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 did not endorse an applicant when it comes to PA fifth home District Race, split between applicants Mary Gay Scanlon and Ashley Lunkenheimer. Seat associated with party David Landau indicated frustration that the Delco Democrats didn’t endorse some body for the chair, and contains formerly expressed a misgivings concerning the leading prospect Richard Lazer, winning the battle, stating that he hoped the region could possibly be represented by somebody 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 actually comparable sounding that is progressive. Mary Gay Scanlon also states it front—her splash page checks out “Tough. Smart. Modern.” A closer glance at the records and sites of Scanlon, her spouse, and their boss, law practice Ballard Spahr, show questionable credentials that are progressive

Scanlon and previous Gov. Ed Rendell, whom endorsed her campaign and additionally works for Ballard Spahr. (Emma Le/WHYY)

In accordance with Mary Gay Scanlon’s biography that is professional is the seat associated with the pro bono group at Ballard Spahr, a huge nationwide law practice located in Philadelphia. She’s additionally “a member associated with the Association of professional Bono Counsel, and serves as Co-Chair of this Philadelphia Bar Association’s lawyer professional Bono Committee as well as on the board of Philadelphia VIP”, an area pro bono aid group that is legal.

Her campaign internet site touts her experience as a progressive fighter and she seals her modern cred with an array payday loans LA of strictly modern policy positions. Missing nevertheless through the list and from her experience are any reference to progressive taxation reform, banking and finance industry reform, or customer defenses. This is how her spouse, Mark S. Stewart, and their shared manager lawfirm Ballard Spahr LLP can be worth taking a closer examine.

Protesters fighting against unjust housing financial obligation.

While Scanlon touts just what look like impressive modern qualifications, her spouse is a lawyer that is corporate the chair of Ballard Spahr LLP. The company is making headlines when it comes to decade that is past its massive expansion through mergers and purchases in the united states, that the Legal Intelligencer called a “Merger Spree”

Ballard Spahr is targeted on numerous appropriate areas finance that is including pharmaceuticals. They certainly were additionally recently into the news for leading the fee to block a regulations that are major the buyer Financial Protection Bureau. It was the agency set up following the 2008 collapse that has been designed to provide residents ways to simply take action that is legal banking institutions and monetary 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 among the revenue that is key when it comes to law practice, in addition they sank millions into court instances and lobbying efforts. Those efforts paid off, plus in 2017, President Trump fundamentally eliminated the CFPB.

The firm took on the CFPB’s pay-day lending regulations as another part of the same strategy

“Ballard Spahr’s Jeremy T. Rosenblum, co-practice frontrunner for the firm’s customer monetary solutions team, has represented payday loan providers, including ACE Cash Express and Advance Financial, within their battle contrary to the CFPB’s payday loan guidelines. The legislation, that was introduced in October, would impose an ability-to-repay test to all payday advances with a 45-day payment term, automobile name loans with 30-day terms as well as other small-dollar loans.” (Through the company’s news and media 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 truth that Scanlon is hitched to your mind of this company along with her campaign is essentially financed by firm workers. In a strange paradox, Mark Stewart’s attorney 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 an attorney.

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

Holly Otterbein and Andrew Seidman report that: “Contributions from BallardSpahr lawyers take into account about 45 per cent associated with the $254,000 Scanlon raised through March. That doesn’t count the $150,000 she lent her campaign.” These campaign finance records cast Scanlon’s power to distance herself from Ballard Spahr’s passions further into doubt . It might be plausible to wave the actions off of Scanlon’s employer as unrelated to her campaign, however the proven fact that Scanlon’s campaign is largely financed by Ballard Spahr workers is another matter.

Otterbein and Seidman carry on 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 the other day for Scanlon, who’s a longtime buddy of him and their spouse, Rhonda.”

This might be to express, Ballard Spahr and Comcast’s David Cohen are maintaining 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 work and votes on a person who is certainly not wholly, completely, actually committed to dismantling the structures of inequality that keep up with the status quo. Mary Gay Scanlon may physically think each of her “progressive” points, however it is crucial to inquire about whether she could be able to say “No” to a lobbyist taken care of by her husband’s company, along with her biggest donor, and vote to protect people who need the absolute most security.

Take a look at sources and much more links right here.

Ballard Spahr LLP employees contributed nearly three quarters of Scanlon’s campaign efforts. (supply: Philly Power analysis)