Jack Davis at the Center for Inquiry on February 1, 2008. It’s an “invasion”.

Here’s some handy de-bunking of Jack Davis’ misinformed and patently xenophobic venom.

Here’s him talking about his three-pronged platform:

The disbursements for Jack Davis’ campaign are almost as fascinating as his receipts. Let’s home in on two notable inclusions.

Coastal Consulting South
820 South Green Circle
Venice, Florida 34285

That outfit received $1,250 per month, a total of $5,000.

Coastal Consulting at 820 South Green Circle? Yeah, it’s owned by one:

ORSINI, ANTHONY LOUIS
820 S. GREEN CIRCLE
VENICE, FL 34285

And there’s another political consultant whom the Davis campaign has on its payroll.

Blanca Semidey
2 Loring Place
Rochester, New York 14624

Blanca Semidey is using her maiden name. She is otherwise known as Blanca Colon, the wife of Monroe County Independence Party chairman Rafael Colon. She, too, was paid $1,250 per month, a total of $5,000, as a “campaign consultant”.

Why has Jack Davis’ campaign spent $10,000 to Independence Party operatives in Monroe and Erie Counties?

Why are the disbursements listed in such a way as to not be obvious payoffs to the IP?

What promises were made or guarantees given in exchange for the $10,000 in payments to Colon and Orsini?

Why pay these people off if the IP line will be held by Anthony Fumerelle?

Look at all the people willing to make an investment in his campaign:

Oh, and his disbursements don’t reveal any license payments to anyone for the use of copyrighted songs.

And (maybe) break the law.

Try this on for size: a radio ad done to the tune of Brooks & Dunn’s “Brand New Man”. Nothing like a little copyright violation to kick off your campaign. Oh, and it just plain old sucks.

Well, we’ve seen the light, and it’s high time, That we send a new man down to Congress this time, Jack Davis will take a stand…and be that brand new man!

Western New York is talkin’ ‘bout those lines they’ve been crossin’ down in Washington They doin’ too much harm…to our jobs and farms!

Jack will clean up the scandals, and he knows how to handle all the challenges that he’ll face, And he’s got the backbone, to vote our soldiers home!

Well, we’ve seen the light, and it’s high time, That we send our own man down to Congress this time, And Jack Davis will take a stand…he’s our next Congressman!

Brand New Man?! I’ll bet Brooks & Dunn’s lawyers would love to have a word with Mr. Davis.

I think that a fitting image next to the phrase “cheap political stunt” in the proverbial dictionary would be Jack Davis’ gimmicky vote-buying effort at a Greece, NY gas station yesterday.

The gas was subsidized by Democratic Congressional candidate and multimillionaire Jack Davis, and the campaign expected to pay for all of the 10,000 gallons that were stored in underground tanks at the Sunoco station at Long Pond Road and Ridgeway Avenue.

“We are here because I believe gasoline should help America run; gas prices should not be running America,” Davis said. “This (day) exceeded my expectations.”

About 700 customers, who waited about two hours in line, were charged $1.50 a gallon, and Davis picked up the difference between that price and Thursday’s regular price of $4.29 per gallon, or about $27,900, from noon to 4 p.m.

The 26th District has 654,360 residents. Why doesn’t Jack Davis just send us all a check in exchange for our votes? We know the guy refuses to go out and meet with or speak with average people, and instead campaigns via direct mail, so it’s only fitting that he’d basically buy people off with this idiotic gas stunt. Here, he made the voters come to him. How convenient.

Davis said gas prices are high because of special interests and lobbyists for oil companies. Davis is self-financing his campaign and is committed to spending $3 million on the race.

Davis’ opponents on both sides of the aisle attacked Thursday’s event.

“Like all western New Yorkers, Chris believes record-high gas prices are a serious issue that demands real bipartisan solutions, not slogans or political gimmicks,” said Nick Langworthy, campaign manager for Lee.

Kryzan said a national energy policy is needed. “It’s going to take more than a publicity stunt to solve the real problems that every day people are facing in western New York as a result of high gas prices,” she said in a statement.

Powers’ campaign manager, John Gerken, said Davis was “trying to buy votes.”

“He claims he has no intention of buying this election, but today proved he is a hypocrite,” Gerken said.

