Category: 161st Special Election 2015

Delaware County Republican Chairman Andy Reilly appeared on the Dom Giordano show, Monday, (June 15) to defend the man the GOP picked to fill the vacant 161st District Seat in the Pennsylvania House.

Why the candidate himself couldn’t appear is certainly a point of wonder especially as Andy couldn’t answer questions about where the candidate stood.

The candidate is Paul Mullen, who is business manager of  IBEW Local 654 and until very recently was president of the county AFL-CIO. Mullen was a personal supporter of Joe Sestak, Toomey’s opponent, five years ago.

This is what Mullen said  in 2010 about Sestak: A lot of politicians say they’ll support you when they run, then they turn their backs on you. Joe’s the opposite. He stands tall with the IBEW. Members here—they know Joe. He’s been to the hall several times and he’s toured our training facility. He’s definitely one of us.

Will Mullen support Toomey this time? Andy  replied “I’ll bet you a steak dinner at a restaurant of your choosing that he will”.

Um, that’s not a yes.

Will Mullen support liquor privatization?

Andy: “I believe he does . . . it depends on how you define (privatization). What does that mean?”

C’mon Andy. Really?

One glaring issue that reveals why many of the loyal party workers are getting disgusted with the bosses is the claim that Mullen was picked by the grassroots.

“There is some kind of suggestion that the process of the endorsement of Paul Mullen was undemocratic,” Andy, who counts IBEW. Local 654 as among his law clients, told Dom. “The decision was made by the elected Republican committeepeople, one man and one woman from the neighborhoods in the district. Both candidates were provided with a list of committeepeople and addresses. They each sent a letter to the committeepeople along with their resume. We held a forum whereby both candidates were able to give their speeches, and then we handed a secret ballot,  and both candidates were there to witness the tabulation. This wasn’t a decision made by the party bosses. This was a rank and file election by committeepeople.”

The  forum and election tabulation was held 7 p.m., May 28 at Barnaby’s Heritage Ballroom in Ridley.

The results had been announced an hour earlier on Facebook.

The interview is 12:27 long and can be found here in Dom’s archives from June 15.

The 161st District seat was vacated by newly re-elected Rep. Joe Hackett, a Republican, on April 30. The election is Aug. 4.

Lisa Esler, the Pat Tooomey-supporting Republican, who  went door-to-door for our Senator and made phone calls for him in 2010 and stayed up nervously watching returns and is going to happily support his re-election, is also seeking election to the seat.

She is more than willing to personally take questions from Dom on the air.

Mrs. Esler won election to the Penn Delco School in 2011 and developed a reputation for tackling the corruption and  cronyism prevalent in state politics.

In  this year’s May 19 primary election, Mrs. Esler was the top vote-getter on both Republican and Democrat ballots to retain her seat.

She is running as a write-in candidate, something the new machines make easy to do.

The non-GOP supported Democrat in the race is Leanne Krueger-Braneky of Swarthmore who lost to Hackett last fall.

Andy Reilly Covers For Mullen

 

 

 

In a passionate, heartfelt speech beneath dreary skies before a crowd of 40 at the steps of the Delaware County Courthouse, Lisa Esler explained, this morning, June 15, why she entered the race for the 161st District Pennsylvania House seat.

The seat is open because just-elected Republican incumbent Joe Hackett stepped down April 30 saying he wanted to return to law enforcement.

The Delaware County GOP to the puzzlement of many picked county AFL-CIO boss Paul Mullen as their candidate to replace him. Mullen had been a strident supporter of Democrats over the last several election cycles, even to the point of serving as a muscleman enforcer.

Mullen’s only foray into public service was a stint on the Penn Delco School Board in the mid-oughts, which, like Hackett, he quit soon after his appointment.

Mrs. Esler, an Aston resident, described herself as a wife, mother, grandmother, certified optician, and a member of the Penn Delco School Board.

And a Republican.

She said she is running to give the district’s voters a choice.

“I am challenging the Delco GOP’s candidate because in my role as a school board director, I have seen how Harrisburg is tainted by special interest lobbyists. As head of the AFL-CIO in Delaware County and the business manager for the IBEW, Mr. Mullen is the poster child for special interests,” she said. “Further, Mr. Mullen has supported liberal Democrats in the last two major election cycles — under his leadership, his union supported Barack Obama and Bob Casey; and Mr. Mullen personally supported Joe Sestak and John Kane. That the Delco GOP machine would favor a man who is, for all intents and purposes a Democrat, is a slap in the face to every Republican in Delaware County.”

