A letter to the editor in yesterday’s Philadelphia Daily News reads:
I was one of the 100,000 Pennsylvanians who signed the “Romanelli petition” in an attempt to get him on the ballot for the November election, and I am revolted by Bob Casey’s efforts to block his candidacy.
I think it is appalling when the first real action of a Senate candidate is trying to remove another candidate from the ballot, as has been the case with Bob Casey Jr. Not only has Casey remained silent on the issues, but now attempts to silence another voice seeking to join in the democratic process.
One hundred thousand Pennsylvanians have signed petitions to get Mr. Romanelli on the ballot, and Casey would just as soon see that they are cheated out of their efforts. This is the move of a career politician and someone who does not have the best interests of Pennsylvanians in mind.
The letter is signed by an Edward Smith of Flourtown, Pennsylvania.
It will surprise no one who’s followed this story that an Edward Smith of Flourtown gave $500 to George W. Bush in 2003, according to FEC reports.
But maybe it’s another Edward Smith? Maybe. But Flourtown has a population of approximately 5,000 and a search of 411 only turns up one Edward Smith there. And the letter does remarkably avoid any mention of the writer’s political philosophy.
So it appears that not only did Republicans fund the Green candidate’s signature drive and help staff that drive, but now they’ve taken to writing outraged letters to newspapers on his behalf.
Thanks to TPM Reader DB for catching this.
Late Update: TPM Reader JS points out that an Edward Smith is on the Montgomery County Republican Committee — Flourtown is in the east part of Montgomery County.
