Are deep pockets in the GOP establishment responding to the call to help Jonathan Paton in his GOP primary against Jesse Kelly in Congressional District 8?
Despite having more experience in the political ring as a state lawmaker from District 30 and more money to spend on his campaign, Paton remains in a fight for his political life with Kelly, a political rookie who has captured the mantle of the conservative outsider in the race.
Paton, who was said to be trailing in polls when early voting started more than two weeks ago, now has enough money to fight back with a TV ad that hammers Kelly’s family business, Don Kelly Construction, for receiving public contracts worth tens of millions of dollars that are partially funded by federal earmarks and stimulus funds.
The Tucson Weekly first wrote about Don Kelly Construction’s pursuit of public contracting jobs back in February. (You can read all about it here.) We detailed how Don Kelly Construction, which is owned by Jesse Kelly’s father, Don Kelly—has received public works contracts worth well into the tens of millions of dollars. Many of the projects were partly funded through earmarks and stimulus funds.
Our crack tech team is working on downloading our copy of Paton’s TV ad from our TiVo to our Wii so we can transfer it wirelessly to our iPad, where we’ll convert it into a Quicktime movie and upload to YouTube. But until we get that done, you’ll just have settle for this summary:
The ad shows Kelly next to President Barack Obama while words appear underneath: “Politicians will say anything.”
A narrator intones: “Politicians will say anything. Like Jesse Kelly.”
The focus shifts to Kelly confidently assuring the audience: “We’re going to stop this out-of-control spending.”
“But,” the narrator tells us, “Kelly took stimulus money for his own company. Made millions.”
And then guess who turns up? Tucson Weekly, with a nice logo shot and
a highlighted excerpt proclaiming: “Jesse Kelly took MILLIONS of ‘earmarks and stimulus funds.’”
“Kelly lined his pockets with our tax money. Enough of the old politics.”
The ad transitions to a flashy look at the new politics: Jonathan Paton in uniform, in a suit standing in front of a flag and in a casual polo, high-fiving a smiling supporter. Other images include a Border Patrol truck and rattling Capitol Hill.
“Iraq War veteran. Leader in the fight to secure our border. Championed SB1070. He’ll shake up Washington. Honesty. Integrity. Jonathan Paton for Congress.”
Fade to black.
Kelly dropped us an email calling the ad “the last, desperate act of a career politician trying to distract the voters from Paton’s record of taking Arizona to the edge of financial ruin. Jonathan is falsely attacking Jesse’s private sector business experience because Paton doesn’t have any, except as a paid lobbyist.”
Our take: Don Kelly Construction has bid on numerous projects around the country that are funded through earmarks and stimulus dollars. They include huge, interstate projects such as the that $462 million Lewis and Clark Regional Water System, which is expected to get 80 percent of its funding from the federal government.
We’re all for Don Kelly Construction competing with other private firms to land land the contract and provide job for its workers. We need to start fixing a lot of aging infrastructure in this country. Investing in public works is the right way to spend stimulus money.
That puts us fundamentally at odds with Jesse Kelly (and, for that matter, Jonathan Paton), who both argue that earmarks are wasteful pork and the stimulus has been a disastrous failure that has failed to help the economy.
As Jesse Kelly bluntly puts it: “”Government is not a job-creator. It is a job-crusher.”
We’d say that Jesse’s current job at Don Kelly Construction shows he’s wrong about that.
YMMV.
This article appears in Aug 12-18, 2010.
“Don Kelly Construction has bid on numerous projects around the country that are funded through earmarks and stimulus dollars. They include huge, interstate projects such as the that $462 million Lewis and Clark Regional Water System, which is expected to get 80 percent of its funding from the federal government.”
80% of funding comes from the Federal Government?? Kelly won’t support stimulus and earmarks in Congress….but, if it fills his own pockets…it’s okay?
Fact check: 1. The Lewis and Clark project was planned in 1993 and Federal grant funds for construction of the project were authorized in the Lewis & Clark Rural Water System Act that became law in July 2000. Hardly an “earmark” hiden inside a 2000+ page health care bill or such but, as they should be, as a “stand alone” bill passed or failed on it’s merits. Further, the Act was passed some 9 years before the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (i.e. Stimulus) which has absolutely NOTHING to do with this project.
2. Don Kelly construction was awarded a $30.7 million contract on the project in May of 2008.
3. On average 97.5% of contractual awards on projects of this size are spent on materials, labor, and equipment leaving, in this case, $767,500 (2.5%) revenue to the company for operating cost, equipment purchases, and profits. Hardly the millions left to “line the pockets” eh.
4. Constructions companies bid on construction projects.
5. Construction companies have no control over the funding of the projects they bid.
6. None of the above has any bearing on Jesse Kelly’s fitness to run for congress.
I agree with the gentleman about Companies bidding on Govt. and other jobS. It is just what they do and have been doing it for years.
My take on this is Jonathan Paton is trying steer people to the Stimulus, like Obama does, to cover up what he is doing, for example: Attack Kelly on Stimulus so NOONE WILL PAY ATTENTION to PAYDAYPATON.COM. In otherwords. This is SHOCKING information, that people need to read. Jonathan Paton not only helping Payday Loans to take advantage of Seniors, but also MILITARY, personnel who used Payday Loan facilities and were put into dire straits trying to pay them back. (390% interest.) What kind of individual would lobby for that? Either one with little character or NOT TOO BRIGHT.
Then insult upon injury, Jonathan writing the Proposition to confuse the readers so that it would stay here in Arizona. I would not be surprised if Jonathan would have receive a large BONUS if it had passed. THAT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE SOMETHING THAT AN HONORABLE PERSON WOULD DO.
I agree with what the previous individual said. Govt and other contracts are pretty much handle that way and has been for years. (pre Tarp and Obama Stimulus)
What Jonathan Paton is trying to do here is to take attention off of his negative PAYDAY LOAN lobbying activities.( President Obama type of tatics) People need to see it for themselves PAYDAYPAYTON.COM. When you read it you will be shocked and wonder what kind of a person would lobby a Company that takes advantage of Senior and Military Personnel (390% interest) This is usuary. I thought that was against the law.
Then to add insult upon injury, to write a proprosition so confusing that individuals would vote to keep them here. This is the action of a man who is not very honorable or not too bright. No concept on how his actions would affect people and put them in DIRE straits in the future. If he does not care about these people what would you expect of him in Congress. We need a person who listens to the public and cares about them and that is not Jonathan Paton, this would be Jesse Kelly. Even Gabby Gifford would prove she cares more about her constituents than Jonathan does. You can bet that she is just waiting to see who wins the primary because she will do a number on his Payday Loan debauckle and show she is more conservative than he is……..