She noted that Mullen was picked before the ostensible committee-person vetting process. While taking questions after her prepared statement, she said that a GOP Facebook post announced that Mullen was the candidate an hour before the official selection meeting started May 28.

Mrs. Esler will be running a write-in campaign which, with the new voting machines, is no longer tilting at windmills. The Democrat candidates for Delaware County Council got on the ballot this year via a write-in campaign and Scott Wagner won a write in campaign in a special election last year to take the 28th District State Senate seat.

The official Democrat in the race is Leanne Krueger-Braneky of Swarthmore who lost to Hackett last fall by 2,696 votes.

Mrs. Esler said the district needs someone who will fight for the taxpayers and that there are many cost saving measures that could be implemented without loss of services but are kept from doing so by the political class.

“I am not and do not intend to become a career politician,” she said, and specifically pledged not to take a pension.

“I pledge to the people in the 161st District that I will not burden them by taking part in the pension system that makes our legislators wealthy and is bankrupting our Commonwealth.”

She said people were needed to stand up to the lobbyists and the party machines and to work for the taxpayer.

“I will work for you and not be beholden to any special interest group, lobbyist or political party. I am in this race to win and hope the people of the 161st will give me the opportunity to go to Harrisburg and work for them,” she said.

The 161st District is the townships of Aston, Nether Providence, Ridley (PART, Wards 01 [PART, Division 03], 02 [PART, Divisions 01 and 03], 03, 05, 07 and 08) and Springfield (PART, Ward 03 [PART, Division 02 (HD161)]) and the boroughs of Brookhaven, Rose Valley, Rutledge and Swarthmore. Total population: 63,539

Lisa Esler Campaign Explained.

The Lisa Esler campaign has begun.

Leanne Krueger-Braneky will be the official Democrat in the 161st District special election to fill the Pennsylvania State House seat vacated April 30 by Republican Joe Hackett.

Hackett quit the legislature saying he wanted to return to law enforcement.

The election is Aug. 4.

She will face Lisa Esler, a popular Penn Delco School Board member who is running a write-in campaign, and Delaware County AFL-CIO President Paul Mullen who the county Republican leaders placed on the R side of the ballot.

Mullen has been a strong campaigner for Democrats in recent state and national elections.

Ms. Krueger-Braneky, a Swarthmore resident, lost to Hackett last fall by 2,696 votes.

Leanne Krueger-Braneky To Be Official D

There will be opposition to the Joe Sestak-supporting union president picked by the Delaware County Republican Party to fill the 161st District State House seat being vacated by Joe Hackett.

Lisa Esler, a Penn Delco school board member  and Republican, will hold a press conference 10 a.m., Monday, June 15,  at the Delaware County Court House,  201 W. Front St. , Media, Pa., 19063, to announce a write-in campaign.

“I am challenging the Delco GOP’s candidate because in my role as school board director, I have seen how Harrisburg is tainted by special interest lobbyists,” Mrs. Esler said. “As the head of the AFL-CIO in Delaware County and the business manager for the IBEW,  (Paul) Mullen is the poster child for special interests.  Further, Mr. Mullen has supported liberal Democrats in the last two major election cycles—his union supported Barack Obama and Bob Casey and Mr. Mullen personally supported Joe Sestak and John Kane.  That the Delco GOP machine would favor a man who is, for all intents and purposes a Democrat, is a slap in the face to every Republican in Delaware County.”

Hackett quit his legislative post, April 30, after easily winning re-election last fall saying he wanted to return to law enforcement. Mullen, ironically, was a Penn Delco School Director in 2007 before also quitting, suddenly and mysteriously, well before the end of his term.

“Harrisburg needs legislators who will fight for the taxpayers—not the special interests,” Mrs. Esler said. ” There are many cost saving measures that could be implemented. We need people who are willing to stand up to the lobbyists and the party machines and work for the taxpayer.  That is my pledge to the residents of the 161st district—I will work for you.  I am in this race to win and hope the people of the 161st will give me the opportunity to go to Harrisburg and work for them.”

A non-GOP-endorsed Democrat candidate is expected to be announced by the end of the week.

The election is Aug. 4.

The guy the Delaware County Republicans picked in the 161st District  Pennsylvania House race was the hatchetman used against unruly union members supporting Republican Tom McGarrigle in last fall’s 26th District State Senate race, according to stories from September.

Andrea Devenney appeared in an advertisement praising McGarrigle for saving her husband’s refinery job. Soon after,  Mrs. Devenney’s husband,  Steve, a union electrician, was approached by Paul Mullen who allegedly told him something along the lines of get the little lady in line or your job is toast.

