Street Reelected!

G'Kar · November 4, 2003, 22:51

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Mayor John Street easily won re-election against a familiar rival Tuesday in a racially charged campaign that became more so when an FBI bug was discovered in the incumbent's office.

The Democrat was leading Republican businessman Sam Katz, 59 to 41 percent with 66 percent of precincts reporting.

Minor violence and alleged intimidation were reported at polling places around the city.

The rematch between Street, who is black, and Katz, who is white, illustrated the dominance ethnicity still plays in elections in a city nearly evenly divided between the two races.

Street narrowly defeated Katz when they first faced off in 1999, and this year Katz had a slight lead in polls before October 7, when police discovered the FBI bug during what they described as a routine City Hall security sweep.

Street, 60, accused the Bush-controlled Justice Department of launching the probe for political reasons.

Black leaders suggested the FBI targeted the mayor because of his race.

Authorities refused to say what they are investigating, but have subpoenaed records about a variety of work performed by a Street fund-raiser.

Katz, 53, struggled to win over minorities with his vows to lower taxes and end City Hall cronyism.

Thank God the voters of Philadelphia saw through the right-wing smear campaign and gave another mandate to a very successful Street Administration. The Bush White House has been overly politicized from day one, with Karl Rove spearheading operations across the country to abuse presidential power and unbalace the playing field (a la Richard Nixon).

chequita guevara · November 4, 2003, 22:53

FBI goes oops!

Stuie · November 4, 2003, 22:56

molly bloom · November 4, 2003, 23:04

The city of brotherly love indeed. It certainly has some 'colourful' mayors and politics.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/news/10302003_sr_rizzo.html

http://www.defenestrator.org/civilaffairs.html

Stuie · November 4, 2003, 23:08

Originally posted by molly bloom
The city of brotherly love indeed.

You got a problem with Philly??? We'll bomb your freakin' house.

molly bloom · November 4, 2003, 23:18

Originally posted by Stuie

You got a problem with Philly??? We'll bomb your freakin' house.

Is that done by the city council's workforce, or has it been privatized? Because presumably I'll be billed either way, so it would help to know to whom to make out the cheque. Unless of course a donation to the mayor's re-election fund would take care of it....

I remember Philadelphia from the seventies- riots, bombings, fires- it even made television in the United Kingdom. I used to love the Philly Sound, MFSB, and so on. 'Let's Clean Up the Ghetto!' - a great single.
Not too sure about the unlovely Frank Rizzo, though...

David Floyd · November 4, 2003, 23:24

From what I heard, Street won through vote fraud. And that is very believable, to me.

chequita guevara · November 4, 2003, 23:27

It was pretty clear in the last week before the election that Street was gonna win. When the FBI bugs your mayor's office, people get kinda irate. That whole Marion Barry thing, the man is out to get high-ranking Black men.

G'Kar · November 4, 2003, 23:35

Exactly, I'm sure the primary motivation was political (if Street was a Republican there wouldn't have beena bug). But being African-American made Street and even more tempting target for Rove & Ashcroft.

David Floyd · November 4, 2003, 23:36

Yes, everyone is after the black man

That sounds like an excuse to me...

G'Kar · November 4, 2003, 23:37

Originally posted by David Floyd
From what I heard, Street won through vote fraud. And that is very believable, to me.

Clearly is was vote fraud, that's why all the polls weeks ahead of the election showed Street ahead too. It's a media conspiracy ...I'm sure that's Rush Limbaugh's view.

G'Kar · November 4, 2003, 23:38

Originally posted by David Floyd

Yes, everyone is after the black man

That sounds like an excuse to me...

No not everyone, but white Republican politicians are.

G'Kar · November 4, 2003, 23:39

and an excuse for what?

David Floyd · November 4, 2003, 23:41

Oh, I dunno. Anything at all.

Kuciwalker · November 4, 2003, 23:41

I have to agree with DF

Imran Siddiqui · November 4, 2003, 23:53

Thank God the voters of Philadelphia saw through the right-wing smear campaign

Heaven forbid the FBI investigates widespread charges of corruption. I guess since Street is black they can't do that, right?

Adam Smith · November 4, 2003, 23:56

Originally posted by chegitz guevara That whole Marion Barry thing, the man is out to get high-ranking Black men.

I used to date a woman who was an ER nurse at Washington Hospital Center. She said Marion Barry was a regular there with just about every kind of drug overdose you could imagine. None of this ever appeared in the media, of course.

