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Milton Street, the older brother of former Mayor John Street, is running for the Democratic nomination for Mayor of Philadelphia.
Milton Street just served 26 months in prison on tax evasion charges and was implicated in the City Hall corruption scandal. This former hot dog vendor was, well, here's a timeline:
His explanation for tax evasion?
And his campaign?
http://www.metro.us/philadelphia/local/article/764815--milton-street-will-challenge-nutter
The problem is he actually has a chance in unseating Mayor Nutter, as recent polls show public opposition to Nutter, especially among Blacks.
Could former Mayor John Street support his brother and put an ex-convict hot dog vendor with a history of corruption into the mayor's seat?
Milton Street just served 26 months in prison on tax evasion charges and was implicated in the City Hall corruption scandal. This former hot dog vendor was, well, here's a timeline:
Timeline
» 1978: The rabble-rousing hot-dog vendor was elected to the state House of Representatives for the 181st District.
» 1980: Elected to the state Senate as a Democrat but switched parties to give Republicans control.
» 1982: Ran an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. House against Rep. Bill Gray
» 1984: Ran an unsuccessful state Senate re-election campaign.
» 2006: Indicted on federal charges including tax evasion.
» 2007: Declared himself a candidate for mayor while awaiting trial. In February, he was arrested in New Jersey for unpaid traffic tickets.
» 2008: Found guilty of failure to file tax returns in February. Sentenced to 30 months in federal prison in September.
» 2010: Released from the low-security Federal Correctional Institution Ashland (Kentucky) four months early. Released from a Philadelphia halfway house the day after Thanksgiving.
» 1978: The rabble-rousing hot-dog vendor was elected to the state House of Representatives for the 181st District.
» 1980: Elected to the state Senate as a Democrat but switched parties to give Republicans control.
» 1982: Ran an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. House against Rep. Bill Gray
» 1984: Ran an unsuccessful state Senate re-election campaign.
» 2006: Indicted on federal charges including tax evasion.
» 2007: Declared himself a candidate for mayor while awaiting trial. In February, he was arrested in New Jersey for unpaid traffic tickets.
» 2008: Found guilty of failure to file tax returns in February. Sentenced to 30 months in federal prison in September.
» 2010: Released from the low-security Federal Correctional Institution Ashland (Kentucky) four months early. Released from a Philadelphia halfway house the day after Thanksgiving.
"I could not find in the IRS code the statute that authorizes the Internal Revenue [Service] to levy and collect a direct tax on the American people's wages. And I will say to you, [ . . . ] if you find that law for me and bring it in here for me, I will plead guilty to all these charges."
And his campaign?
With little to no money raised, he’ll urge ex-offenders – of which an estimated 40,000 are released annually – to encourage relatives and friends to vote for him and create “a voting bloc that would control this city.”
The problem is he actually has a chance in unseating Mayor Nutter, as recent polls show public opposition to Nutter, especially among Blacks.
Nutter's dilemma: 53 percent of those polled said the city is headed in the wrong direction.
And 53 percent said he does not deserve to be re-elected.
Those numbers get worse when the pollsters asked African-Americans about Nutter - only 42 percent approved while 41 percent disapproved and 6 percent were undecided.
That contrasts with white residents - 60 percent of whom approved while 24 percent disapproved and 13 percent were undecided.
Those numbers are likely to further encourage former Mayor John Street in his efforts to recruit a candidate to challenge Nutter in the May 17 primary.
Street has said since September that many in the city's African-American community do not see Nutter as a "black mayor."
And 53 percent said he does not deserve to be re-elected.
Those numbers get worse when the pollsters asked African-Americans about Nutter - only 42 percent approved while 41 percent disapproved and 6 percent were undecided.
That contrasts with white residents - 60 percent of whom approved while 24 percent disapproved and 13 percent were undecided.
Those numbers are likely to further encourage former Mayor John Street in his efforts to recruit a candidate to challenge Nutter in the May 17 primary.
Street has said since September that many in the city's African-American community do not see Nutter as a "black mayor."
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