Brady Says Wolf Decision to Cut Off 'Street Money' Won't Change Election Outcome
By Mike Dunn
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The head of the Democratic City Committee in Philadelphia, US Rep. Bob Brady, says he isn't worried about Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Tom Wolf's decision not to help pay for tomorrow's get-out-the-vote effort in the city.
The tradition in Philadelphia is that candidates provide what's called "street money" to ward leaders and committee people for their neighborhood workers.
"We pay workers. There's people out over the weekend canvassing, putting (sample) ballots on all the division's doors. The committeepeople have people knock on doors to get the vote out. Then they have checkers come in to see who voted and who didn't vote. They find out who didn't vote, and they go out and knock on their doors. We like to give them a little bit of coffee and donuts in the morning, and the committeepeople provide lunches for them," Brady tells KYW Newsradio.
But Brady and his local party have been thrown for a loop because Wolf, their party's gubernatorial candidate, is refusing to provide street money.
"He said that he had spent all or most of his money on TV, which I understand. But he is helpful -- he has had donors contact us and contribute to us on his behalf," Brady says.
And Brady says that ideally he needs to $340,000, which would allow about $200 for each committeeperson.
So now, he and former governor Ed Rendell are instead focusing on getting direct contributions to the city committee for that.
"Ed Rendell, he raised over $100,000. And Tom Wolf authorized donors, people who want to make a donation to him, they can contribute to the Democratic City Committee, and we're raising money that way," Brady says.
Brady believes that once the polls open they'll have enough street money for a decent get-out-the-vote operation. And he claims not to be upset with Wolf for withholding campaign money for this.
"No, not at all, because he is allowing other donors -- people who want to donate to him -- he's steering them toward us."
Street money is legal as long as it is reported on election disclosure forms.