Rochester’s WHAM reveals why Davis doesn’t like being asked questions:

Just two days ago, Jack Davis (D) said, “Some will say I’m trying to buy a congressional seat. Not so, not so, not so.”

From noon to 4 p.m., Davis paid about $2.70 per gallon out of his pocket, while drivers paid only $1.50.

When asked if buying someone’s gas is the same as buying their vote, Davis replied, “No, I’m a patriot.”

No one asked him if he was a patriot or not. The question was whether it was buying a vote. The answer is - of course it is. It’s one thing to spend $30k on a mailing, it’s another to hand a potential voter a direct monetary benefit such as Davis did yesterday. Why not just hand them each a check for $50? I mean, sure it’d be effective, but is it legal?

After much ribbing about the non-existent and/or empty “views” section of his website, Republican candidate for Congress in the 26th district has finally gotten around to having some.

I am running for Congress to bring real change to Washington, D.C., restore accountability, get people to stop the partisan bickering and start solving the problems families are facing. This is what Western New Yorkers are demanding, and it is what they deserve.

By working together we can make these things happen, and we can get Washington working again for Western New York.

If we do that then we can help create jobs at home, lower taxes for hard working families, develop a real energy policy, and ensure access to affordable healthcare for all Western New Yorkers.

Washington working for Western New York. That’s a great idea. Um, what’s his predecessor been doing along those lines for the past 10 years? It’s all platitudes cribbed from some primer on how to run as a Republican but sounding like a Democrat. Republicans don’t give a shit about “affordable healthcare”. They’re far more concerned with taxation of the wealthiest 1%, not “hard working families”.

The most important thing for our families is having jobs not just for us, but for our children. Right now Western New York is facing the challenge of entering a 21st century economy and not having enough jobs for our children. Fortunately, Western New York is well equipped to face these challenges. We have a world-class workforce, excellent educational institutions and a work ethic second to none. What needs to happen is the government, in Washington and Albany, needs to get out of the way and let businesses do what they do best – create jobs. When I am elected, I will fight everyday for policies that increase the incentives for businesses to take risks, be entrepreneurial and ultimately create jobs.

How is Washington in the way, and would he do to get it out of said way? Taxes and spending, evidently - no surprise, coming from a Republican candidate. The problem is that the Republican party has put the Democrats to shame in terms of the growth of government and government spending at the federal level since George W. Bush came to office. Why are we to believe that Lee would not help perpetuate that state of affairs? Bush has grown government, kept taxes low to help the budget deficit balloon, engaged in nation-building adventures in the middle east and then shortchanged them when it got difficult.

Definitely Washington is broken. Definitely Albany is broken. What can Lee as a congressman do to fix Albany? Again - platitudes that sound phenomenal but have no meat to them.

Lee also says we need a “comprehensive energy policy”:

- Lessen our dependence on foreign oil by increasing American made energy through exploration;
- Promote new, clean, reliable sources of energy;
- Encourage conservation, and;
- Increase investment in research funding for alternative energy.

Respectively, how, what, how, and what? The call from McCain and Bush has been for drilling everywhere. Respectfully, that’s like putting a Band-Aid on an amputation site. Nice sentiment, but it would take literally years - if not a decade - before any such drilling would have any effect on the market. Furthermore, conservation is now in full effect, given the cost of fuel. Price is up, demand is way down. So, if all this is run by the market, why does lower demand equal ever-higher prices?

Again - demand for gasoline has been dropping, yet the price continues to rise. The idea that this is just market forces at work doesn’t fly. In 2008, it is high time that we develop and reach a consensus on a fuel for personal conveyances to replace petroleum. We’re using technology that’s over 100 years old.

Lee also believes that health care is an issue. The buzzword is “market-based”. Anything the Republicans recommend will be characterized as “market-based”, while they will criticize the Democrats’ plans as being “socialized medicine”. Meanwhile, all of the plans being suggested are market-based. No one is proposing socialized medicine.

While Mr. Lee complains that WNY is not getting its fair share of federal dollars, he also argues:

I will fight for a more transparent and fair system that will ensure real earmark reform. Any dollar being spent by the federal government should be done so in the light of day not behind closed doors. I want to change the way Washington does business by ensuring that we have an open system that holds our leaders accountable. Just like a CEO would want, Western New Yorkers deserve to know exactly how their money is being spent - that can only happen with a more transparent and accountable Washington.

