It's almost Election Day and here comes the late money to win elections and make friends. Electronic filings with the Department of Records show Mikey Nutter coalition-buying, er, building, with $10,000 from Nutter for Mayor to incumbent Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller, whose support he will need in a new administration, and $5,000 to Democratic council candidate Bill Green, a professed Nutter ally who will easily win a seat Tuesday. Both contributions were made Oct. 31.
Incumbent Republican at-large Councilman Jack Kelly, in battle for his political life (he has said this is likely his last term), got $10,000 on Oct. 26 from Michael Karp's University City Housing Associates, one of the largest rental landlords in the area, and another $10-large from ol' reliable state Rep. John Perzel, the Republican powerhouse from North Philly. Perzel gave from his Friends of John Perzel Nov. 1.
Incumbent Republican District Councilman Brian J. O'Neill also got some last minute juice, with the United Brothers of Carpenters and Joiners and the Federal Employees Credit Union PAC kindly chipping in $10,000 each on Oct. 23.
Neither Kelly's Democratic opponent, Sean McAleer, or Kelly's chief Republican rival, David Oh, showed that kind of last-minute money.
And in the "here's a bunch of money even though you don't need it" category, unopposed Municipal Court Judge candidate Jacquelyn Frazier-Lyde (Joe Frazier's daughter) received $25,000 from the Laborers District Council PAC on Nov. 1. That's no surprise -- she used to be
administrator and Legal Fund Counsel for the Laborers’ District Council Prepaid Legal Fund in Philadelphia. And for those of you wondering about city campaign contribution limits ($20,000 for a PAC in the Mayor's race, $10,000 for a PAC in other races), they don't apply to Judges, who are state employees.
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