Sunday, October 14, 2007

Look Who's Calling Someone an Amateur Hack

Gil "The Shill" Spencer defense of GOP corruption, cronyism and misdeeds has not only extended itself to tax delinquents like Tom McGarrigle, but also to going after Democratic campaign staffers.

First, Spencer twists the revelations (from his own paper) about McGarrigle's past failures to pay taxes into an attack on Democrats. Spencer: Democrats desperate attempt is laughable. While Spencer accepts McGarrigle's weak explanation with praise, Spencer accuses the Democrats of accusing McGarrigle of corruption when the ACTUAL complaint from Democrats is that McGarrigle was fiscally irresponsible in managing his own businesses.

Clearly, Spencer thinks McGarrigle's eventual repayment with penalties absolves him of the original willful decision to avoid taxes. In particular, over $15,000 was in school taxes. Did McGarrigle think it was okay to put his business over Springfield's kids. McGarrigle "claims" it was to keep paying his employees, but I don't hear anything about McGarrigle taking a pay cut himself or getting a business loan to cover the $15,000. What is not clear about this story is whether McGarrigle volunteered to pay his taxes or just got caught red-handed.

Spencer then decides to follow the wishes of Pete Peterson and go after Landau staffer: George Matysik. It seems that the GOP is so desperate, they have to send their attack dog after campaign staffers.

When called about the story before it ran, Landau campaign spokesman George Matysik indicated to the Daily Times he had not seen the tax documents in question. But he did offer this:
“We’ll have to take some time to review the documents, but considering Mr. McGarrigle’s platform of fiscal responsibility, this does not bode well.”

It appears however, when Mr. Matysik suggested to us he had not seen the documents, he was not telling the truth.

For it was Mr. Matysik himself who sought out and asked for the public records. He signed for copies of them Oct. 1
The documents then made their way to a third party, who provided them to the Daily Times.
Now using a “cut-out” to provide negative information about opponents to the press is an old political trick.[Yeah: Spencer you should know as you are the biggest "cut-out" in Delaware County using your column as an extension of the Delco GOP.]



The simple truth of the matter is that Matysik signed out this and many other documents from the court house. The McGarrigle tax documents, like many others, were sent off to appropriate tax/legal experts (not Matysik) to examine. When questioned about the story, Matysik had not reviewed the documents himself and said so, clearly. He also asked the further questions be directly addressed to Landau himself. This seems to have mystified Spencer, who is used to GOP candidates that don't/can't speak for themselves and need their puppet-masters to speak for them.

Matysik has a whole wall lined with information requests he had to extract like pulled teeth from the GOP run Delco courthouse. He has actually gone through and counted the GOP staffers in key departments and documented his findings. It's called research, Gil. But, you of all people have the audacity to call him "amateur hack"? Get real. There's only one "hack" around here Gil, and a "professional" hack at that. Just look in the mirror.

Gil, ends with: "In the meantime, if the Landau campaign needs to be led by his nose to pay dirt let me suggest...."

Gil, how about YOU "investigate" and "let me suggest": tell us what friends or family members of yours work at the GOP courthouse. Are you beholden to the Delco GOP for any reason that the your readers ought to know about to evaluate your biases? Are you going after George because his investigations of courthouse employees might reveal connections too close to home?

BTW, does Peterson write your columns for you or just send you an outline?

19 comments:

PSB said...

Well, it looks like this blog is dying. I was curious, so I checked, and you haven't had a comment since October 8th, and prior to that it was September 29th.

OK, now let the rationalizations and recriminations begin . . .

Tigermilk said...

Another falsehood from the Andy Lewis cheerleader. I figured that there has not been much activity on here because nobody in the GOP can spin Tom McGarrigle's tax "plan" as either 1) It was the Democrats fault or 2) Look at poor Tom being persecuted.

PSB said...

Thank you for Rationalization # 1.

How many different names do you post under, David?