How? What sort of transparency is he proposing? And which is it? More fair share, or fewer earmarks?

In other news, Chris Lee held a fundraiser last night. It was a swanky affair at the Marriott on Millersport. All of the Republican glitterati were in attendance, and Tom Reynolds introduced Lee to the crowd. Illuzzi was there enjoying the free food, making subtle threats, and writes:

I had the pleasure of attending what was truly an “All-Star” fundraising event last night kicking off NY 26 Congressional Candidate Chris Lee’s fundraising efforts.

Congressman Tom Reynolds declared the event to have set a new record for a first time candidate’s congressional fundraising event. Over 300 people in attendance!!! Early estimates are over $175,000 raised at the event.

That averages out to over $580 per person.

Lee is an unemployed child of wealth who inherited part of the sell-out of his father’s business. He’s pledged to spend $1 million of his own money on the race. Will he, like Chris Collins, forego his federal salary if elected? I recall Jack Davis making that pledge 2 years ago. Why should taxpayers cut a six-figure check with benefits and pension for a millionaire heir?

Jack Davis won one.

In Supreme Court, he valiantly defended the first amendment rights of millionaires everywhere (.pdf). In Davis v. FEC, a 5-4 court (opinion by Justice Alito) held, among other things, that it was a first amendment violation for the FEC to reward the opponents of self-funded candidates who spend over $350,000 of their own money. Under the stricken rule, Davis’ opponents would be able to raise triple the normal amount from individual donors, and receive unlimited coordinated party funds if Davis spent over $350,000 of his own funds towards his election. Notably, in 2006 Reynolds declined to do so and the FEC argued that this fact rendered Davis’ case moot. (The Supreme Court disagreed.)

The Court also found that the heightened disclosure requirements that the Millionaire’s Amendment triggered were unconstitutionally burdensome.

Justice Alito expressly made the point that if the law was evenhanded, and also allowed the millionaire’s donors to donate more than the usual amount, etc., then the law would be constitutional. The basis for the Court’s ruling is based on the holding of Buckley v. Valeo, which struck down limitations on personal expenditures on federal political campaigns. The only valid public interest to be protected by any campaign finance limitations is the prevention of corruption, not to even the playing field.

While this makes it significantly more difficult for middle class folks to run for office against the wealthy, no amount of money can buy motivated volunteers and activists. Hopefully, congress will revisit this statute and pass a replacement that complies with the Court’s holding. It seems ridiculous to limit donations to $2,300 from individuals for candidates competing against someone who is injecting $3,000,000 of a lump sum into a campaign. If the result is that the millionaire can, in turn, raise up to $6,900 from individuals, so be it.

Running against Jack Davis (D-In Name Only) is like running against Mr. Burns from the Simpsons; a curmudgeony, bitter, angry man who is supposedly spending $3 million of his own money to run for congress a third time, after losing twice already. Oh, and did you know Davis doesn’t like the Chinese or Mexicans? Yeah, it’s true. In fairness, Davis has better hair than C. Montgomery Burns.

One wonders why he’s bothering to run again, seeing as he expressed “relief” upon losing to Tom Reynolds in 2006.

But Davis’ resemblance to the fictional Mr. Burns isn’t just limited to temperament and wealth. You’ll recall that Mr. Burns own the Springfield nuclear power plant. Well, Mr. Davis owns $35 million in energy stocks.

From a Powers campaign press release today:

Jack Davis revealed in financial disclosure documents that he owns up to $35 million in Big Oil and energy stocks. A recent poll released by the Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg revealed that 76% of Americans blame Big Oil, George Bush, oil speculators, and OPEC for record high gas prices.

At a press conference held at a Mobil gas station in Amherst, NY, where the price for a gallon of gas was $4.19, Powers called for an end to corporate greed that is causing skyrocketing gas prices. The Powers plan for Securing Our Energy Independence calls for increased investment for renewable energy and curbing corporate greed by reigning in oil speculators.

“We now know Jack Davis has up to 35 million reasons to vote against lower gas prices. Exxon Jack is no different than George Bush and the politicians in Washington, DC who are already bought and paid for by the oil companies. Western New York needs a Congressman who will look out for their interests, not Exxon/Mobil’s bottom line” stated Powers Campaign Manager, John Gerken.

