Mary Gay Scanlon, Self-proclaimed Progressive PA-5 prospect has deep connections to neo-liberal forces

The other day, Holly Otterbein stated that Delaware County Democrats had neglected to endorse an applicant for the PA fifth home District Race, split between candidates Mary Gay Scanlon and Ashley Lunkenheimer. Seat for the celebration David Landau indicated dissatisfaction that the Delco Democrats did not endorse somebody for the chair, and it has formerly expressed a misgivings concerning the leading prospect Richard Lazer, winning the battle, stating that he hoped the district could possibly be represented by some body from Delaware County (the 5th region, when it comes to part that is most, is composed of about 80% Delco. residents.) And that’s the big publicized split over PA-5—should a Philadelphian represent the district that is fifth?

At first glance, Lunkenheimer, Scanlon, and Lazer have comparable sounding that is progressive. Mary Gay Scanlon also claims it front—her landing page checks out “Tough. Smart. Progressive.” A closer glance at the records and sites of Scanlon, her spouse, and their employer, lawyer Ballard Spahr, show questionable modern credentials

Scanlon and Gov. that is former Ed, who endorsed her campaign and additionally works well with Ballard Spahr. (Emma Le/WHYY)

Based on Mary Gay Scanlon’s expert biography she is the seat regarding the pro bono group at Ballard Spahr, a huge nationwide law practice situated in Philadelphia. She’s additionally “a member associated with Association of Pro Bono Counsel, and serves as Co-Chair associated with Philadelphia Bar Association’s law practice professional Bono Committee as well as on the board of Philadelphia VIP”, a nearby pro bono legal aid team.

Her campaign site touts her experience as a fighter that is progressive she seals her progressive cred with an array of strictly modern policy roles. Lacking nevertheless through the list and from her experience are any reference to modern income tax reform, finance and banking industry reform, or customer defenses. That’s wthe womane her spouse, Mark S. Stewart, and their employer that is mutual lawfirm Spahr LLP can be worth using a better check.

Protesters fighting against unjust housing financial obligation.

While Scanlon touts just what seem to be impressive modern qualifications, her spouse is a lawyer that is corporate the seat of Ballard Spahr LLP. The company happens to be making headlines for the decade that is past its massive expansion through mergers and purchases around the world, that the Legal Intelligencer called a “Merger Spree”

Ballard Spahr centers around numerous appropriate areas finance that is including pharmaceuticals. These were additionally recently within the news for leading the cost to block a major laws from the buyer Financial Protection Bureau. It was the agency set up following the 2008 collapse which was designed to offer residents a method to simply take appropriate action against banking institutions and economic agencies that preyed on low earnings individuals and caused the crash. The law that is online Law360 praised Ballard Spahr for going following the CFPB. Certainly, this became one of many revenue that is key when it comes to law practice, in addition they sank millions into court instances and lobbying efforts. Those efforts paid, plus in 2017, President Trump fundamentally eliminated the CFPB.

As another an element of the same strategy, the firm took regarding the CFPB’s pay-day financing laws:

« Ballard Spahr’s Jeremy T. Rosenblum, co-practice leader for the company’s customer monetary solutions team, has represented payday loan providers, including ACE money Express and Advance Financial, within their fight resistant to the CFPB’s payday loan guidelines. The legislation, that was introduced in October, would impose an ability-to-repay test to all payday loans with a 45-day payment term, automobile name loans with 30-day terms along with other small-dollar loans.” (Through the company’s news and news web page.)

Whilst it is completely plausible to contest the necessity of this situation pertaining to Mary Gay Scanlon’s individual record, it’s harder to separate your lives the fact Scanlon is hitched into the mind regarding the company and her campaign is essentially financed by firm workers. In a strange paradox, Mark Stewart’s law practice earnestly encourages appropriate actions that keep the indegent in poverty, while Mary Scanlon’s pro-bono legal work provides assist with individuals in poverty whom can’t manage legal counsel.

Scanlon’s Husband and Ballard Spahr seat Mark Stewart during the Mortgage Banker’s Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Summit (Source)

Holly Otterbein and Andrew Seidman report that: “Contributions from BallardSpahr lawyers account fully for about 45 % regarding the $254,000 Scanlon raised through March. That will not count the $150,000 she lent her campaign.” These campaign finance documents cast Scanlon’s capacity to distance by herself from Ballard Spahr’s interests further into doubt . It could be plausible to wave from the actions of Scanlon’s employer as unrelated to her campaign, nevertheless the proven fact that Scanlon’s campaign is basically financed by Ballard Spahr workers is yet another matter.

Otterbein and Seidman continue inside their reporting to throw Scanlon’s progressive qualifications into concern further, reporting that “Comcast senior executive vice president David L. Cohen held a fundraiser last week for Scanlon, that is a longtime buddy of him and their spouse, Rhonda.”

This is certainly to express, Ballard Spahr and Comcast’s David Cohen are keeping Mary Gay Scanlon’s campaign afloat (about matching Scanlon’s own $150,000 investment.)

We have been in a time where we can’t waste effort and votes on an individual who is certainly not wholly, fully, individually dedicated to dismantling the structures of inequality that retain the status quo. Mary Gay Scanlon may actually think most of her “progressive” points, however payday loans FL it is crucial to inquire about whether she will be in a position to say “No” to a lobbyist covered by her husband’s company, and her largest donor, and vote to safeguard those that need the essential security.

Browse the sources and much more links right here.

Ballard Spahr LLP workers contributed very nearly three quarters of Scanlon’s campaign efforts. (Supply: Philly Energy analysis)