Anita Bonds: Keep Mitt Romney Supporter Off the D.C. Council
Councilmember Anita Bonds' campaign sent out a breathless email to supporters today asking them to volunteer for the campaign in order to ward off catastrophe.
"According to the press, for the first time in years a Republican has a real shot of winning a seat on the D.C. Council. If we do not win this race, the consequences could be disastrous for the residents of the District," the email starts.
It goes to point out how Republican candidate Pat Mara (who came close to winning an at-large seat two years ago) was a Mitt Romney supporter and received a donation from a far-right PAC (which Mara returned after another at-large candidate, Elissa Silverman, called for him to give it back). The subject of the email: "Mitt Romney on the D.C. Council."
"With your help, we will keep D.C. blue on April 23," the email ends.
Yeah, D.C. is going to stay blue no matter who wins the at-large race. By the city's most recent count, Democrats make up 75 percent of the District's registered voters, while Republicans make up 6 percent. The D.C. Council has 11 registered Democrats, one guy who switched from being a Democrat to an independent just so he could win a council seat and an independent former Republican who is far to the left on most social issues.
But those numbers also explain why Bonds' campaign would be eager to remind everyone that Mara is, indeed, a Republican. It's something his opponents have been pointing out for some time; there's even a website devoted to the cause.
As for Mara, he says "voters from all parties and independents have supported me in the past. They have heard these kind of attacks. They were meaningless then and are meaningless now."
Photo by Darrow Montgomery
1:59 pm
I am not opposed to a Republic on the council. However, the fact that Mara actually supported Romney is enough of of a reason not to support Mara in my book.
2:01 pm
An attack, particular on this opponent by the "incumbent" (appointed by a corrupt, private club process), shows her great weakness. It is a telegraphed sign that Ms. Bonds knows she is in deep, deep trouble. I expect in fact that ALL the Dems are somewhat troubled by the simple math that many many of them are running and will to a degree split the base vote. The challenge is assessing how many splits will be "significant shares". If that gets high enough, Mara's base while small delivers the victory.... Look for this to get really really ugly quite soon. 3...2...1..
2:05 pm
I am also curious as to the disparagement over fundraising by some candidates. When donations are from residents, doesn't that mean the message is resonating with people?
2:31 pm
Please, when you are referring to "Councilmember Anita Bonds", please also note that she was a longtime aid to Marion Barry, she was first selected, not elected, into her current position, and she works for one of DC's biggest city contractors, Fort Meyer Construction.
In light of her background and the debt she owes to Marion Barry for her new job, I doubt that my concept of a “catastrophe” is very different from hers.
Vote the guy in and see what he can do. Maybe he'll clean the place up. The DC Council cannot get any worse than it already is.
2:53 pm
This Dem is voting for Mara because he's a good guy and will be an effective councilmember.
This city is far too hung up on party labels and let's take a look at where that has gotten us shall we: crack smoking, stealing money from children, a "Bulletproof" boat and a more than half million dollar shadow campaign.
3:07 pm
MARA=GAYTANIA!
ONE IS ENOUGH!
3:18 pm
noodlez == rusty trombone's for Gray
One is NEVER enough.
3:21 pm
Basically what Ward One Resident said. I'm a lifelong democrat, but considering how laughably corrupt and nepotistic the elected Dems in this city have been, I'm more than willing to give Mara a shot as councilmember.
3:33 pm
Really, noodlez? Really? You can never prove a point by being discriminatory.
3:37 pm
If Bonds and Brown both run Mara wins.
3:49 pm
If dems really want to keep the seat they could start by fielding fewer candidates.
That the local dem organization is so dysfunctional that it hasn't held open elections and cant enforce party discipline and has appointed a candidate who will likely loose really does send a blood-in-the-water message.
I'll probably vote Elissa, or maybe Frumin, but I have no expectations for the outcome of this election.
4:02 pm
I met Anita when she worked for Mayor Anthony William's Administration and she helped him deliver good city services. She will get my vote!
Mara's "consulting firm" has made all his $ from contracts with the RNC. I can't support that.
4:13 pm
Bonds may be desperate but more to the point she is toast. It is true that we have barely recovered from the underpinnings of democracy being torn asunder by that Schwartz woman, oh, never mind.
From what I saw at a recent forum I attended it looks like a race between Mara, Brown and Frumin. I have decided Silverman is little more than a scold and is kind of sleazy. Brown, who I like as a person, seems to take credit for a whole lot of stuff which makes one wonder why if true he would have a reputation of being pretty much a suit.
