Cohen Fundraising Letter for DSCC Fundraiser with Obama

President Obama will speak at a DSCC fundraiser at the home of Comcast EVP David L. Cohen and his wife Rhonda on Thursday night. Richard Vague is the co-chairman. He made a fortune in fossil fuels, then credit cards. He then founded venture capital firm, Gabriel Partners. Senator Robert Casey will be there.

Here is Cohen's solicitation email.

Some of you were at the DSCC finance committee meeting yesterday, but for those who were not, Anne Caprara, Political Director at the DSCC gave a great update on the major Democratic Senate races.  We announced that we are currently at $600K in pledges and money in the door.  The DSCC has set a goal of $750K for this event, but we all agreed that we should be able to raise $1M as this finance committee has countless times in the past for the DSCC.

Just as a refresher, here are the details of the event Rhonda’s and my home: Address blocked out.

Event co-chairs: $32,400 - 5PM Cocktails and hors d'oeurvres, followed by a very small clutch, photos and dinner/Q&A with the President (At this level you are welcome to bring a guest for the photo and dinner portions of the event).

Event sponsor: $10,000 - Per person 5PM Cocktails and hors d'oeurvres, followed by photos and dinner/ Q&A with the President

If everyone on this email would either write or raise $10,000, we would easily be able to meet our goal of $1M and have a true impact on the programs that the DSCC works every day to implement in each of the targeted Senate races which obviously proved to be a winning strategy in the 2012 cycle (and in previous cycles).

DSCC Obama Dinner Invite 11.14.13.pdf

VA Marks Veterans' Graves "UNKNOWN" Rather Than Identify Heroes

Mount Moriah Cemetery, located in Southwest Philadelphia and Yeadon, Pennsylvania was the largest private cemetery in Pennsylvania. The cemetery has been largely abandoned since the owner died and his wife disavowed ownership in 2011. 

The cemetery has two National Cemetery plots, which Congress mandated to be maintained by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. The plots contain 2300 veteran’s graves, including 21 Medal of Honor recipients. One of these plots, called the Naval Asylum Plot, is in dire need of help.

Sam Ricks, who is on the board of Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery, said, "Both plots lacks something basic found in all other National Cemeteries: a flagpole with a US Flag flying over veterans' graves.The Naval Plot contains numerous grave markers that are now illegible after years of inattention and lack of maintenance. The VA replaces them with their ubiquitous white marble "UNKNOWN" marker despite the availability of a volunteer conducted transcription survey identifying many of the now blank Navy and Marine markers."

Ricks is worried the grave markers that will ultimately be "Lost to History" if the VA continues to replace them with their ubiquitous white marble "UNKNOWN" markers." 

Ricks added.  These are the graves of our Nation's earliest heroes, who actually fought "from the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli." 

The VA has also been to slow to place special gold leaf Medal of Honor designation on the stones. 

Paulette Rhone, chairman of the board of the friends, had a chance encounter with the VA grounds supervisor of Washington Crossing Cemetery, who is responsible for the military cemeteries in the area, the day before the government shutdown, September 30, to discuss the issue. The staff promised to start taking care of the grounds, but have yet to do anything. 

Philadelphia School Reform Commission Chairman Brags About His Accomplishments

Philadelphia School Reform Commission Chairman Pedro Ramos was given the 2013 William J. Clothier II Memorial Award by the Pan American Association of Philadelphia.While most of us see dilapidated schools in Philadelphia, Ramos, a partner at the law firm of Trujillo, Rodriguez, and Richards, boasted about the School Reform Commission accomplishments during his tenure. Too busy bragging, he did not find the time to include Laporshia Massey, the young student who died from asthma complications, in his thoughts.

Here is a tape of Ramos's speech

He touted the recruitment of  the "exceptionally talented leader" Dr. Hite as superintendent of Philadelphia public schools, reduced the number of school buildings, labor agreements with the blue collar SEIU, and reinvigorate private philanthropy that had started to wane. He glossed over the reduced financial contribution from the state.

"Over the last two years, spending has been reduced to actual revenues level," he said. "The school district has instituted a 5 year financial plan."

Ramos, who conceded public service and responsibility can be "messy," continued, "All adults must insist on a safe, high quality education."

When I asked him after the speech if he had any comments about the death of Massey, he bristled with indignation. He offered no words of condolence to Massey's family.

He said, "I have no comment. Unlike everybody else, I don't offer my opinion without the facts. Call the School Board."

