Monday, January 7, 2013
Peduto Claims Early Fundraising Record
Details are at P-G Early Returns. Recent news from the Peduto campaign has included a call for presenters at the PCRG Community Development Summit and an invitation to CeaseFirePA's "Too Many Victims Lost to Gun Violence" Vigil tomorrow. Tweets have included updates on neighborhood water main breaks and several hockeygasms. A recent interview is available at WPTS radio.
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You guys are showing admirable, disappointing restraint.
ReplyDeleteI'll get it started. Yippeee! Billy raised a bunch of money. Still not nearly enough and he won't win.
ReplyDeleteWhy did he black out how much he spent? So much for transparency. What is Bill Peduto trying to hide?
ReplyDeleteHe's scared of the numbers? O that's polling data.my bad. He's still " dope" in my book!
ReplyDeleteHas anyone started polling for this race? Any idea of when numbers will be released? I've heard the Peduto claims that Ravenstahl is below 30%, but somehow find that hard to believe.
ReplyDeleteLess than 30% is completely easy to believe in terms of approval / disapproval. Such a poll question basically translates to, "Do you think city government is very good?", and who on earth answers that question positively? It's when you start asking people to identify the lesser of several evils that things get interesting.
ReplyDeleteIs there anybody out there in a media organization that is going to sponsor an independent poll? Or do I have to start flaying randoms.
Once those reports become public he cant black out anything.
ReplyDeleteCant wait to see all those "machine" types that donated to Bill's campaign that he is going to "unshackle"
ReplyDeletePerhaps "cant" was not a misspelling, but instead a slope or a tilt or a fragment of the private language of the underworld.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cant
Or perhaps Anon was being even more clever and referencing Immanuel Kant, making a valid, while dated, but nonetheless cynical, point connecting Pittsburgh politics to transcendental idealism. Either way, HG is right. No way Peduto would take, let alone ask or make threats for, money from machine types. You will see, Anon, that none of the money he has solicited or raised will come from law firms, developers, engineers, anyone with city (or, in this case, county) "business." Because he is the unshackler. If HG and I are wrong, bet she would promise to take it all back and give you an apology- right?
ReplyDeleteHA!!! I think I detect a more subtle sulfur burning here in the tail of the Comet. Is that a deep James Earl Jones voice suggesting that the hope for candidates who will eliminate "pay to play" politics implies an unrealistic, overly idealistic ethical system that makes judgments based absolute binaries of either/or, idealism/cynicism, good/evil?
ReplyDeleteWe've got some serious housekeeping to do in this city. I include my own closets. All of our closets. Candidate Peduto's closet could get junked up in no time unless he has his own supporters breathing down his neck and giving him a terribly hard time and simply saying NO to his own inconsistencies. Believe me, I'm gonna be talking to Mr. Peduto about those nighttime parking meters.
I don't doubt that Peduto will have donations from "law firms, developers, engineers, anyone with city (or, in this case, county) 'business.'" But do you think he "shook" the green out of the trees in the sense that he tried to make those donors nervous that if they didn't pay they better forget playing. I don't think he's there yet, based on his record, but it's definitely our job to work to keep all us as basically honest and fair as we can. Which is a real, mucky, tedious necessary, everyday chore in any inconvenient democracy.
Now I'm going to go clean out my car, which lately has become one of my closets.
IMHO, you can pocket cash from whoever you please -- problems only arises when you provide your donors with stuff in return.
ReplyDeleteAnons would have challengers challenge incumbents while being outspent 20 to 1, which is more than is reasonable. If they can make the case that Peduto (who proposed the donor limits Ravenstahl initially fought) is REWARDING his donors, then that meets the Interesting Threshold.
Helen, haven't you heard? Rich Fitzgerald is twisting arms and threatening innocent contractors to give money to Peduto or else. It's all over Foxstahl News.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what it means when a campaign staffer, who until recently worked for Fitzgerald in county government, tells early campaign contributors that they "won't be forgotten," but sounds fairly close to a promise of future reward...