I have no trouble with Mara being a republican, the underpinnings of democracy not withstanding, but after all the hype I was not the least bit impressed. If alluded to "sandboxes" one more time I was going to scream. He mostly seems ambitious.
Frumin actually impressed me favorably, thoughtful, deliberative, smart, not given to grandstanding or old canards, sober(gee, maybe he should run in 6), sane,etc. If I were inclined to volunteer(again)for a democratic candidate in order to prevent somebody who supported Mitt Romney (Mitt, who?)from, horror of horrors, being elected to the D.C.council I would donate my time to Frumin. He has a shot at winning.
5:12 pm
Frumin and Brown next, right? In trying to scare voters into thinking the pro-LGBT, pro-choice Pat Mara is someone other than Pat Mara? Silverman, Zukerberg, and now Bonds have fail flailed in this expectable direction, so it's Brown and Frumin's turn. Come on, gentlemen, get it out of your systems.
Brown, who wasn't a Dem for convenience, that'll be the voice of unwavering Dem loyalty. And Frumin certainly has the space for such attacks, since he's not using up much energy mentioning the little marginal topics REFORM OR ETHICS -- look for them on his website's issues page, or in his 300-word lit. It just isn't a priority with the guy. Not one word.
This lifelong active Dem is doing what a number of others above are doing too: I'm voting for Patrick Mara.
5:26 pm
I repeat: "Who is the tallest midget"?
@drez- You are RIGHT on point!
The Democratic State Committee is screwed up and they appointed their chair to the seat, laughable.
6:47 pm
Anita Bonds is on her way to victory!
...and she is turning up the heat!
7:38 pm
I'm an Independent and Frumin will get my VOTE!
9:03 pm
Mara was a strong Romney supporter. IMO, that means he's on the wrong side of important policy matters. Frumin, as others have noted, apparently is clueless on the most critical issue facing DC today: a pervasive pay to play culture of corruption. He doesn't even mention this cancer, and he's taking money from folks like Jemal. Brown is rubbing elbows with DC's worst contractor lobbyist lawyers like Wilmot et al. Nuff said. Bonds ... well what makes her an attractive candidate? Complaints filed by her employees? Her job as a top dog for one of DC's biggest contractors? What's she done, and what can we expect from her? More of the same. Zuckerberg, he's pretty sharp but doesn't stand a chance of winning.
Silverman refuses money from corporations, is the one candidate who supported sanctioning Graham, is quite sharp, and is on the right side of most issues. More importantly, she's the only candidate who will actively work to root out and reform corrupt pay to play politics in DC. If that's important to you, then that's who deserves your vote.
10:01 pm
@TH
Well said.
12:02 am
Since it is late and I am on the floor drunk, I will say it. I am voting for the Umoja party candidate. I always liked the way that sounds: oooo-moe-jaaa. Who is it?
7:03 am
Mara just cares about himself and getting elected to something. His first priority are schools not under the Council's control makes no sense. Try Frumin for a fresh voice and a new direction.
8:09 am
@Joel
"using up much energy mentioning the little marginal topics REFORM OR ETHICS --" Mara was big on corruption except the major corruption by the most corrupt of all in his own back yard - truth is it is a marginal issue, easy to talk about and hard to do anything about
9:36 am
Silverman is a fringe candidate, despite the bluster in social media. Bonds and Brown are a "no', and Zukerberg and Redd are below Silverman on the fringe scale.
9:44 am
I can't understand why anyone would vote for Bond. Under her leadership, the Democratic State Committee suspended elections and decided to stay in power beyond their terms. Members decided to become despots instead of elected officials. After this power grab, they elected their chair to become the interim council member, and supported her even though there are five Democrats running in this race. During her short tenure as council member, the only thing she's succeeded at doing is violating ethics by having her staff work for her reelection.
Honestly, I'd vote for any candidate over Bonds. We've had enough corruption in DC.
11:34 am
Screw them all. Especially the corrupt Dem hacks like Bonds. They are unworthy of my vote. I moved out to Fairfax County. I voted with my feet, D.C. I have had enuff of you.
12:49 pm
@NAMELESS-YOU LOST ME WITH THAT ONE???
FYI-YOUR ALTERED MIND COMMENTS ARE BECOMING A BIT TIRESOME.