TOP 10 QUESTIONS JACK DAVIS MUST ANSWER ABOUT HIS OIL INVESTMENTS

· How can you say you are not beholden to special interests when you have up to $35 million dollars invested in Big Oil and energy while hardworking Americans struggle to fill their gas tanks?

· How can hard working Western New Yorkers trust you to lower gas prices when you profited by up to $280,000 off of Big Oil and energy last year?

· Why should Western New Yorkers believe that you will vote in our interests and not your own when it comes to Big Oil?

· Do you support drilling in ANWR?

· Would you vote against tax breaks for big oil?

· Is there really any difference between spending your own money that you received from Big Oil and taking special interest money?

· Isn’t it a little hypocritical that you made more than 5 times the median income of the district last year off of Big Oil and energy, but you say you understand the hard times Western New Yorkers are facing?

· What would you do in Congress to lower the price of gasoline and help the families in Western New York that you want to represent?

· Do you believe that renewable energy will help alleviate man-made global warming?

Davis won’t answer these questions because he never answers any questions. Not from voters, anyway. He doesn’t go out and meet them. He’ll show up and speak with reporters or party leaders and hurl invective at his opponents, but his stock answer to every problem, every issue is “foreigners”. Don’t believe me?

EDIT: VIDEO REMOVED FOR OBNOXIOUSNESS

That MacBook on Jack’s desk? Made in China. He also claims he won’t take special interest money.

His one big contributor is Jack Davis. He is his own special interest. It’s quite easy to make that pledge when you’re a millionaire.

On the other hand, Powers doesn’t make almost $300,000 per year off of energy stocks. His plan for energy:

An Energy Bill that Invests in Our Future – Provide tax credits to investors who empower scientists to develop renewable energy. Instead of giving away billions to Big Oil, we should provide funding to scientists and engineers to develop renewable energies. As of right now, Congress only provides an advancement of one year to investors who want to develop renewable energies while they provide billions to Big Oil. We need to extend these credits to 10 year allotments in order to provide scientists and engineers with the funds necessary to cure America’s oil addiction and make our Country safe.

A Menu of Options – There is no silver bullet solution to the energy crisis. The United States must not limit Americans to any one particular form of renewable energy, but provide several options in order to protect against future monopolies such as the one oil currently holds.

Apollo Sized Ambitions – When we come together as a nation, we can accomplish anything. The United States had a vision to get to the moon; we made the commitment and accomplished the task. If we are truly going to be energy independent, Congress must set firm goals of when America will be powered by renewable energy and then commit ourselves to making sure this happens.

A Government that Leads by Example – Jon Powers will support legislation that requires all newly purchased nonmilitary federal vehicles (including Postal vehicles) to be American made and use hybrid technology or E85 fuel within five years. We must also provide state and local governments incentives to move all non law enforcement vehicles to do the same.

Helping the Consumer Lead by Example – The federal government allows for a tax credit of up to $3,400 on hybrid vehicles. This incentive is only given to the first 60,000 models of each car sold. Jon Powers will work to make sure that all hybrid vehicles receive this tax credit until hybrids and other clean cars make up a majority of all vehicles sold. Jon Powers also supports housing tax credits for homeowners who invest in making their home more energy efficient.

Stopping Corporate Greed by closing the Enron Loop-Hole – Special Interest groups and Big Oil have created a loophole in the law that allows speculators to manipulate the price of oil and inflate it by $30-$50 per barrel. While Americans pay over four dollars per gallon of gasoline, Big Oil is making record profits. Jon Powers supports closing the loophole and forcing speculators to provide realistic estimates so our gasoline prices will go down.

An America that Leads by Example – Jon Powers will fight for legislation to require the use of safe, renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydropower to generate 25% of the nation’s electricity by 2025. America must also invest in technologies to improve ethanol and convert to cellulosic ethanol so that America can grow its own fuel and it will not affect the food supply.

Forcing Oil Companies to Lead by Example – Jon Powers supports legislation that will require oil companies to install bio-fuel pumps at 25% of their stations.

Reducing Carbon Emissions – Jon Powers will support legislation to cap emissions of greenhouse gases and reduce them by 20% by 2020.