ReplyDeleteFrom: Eric Hagarty
Date: Mon, Jan 7, 2013 at 10:56 AM
Subject: Fwd: NEWS RELEASE: Bill Peduto Breaks City Fundraising Record
To: undisclosed recipients
Dear friends,
I wanted to make sure you saw this - I'm excited to announce that Bill Peduto raised $329k in just the last 3 months of 2012, a new record for a Pittsburgh Mayoral challenger.
Thank you to everyone who helped out - those who were with us from the beginning won't be forgotten.
Take care,
Eric
E-mail confirmed legit; thank you for providing it. That was certainly inelegantly stated. But hopefully no one took the 24 yr old kid's expression of appreciation as a threat to their livelihood. I think the entire business of donations seeking is filmy at best but I suppose the only alternative is self-financed millionaires.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait 'till the full campaign finance reports come out.
Different anon that supplied the 24 year olds email. No, but seriously, it is. So, Brammy, gotta call you out. If Lil Lukey's staff sent out such a thing, you'd spew more fire and brimstone than Pat Robertson at a Pride Rally. Get over Peduto. He's a washed up hypocrite and I'd hate to see you associate with people like that. Inelegantly stated, the guy's a wanker.
ReplyDeleteShame. Ridicule. Mockery. These are the weapons of the dark side. I am proud of being a big admirer of Bill Peduto just as I'm proud to be an admirer of Michael Lamb, Patrick Dowd and others. You're wasting bandwidth employing Mean Girl tactics on a brony.
ReplyDeleteHowever I do enjoy the 700 Club metaphor. If Oxford Development doesn't build its skyscraper it won't be because of the drilling ban, it will be because of the scourge of interneighborhood marriage -- Brighton Heights North Siders lying in sin with Shadysiders and the such.
The last Anon is right Bram. Your fawning over Peduto Colors your judgement. Even with that shameful, Fitz-like email - a darkly foreboding promise that "you won't be forgotten" - you fail to interact with the last anon's substantial point. If Ravenstahl sent out the same email, youd employ the dame amount of shame, mockery and ridicule that you, PittGirl, 2junkies, and Infy have for years. Pathetic.
ReplyDeleteBram, full disclosure (or as full as possible while remaining anonymous) I am a Luke contributor and have business with the city. I will probably write Mike Lamb a check as well because his office has been good about getting me paid quickly.
ReplyDeleteWhat you have defined as inelegant is one thing but when it comes to elegance, Rich Fitzgerald makes this Eric look like Audrey Hepburn. I have never seen a shake down act like the one he goes through in raising money for Bill Peduto. It is old school hard ball stuff and I think will end up hurting them both. I'm glad I don't do county business any more.
I appreciate the feedback, and considering what his Republican opponent called the "Shale Shakedown", what you say about Fitz is not out of the realm of possibility. But I think you have to forgive me for being skeptical until the complaints are non-anonymous and more specific.
ReplyDeleteI'm not at all positive a mere "You won't be forgotten" coming from a Luke campaign staffer would send me into rage and apoplexy. And I'm sure Team Bill has a very different opinion as to whether I've spent much time "fawning" over him. I know that goes also for Infy. People tend to confuse criticizing Luke with fawning over Bill. Maybe if I saw an example.
Really disturbing to me:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/weather/allegheny-county-health-panel-oks-weaker-air-rules-669688/
Thank you Helen. I was wondering why the Comet and other Billy supporters weren't posting Fitz's latest arm twisting to hurt the residents of our region. Bram, i think first you look no further than Fitz's arm twisting of the frackers to give him money. Then, all the people he fired for political reasons. And now, an entire board that was set to vote on new air quality rules CHANGES COURSE and weakens those rules AFTER MEETING WITH FITZ. Seriously, can we at least admit that if this was Luke and the same situation applied you guys would be blowing your top? Can we please just at least have some dignity and admit that? If you don't care about this simply because you want Luke gone, then fine, just admit it. We all get the government we deserve.
ReplyDeleteOnly reason I didn't post the air quality story is 'cause I didn't post period. That needs fixing. But I could have sworn this sorry change represents not much of a change at all, as we've been riddled with County "Screw air quality standards!" stories for the past three years. But even if its a reversion to the mean it's no good.
ReplyDeleteI can't credit the "firing people for political reasons" argument much however, because when it comes to at-will employees every executive is entitled to their own team. I don't have any prejudice that Onoroto's lieutenants were irreplaceable professionals.
