D’Allesandro: Hillary Clinton to host DC fundraiser for Lou.
Money can’t buy you love, but it just might buy a whole lot of political support. We’ll find out soon enough as Hillary Clinton is planning a big Washington, D. C. fund raiser for our very own State Senator Casino Lou D’Allesandro. Yes, you heard that right. Hillary Clinton’s hosting a big fund raiser for District Twenty State Senator Casino Lou D’Allesandro. We’re not sure what Clinton gets out of the deal, nor are we sure why D’Allesandro would go to D C for campaign cash. According to filings on record with the Secretary of State’s Office, Casino Lou’s campaign war chest topped, get this, four hundred thirty eight thousand dollars before he spent some two hundred twenty five thousand bucks. Maybe the eight term incumbent is feeling a bit low having a mere a quarter of a million dollars in his campaign war chest. What we found interesting in reviewing his reports is that we can’t seem to find the one where the bulk of the cash was spent. D’Allesandro’s campaign finances have been under investigation by the Attorney General’s office for more than two years following a complaint filed by one time opponent Phil Greazzo. Greazzo alleged D’Allesandro was using his campaign account for personal expenditures, such as pricey birthday bashes and regular purchases of flowers. Greazzo also raised questions over the ongoing receipt and granting of donations from political campaigns around the country for all sorts of offices. While it’s been some time since we followed up on that investigation, we’re not confident it’s going to yield any fruit anytime soon as the answer we always seem to get from Assistant Attorney General Steve LaBonte is, well, it’s on my desk and I hope to have it done in a few weeks. We’ll try again. In the meantime, we’ve linked to John DiStaso’s article on the matter at N H Journal dot com so you can get the details.
Shaheen: Ducking debates
While we’re on the topic of senators the folks in D C seem to throw a lot of money at, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Health Care Queen, informed organizers of the planned New England College debate that she will not attend. This, of course, has elicited all sorts of howl’s from the G O P. Republican Party Chair Jennifer Horn used the occasion to go on the offensive issuing a statement saying it was unacceptable for Shaheen to duck the debate because New Hampshire voters deserve a robust debate about the issues and ample opportunity to compare the candidate’s records. Hm, I wonder if they copied and pasted that from a Bob Smith press release. Anyway, Shaheen rival Scott Brown, whose campaign has wisely chosen not to attack Shaheen on the debate question given his virtual refusal to debate primary opponents Smith or Jim Rubens, has challenged Shaheen to seven debates.
Garcia: Lambert to lead veterans coalition
In the Second Congressional District, G O P nominee Marilinda Garcia has announced that former rival Gary Lambert, a retired Marine colonel, will chair her campaign’s Veterans for Marilinda coalition. Given how bitter that primary contest was, that’s a pretty impressive.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Gatsas: Giving away the keys to a car
Mayor Ted Gatsas will be making the rounds today at Manchester’s three primary high schools to launch this school year’s “Make the Grade” program to recognize academic achievements. “Make the Grade” is a public-private partnership Gatsas launched four years ago in cooperation with the school district, AutoFair and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. The winning junior or senior will receive a brand new car for earning Honor Roll status during the first, second and third quarters of the academic year. Kids who make those grades essentially have their name thrown in a hat. Four finalists are chosen from each high school are chosen and given a key to the new car during a Fisher Cats game. The kid with the key that starts the car gets the car. So, study up!
Got drugs?
Police departments across the region are announcing their participation in this Saturday’s National Drug Take Back Day. From ten to two, departments will accept unused, unwanted and or expired pills from citizens, no questions asked. Law enforcement and public health officials say removing the drugs from your home helps prevent abuse and crime. Police departments in Goffstown, Bedford, Bow, and Merrimack have announced they will accept prescription pills from citizens at their department headquarters from ten to two on Saturday. Contact your local police department to see if it is participating.
Whitmore: Rest in Peace
Finally this morning, our condolences go out to the friends and family of William R. Whitmore, who died suddenly on Tuesday. Bill Whitmore was Commander of Sweeney Post #2 and deeply involved in veterans issues and activities. Whitmore, a Central grad, served with the U.S. Army 1st Air Cavalry Division in Vietnam. He was past chairman of the Naturalization Committee and a member of the executive committee of the American Legion Department of New Hampshire, a member of the Americanism Committee of the National American Legion and the Manchester Veterans Council. In addition, he was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks No. 1 4 6, and the National Association of Letters Carriers. We had the pleasure of interviewing him on Memorial Day and have linked to that interview in case you’d like to listen. Whitmore was sixty eight. He will be missed.
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is next.
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