All I know is, Exxon Jack’s tank of ideas and solutions is running on empty.

see Obama pictures

Posted by BuffaloGeek

So, Alan asked me to fill in for him here on the Pundit blog while he is out doing what it is that lawyers do. I started to write about an issue Alan and I have been talking about for the past couple of weeks and then I stumbled upon a similar article at The Albany Project. I figured, why duplicate efforts?
Essentially, the question is, why is there such a wild rush amongst Democrats for a Congressional seat which will most likely be redistricted out of existence in 2012?

I’m relatively sure that New York will lose a congressional seat after the 2010 census. We know our population has stalled and the sunbelt is growing at a higher rate. Most observers agree that New York will lose one district, if not two. My question, in thinking about 2008, is this; which one? The 26th (Powers’ district) would be ideal in certain regards. His district is geographically small and mostly suburban territory. It could easily be split between Louise Slaughter’s oddly shaped 28th district and Higgins’ Buffalo based 27th.

If the 26th is on the chopping block, it does help explain why many local Republicans are seemingly disinterested in running for the seat. Well, aside from the looming specter of Jack Davis pumping $3MM into the race and three other credible Democratic contenders…

He’s in. He says he polled the district, and people are clamoring for him to enter the already well-populated Democratic field running for NY-26.

Davis said a poll he conducted among residents of the 26th District swayed his decision. He polled residents on their thoughts about jobs, the economy, trade, the war in Iraq and Davis’ name recognition.

Unfortunately, they didn’t add that most of those polled thought the caller was talking about Jack Davis, the Mad Magazine illustrator.

*rimshot*

The Powers campaign reacts:

STATEMENT BY THE POWERS CAMPAIGN ON JACK DAVIS ENTERING THE RACE FOR CONGRESS IN NY-26

Jack Davis already failed twice to win this seat. Western New Yorkers are looking for something different. They’re looking for a candidate who is actually listening to people from Buffalo to Rochester. They’re looking for a candidate who wants to protect Social Security, not cut benefits. That candidate is Jon Powers.

Jack wants to know if he should go “all in” or “fold”. Please let him know here, and give me a heads-up in comments when you’ve done so.

The Niagara Falls Reporter breaks the news that State Senator George Maziarz will not be running for the seat now occupied by scandal magnet Tom Reynolds.

After a weekend mulling what he called a “historic, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” state Sen. George Maziarz told the Niagara Falls Reporter on Monday that he will not seek the Republican nomination for the seat representing New York’s 26th Congressional District. Reynolds held the seat for almost 10 years before announcing on March 20 that he will not seek a sixth term.

By choosing to stay put, the six-term Republican state senator made it more likely that a prominent Democrat, Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul, will join a field that already includes three announced or highly probable candidates from her party alone.

Maziarz, who stood a few feet from Reynolds during last week’s news conference, said his decision had nothing to do with leaving his post in the Republican-controlled state Senate, or with the prospect of serving as a freshman member of what figures to be a shrinking GOP minority in Washington, D.C.

Instead, Maziarz said it was a family choice, made after long discussion with his wife, Beverly.

“Beverly and I were up all night Saturday and into Sunday talking about it,” Maziarz said. “Her heart’s not in it, and if her heart’s not in it, mine’s not in it, either.”

While Reynolds acknowledged the shifting political climate in announcing he would leave the House at the end of the year, Maziarz said another comment by the congressman had a greater impact on his own choice.

“When Tom, at his press conference, said he hardly knew his grandchildren, that brought home how difficult that lifestyle is,” Maziarz said.

Discuss.

1: The rural counties of the 26th district - Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming - are hitherto referred to as “GLOW”.

2: The Democratic committees of those counties have endorsed Jon Powers.

3: Jack Davis, who has yet to formally announce his candidacy, has tried to cajole the GLOW committees into changing their minds and endorsing his candidacy.

4: In so doing, Davis has affirmatively insulted Jon Powers (pretty face with no real job) and disregarded Alice Kryzan by omission.

5: The GLOW chairs issued this statement last night:

This is a press release from the 4 Democratic chairs of Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming Counties regarding the NY 26th Congressional race. Jack Davis seems to feel the rural counties can be cajoled into rescinding their endorsements of Jon Powers, and the chairs wanted to make it clear that there are no intentions to do so.