I don't suppose anyone's that interested that Bill and Fitz are different people? Some are acting like Fitz invented Bill in his garage. I keep thinking of Bill as the full-time City councilman leading a political movement, and Fitz as the part-time County councilman totally subservient to Dan who only recently inherited a day in the sun almost by default. If pending what happens soon at Alcosan I should have to evolve into a "Like Bill, Cool on Fitz" position, will people take that as inconsistent or impossible?
Can anyone here provide some hard scientific evidence of Pushmi-Pullyus or Fitzdedutos roaming around outside of Dr. Dolittle's zoology textbook?
ReplyDeletehttp://thebestpictureproject.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/doctor-dolittle/
Bram, let me attempt to answer your questions. Of course Bill and Fitz are different people. I interpret the previous anon comment this way. The comment is two fold. One, it is a direct jab at Fitz. The lefty media and bloggers in the region are still all gaga eyes over Fitz and refuse to criticize him. This is despite the fact that he plays the same "shackled machine" game better than anyone. He leans on big business (cough, gas companies) for donations and threatens people if they don't write him a check. He fires people hired by previous administrations and replaces board members. He now leans on board members to weaken air quality rules that those same members voted to approve. Now, he leans on county vendors and unions to support Bill. Fitz fires people and you say that maybe they aren't tied to the notion that they are the only person that can do the job. But, when Luke or Corbett fires people, do they get the same treatment? Fitz is an old time, old machine, party politics, scratch my back i'll scratch yours politician. We have lots of them. What we need is just a little honesty about this instead of the muzzle that has been placed on the press and bloggers from criticizing Fitz and acting like he is the great progressive savior. That leads into the issue with Bill. It isn't a secret that Fitz is very public and vocal about his support of Bill. More importantly Bill is very public and vocal about the fact that he has Fitz's support. The two are tied together because if Bill was so progressive and really seeking to "unshackle" the City, why would he make as the centerpiece of that effort one the best "shacklers" around? These comments are just meant to illustrate the hypocrisy circling the progressive toilet. Bill is out rounding up money, aligning himself with "shacklers" and making promises to reward contributors. If Bill wins and cleans house on boards and commissions and department heads will he get a free pass or will he get criticized for playing politics?
ReplyDeleteI remember that when I was lukewarm-to-cool towards Fitzgerald's candidacy against Flaherty, Peduto took the stump to say that Fitz had "one foot planted in old Pittsburgh and one foot planted in new Pittsburgh." It could be that's rather like saying somebody loves one of their parents and murdered the other one. For the purposes of that election, and moving forward in the County, however, half a loaf is probably a worthwhile step up.
ReplyDeleteI think Bill Peduto is his own centerpiece. I view these comments I'm receiving as a worthy indication of that a course-correction (or course-addition) is needed. However progressives have a bum deal when it comes to expectations; claiming to stand for better government, their opponents get to demand they be as pure as the Arctic snow and run with no institutional support, no money, and no concessions to a business community which comprises a lot of votes. Meanwhile we have an issue in the Mayor's office, Lamb I don't doubt has his own ties here and there (Murphy's machine?), Wagner is a one-family tie, Jesus has yet to return and if he does now it's too late to establish city residency, and I'll joyously trade shackles for a mere tether. Or imperfect metaphors for a legitimate demonstration of progress.
I can and will pledge no unnecessary free rides for Fitzgerald, though.
The thing is, Bram, that Bill is the same old persona that he has maintained since he decided to run for public office (champion of/panderer to the progressive east end types, pro gay rights, pro choice on abortion, pro gun control...you know, all those cultural issues in which City has absolutely no policy role).
ReplyDeleteWhat is supposedly different NOW is how much money Peduto raised. If the difference amounts to Fitz's ham-fisted attempts to strong arm county venders, then it IS a key issue.
