Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Where, exactly, does Leland Cheung stand on Super PAC money?

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About ten days ago, I received the following email from Leland Cheung’s campaign:

Friends and Supporters,

I was shocked to wake up this morning and find that nearly $20,000 in anonymous Super PAC money had been spent to attack our campaign.

Shocked, shocked, I tell you!  He followed up two days later:

Our opponent’s outside groups spent thousands lying about my record, and in response you sent thousands to counteract them. As your neighbor, I’m truly grateful. But we know they won’t stop at this.

Donate now to counteract deceitful Super PAC money.

Terrible, all that deceitful Super PAC money flowing into Massachusetts legislative races.  So, imagine my surprise when I opened up BMG this morning, and learned that literally ten times the amount Cheung claims was spent against him – $200,000 – has been dumped into a pro-charter group for the purpose of backing Cheung’s own campaign.

Now, 200 grand is an insane amount for an outside group to dump into a state legislative race.  So I’d expect the folks who aren’t a fan of big outside spending – like Cheung, to judge from his emails – to quickly and forcefully condemn that kind of dark money flowing into a race like this one.  Haven’t heard anything so far, but maybe I missed it.

In any event, it would be great if both candidates could swear off this kind of thing.  Maybe there is some sort of Pledge that both candidates in a race could agree to, that would benefit the People of the district, rather than the outside groups.  We could call it a “Pledge for the People” … no, that’s too clunky … what other name might work …?

Disclosure: BMG’s editors have endorsed Pat Jehlen for reelection in this race.

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Comments

  1. I got the following email earlier today from Mr. Cheung:

    Friends and Supporters,

    According to a new White House report on the AAPI community, if you’re Asian American, you’re more likely to have been bullied, but less likely to have reported it.

    I remember my high school bully. In retrospect, they taught me to stand my ground; however, no kid should have their academic career derailed by bullying – either in the class room or on the internet.

    We must condemn discriminatory behavior against all groups – whether it’s racial, LGBTQ, persons with disabilities, violence against women, or religious intolerance – it cannot stand.

    It’s up to adults – and the politicians they elect – to set the standard.

    I’m not upset the MTA is resorting to smear tactics. It’s only strengthened my resolve to fight for what’s right. The charter school debate isn’t about what the teachers want; it’s about what our students need. It exposes our need for more diversity on beacon hill.

    Join my fight. If I’m elected, I’ll never stop fighting for you.

    WHAT kind of nonsense is this?

    He is running against Pat Jehlen in a primary. Does he think Pat Jehlen is “soft on bullying” or something?

    I tell you what “smear tactic” I see. I see a loser attempting to smear Pat Jehlen with an unsupported (there is no link in the email to the alleged statement from the MTA) claim from an organization she has nothing to do with.

    For any here who have suggested that Mr. Cheung might be a decent candidate in a different race — based on this piece of dishonest spam, I won’t ever vote for him in any race ever.

    • but not now. These new Democrats who are trying to tear down all that Democrats have built over the years will not be the future of the party if I can stop them.

      • school people are precisely everything you hate.

        I really wish that Bernie Sanders would say something about charter schools. They are financed and pushed by those he hates and rejects. He may have other things to do, but they are the educational equivalent of what he opposes. Elizabeth Warren has actually minced words on the subject. With these two, I don’t believe it’s the money they hope to get, but the Democratic Party is polluted with these DINOs. Like me, I think they came of age during the DLC era. The “education reform” people are mostly people who want to work in this capitalized education. They smell the money and prestige.

        • …for a federal politician to get into it regarding charter schools. I get the sense that not only are they mostly creatures of state policy, but the term even means somewhat different things in different states.

    • The notion that Pat Jehlen vicariously supports bullying of Asian-Americans and various other marginalized groups through various degrees of association, conjecture, and red herrings is beyond the pale.

  2. a big pile of SuperPac money from DFER. So do these folks according to OCPF:

    Blanton, Michael A. (Supported);
    Bloomberg, Michael Eric (Supported);
    Hopkins, Jr., T. Ewell (Supported);
    Kanzer, Aaron (Supported);
    Matias, Juana (Supported);
    Ouellette, David Michael (Supported);
    Rizzuto, Saritin (Supported);
    Roberson, Kerby (Supported);
    Tyler, Chynah (Supported) Barnes,
    Shaynah (Supported),
    Rizzo, Daniel (Supported)
    Campbell, Andrea Joy (Supported)

    • Jen Migliore’s DINO primary opponent in the 9th House District, Saritin Rizzuto, took over $3,500 of SuperPac money.
      Birds of a feather, yada,yada, yada.
      Just follow the money, folks. Follow the money.

      Fred Rich LaRiccia
      Campaign Manager
      The Migliore Committee

  3. I also got a creepy snail-mail postcard wishing me “Happy Birthday” (it was yesterday).

    Jeesh, this guy is a piece of work.

  4. That letter doesn’t really slime Jehlen. It’s just poorly written.

    But slamming PAC money a week before you take it is scattered at best, deliberately misleading at worst.

  5. Pat Jehlen’s campaign posted this letter asking the leaders of DFER to debate.

    “They are my real opponents in this race, so they are the ones I should be debating, not the Cambridge city councilor whose name appears on the ballot,” she said.

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