2nd Ward Dirty Trick No. 1

Da Horsey's Grist for the Mill  has covered much of what Da Grafix had in mind for today, but here's my take.

Several days ago I heard a rumor that's been going around about a Beth Mason scheme to knock 2nd Ward challenger Tom Greaney out of the race.

Which may (or may not) explain the mystery that is  Franz Paetzold, a self-proclaimed candidate running a non-campaign with a non-organization and a non-campaign web presence. That's a lot of 'non'.

GA was able to confirm with a reliable source the rumor is true.

Here it is: Mason campaign workers were soliciting petition signatures from those who had already signed one for Tom Greaney.  When the individuals being asked to sign a Mason petition advised that they'd signed another candidate's petition (Greaney) the Mason campaign workers instructed them that they were allowed to sign MORE THAN ONE.

A deception.

Signing the second petition invalidates the first.

Naturally, those who knew that this was a pile of hooey have been talking.  Numerous witnesses to this anti-democratic skullduggery are out there.

Fortunately, Greaney knows who he's dealing with-  that her moral compass points south- so has more than enough 'valid' petitions to qualify for the 2nd Ward City Council race.

GA is very curious if the number of disqualified petitions in the 2nd Ward race will exceed the 'average' amount and then by how much as a percentage of the norm.  If the number is unusually high,  a line should be struck right back to the Mason campaign.  Our local media needs to do their due diligence and report any such findings.

So why would Mason reach so far down into the deck as to knock out her opponent before the first round?

Probably the same reason why she waited more than 2 weeks to gush about Zimmer's State of the City speech which took place on February 22nd.

Poll results.

Apparently they really sucked.  For her.

While Russo who wasn't even there offered a rebuttal the morning after Zimmer's speech on February 23, the Mason rebuttal came on March 9- gushing endearments like a belated valentine.

That tells you that Zimmer polled well- is even popular in the 2nd Ward.  A rebuke to Mason's effrontery, signaling a time for roses not Molotov cocktails.

And the plot to annihilate Greaney?

That tells you that she (Mason) didn't poll well, is even unpopular, in the 2nd Ward.  How much so?

GA was told that Mason's favorability polled 20 points higher than Greaney's.  Underwhelming results for Mason in a poll skewed heavily against her opponent. Example: one of the questions was something like this: would you feel more or less favorable about Tom Greaney if you knew he was friends with Dick Cheney?

Huh?  Well, I don't think I'd vote for a friend of Dick Cheney's except for maybe the guy he shot in the face.  Out of sympathy.

Thus, the message delivery part of the poll flopped, and Greaney's strength served the Mason folks an unwelcome dose of reality.

So if you can't beat 'em, cheat 'em.

Mission NOT accomplished.  Greaney's in.


GA note: the blog post is titled 2nd Ward Dirty Trick No. 1, expecting more to follow.