Bram - the answer to one of your questions is a resounding "yes." Yes - if you parade around as a progressive "un-shackler" then you do need to be as pure as arctic snow. Otherwise, isn't it just a matter of subjective degree on how much corruption we are willing to tolerate? Doesn't that then lead to nothing more than rationalizing that ones own champion is doing the same stuff as the enemy for some justified reason? Doesn't that just perpetuate the same old same old? If you are truly different then be different. If you truly believe that being politically pure is necessary for real change - then do it. The reason why people are willing give Billy a pass and make excuses is because they know that his donors aren't upset because of the way government is run, they are upset because they aren't in control. There are very powerful people in the E. End that want control of Grant Street and are very angry they don't have it. Lets get real. That is what this election is about, not the "machine versus good government." Give me a break. You are losing lots of street cred here.
ReplyDeleteBram, You've written about Ravenstahl and the way he controls the city authorities as a bad thing. Fitzgerald refuses to appoint people to the county authorities unless they sign a resignation letter that he keeps in case he needs it.
ReplyDeleteAnon 4:41 - Well that sounds weird. Is that sourced yet or do I have to ask?
ReplyDeleteSource on Fitz reqiring resignation letters to be appointed
ReplyDeletehttp://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/region/bruce-dixon-lawyer-fitzgerald-endangered-public-health-by-firing-him-658708/
Not that anyones paying attention, but heres the scoop on Fitzgerald first year in office. Still confused about whether or not Fitzgerald has failed in his first year, breaking campaign promises, failing to work cooperatively with others, and doing all the stuff anybody else would be hammered for- you decide (with citations)
ReplyDeleteFotzgerald on Jailtime Before Reassessments
http://m.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/blogs/Post?basename=fitzgerald-without-statewide-tax-reform-ill-go-to-jail-before-sending-out-tax-reassessments&day=22&id=SlagHeap&month=02&year=2011
Firzgerald supported county tax hikes
http://northhills.patch.com/articles/fitzgerald-backs-tax-hike-what-do-you-think
Air service continues to drop under Fitzgerald
http://nullspace2.blogspot.com/2012/12/number-of-day-7.html?m=1
Fitzgerald supports Marcellus drilling with a questionable contract, to boot
http://triblive.com/mobile/m/3137475-96/authority-consol-bid
Fitzgerald raids RAD for Port Authorty, first county leader to do it, putting arts and small non profits at risk
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/opinion/perspectives/the-end-of-rad-as-we-know-it-transit-is-important-but-the-county-sales-tax-is-for-other-assets-650695/
Fitzgerald strong arms health department to reduce air quality standards behind closed doors
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/opinion/editorials/retreat-on-air-closed-door-talks-weaken-new-county-guidelines-670338/
Homicides up in Fotzerald led County
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/region/homicide-rate-baffles-suburban-police-670280/
Fitzgerald fights with other elected leaders- Chelsea Wagner, Luke Ravrnstahl
What else!?!
Fitz pushed biggest recording fee increase in County History.
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:29 - Thanks for the link. Rich's lawyer was correct, that was indeed "unseemly" of Rich. I bet it had something to do with the upcoming battle over Alcosan. Hey, wonder how THAT's going...?
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:48 - I guess some people can't take okay for an answer. But a few of those attacks are pretty questionable: "raiding" RAD for public transit was a good and very popular move as compared to more service cuts in the face of unprecedented state cuts for example. Where is the Mayor's advocacy on public transit, by the way? Shouldn't he be leading rallies, using the bully pulpit, making economic arguments, criticizing Republicans?
What's the new campaign slogan? LUKE RAVENSTAHL: "Because all the other politicians are just as corrupt." Or maybe LUKE RAVENSTAHL: "Lower your expectations and you won't be disappointed." Or wait, how about LUKE RAVENSTAHL: "Wah! I'm being unfairly hammered! I hate the spotlight! People don't like me 'cause they're jealous or out for themselves, those are the only possible reasons! Wah!"
Um, how about "Luke Ravenstahl - because our city is doing really freaggin well and lots of cool things are happening here and people are moving back in like the first time ever and....." But, since my opponents can't attack me on anything to do with, um, how the City is performing, which is my number one job, they will attack me on lots of fringe issues and whether or not I reappoint certain people to boards and commissions. And, I can prove this by the fact that those enemies don't criticize others for the exact same stuff and give those people a pass.
ReplyDeleteLUKE RAVENSTAHL: "We must be doing something right."