SAME OL' SAME LAME GRAY WACKNESS.
@SMH-DISCRIMINATORY???
YOUR GAYNESS WITHSTANDING THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DOESN'T NEED ANYMORE WHITE MALE CONSERVATIVE HOMOSEXUALS PERPETRATING AS SOME PROGRESSIVE JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE GAY. ESPECIALLY THAT BAMMA MARA WHO WOULDN'T HAVE GIVEN BACK THE MONEY FROM FOLK WHO WANT SOMETHING IN RETURN IF SILVERMAN DIDN'T CALL HIS BITCH ASS OUT! JUST BECAUSE HE GAVE THE MONEY BACK DOESN'T MEAN HE DOESN'T SEE EYE-TO-EYE WITH THEM FOLK. DISCRIMINATE ON THAT CHUMP!
2:47 pm
Really don't understand why the City Paper keeps tolerating the homophobic, racist buffoonery of noodlez, but he must be good for clicks and eyeballs.
This lifelong Dem is voting for Mara.
Bonds (D-Ft. Meyer Construction) is the epitome of a hack, with a disastrous tenure as leader of the DC Dems. And, oh yeah, she's the paid mouthpiece of one of the city's largest contractors.
Brown (D/Ind/D) is an embarrassment, with a plethora of personal, business, and ethics failings. The man simply needs to get out of the limelight and put his life back in order.
Silverman (D-Tax & Spend) is a hypocrite for bemoaning ballot tossing when it hit her failed ballot initiative, but then using the same strategy against her opponents. And she's too cowardly to do it herself, relying on one of her supporters instead. She has no experience in anything, other than as a crappy reporter and a supporter of failed social policies that call for ever-increasing taxes and never-ending welfare spending on the failed programs that are run amuck with fraud and cronyism. No thanks.
Frumin (D-Ward 3) is a contender, but when you realize most of his war chest is his own money (a fool and his money...), you realize he has no base outside of his neighbors. Nice guy, but needs more field testing.
Zuckerman (D-Potlandia) is entertaining, but has no chance.
That leaves Mara. Smart, ambitious, clean, and not a member of the Good Ol' Hacks Club that has dominated the Council for the past decade. The guy's for lower taxes (cue the outrage from Silverman!), for gay marriage (hence noodlez's self-hatred), and against crooks (cue Bonds' over-the-top idiocy).
Vote Mara on April 23!
3:31 pm
@SALLY-NOT RACIST. RACIAL! I DONT HATE GAYS OR GAY MARRIAGE. I DO HATE FOLK WHO TRY TO FORCE ME TO ACCEPT SHIT ON THEIR TERMS.
YOU CALL ME A BUFFOON AND CRITCIZE MY COMMENTS BUT YET YOUR DRIVEL IS CONTENTIOUS AT BEST.
ONE MARA = TWO GAYTANIAS
6:14 am
The way you people treat the homeless there, you deserve whatever politician you get.
8:55 am
to michelle jones: DC needs to get its mental health system to work. Homeless people if they are not already mentally incapacitated before they are on the streets, are incapacitated soon after.
Even if they are provided with a "crazy check" if they are on the streets they cannot function.
I am a christian. I am a Catholic. And there but for the grace of God go me.
However, I have been a taxpayer, in DC, since I was eighteen years of age, I say to you people (human beings) get in to difficulty.
We should have a system that catches them before they hit rock bottom. I think it is called a safety net.
Personally, I absolutely HATE politician--black, white, brown, red, and anything in between. They do not solve problems, they cause problems.
I think help for the homeless lie with social and church groupts and regular ordinary people of good will.
12:43 pm
@Sally
Hos is most of Frumin's money his own? He has raised about $140,000. $20,000 of it is self loans. That leaves $120,000 raised from others (that is twice Silverman's total, for example). That tells me that his message is resonating with voters and it is showing in the form of contributions. I am not understanding how that is a bad thing.
8:20 pm
I'm with you SE lady. If anything, we should be downsizing DC government. We don't need another At-Large CM mouth to feed.
8:27 pm
Silverman Frumin. Frumin, Silverman.
Dunno...
8:52 am
The Dems need shaking up in this city. I write as a lifelong Dem who elsewhere voted for Republicans when the Dems left much to be desired. In DC, the Democratic Party means lackluster candidates at best in most (but not all) cases, corruption, looking the other way, Dems covering for Dems abuses and incompetence. Open primaries someday will bring genuinely competition to the process.
