A money dispute between a consultant and the campaign of a local political candidate will not be decided until after the election.
Dan Kalai is a former consultant and acting campaign manager for Judy Moore, the Democratic candidate in the 10th Councilmanic District.
Kalai was paid $10,000 for his work in the first five months of the year, and has sued Moore for what he says is another $9,000 that he is owed.
Kalai was in a courtroom at 1339 Chestnut St. on Monday morning hoping to have the case resolved. He is also suing for $116.75 in court costs. Moore was joined by her lawyer, Matt Haverstick, and campaign manager Dan Lodise.
Municipal Court Judge Marissa Brumbach explained that, by court rules, city political disputes such as this one have to be heard by an out-of-county judge. That hearing is set for Nov. 21. The election is Nov. 5.
Neither side wanted to be in court.
“I exhausted every avenue to settle this quietly and quickly,” Kalai said.
Kalai said the campaign offered him a $3,000 settlement, which he rejected.
Moore, who was recently endorsed by state Reps. Kevin Boyle and Joe Hohenstein, is challenging Republican Councilman Brian O’Neill.
Moore issued the following statement: “Over the last year I have knocked on over 17,000 doors and had the honor to speak with so many amazing families throughout the Northeast. However, there is an ugly side to politics filled with unsavory characters and corrupt consultants. I have unwavering confidence in my neighbors, and their ability to see through the lies and this smear campaign. This is why it’s so important that ordinary citizens run for office and stand up to career politicians.”
Kalai is particularly angered that Lodise seemed to include him among a group of “corrupt consultants” in a recent Inquirer story. He took out his anger outside the courtroom as Moore and Lodise departed.
“Find some integrity on the way to the parking lot,” he said. “It’ll be hard in that car.”
Kalai said he did a good job on Moore’s petition drive, research on O’Neill, filling out questionnaires, getting ward leaders on board, emailing thank you notes to donors and working to get primary opponent Taras Smerechanskyy off the ballot.
“I just want to be paid for my work,” he said.
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Republican City Council at-large candidate Matt Wolfe has pledged to serve just one four-year term.
“I believe that we should have term limits at every level of government, but City Council can make a difference right here, right now,” Wolfe said. “We are all too often governed by career politicians. How’s that been working for you?”
Incumbents, Wolfe said, have tremendous advantages in getting reelected, using the power of their office and their staff to raise money and garner political favors.
Wolfe pointed to Councilmen Bobby Henon, who is under federal indictment and facing a criminal trial for corruption; Kenyatta Johnson, who is under investigation by the FBI while taxpayers are paying his bills for criminal defense lawyers; and Darrell Clarke, whose office is being looked at by the city inspector general over a land sale, according to Inquirer.com.
“This level of political corruption is not at all uncommon in Philadelphia or on Philadelphia’s City Council,” Wolfe said. “The better question is whether it is just the tip of the iceberg right now.”
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The Pennsylvania Sierra Club and 350 Philly, both environmental groups, have endorsed Kendra Brooks, a Working Families Party candidate for Council at large.
“350 Philly is excited to endorse Kendra Brooks for City Council,” said Mitch Chanin, 350 Philly steering committee member. “Kendra is a champion for environmental and economic justice, with a bold platform and an incredible track record as an organizer and coalition builder. Philly needs Kendra in City Council to bring about a Green New Deal.”
Brooks has already secured the endorsement of other environmental groups, liberal organizations, some unions and elected officials such as U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Councilwoman Helen Gym, state Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler, Chris Rabb, Malcolm Kenyatta, Brian Sims, Movita Johnson-Harrell and state Sen. Art Haywood.
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Congregations of Shaare Shamayim, 9768 Verree Road, will host a Meet the Candidates Brunch on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 10 a.m.
The event is open to the community. RSVP to 215-677-1600.
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Pennsylvania voters will decide on a proposed constitutional amendment on crime victim rights in the Nov. 5 election.
The question reads, “Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to grant certain rights to crime victims, including to be treated with fairness, respect and dignity; considering their safety in bail proceedings; timely notice and opportunity to take part in public proceedings; reasonable protection from the accused; right to refuse discovery requests made by the accused; restitution and return of property; proceedings free from delay; and to be informed of these rights, so they can enforce them?”
The measure is appearing on the ballot after state lawmakers passed a bill known as Marsy’s Law, named in memory of a California college student stalked and murdered by an ex-boyfriend.
Reps. Isabella Fitzgerald and Jason Dawkins were the only local legislators who voted against Marsy’s Law, which is also opposed by the ACLU, the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the League of Women Voters.
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Planned Parenthood Action Fund last week endorsed U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle and six other Pennsylvania House members in the 2020 election.
All of the endorsed candidates have a 100 percent rating on votes of importance to Planned Parenthood.
“We are thrilled with Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s endorsement of these seven congressional leaders,” said Ashley Lenker White, executive director of the Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania PAC. “People across Pennsylvania want their elected officials to stand up to the Trump administration’s attacks that put our health, rights and freedoms at risk. All of these leaders have done exactly that. Approximately 100,000 patients rely on Planned Parenthood
health centers for reproductive health care in Pennsylvania, and we need leaders in Congress who will fight to maintain access to that care.” ••