Mullen is the one the Republicans want in in the 161st Seat that is being vacated by Republican Joe Hackett.

Mullen admitted to making a call but said he was just offering Steve a job. Mullen is  Business Manager of IBEW Local 654 and president of the Delaware County AFL-CIO

Mrs. Devenney, however, says Mullen made the call on behalf of John Kane, the Democrat opposing McGarrigle as she quickly  texted the McGarrigle campaign in disgust saying ‘So John Kain(sp?) called paul mullin flipping out over the commercial. Steve is in serious trouble and his job may be on the line. I’m in a horrible spot….how long will that commercial run?’”

Mullen was (is?) a strong supporter of liberal Democrat Joe Sestak in 2010 against moderate Republican Pat Toomey. Has the county GOP asked him what he will do if the expected rematch happens in 2016? Suppose if Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is the presidential nominee. Can a guy who ran the county AFL-CIO support him? Of course not. There is no upside to Mullen as a Republican legislator.

Hackett is vacating the seat saying he wants to return to law enforcement. The special election is Aug. 4. The Democrats have not yet announced a candidate albeit there is no real reason why they should bother. A write-in campaign is being considered by Penn Delco School Board Director Lisa Esler.

The 161st District is the townships of Aston, Nether Providence, Ridley (PART, Wards 01 [PART, Division 03], 02 [PART, Divisions 01 and 03], 03, 05, 07 and 08) and Springfield (PART, Ward 03 [PART, Division 02 (HD161)]) and the boroughs of Brookhaven, Rose Valley, Rutledge and Swarthmore.  It was a population of 63,539.

Americans have to learn to stop making politics a contest between which side gets to milk the public cow for two or four years. We have to learn to look at issues.  In Pennsylvania, the biggest issue is the pension bomb caused by the malfeasance of men and women we elected to watch the public purse and our foolishness in trusting them. SB 1, a small but necessary step in alleviating future pain, is on the table. The unions are outspokenly against it. Where does Mullen stand? LOL.

In Springfield — this is for you people in Ward 3, Division 2 — a $130 million new high school is being sought. Repealing the state prevailing wage law would likely shave millions off the cost —  20 percent according to one respected source. Would Mullen support it? Again LOL.

If you, the retiree, the guy that’s out of work, the mom with three kids, the one who owns a pizza shop or works 9-5 to make ends meet want to see your standard of living stop shrinking, then don’t vote for guys like Mullen.

Paul Mullen Bullied For John Kane Says Woman

The committee members of the 161st District of the Pennsylvania State House, tonight, May 28, overwhelmingly tapped a man who six months earlier had been actively fighting to get a liberal Democrat in the State Senate.

Four-fifths of those in attendance reportedly voted for Paul Mullen to be the party’s nominee in a special election Aug. 4 to replace Republican Joe Hackett who resigned claiming he wanted to return to law enforcement.

Mullen is the president of the Delaware County AFL-CIO. He actively campaigned for Democrat John Kane last fall against Republican good guy Tom McGarrigle in the 26th District State Senate Race. In 2010, he supported Democrat Joe Sestak against  Republican Pat Toomey. Would he support Sestak again next year if there should be a rematch? That question was apparently not asked. The only question asked of him reportedly involved real estate taxes and his answer was he did not have one.

The nomination is expected to become official next week.

The only other person interviewed by the committee was Lisa Esler, who unlike Mullen, holds a public office namely Penn Delco School Director. In  the May 19 primary election, Mrs. Esler was the top vote-getter on both Republican and Democrat ballots to retain her seat. She has developed a reputation for tackling the cronyism prevalent in state politics.

Could that be the reason four-fifths of the committee members voted against her?

 GOP Committee Taps Democrat Campaigner

 

Paul Mullen, who is among those seeking the Republican nomination to replace Republican Joe Hackett as the 161st District’s representative in the Pennsylvania State House, is an outspoken supporter of former 7th District Congressman Joe Sestak.

Sestak is a Democrat who leans strong to the left and sought the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Pat Toomey. He is seeking the Democratic nomination for a rematch in 2016.

“With Joe, the communications lines are wide open,” Mullen said in a union newsletter. “. . . He sands tall with the IBEW.”

Mullen is president of the Delaware County AFL-CIO and business manager for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 654. Last fall, he supported Democrat John Kane in his bid for the 26th District State Senate seat against  Republican Tom McGarrigle.

Hackett resigned saying he wants to return to law enforcement.

A special election to replace him has been scheduled for Aug. 4.

Paul Mullen Sestak Supporter