Dark money, Jeff Brown, and the perils of anonymous political donors | Editorial

The dark money flooding in to boost Jeff Brown’s Philadelphia mayoral campaign is causing him legal troubles while leaving voters in the dark about the anonymous donors trying to buy his favor.

The Philadelphia Board of Ethics accused Brown of violating the city’s campaign finance law by illegally coordinating with a political action committee and nonprofit supporting him. A lawsuit filed by the Board of Ethics alleged those groups worked with Brown’s campaign in an “elaborate scheme to circumvent the city’s campaign contribution limits.”

The city enacted strict campaign contribution caps in 2003 following a pay-to-play scandal that rocked City Hall. But dark money donors backing Brown have evaded the limits and raised millions without having to disclose where the funds came from.

Brown, a first-time candidate running as an outsider who built his fortune running a supermarket chain, called the lawsuit “a political hit job.” He added: “This is about the political establishment not wanting the change that we so desperately need.”

Sorry, Jeff, this is about the influence of money in politics and a candidate running for the top office in Philadelphia who either doesn’t understand the rules or doesn’t think they apply to him.

Attacking the Board of Ethics is a feeble defense. Shane Creamer, an attorney and the executive director for the Board of Ethics, has a reputation as one of the straightest arrows in city government. He has overseen the independent office since it was established in 2006 and operates by the book.

Indeed, the Ethics Board’s lawsuit appears clear-cut. It contains several emails that show Brown coordinating with the super PAC called “For a Better Philadelphia.”

A Common Pleas Court judge granted the board’s request for an emergency order prohibiting the super PAC and nonprofit, which has the same name, from spending money to influence the primary on May 16 and to cancel any planned TV ads.

The board also asked the two groups be fined a record $162,000 for repeatedly violating the city’s campaign finance laws. The judge did not act on that request and ordered both sides to return to court on April 24.

The Board of Ethics should be congratulated for shining a light on this troubling issue before the election. Often, cases like these do not emerge until after voters have already gone to the polls.

Super PACs and dark money groups are spending millions on this year’s mayoral race to shape the outcome like never before. Former City Councilmember Maria Quiñones Sánchez suspended her campaign, citing the “obscene amount of money.”

More than $22 million has already poured into the candidates’ coffers in advance of the Democratic primary on May 16. Nearly half of the money raised has come from outside the city.

In Brown’s case, among the anonymous donors to his super PAC was a $250,000 contribution received last fall believed to be tied to the 76ers, who want to build a $1.3 billion arena at 10th and Market Streets. Brown supports the arena, and the next mayor may influence where it gets built.

The Sixers’ proposal deserves serious consideration, as this board recently detailed. But trying to buy a mayor is a bad way to build broad support.

Brown has pointed out that three other candidates have super PACs backing them. But none of the candidates has been accused of illegally coordinating with their PACs, and their lists of big donors have been reported.

Former City Councilmember Cherelle Parker has the backing of the building trades unions, who have long wielded an immense — and sometimes troubling — influence at City Hall.

Former City Councilmember Helen Gym is supported by the influential American Federation of Teachers and far-left progressive groups. Just as Brown’s super PAC has come under scrutiny this year, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers was fined in 2015 for making excessive donations to Gym’s campaign following a Board of Ethics investigation.

Meanwhile, a super PAC affiliated with former City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart received $100,000 from venture capitalist and philanthropist Richard Vague.

The best way for Brown to put this issue behind him would be to release the full list of his dark money donors. Otherwise, voters are left to wonder what Brown has to hide.