Pennsylvania Lincoln Dinner Gossip

Pennsylvania Lincoln Dinner Gossip — Here’s some gossip from the Pennsylvania Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Dinner, Feb. 2.

When keynote speaker Ben Carson threw a zinger at Nikki Haley, 10 state committee people stood up and left. This included Philly GOP Chairman Vince Fenerty and his table.

York County District Attorney Dave Sunday was solidly endorsed in his bid to become state attorney general. Tough break Craig Williams who reportedly is still circulating petitions.

Bucks County Chairwoman Pat Poprik anticipates strong voter turnout. It was revealed, though, that she and others in leadership are being sued by “the far right MAGA group there” over access to petition signing meetings.

Whoever could they be? Betcha they are friends of ours. Go get ’em Barry, Dawn and Andy.

There are primary battles in Bucks for delegates, committee seats and, of course, congress.

A primary battle for congress looms in Delco as well for the the 5th District seat held by Democrat Mary Gay Scanlon. It’s between Dasha Pruett and Alfie Goodwin. The Delco GOP has endorsed Alfie.

In Philly, Sam Oropeza-backed Patrick Gushue is taking on party-backed Aizaz Gill to unseat Democrat Kevin Boyle in the 172nd District State House race.

The competition is good news and shows that Pennsylvania’s GOP is far from dead.

One point of concern, however, is Montgomery County. They are short committee people and can’t find candidates for four State House seats in the eastern part of the county.

On the other hand, there is battle for the Swarthmore Western committeeman seat between Bob Small and Jim Rivello.

It is speculated that Rivello is being backed by “far right MAGA groups.”

Bob, however, is one of the excellent writers at BillLawrenceOnline.com and we hope all vote for him.

Senate candidate Dave McCormick gave an hour-long speech which was apparently well received. We are going to have trouble filling in his block, and we mean for the general election.

We like air conditioning and we don’t want crickets on our menu.

By the way, Oropeza, who just ran for Philly Council, and David Oh, who had been a long-time member of Philadelphia Council, are moving to Delco this year. They cite better schools for their kids and less crime.

Pennsylvania Lincoln Dinner Gossip

GOP Spent More On Flowers Than Voter Files

GOP Spent More On Flowers Than Voter FilesJennifer Van Laar revealed on RedState.com that the Democrat National Committee spent $156,900, 327.28 between Oct. 20, 2022 and Nov. 30, 2023 while the Republican National Committee spent 128,735,489.96.

Fine.

It’s not that big a difference.

Maybe the RNC spent smarter.

Well, no. That’s where it’s not so fine.

The Rs spent $1.078 million on management consulting vs $114,000 to the Ds; $116,341.27 on media booking consultants compared to nothing for the Ds; $263,127.25 on limos compared to $7k for the Ds; and, wait for it, $70,328 for floral arrangements compared to $795 for the Ds.

The Ds, on the other hand, spent $235,865.88 on voter file maintenance compared to $39,233.5 for the Rs; and $1,676,923.29 for “get out the vote” texting compared to $86,019 for the Rs.

They also gave $23,835,437 to state parties compared to $13,800,200 for the Rs.

Yes, the Republicans spent more on floral arrangements than on voter file maintenace.

Ronna McDaniel has got to go. If she won’t resign as national GOP chairwoman, she should be coerced to quit. They can give her some flowers and a ride in a limo on the way out.

Hat tip Charlie Kirk

GOP Spent More On Flowers Than Voter Files

GOP Spent More On Flowers Than Voter Files

Democrats Running With Ridley Park Tax Explosion

Democrats Running With Ridley Park Tax Explosion

By Bob Small

As is our usual, we turned on Philly’s Fox 29 News, Dec. 28,  to get updated on the usual accidents, carjackings, robberies, and shootings in Delco, Philly, and Jersey.

However, the lead story took place at one of our neighboring, Ridley Park and it was from the borough council meeting.

It concerned the 17 percent tax hike required because money owed by Taylor Hospital were not being paid by it new owner, Prospect Medical Holdings.

This has has left a swath of destruction.

Ridley Park is known for being the home of Boeing Helicopter, and has a business district with many small businesses, a local High School and Library,. Like Swarthmore, it’s named after a place in England.  It’s solidly middle-class, a Swarthmore without the upperclass pretensions.

The Ridley Park Dems are making a big deal about this.

They said on Facebook, Dec. 27, Tomorrow the all Republican Borough Council will vote on a historic property tax increase for the residents of our Borough. This increase will purportedly cover 2 YEARS of Prospect Medical’s property tax bill.  Yes, they are asking you to pay Prospect’s bill in 2024, JUST IN CASE this private equity firm doesn’t. 

But here are the facts:

❌ the 2021 audit showed a DEFICIT of $507k. That is with Prospect Medical paying their property tax bill.

❌ the 2022 audit hasn’t been released yet even though it was due 4/1/2023

❌ For a list of other expenses from 2023 that contributed to this budget deficit, see the final attached budget that will be approved for 2024: https://ridleyparkborough.org/…/Final-Budget-2024-12.27

The Ridley Park Republican Party is talking about Christmas decorating contests.