ReplyDeletePittsburgh is a rock star. We invested in it, we innovated in it, we took great prudent care of it over 30 years and we believe in it. Of course it's doing well. How will the next 30 years go? What do we have left to accomplish?
Oh, and Anon 9:11, about "replacing people on boards and commissions" -- this is actually a subtle point I've been trying to illustrate to Shawn lately without apparent effect.
ReplyDeleteThe issue for example was not that Mayor Ravenstahl replaced Debbie Lestitian on the Stadium Authority with somebody else he preferred or knew better. The issue was that he replaced her because she pointed out that the land we sold the Steelers on the North Shore was worth many many scores of times what we sold it to them for, and insisted only that a land appraisal might not be a bad idea before a land sale. Shocking.
And the issue wasn't that Mayor Ravenstahl replaced Alice Mitinger on the ZBA. The issue was that he replaced her punitively after she issued an obviously factually correct, inevitable ruling that the digital billboard on the parking building was impossible to approve under the code even as a variance or special exception for no less than four separate reasons, none of which were ever disputed -- instead of delivering a mini-opinion which said, "Eh, it's okay, I like it" and that surely would have gotten thrown out of court on appeal anyway, wasting money and time.
So I can see how from a 1000 yard vantage and with no further knowledge, one might believe it's only about "replacing people" and being a normal politician. It's actually about forcing his boards to make horrible, strange, counterproductive, sometimes illegal decisions that make his friends wealthy at the City's expense. It's a substantive issue, it's a legitimate issue, it's his own record of choices, and yes people can judge him on it without being hypocritical or "political".
Oh, and Anon 9:11, about "replacing people on boards and commissions" -- this is actually a subtle point I've been trying to illustrate to Shawn lately without apparent effect.
ReplyDeleteWell, since you called me out, I guess I'll dignify the screed with a response. LOL
I guess Mayor Ravenstahl needs to adopt the policy of one of his contemporaries, which is to demand a signed resignation letter as a prerequisite to nomination.
Except he didn't need to do so. Unlike the Board of Health, where an appointee, once confirmed, can only be removed for cause, the appointees of the Stadium Authority serve "at-will", at the pleasure of the Mayor.
As for Alice Mitinger and David Toal, their terms had expired. Same with the CPRB. Same with Peduto's term on the Stadium Authority. They were all appointed by Luke's predecessors, although I do faintly remember Lestitian having first been reappointed by Ravenstahl and then subsequently removed. Are you suggesting he had no right to appoint new representatives, that he was obligated to reappoint his predecessor's choices?
Regardless of the preceding unpleasantness, he was entitled to go in a different direction. If we follow logic to a reasonable conclusion, the reason the GSTC sign was approved as an "Administrator Exception" was precisely to avoid a trip to the Zoning Board.
So the ZBA ruling came as no surprise to anyone. Are you suggesting that David Toal was replaced as punishment for abstaining in that matter?
We should just kill our Authorities, Boards and Commissions and reintegrate them all back into City departments. But that doesn't address what your primary concern is -- independence.
Afraid that our system of government sucks in that respect.
I didn't say a thing about Toal or the CPRB. Expired terms or no, the timing in each case I mentioned was flagrantly in direct response to those board members' failure to implement objectively stupid policy. Board members should be there to help save you from yourself in those hopefully rare situations.
ReplyDelete(By the way people, contrary to apparently popular opinion I "hammered" Fitzgerald very soundly on reassessments and on the shale e-mail. So do us a favor and drop the hypocrisy complaints and the transparent distraction attempts. We'll deal with Fitz when he's up for reelection, Rave is up for reelection now.)
Bram,
ReplyDeleteI never invoked hypocrisy... I merely drew a comparison as a case in point.
Mitinger's term expired December 31, 2008.
Her replacement was confirmed in like, July of 2009.
Regardless of what happened with GSTC, she would likely have been replaced anyway.
I didn't address the parenthetical to you Shawn, only to "people"... and I respect your decision not to contest my characterization of those specified policies as "objectively stupid."
ReplyDeleteClearly that $ advantage has been left in th dust by the Mayor. Dopeduto will have a hard time catching up!
ReplyDelete