Shi Huangdi · November 5, 2003, 00:05

And we are hearing reports of violence against Republican Campaign workers by Democrats. The Democrats are now using outright violence to gain an advantage politicaly; is their a low to which they will not sink?

The Emperor Fabulous · November 5, 2003, 00:12

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
And we are hearing reports of violence against Republican Campaign workers by Democrats. The Democrats are now using outright violence to gain an advantage politicaly; is their a low to which they will not sink?

If that's so, they're just using a method which Republicans have coveted for decades.

The Emperor Fabulous · November 5, 2003, 00:14

Tim Beck (right), a Katz-Republican poll watcher, argues with the Rev. Charles Jenifer, a Democratic poll watcher, outside the polling place in the 1400 block of Warnock Street, where Street voted. Beck had been told to leave the polling area after he had started questioning voters’ signatures in the polling place. The voters felt he was harassing them and a police officer asked him to leave.

It doesn't seem EITHER side took the high road.

Welcome to Philadelphia. Benjamin Franklin is rolling in his grave.

MichaeltheGreat · November 5, 2003, 00:19

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
And we are hearing reports of violence against Republican Campaign workers by Democrats. The Democrats are now using outright violence to gain an advantage politicaly; is their a low to which they will not sink?

Oh, Golly gee gosh.

No political party or machine in any US city has ever done such a thing before. And gee whillikers, those evil Democrats are alllllllll alike.

MichaeltheGreat · November 5, 2003, 00:21

Originally posted by The Emperor Fabulous

It doesn't seem EITHER side took the high road.

Welcome to Philadelphia. Benjamin Franklin is rolling in his grave.

Maybe there's a reason ol' Ben is buried in Boston, not that Beantown politics is anything great.

G'Kar · November 5, 2003, 00:35

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Thank God the voters of Philadelphia saw through the right-wing smear campaign

Heaven forbid the FBI investigates widespread charges of corruption. I guess since Street is black they can't do that, right?

Do you know anything about this situation?

The charges aren't widespread, but the investigation is - and that's what indicates it's political. There were "concernes" over the awarding of an airport contract to the Mayor's brother and the awarding of a contract to a collection agency. If the FBI knew there was wrongdoing they would know what documents they needed to prosecute. But instead they've demanded to see practically every piece of paper in every city office building. That's what proves the FBI is on a fishing expedition.

Imran Siddiqui · November 5, 2003, 00:40

The charges aren't widespread, but the investigation is - and that's what indicates it's political. There were "concernes" over the awarding of an airport contract to the Mayor's brother and the awarding of a contract to a collection agency. If the FBI knew there was wrongdoing they would know what documents they needed to prosecute. But instead they've demanded to see practically every piece of paper in every city office building. That's what proves the FBI is on a fishing expedition.

Oh yes, the Mayor's brother gets an awarding of an airport contract and contract to a collection agency and the FBI is investigating so that's a politically motivated investigation. Suuure. And the FBI knows EXACTLY what smoking gun documents it needs.

Because lord knows that those guilty of corruption don't have every piece of paper in their offices seized by the FBI (I've seen it before where Republican County Executives in Jersey had to turn over all their papers to the FBI).

I mean, really.. what world do you live in?!

Lefty Scaevola · November 5, 2003, 00:50

Well, good. It makes for more news coverage and scandal when a current mayor gets hauled off the to the federal pen than when a former one does.

Ned · November 5, 2003, 03:09

I find it somewhat disturbing that people would believe that an FBI crime investigation would be politically or racially motivated. This is the same sort of black suspicion of the LA police force that got OJ acquitted.

The people of Philly might think that the right man was elected for the right reason. But the people of America are appalled.

The Emperor Fabulous · November 5, 2003, 08:31

Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat

Maybe there's a reason ol' Ben is buried in Boston, not that Beantown politics is anything great.

Well, like most great US historical figures, he has a strong connection to Boston - he was born there

Lincoln · November 5, 2003, 08:36

I think that O.J. Simson won his case as well but I am not sure... Facts are stubborn things but it can be fun to ignore them anyway if you are a Democrat.

Stuie · November 5, 2003, 08:42

Originally posted by David Floyd
From what I heard, Street won through vote fraud. And that is very believable, to me.

What's your source?

And let's all ignore the fact that Katz was allegedly involved in some fraudulent business practices. Sorry, people, but I think the better man won.