FightforRoom215

Challenge Update: Street stays

(Dan McQuade/PhillyWillDo)

Milton Street, my friends, is officially on the ballot in the at-large Council race.

The elections bureau reports that Street survived his signature challenge today and, barring an appeal, will be on the May 15 ballot.

A few cases are still being heard (including against Sheriff John Green and eighth-district Council candiate Maurice Houston), but here's the list of the candidates ousted from the ballot after the first round of hearings. Appeals are possible.

Candidates removed from the ballot:
Greg Paulmier (8th District)
Alfred Sanford (4th District)
Warren Bloom (Commissioner)
Rev. Jesse Brown (At-large Council)
Jacque Whaumbush (Sherrif)

Who will challenge Milton?

UPDATE: From Wednesday's Inquirer: Challenges to candidate petitions must be filed in Common Pleas Court by Tuesday.

Reasons someone has to challenge Milton Street's Council run: A court threw him off a ballot last year for living in Jersey; He started collecting signatures for mayor and then all of a sudden decided to run for Council; there are segments of the petitions filled with what appear to be what they call in the biz "kitchen table" signatures (as in someone sat around a kitchen table signing names; about 2,500 other reasons.

But, who will step forward to challenge Milton and keep him from the ballot? Spoke to a host of people tonight — including some fellow at-large candidates. None of the candidates said they'd challenge it (some, including Marc Stier, welcomed Milton's entrance) and no one could point to what person or group would come forward to kick Milton from his perch.

That's it for tonight. Check back tomorrow morning for a few things from Tuesday night's forum and, if the technology comes together, a live blog of tomorrow morning's campaign finance hearing. (9:30 a.m. at the Widener Building in front of a panel of Commonwealth Court judges). We'll try to make that happen. UPDATE: Laptop battery on fritz. Might. Not. Make. It. To. Court.

Milton running for Council

Milton Street dropped out of the mayors race this afternoon, admitting that he had no chance to win. Instead, he'll run as an at-large Council candidate.

"No 1, I can't win mayor," he said as he was walking through City Hall to complete filing petitions to run in the primary. "With four candidates in there you're not going to win. No. 2, to file the petitions and after May 15 have very little chance of your voice being heard again...doesn't make good sense."

Street said that he couldn't compete against the power of Tom Knox's TV advertising, even though it was Milton who spent the last week on a barrelling press tour, including multiple TV interviews and a rally last Thursday.

"I turn on my TV and all I see is Knox, Knox, Knox, Knox, Knox. The guy's a mutli-millionaire. You hear Knox, Knox, Knox, Knox, Knox, Knox, you're not going to beat him."

Street said his run probably would have hurt Chaka Fattah the most. Now, if he gets on the ballot, he could be hurting his nephew, Sharif Street, who is among 21 Democrats running for at-large.

As to Milton Street's chance of getting on the ballot, a quick look at his nominating petitions raise some serious questions for the campaign. Street told election officials he has "at least 1,000" legitimate signatures that he confirmed personally.

But take a look at these pictures of Street's nominating petition. I'm not a handwriting expert, but tell me those aren't the same person signing different names over and over.

Milton 2.0

T. Milton Street  launched his campaign Web site Wednesday, not to be confused with this one, and is prepping for a "Stop The Violence Empowerment Rally” this morning.

A press release on the Web site says it will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will include Live Music, Petition Signing, Keynote Address from T. Milton Street, Interviews with the Press, Meet and Greet with Supporters. He's expected to greet his minions at noon.

Milton lays out his mission:

It is my mission to lead the people of Philadelphia to a place of power with respect to the violence that seems unstoppable.  City Hall will hear and acknowledge the plan of the people.

In case you were wondering, the "T"in his name no longer stands for Tom. Now, it stands for "tough." Tough on violence, homelessness and unemployment, according to the site.

Because Cataldi told us to

If WIP morning show buffoon morning show host Angelo Cataldi is backing Milton Street's candidacy, we'll jump on the bandwagon, too.

The Inky's "Live From" blog has the play-by-play from Milton's appearance this morning on 610. It includes comic gems like:

Cataldi: "People are afraid of you because you're radical. Do you believe that?"
Street: Says he's "strong." "You have a lot of candidates out there that's using news clips and tlaking a lot of gloopedyglop and doesn't get to the meat of the issue. ..."

Somehow, former Eagle Hugh Douglas comes out as the voice of political reason. The same man who asked me, day after day when I covered the team five years ago, if I rode my bicycle to the NovaCare Center. (It was a '94 Chevy Beretta GT, thank you very much).

Hugh Douglas: "That was a shame. That was a shame. I don't even know what to say after that ... You know, two crazy people on the radio shouldn't talk to each other. ... It's ridiculous. I can't believe you did that."
Cataldi: "I look out for my city. That's my man."
Douglas: "You just egged him on."

Street, meanwhile, is looking for a new attorney after he jettisoned his court-appointed one yesterday.

UPDATE: WIP has placed an Mp3 of the Milton-Cataldi chat on its Web site.

Street takes to the air

(Update: T. Milton Street Sr. paid his fines and was released from Burlington County prison Monday afternoon.)

If I'm (at-large City Council candidate) Sharif Street, I think I love having Milton Street as my uncle.

Just check out this interview he did with GoodDay Philadelphia on FOX this morning. He promises radical changes to solve the city's crime problem AND calls both Bob Brady and Dwight Evans wimps. (He also adds a dig at, we think, Tom Knox. He does a voice. You decide.)

He berates Brady for calling a crime summit together last year to address the issue and takes Evans to task for running for mayor, even as he holds a position of power in Harrisburg.

"Either he's afraid to take that responsibility or he's a wimp. He's been wimpitized."

Wimpitized? Are you reading this, It's Always Sunny producers?

Street arrested

Who would have thought that Milton Street would be the first mayoral candidate to get arrested? (Sorry, make that arrested while running for office).
 

MOORESTOWN, N.J. Mayoral candidate Milton Street, the brother of Philadelphia Mayor John Street, was arrested Monday at a Moorestown, New Jersey convenience store.

Authorities said a Moorestown police officer recognized Street, shopping at the 7-11 on Camden Avenue and Lenola Road, who had outstanding traffic warrants.

"He got out of the vehicle went inside the 7-11, where I exit my vehicle, approached him and confirmed it was him and advised him of his active warrants and took him into custody," said Moorestown Police Officer Jason Burk.

To recap: Street enters mayor's race Thursday, despite charges of both tax evasion and not living in Philadelphia. ...Street gives interview to group of reporters in a booth at Center City McDonald's, swears he lives in Philly now. ...Street arrested Monday outside of 7-11 in South Jersey. ...Taken to Burlington County jail cause he can't afford to pay $3,250 in fines.

In other news, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia will begin shooting its third season in the spring. They're looking for extras. Can they please ask Milton to do a cameo? Please?

More:
Street arrested in Moorestown