As I said with regard to Swarthmore, any time one party is in charge there is going to be things like this happening.

.

Democrats Running With Ridley Park Tax Explosion
When you Google Ridley Park Republican Party — as we just did at 11:13 a.m., Jan. 1, 2024 — this is what you get. The GOP in Delco better start recruiting people who understand social media and this new-fangled internet thingy. Or maybe they should just stop being complacent and lazy

GOP Lt Gov Loser Lobbying For Dominion

GOP Lt Gov Loser Lobbying For Dominion — Carrie DelRosso, the Republican who lost 2022 Pennsylvania lieutenant governor race, is now working for Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney, a Philly-based lobbyist law firm with a proven reputation for providing progressive, industry-leading legal, business, regulatory and government relations advice to our regional, national and international clients.

Among those clients is Dominion Voting Systems.

They are also big on diversity/inclusivity/equity things.

Ms. DelRosso’s title is senior advisor, government relations.

The greatest threat America faces is that the overwhelming majority of those enter government are in it entirely for themselves.

GOP Lt Gov Loser Lobbying For Dominion

Delco GOP Sues County Council Over Election Code Change; Will Their Testicles Drop After All?

Delco GOP Sues County Council Over Election Code Change; Will Their Testicles Drop After All? — The Delaware County (Pa) Republican Party is suing Democrat-controlled County Council over changes made to the Election Code, Jan. 18.

The lawsuit was announced May 21.

The new law allows the board to reject all members on a list of three names submitted by the Republicans for the seat and restart the process. Previously, they had to accept one of the names.

State law requires all counties except Philadelphia to have an election board with a minority member and that the minority member must come from a list submitted by the county chairman of the minority party.

The county law passed by the Democrats lets them reject names unceasingly until they get one that meets with their approval.

Good for the GOP for finally standing up even if it’s just for a little.

Now, how about giving Rob Mancini a hand with his right-to-know case? The Delco Republicans haven’t even made a public statement or issued a press release in support. You’d think it would be good politics to simply ask why the Democrats are fighting so hard to keep the people from seeing correspondence with Fort Orange Press of Albany, N.Y., which prints the county’s election ballots.

Frankly, it would be good politics to ask why Delco’s ballots are not being printed in Delaware County, much less out of state.

The GOP can also start asking why the Democrats are fighting so hard to hide ballot envelope signatures.

Again, it is good and necessary politics to call out strange and suspicious behavior by governments to whom you are the opposition.

All we’ve heard from the Republicans on these matters are crickets.

Also kudos to Bob Small for submitting a tip.

Delco GOP Sues County Council Over Election Code Change; Will Their Testicles Drop After All?

Delco GOP Sues County Council Over Election Code Change; Will Their Testicles Drop After All? — The Delaware County (Pa) Republican Party is suing Democrat-controlled County Council over changes made to the Election Code, Jan. 18.

GOP Establishment Keeps Control In Montco

GOP Establishment Keeps Control In Montco — Christian Nascimento won as expected, March 1, the chairmanship of the Montgomery County Republican Party.

What wasn’t expected were the armed guards who initially prevented his opponent, Stan Casacio, from entering the hall at the Crowne Plaza in King of Prussia, and would later threaten to eject his other opponent Joe Rooney.

Stan says the guards claimed his name was not on the list of those allowed. After a fuss, party officials agreed to let him in, but not his lawyer, Andy Teitelman. After more fuss, they agreed to let Teitelman in as well but said he had to stay in the back and couldn’t mingle.

During the proceedings, party officials objected to points Rooney was making leading to the threat of ejection and causing much contention.

Rooney would later endorse Stan and encourage his supporters to give him their votes.

Stan estimates that the final tally was about 300 to 200 for Nascimento with the margin being cast by proxy votes. About 400 attended the event.

Nascimento will fill the remainder of Liz Havey’s four-year term, which began in June. She unexpectedly resigned in mid February.

Stan is not conceding and is planning a lawsuit based on violations of process.

GOP Establishment Keeps Control In Montco
GOP Establishment Keeps Control In Montco

Can Frank Agovino Turn Swarthmore Red?

Can Frank Agovino Turn Swarthmore Red?

By Bob Small

Can Frank Agovino Turn Swarthmore Red? — Frank Agovino has been elected at the new Delco GOP chairman replacing the retired Tom McGarrigle and promising a host of changes.  

“I want to get the party on better footing, and that means having a 49-municipality strategy that actively invites more people into the process from across the county,”  he said.

He also intends to “establish a committee on mail in voting” and wants to “improve our performance amongst voters who now prefer to vote early and remotely”.

“We need to do a better job of serving as a watchdog and holding the current l(democratic) leadership accountable,” he said. It is also our duty to effectively articulate an alternative vision.”  

Can Frank Agovino Turn Swarthmore Red?
Frank Agovino

This was an election where only one county Republican candidate State Rep Craig Williams (D-160) won.  Incumbent Chris Quinn (168th) was an incumbent who was upset.  