P.S. I haven't seen any voters getting all worked up over a 15 year old tax delinquency, have you? Besides your own little circle, I mean.

David Diano said...

Pat-
I hadn't posted since, Sept 27, so no surprise on lack of comments since Sept 29.
I hadn't posted for about two weeks because I was tied up doing computer work for candidates (look for some GOP upsets, or rather upset GOPs). And last week I was sick with cold/allergy, so I wasn't posting.

I have NO idea who "tigermilk" is, but I welcome the support. I don't have to post under aliases or hide my identity (my Haverford Blog alias "superman" has been well known for a long time). I've gone after Dems and Reps under my own name, so I hardly need a fake alias on my own blog.

Pat, as the GOP gets more desperate, your arguments grow weaker.

Besides, Pat, the GOP candidates can barely speak for themselves. Nearly every press quote from the GOP side is from Andy Reilly or Pete Peterson. Landau, O'Keefe and Innelli speak for themselves and their campaign people refer the press directly to the candidates whenever possible. The Dem campaign workers repeat the candidates positions. The GOP spokespeople are telling the candidates the positions.

PSB said...

Desperate? Hardly.

Being told what to say? Not at all.

You do live in a fantasy world, David. Enjoy it while you can. There are only three weeks left.

Conor Quinn said...

This does disturb me that Tom McGarrigle has tax problems. Thanks David for this site it is really opening up people to how much Delaware County needs to be cleaned up.

I have been following the site whenever I can, and I have passed the word on to others as well. It's best to be an informed voter and make informed decisions.

I have researched this stuff as well and it came up to be true. Pat Biswanger can spin it all she wants. It seems as though all the Republican candidates have been very quiet. Especially Andy Lewis, has been very quiet. The Republicans don't want to talk because they are afraid. I expect more from my party, they just don't seem to have it together.

On the Democratic side Landau & O'Keefe have been speaking out. I don't hear a lot from Innelli.

Conor Quinn said...

One more thing these Republicans do not seem to have a mind of their own. Andy Reilly, John McNichol, & Charlie sexton have their finger prints all over these candidates. At least a candidates like Rick Lacey & Rose Izzo woul've stood up to these party leaders. Even Joe Breslin would have stood up to them.... I know a lot of you don't like him but he would not be controlled by any of these people.

David Diano said...

Conor-
I wouldn't insult you or your party by claiming that these light-weight puppets represent true Republicans.

What we have in Delco are opportunists taking advantage of monopoly power to maintain a status quo that benefits themselves at the taxpayers' expense. The Delco GOP "message" is "more of the same".

A $560 million dollar annual budget doesn't belong in the hands of a single party with only 54% of the registration and on the OPPOSITE side of overwhelming county-wide votes for Clinton, Gore, Kerry, Rendell, Casey and Sestak.

The GOP county council makes the Moran-Twardy board in Haverford look like open government.

Innelli ran for council in 2005 (pre-Sestak) and got over 40% of the vote. The issues Innelli talked about then are the same ones Landau is talking about today. John is very much an intellectual and the complex arguments and ideas to fix things don't always translate into convenient sound-bites. John is the candidate with the background in investigating municipal fraud and he's the one that Andy Reilly, John McNichol, & Charlie Sexton don't want the most.

Voters are going to need all three Democrats on Council to make real changes.

While I agree that Breslin wouldn't be controlled by anyone, I think it may be due to him being "out-of-control" to begin with. :-)

As for why Andy and the other GOP candidates are so quiet, there is an old saying: "Be silent and thought a fool, or open your mouth and remove all doubt."

That advice has come too late for Pat and her magic 8-Ball of false accusations.

whynotus said...

Welcome back, Pat!

