| Remember late last month when Monroe County Independence Chairman Rafael Colon resigned his post after it was revealed that his wife and Erie County Independence Party Chairman Tony Orsini's wife both received payments totaling $10,000 ($5,000 apiece)? According to Jack Davis' pre-primary filing, Coastal Consulting South (Mrs. Orsini's firm) received two payments of $1,250 for "consulting" and Blanca Semidey (now Blanca Colon) received the same payments on the same day as Mrs. Orsini. According to the disbursements, Orsini and Semidey both received $1,250 on July 7 and received another $1,250 on July 21. Both payments were after the filing deadline for the July quarterly filing, which originally revealed the payments to both women totaling $10,000.
This means that both women were paid $7,500 for "consulting," even though the new Monroe County Independence Party chairman called it "bribe money."
After the initial payments on April 30, the next payments came on the following dates: May 15, June 2, June 26, July 7 and July 21. Each payment was for $1,250.
But as of July 21, they have stopped. Earlier this month Davis apologized for the payments calling them a "mistake." However, Davis' campaign manager Luke Vaughn said this when Colon resigned his post:
"The goal of the payments was to help build relationships with Independence Party members, and that effort continues," he said.
The effort does not continue. It was wrong to make such payments. Clearly they know that. If they didn't, the payments would have continued as they said they would.
Jack Davis doesn't talk the talk or walk the walk. His money does that for him. That's why these bribes took place. That's why you see television ads, hear radio spots or get endless glossy mailers without ever seeing the candidate in person. Jack Davis' trademark is his money. Without it, he's nothing. |