Agovino was the GOP candidate for the 26th District senate seat in November losing to incumbent Timothy Kearney

Agovino’s New Avenue Foundation started the Media Bean Company which is still around, albeit in Newtown  Square, still making great breakfasts.  He has been involved with a number of boards, including the Delaware County Intermediate Unit, the Manufacturers Alliance of Delaware and Chester County, and the YMCA of Eastern Delaware County, etc.  

He received a BS in Marketing from St. Joe’s and an MS in Organizational Leadership from Cabrini.  He lives in Springfield with his wife and daughter,.

One borough in Delco where Republicans have not been on the ballot recently, is Swarthmore.  Maybe Frank Agovino can revitalize the Swarthmore GOP which, sadly does not have an electronic presence.

This is an article I wrote a while ago.  Nothing has changed.

Swarthmore Was Once Republican – BillLawrenceOnline

Hopefully, Frank Agovino will provide some needed changes.

Delco GOP Chair Blames Trump, LOLs Keep Coming

Delco GOP Chair Blames Trump, LOLs Keep Coming — Outgoing Delaware County (Pa) Chair Tom McGarrigle blamed his party’s poor showing on Donald Trump in an interview with Channel 10.

“It’s time for the Republican Party to move beyond Donald Trump,” McGarrigle said. “. . . Donald Trump was elected in 2016 and in Delaware County we started losing elections you know in 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21.”

Well, no.

And you started losing because you began putting up crap candidates, laughing at the wishes of your constituents and ignoring the county’s changing demographics.

A lot of those Blacks moving into Upper Darby think more like Trump voters than Radnorites. Where was the outreach?

Delco GOP Chair Blames Trump, LOLs Keep Coming
Look in the mirror, man

It’s called lazy, Tom. And stupid.

You didn’t need to get them all to make a difference.

Regarding this last election, where were your ads tying Josh Shapiro to the special interests screwing up the lives of the middle class? How about his persecution of The Little Sisters of the Poor.

He was beating up The Little Sisters of the Poor and you couldn’t make an issue about that.

It was almost as though you were a Republican for Shapiro.

And you have the audacity to blame Trump.

And why the silence on the very real concerns about vote fraud in Delco?

You issued a release on Oct. 31, 2020 that at least two duly elected Judges of Election found their voter books had been given to others by the County Election Board and the Election Board couldn’t say who. It’s a rather serious violation, you would think. Good for you for pointing it out. We were kind of expecting a little bit more though. The matter sort of disappeared. You gonna blame Trump for that?

Delco has become a national scandal with regard to elections. It’s the subject of YouTube videos and best-selling books. We get why you might not want to sign onto the claims completely but there’s nothing wrong with asking questions and expressing warranted skepticism at the county’s lame counter-claims.

You can rip Trump but not Jack Stollsteimer? No wonder why the Democrats like you.

We see Channel 10 did not call you chairman or boss but chair. As in something you sit on.

McGarrigle is stepping down Nov. 29 and an election is scheduled that day to replace him. We hear Dave White is the guy tapped. We don’t expect much to change.

Delco GOP Chair Blames Trump, LOLs Keep Coming

Jeff Bartos Wants Shapiro It Seems

Jeff Bartos Wants Shapiro It Seems — It’s being reported that establishment Republican stalwart Jeff Bartos and his wife, Sheryl, attended a Sept. 21 fundraiser for Democrat gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro.

Who is surprised by this?

The Democrat and Republican establishments are the same people. Check out this old story about Stradley Ronon. Shapiro at the time was the Philadelphia lobbying law firm’s counsel and Val DiGiorgio, who ran Chesco’s GOP and would become the state GOP chairman, headed its banking and public finance sections.

Bartos runs in the same circles as does Jim Greenwood and Craig Snyder and Robert Jubelirer as does Michael Chertoff and Mario Civera.

These are the guys that make your lives harder.

If you want your lives to be easier vote for the guy they don’t want.

That would be Doug Mastriano.

He is running as a Republican.

As if party labels still matter.

Hat tip Susan-Jane Goldner

Jeff Bartos Wants Shapiro It Seems
Jeff Bartos Wants Shapiro It Seems

Rick Loughery Has Young Republicans In Turmoil

Rick Loughery Has Young Republicans In Turmoil — Val DiGiorgio’s legacy is metastasizing as the Young Republican National Federation has succumbed to its poison.

DiGiorgio resigned as Pennsylvania Republican Party chairman in 2019 after a sex scandal. Before his unfortunate promotion to state boss, he ruled the Chester County GOP, also unfortunately as his friends were not the friends of the little guys and gals who depend on political leaders to watch their backs.

Rick Loughery Has Young Republicans In Turmoil
Rick Loughery

Val’s handpicked successor as Chesco party boss was Rick Loughery who was the county recorder of deeds, as well as head of the Pennsylvania Young Republicans.

Val’s fall, though, didn’t stop Rick from rising. He became chairman of the Young Republican National Federation (YRNF) in 2019.

And since then, the YRNF has been beset by turmoil. The Florida chapter — a state where Republicans have doing particularly well — has declared its intent to withdraw, and an insurgency is challenging the leadership team placed by Loughery.

Oh Val, we were hoping we could forget you.

Rick Loughery Has Young Republicans In Turmoil