9:23 am
My god it is funny to see so many comments, so many people care about these clowns
12:04 pm
1. Given Anita's longstanding, close ties to our ex-Mayor-for-Life, it's not surprising that her nickname is Barry Bonds.
2. A more viable two-party system in Washington, DC wouldn't hurt our efforts to get the vote in Congress and maybe more.
12:11 pm
@Noodlez -- I don't understand being "racial" versus "racist." It's a distinction without a difference in this case. You seem to argue that DC must have a majority black Council. (Of course, it's not even a majority black city anymore, but that's beside the point.) Imagine if someone said, "the US is a majority white country, so our Secretary of State and our President should be white, too."
I'd call that view racist, and I'll bet you would also.
4:40 pm
@ALF-I CHALLENGE YOU TO FIND ANY COMMENT WHERE I STATED DC MUST HAVE A MAJORITY BLACK COUNCIL?
SLIM DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE BECAUSE THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IS STILL A MAJORITY BLACK MUNICIPALITY. ACCORDING TO THE 2012 CENSUS WHITE FOLK ONLY ACCOUNT FOR 35% OF THE POP IN DC. THIS IS WITH BLACK FOLK WHO HISTORICALLY DON'T SEND THEIR FORMS BACK AND JAILED BLACK MEN. ALSO I SEE YOU ARE QUICK TO HOP ON BOARD WITH SOME LAME ALLEGATION MADE BY SOME WACKADOODLE.
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/11000.html
AS TO YOUR MISUNDERSTANDING THE SCENARIO YOU LAID OUT IS ACTUALLY TRUE AND RACIAL. NOW AT THE END OF YOUR SENTENCE IF YOU ADDED “. . . BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE ARE NOT CAPABLE OF RUNNING THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE OF ________.” NOW THAT’S RACIST.
HOWEVER SOME WHITE FOLK WHO AREN'T RACIST VOTED FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA. YOU CAN BE RACIAL WITH OUT BEING A RACIST. SO ONE CAN SURMISE THAT SOME OF THOSE WHITE FOLK WHO VOTED FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA WERE ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT HE IS BLACK AND THEY WANTED SOMEONE OTHER THAN A WHITE MAN TO REPRESENT THEM. THAT’S RACIAL!
MOST BLACKS IN THIS COUNTRY ESPECIALLY BLACK MEN VIEW LIFE THROUGH A RACIAL LENS BECAUSE WE ARE CONTINUALLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
I’M POINTING OUT THAT THE ONE WHITE, GAY, CONSERVATIVE PRETENDING TO SOME LIBERAL, SHAPING LAWS FOR THIS CITY IS ENOUGH BECAUSE NEITHER MARA OR GAYTANIA REPRESENT WHAT WE STAND FOR OR NEED IN THIS CITY.
I CALL IT LIKE I SEE IT AND MAYBE YOU SHOULD TOO!
8:49 pm
Sally, sally ... Gotta love her calling Silverman a hypocrite. Sally claims to be a lifelong Dem and then says she's voting for a gay republican Romney lover who apparently doesn't care that his party hates gays. No serious "lifelong Dem" could rationally reconcile getting behind a guy like that.
Sally's uses a tired, hollow "tax and spend" label for Silverman. Fact is Silverman is a budget hawk who has never lobbied for higher taxes. And she's far from being a "hypocrite". She says corporate money shouldn't buy votes, and she refuses to take corporate campaign donations.
All other candidates, including Sally's fav Mara, and Lukas' fav Frumin, belly up to the corporate money trough. That's the truth, folks.
9:28 pm
Mara is a tea party hack who tries to hide his true colors. Thanks to campaign finance rules like those Elissa Silverman supports, we know that Mara gave $$$ to Romney and many other Republican candidates. That is why the tea party PAC supports him.
Frumin is also a beast fed by corporate contributions and PACs.
Elissa is viable and won't be corrupted. She can and should win.
2:26 pm
Tis true. Those who classify themselves as white with the census bureau are the minority in the District of Columbia. It isn't unusual for people to be "racial" because that is exactly what the white pioneers who have recently moved into the District are. They move into neighborhoods and look at the African Americans who have lived there for years as "outsiders" and go about trying to change things to meet THEIR agenda. I ain't hatin' but when they are met with strong resistance, this is why.