Cory Booker Mocks Gay Rumors

NJ Senatorial candidate Cory Booker performed at Stu Bykofsky's Candidates Comedy Night which benefits the Variety Club charities on August 23. His well received comedy routine included bits that mocked about the rumors that he is gay, being frequently compared to Obama, and his friendship with Republican Governor Chris Christie. Of course, there were the requisite jokes about birth certificates, political pandering, Philly sports fans, and Oprah. Unlike several of the other candidates, the charismatic Booker was able to be funny without any hint of raunchiness.



He addressed the gay rumors after being accused of inseminating a panda by another candidate performer.

Booker said, "I have been accused of some incredible things like being a KKK member, Jewish, Republican, gay, and a member of the CIA, but never inseminating a panda."

He touched on one local issue.

Why did George Washington cross the Delaware in a boat? he asked. "Because even back then, the tolls were too damn high."

On the day of the event, Obama endorsed Booker as the Democratic candidate for the Senate in New Jersey. While proud of the endorsement, he carefully delineated the differences between the two.

"When Obama left school, he became a community activist. When I left school, I became a neighborhood coordinator," joked the NJ senatorial candidate. "President Obama was born in the United States. I was born in Washington DC. Given the way that they kept records back then, I may not be able to produce a birth certificate."

Booker made light of the criticism that he receives over his friendship with Republican Governor Chris Christie. He also dismissed the possibility of any friction between them due to the governor's endorsement of his Republican opponent.

"My opponents came after me for me being close to the Governor of my state when I am mayor of the largest city," he said. "Last night, when I was with Mary Pat and Chris brushing our teeth and we expressed our frustration."

Not one to take himself seriously, Booker mocked his celebrity status. Talking about the frustrations of the campaign trial, he said, "Thanks goodness, I have Oprah to talk to."

Two Bills Provide Hope for Higher Education in Pennslvania

The Oregon legislature recently passed unanimously a bill, “Pay it Forward,” bill that authorized a pilot program to students to attend Oregon public universities tuition free.  This innovative idea might have sparked a higher education revolution in Pennsylvania. Two Philadelphia area legislators, who are both running to replace Allyson Schwartz in the US Congress, raced to copy the innovative idea albeit taking different approaches. 

While many of my journalism colleagues have written about the race to introduce the bill, I believe that high education is too important an issue to play insider baseball with it. 

Pa State Senator Daylin Leach, whose district included part of Montgomery and Delaware counties, argues with Pennsylvania having one of the lowest college graduation rates in the country, the state vitally needs an overhaul of its higher education system so its citizens will have the skills to work in this economy and jobs don’t need to be sent overseas.

The bill of Representative Brendan Boyle, who represents Northeast Philadelphia in the Pennsylvania House, mirrors the Oregon bill.  He wants to mandate the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency to study the issue and run a pilot program.

“I am probably the only public official that still had $60,000 in student loan debt, said Boyle, who went to Notre Dame on an academic scholarship. “I have been a leader on higher education issues since I was elected to the House 5 years ago. I introduced the bill for the REACH Scholarships for academically gifted students, which was modeled after the HOPE scholarship program in Georgia.”

Leach will be introducing a bill in September that outlines a plan to implement the free tuition program. He is working with Representative Mark Longetti, who represents Mercer County.

“We don’t feel a need to study the issue, “said Leach’s chief of staff Zachary Hoover. “We think it is such a good idea that it should be implemented immediately.

Leach’s proposal, “Pay it Forward, Pay it Back,” initially calls for an extraction tax on Marcellus Shale to establish the fund. He expects the fund to be self-sustaining after 15 years.

“Students will be able to borrow from the fund to pay for their tuition interest free, said Leach. “It will not be a case of them borrowing $100,000, and owing $150,000 because of the interest they racked up."

Once they start working, those that borrowed will have their wages 4% a year until they repay the loan.

“For those that do not find a job, their loans will not be in default, explained the Senator. “The loan proceeds will be repaid by an insurance policy that they took out when they originally borrowed the loan. If the loan is for $100,000, they will borrow $110,000. $10,000 will be used to buy an insurance policy.”

For those that ask why they should care about high education costs when they don’t have children, Boyle has a ready answer.

“The indebtedness of our young people affects the economy, particularly industries such as real estate,” he said. “Young people are delaying purchasing home because of their large student loans. A local real estate agent told me that he used to see people in their mid to late twenties buying home, now they wait until they are in their mid-thirties.”

