Wednesday.
An early look at Schneller’s nominating petitions, which are still being reviewed by pa2010.com iin full, shows that Schneller couldn’t have gathered the required 4,200 signatures without help from Democrats. Schneller himself collected only about 3,200 signatures. Almost all of the remaining 4,800 signatures were gathered by registered Democrats, many of whom have clear ties to Lentz. Many of the Democrats who circulated petitions for Schneller are party insiders and activists who would surely find Schneller’s political beliefs to be distasteful at best. Schneller is a staunch conservative who has dabbled in the so-called “Birther” movement that questions President Obama’s signature.
But in the interview Wednesday, Schneller said he was both “complimented” and “dismayed” by the help he got from Democrats: complimented that they would find appeal in his candidacy, and dismayed that they might not have been genuine in their motivations.
“People didn’t say, ‘hey I’m a Democrat,’” Schneller said of his volunteers. “People came in, turned in petitions, and said ‘good luck.’
“I still think that such a ploy would be outlandish,” he added. “I’m a candidate for the people. All I know is the people who turned in petitions for me were exuberant about my platform, and it’s bipartisan in nature. I’m the candidate of the people.”
August 4, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Tags: Bryan Lentz, Jim Schneller, PA-7, Pat Meehan
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Lentz won’t comment on tea party candidate joining ballot, coordination allegations… | GrassrootsPA
Aug 4th, 2010
[...] Schneller: he didn’t know circulators had Lentz ties
Bob Guzzardi
Aug 4th, 2010
Clueless does not begin to describe Jim Schneller. His web site is vacant of ideas or policies. Jim Schneller does not have a platform, only vacuous platitudes.
He is not the Tea Party candidate as he represents elsewhere.
David Diano
Aug 4th, 2010
I really don’t think that Jim is being “clueless” regarding the involvement of Lentz supporters. I think he’s being disingenuous. There’s no way he couldn’t have known. The rest is the same kind of political hyperbole EVERY candidate engages in about the appeal they will have to the voters.
Bob-
His lack of ideas and policies make Jim the perfect representative of the Tea Party movement.
However, I’m sure it will be hard to distinguish Schneller from Meehan on many policies.
Anonymous
Aug 4th, 2010
I know Jim, but don’t support his agenda and won’t be voting for him. However Jim is an honest guy, albeit naive, and I believe him when he says he didn’t know about the Lentz supporters. Jim had offers to contact the dems for additional signatures and as far as I know, rejected that approach. Jim has run a genuine campaign based on his personal beliefs for over a year. He apparently is going to be on the ballot and deserves to be there. I doubt he’ll get very many votes and I doubt he’ll be a factor. The folks voting for Jim are not voting for either Meehan or Lentz. As for the Delco Patriots and the other local tea Party groups. They made it clear a long time ago that they were supporting Meehan and did not support Jim’s campaign, even though Jim’s political philosophy is very close to the tea party line. The Delco Patriots and the other larger Tea Party groups are fraudulent. They’re Republicans, always were and always will be. They like to piss and moan, but they’ll vote for the usual dead roadside cat with GOP stamped on its back.
Jennifer
Aug 5th, 2010
If it is the case that Democratic Party operatives/ Lentz supporters helped gather signatures for this candidate in order to split and therefor defeat the conservative vote, and it is not clear that this is the case, but if it is then all the more reason to have more than the two major parties in races. This allegation, if true, exposes once again the do-anything-to-win mentality that is the expertise of the D’s and R’s not of independents and minor parties. If we are serious about guarding against these kinds of cynical and corrupt activities then let’s make the election process more fair and open to independent and minor party candidates.
MrMark
Aug 5th, 2010
It is important to note that many independents here in Pennsylvania are registered in the Democatic/Republican parties so they can vote in the primaries, which our tax money pays for. Pennsylvania has a closed primary system which excludes over 1 million registered voters. The electoral system in PA is so controlled by the 2 major parties that it breeds this kind of corruption, if it is even true
Democrats Meddling in Elections « Thomas Jefferson Club Blog
Aug 9th, 2010
[...] Of course, Schneller Says He Didn’t Know Circulators Had Ties to Lentz. [...]
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Aug 10th, 2010
[...] election 2010, faux tea party, politics, tea party 0 There have been quite a few stories about faux tea party candidates being financed by Democrats to try to hurt Republican vote this fall: Tea [...]
Kent Davidson
Sep 20th, 2010
The good news about this debacle is that it highlights the issues with our election system. A system such as Instant Runoff Voting would allow Schneller to be in the race without splitting the vote, and would give viability to 3rd party candidates.
That said, this trick perpetrated by Lentz’ staff is a savvy political move, and honestly, it happens to both Democrats and Republicans alike (Nader, anyone?) While it’s “gaming the system,” then so is allowing corporations to donate unlimited funds to political elections, which is a major advantage to the Republican party, mostly, which supports fewer regulations on business and lower taxes for the wealthy.
Personally, while it’s a shame that things come to this, I actually support Lentz staffers in doing this. Supposedly more choice is a good thing, right? I have a feeling that Meehan is simply kicking themselves for not doing the same with some far-left-wing nutjob as well.