6: Now that Tom Reynolds is out, there has been talk of Kathy Hochul possibly running for the seat on the Democratic side. I like Hochul, but wonder why she’d run for an open seat, but was never mentioned until that moment?

7: It’s sort of nice to have a congressional race locally that’s going to get a lot of attention paid to it nationwide. Keeps things interesting, and it’s a way for the region to get national news that doesn’t involve snow, wings, or rust.

The Niagara County Democratic Committee has endorsed Jon Powers in his race to defeat Tom Reynolds in New York’s 26th Congressional District. Powers said, “I am thrilled to have the support of Niagara County Democrats. Niagara County is the key county for any Democrat running in this district and their support is a huge boost to my campaign.”

Powers now holds the endorsement of five of the seven counties in his district. “We can market him very well,” said Niagara County Democratic Chairman Dan Rivera, “Labor has really taken a liking to this guy and we want to try something new to solve this problem and the problem is Tom Reynolds.”

In response, Bob McCarthy spoke with Jack Davis. Here’s how that went:

[Davis] said he will ask all of the counties that have endorsed Powers to reconsider.

“These are people who fall for a pretty face and a war record,” Davis said. “Four or five of those counties have new chairmen and don’t know what they’re talking about.”

He called Powers a “good salesman” but said he brings to the table extensive business experience, a stand against most free trade agreements and illegal immigration, as well as $2 million of his own money pledged to the campaign.

“All these people just want the job,” he said. “I don’t need a job. I already have a job.”

Well, he’s added “illegal immigration” to his one-issue platform. Unfortunately for Jack, “illegal immigration” isn’t really a massive concern in Western New York. We’re losing people; not gaining people who shouldn’t be here.

Davis’ $2 million didn’t buy him the election in 2004, and it couldn’t get him over the top in 2006, either. I have a prediction . He’s going to keep his job in 2008. For him to denigrate Powers by calling him a “pretty face with a war record” is, well, reprehensible.

Davis, Kryzan, and Powers go before the ECDC on Saturday.

So it’s all but confirmed. Jack Davis is going to run in a primary against Jon Powers and Alice Kryzan. According to Robert Harding at Albany Project:

Jack Davis spoke to the Genesee County Democratic Committee tonight. According to a few of my Genesee County sources, he spoke like someone who was in the race. At one point, he questioned why the Genesee County Democrats would endorse NY-26 Democratic candidate Jon Powers. Apparently, he labeled such an endorsement as premature because he deserves a chance.

Davis mentioned a few things that were interesting, to say the least.

(1) He said at one point that he could go to Washington and take on Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Charlie Rangel and others in the House Democratic leadership.

(2) Davis claimed that Monroe County Democratic chair Assemblyman Joe Morelle, Niagara County Democratic chair Daniel Rivera and Erie County Democratic chair Len Lenihan will all side with him, not Powers.

So? Frankly, I’m fundamentally against party committees taking sides in a primary. I think the voters should have a chance to make an informed choice, without one side having an official “stamp of approval” over another. But such is life.

(3) Attacked Powers on a few different issues, namely his “life experiences” and the claim that he hasn’t held any other job besides his service to our country as an Army captain.

And as a teacher in the Clarence schools. I know that must not represent an important “life experience” to xenophobic one-issue candidates like Jack Davis, but I think it’s pretty significant. Being a well-respected Army officer seeing active combat, and then creating a charity to help war kids in Iraq on one’s own initiative is ample “life experience”.

Davis also blamed former staffers for his lack of campaigning in 2006, which is not true. I spoke with a Davis staffer in 2006 who is not on staff with Jon Powers and that staffer told me that Jack refuses to listen to any of his staff. They would tell him to do something and he would ignore it.

I’ve heard the same thing time and time again.

But in the end, Davis informally declared his candidacy tonight. He keeps saying he won’t say anything for sure until March (I’m assuming he wants to have a special ceremony for the event) but tonight he certainly sent the signal that he is running for the Democratic nod in New York’s 26th congressional district.

If ever he was going to win, 2006 was it. That was his year. He was handed a golden ticket to congress, and he blew it like Mike TV - at the last minute.