Former Senator Questions US Pushing Snowden into Russia's Arms

The email correspondence of former Senator Gordon Humphrey, who represented New Hampshire in the US Senate from 1979-1990, saying that NSA leaker Edward Snowden had "done the right thing done the right thing in exposing what I regard as massive violation of the United States constitution'" was published in the Guardian this week.. Humphrey has no plans to become a "pen pal" with Snowden, but is working hard to get him out of Russia and receive asylum in a country more friendly to the United States. Yesterday, he was meeting with a lawyer that specializes in asylum issues to get advice. He also plans to get in contact with the Swedish professor who nominated the whistleblower for a Nobel Prize and others in Sweden. 

The former Senator said, "I believe that Edward Snowden is a whistleblower. The United States has isolated him so he can only seek asylum from unfriendly countries. I am working to stimulate interest in Sweden, a friendly but independent country, to offer him whistleblower protection."

He thinks it is a mistake for the United States to push Snowden into Russian arms. 

"Putin is not to be trusted," he said. "I am afraid that the Russian Intelligence Service will find Snowden in a comprising situation or manufacture one and then he will be forced to betray his country. Just this week, they convicted an activist on trumped up charges and sentenced him to five years for speaking out."

Humphrey is pushing for Sweden, a country that is friendly to the United States but independent, to take Snowden. He chose Sweden because of its history with the Nobel Prize and its long record of civil society. Perhaps most importantly because the hour long flight from Russia to Russia to Sweden will not require flying over another country. 

He said, "I was shocked at the level of arrogance and the dangerousness the United States risked in its efforts in preventing the plane of the Bolivian president from flying over European airspace."

Humphrey will not stop once Snowden has asylum. 

"Although government has never been a Boy Scout troop, the period that I served in Washington was the age of innocence compared to what is going on," said the former Senator. "We tried to do the right thing. I couldn't imagine that we would be tracking millions of people every day. This is the latest in a growing list of lawlessness. The IRS investigating organizations based on their political beliefs and subpoenaing an AP reporter's records are other examples. It is time to stand up. We have to restore our constitutional limits. We must return to the rule of law."

He wants to see those that ordered the massive spying prosecuted.

"We need to bring to justice those that have trampled our rights," said Humphrey. "Congress has so far made on effort to find out who ordered this and remove them from office. Yahoo and Google were forced to be accomplices and turn over private emails to public officials."

He blames the revolving door between government service and lobbying for creating the culture that allowed unquestioned mass surveillance to go on. 

"With the revolving door of government and lobbying, we have created masters, not servants, of the people. They are showing contempt for the people," said Humphrey, who deliberately left the Senate after two terms and hates even driving through Washington now. "Their attitude is that they can do what they please. They have forgotten that the people not government are their clients.

He does not expect current members of Congress to support his efforts. 

"There are 38 members of Congress serving on committees overseeing the NSA," said Humphrey. "Feinstein, who has been there too long, and the other members of Congress have lost perspective. They would have to admit that they did something wrong. That is why they are clamoring for Snowden's head."

He is hoping that former members of Congress, who can be more independent, will contact him. He has received a few emails of support, but none yet from any former members of Congress. 

Congressional Candidate Snubbed by Clinton In-laws

When Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz decided to run for Pennsylvania governor in 2014, the Democratic primary for her old seat became wide open. Marjorie Margolies, Chelsea Clinton's mother-in-law, entered the race for her old Congressional seat (Pa 13).  Many pundits assumed that she would become the front runner due to the fund raising prowess of the Clintons. So far, Clintons have not offered Margolies much support, which stands in contrast to the all out effort that former President Bill Clinton waged for Kathleen Kane's contested primary for Pa Attorney General.

Congressional candidate Marjorie Margolies raised $185,000 for the quarter. This puts her last in the race for dollars. State Senator Daylin Leach raised over $350,000, physician Valerie Arkoosh collected more than $285,00, and State Representative Brendan Boyle raised $252,000

Several Clinton loyalists, such as former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, Vernon Jordan, and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala, did contribute to Margolies' campaign. It is a little surprising that Margolies' Wall Street son or his wife Chelsea did not contribute to his mother's race.

For the Clintons' not to donate to the campaign is akin to a slap in the face. Without Margolies' 1993 vote for Clinton's budget, it would have failed in Congress. She made that vote knowing that she would lose her Congressional seat. 

Hilary Clinton could have given a boost to Margolies campaign when she recently spoke at Bryn Mawr College at the Women in Public Service Project. The project, which trains women in conflict regions to be leaders, is very similar to the program that Margolies runs, Women's Campaign International.  Yet there is no sighting or mention of Margolies.

Chelsea, write your mother-in-law a check. Otherwise, she might not be able to stay in the race.