I'll concede that Tom McGarrigle might have had to amke some difficult choices in business--but the one he chose speaks volumes about his perception of the public trust. Specifically, when confronted with paying his taxes to support necessary community services (county, municipal and school) and services he actually used (sewers), he chose to act in his own self-interest and support his business. Agreed--it's not an easy choice, but in public service you your choices are loked at, and it is hard to see him being able to promote the idea that you pay your taxes. What is different between him and the slumlord who decides to not pay his taxes on some properties so that he can buy more properties and provide low cost housing? It's a business decision in one's self-interest.

I also saw where he discussed the Bush I induced recession as the reason his business was in trouble--corect me if I am wrong, but gas stations and apartments are recession proof business--people always need gas and always need a place to live. Does he expect us to believe that the Bush I induced recession impacted his gas station business more than the Bush II induced soaring gas prices?

It's about making the right choice, not the tear-jerker, incredible story he spins.

McGarrigle's bad choices are just another reason why he does not belong on County Council.

PSB said...

Conor and David, you two just belong together. It's a match made in heaven. Very few people on this earth have your gift for reading other people's minds. The two of you claim, on a regular basis, to know what numerous people are thinking. It must be wonderful to be so wonderful.

WhyNotUs: as for Tom McGarrigle, I won't defend what he did, but I will point out that it happened fifteen years ago. I am sure that, like most of the rest of us, Tom has matured a lot since then.

David Diano said...

Pat-
15 years ago? That wasn't the only problem.
Learn to read! (or get someone to read to you).

"Later, between Sept. 2000 and June 2001, he owed $3,203 in sales taxes on a Springfield property."

Pat, please tell us that "fact checker" is not on your resume.

Mike Stein said...

My favorite McGarrigle quote (8/23/07 Inky):

"He is an ACLU lawyer," McGarrigle said in an interview. "Lawyers like that tend to care more about criminals and cop killers than residents of Delaware County."

When asked, McGarrigle could not cite anything specific in Landau's background to support the accusation.

---------
He may not be a deep thinker...

David Diano said...

Mike-
There are puddles in the desert with more depth than this year's crop of Delco GOP candidates.

The sad thing is that these light-weights want to be in charge of a $560 million budget (or rather their puppet masters want them to be the 'face' of whose in charge).

When real problems need real solutions, it's time to bring in the Democrats.

Evan said...

Are Connor Quinn and David Diano the same person?

Look, I know alot of people are not going to vote for McGarrigle now. I can't fault them for that.
But I don't think thats any reason to make him into the boogeyman. I've met Tom at a few functions and he seems like a nice guy.

David Diano said...

Evan-
Conor Quinn is a die-hard conservative Republican (but with real values, not the fake ones of those hijacking the Republican party.) His dad, Dan, ran for Haverford Township commissioner in 2005 (as a Dem!).

Evan, I don't need to generate fake postings. Pat tried implying I post under more than one name. Hey, you raised the same question as Pat, and I'm not accusing you of being Pat. :-)

As for McGarrigle being a nice guy, that's what everybody says about Bush. McGarrigle is not running for Little League Coach or to be in charge of the church bake sale. Being nice is a plus, but begin competent is a requirement.

whynotus said...

Pat--Does Andy know you're throwing McGArrigle under the bus---wait a minute--Andy does know your throwing McGarrigle under the bus--now I get it.

Anyway, Tom might be a nice guy, but Innelli, et al. are nice people--AND THEY have not admittedly refused to pay taxes to further benefit their own business interests over the public.

Welcome back Pat and thanks for the scoop on the Andy/McGarrigle rift.

PSB said...

1) I am not throwing Tom McGarrigle under the bus.

2) There is no rift between Andy and Tom.

I can hardly wait until this election is over and you guys can crawl back under whatever rocks you lived under before this!

whynotus said...

Pat:

Lighten up. It is okay that you let teh cat out of the bag--Andy will forgive you.

You'd miss us if we stopped posting.

Enjoy.

David Diano said...

Pat-
Will you be driving the the bus, instead?

Hard to find a rock to hide under during an election-cycle with you throwing all those sticks and stones. :-)