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Moderate Democrats in Congress, seeking to keep their seats in red states, played a significant role in weakening oversight that led to recent bank failures.

While Democrats often tout their standing with the middle class and common folks, in this case those exhortations ring hollow. The middle class will once again be stuck paying for the mistakes of the privileged interests when it comes to the current banking fiasco.

An in-depth report by the Associated Press shows a handful of Senate Democrats were influenced by some $400 million in lobbying, hundreds of thousands in campaign money and other perks in supportive advertising.

The Democrats sided with Republicans in the Senate on a plan by GOP Sen. Mike Crapo, Idaho to retreat from the Dodd-Frank legislation tighter banking rules and oversight after the financial meltdown of 2008.

By 2017, smaller community banks had lobbied their members of Congress to reduce the size of banks subject to the regulation.

And their arguments did have merit, except in the final compromise bill, the bigger banks had to get something.

Silicon Valley Bank as among the midsized banks that escaped more stringent oversight. Its chairman and others were involved in lobbying the Democrats.

The revelations on lobbying in the Associated Press investigation were some of the most egregious efforts to restrain the oversight that continues to have reverberations in financial markets from bank safety to huge plunges in stocks that affect retirees 401ks.

In all, the Associated Press analysis determined through public records some $400 million was spent in the lobbying campaign to influence the legislation.

Democrat senators who helped pass the legislation gained campaign money from the banking industry.

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Montana Sen. John Tester received $302,770, while Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, of North Dakota, received $357,953 and Joe Donnelly of Indiana pulled in $265,349, according to the nonpartisan watchdog group, Open Secrets.

The American Bankers Association also spent $125,000 on an ad campaign thanking Tester for his work on the bill. The law firm that represented Silicon Valley Bank donated $10,800 to Tester.

In all, 17 Democrats voted with Republicans to reduce regulations, including mandatory stress tests that would likely have prevented the bank failures of the last few weeks. And, to be sure, Republicans share the blame.

Some Democrats, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, vehemently opposed the legislation.

Heitkamp, in an interview with the Associated Press, pushed back on the idea she was part of the problem. She blames the Federal Reserve instead, for lack of oversight.

In the end, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer gave the moderate Senate Democrats permission to vote for the legislation, hoping it would draw votes in their conservative states with the community banks serving small businesses and farmers.

Turns out, only Tester won re-election in 2018 after the weakened rules were passed.

Protecting Americans from larger and powerful institutions that can put profits over people and influence laws that benefit the privileged and put taxpayers at risk should be one of the basic tenets of Congress. And while Republicans have long turned a blind eye to these kind of protections in the name of promoting business, Democrats have often been the firewall protecting consumers.

But in this case, Democrats were the difference on the vote weakening the banking system oversight and they must own it. So far, there is no push to reinstate the rules that cover banks like Silicon Valley, but Democrats could redeem themselves by doing so.

The Mankato (Minnesota) Free Press

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Editorial by The Mankato (MInnesota) Free Press | Democrats share ... - New Castle News

Hawthorne school board member Jennifer Ehrentraut will seek the Democratic nomination for State Senate, where State Sen. Kristin Corrado (R-Totowa) wants a third full-term.

Democrats are running Giovanna Irizarry, a Totowa resident who is the director of special education for the Woodland Park school district, and Jennifer Marrinan, a small business owner from Wyckoff, to run for the Assembly. They are expected to face Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips (R-Wyckoff) and Essex County Republican Chairman Al Barlas.

An incumbent Republican, Kevin Rooney (R-Wyckoff), lost his seat when the newly-drawn 40th included enough of Essex County to merit a seat.

The 40th has not elected a Democratic legislator under the new system of 40 legislative districts that began in 1973 it was one of just four districts in the state that elected three Republicans in the Watergate Democratic wave.

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Democrats are running an all-woman ticket in the 40th legislative district - New Jersey Globe | New Jersey Politics

Austin Davis was recently elected as Pennsylvania's first Black lieutenant governor. | Matt Rourke/AP Photo

Theres little glory in being second in command. But a Democratic committee tasked with electing top lieutenants across the country thinks it finally has the right pitch to secure major money investments in those races.

The Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association plans to raise $15 million by 2026 and spend $2 million each in a pair of high profile lieutenant governor races in 2024 and 2025. The organization also wants an internal operation to support communication and fundraising efforts for lieutenant governors as they eye reelection or higher office.

The plans shared first with POLITICO would represent a significant step forward for the committee, which says it has raised about $2 million a year since it was first organized in 2018. But it is one that senior aides and the lieutenant governors themselves say is a long-time coming.

For years, party insiders have stressed that the donor class is too focused on federal races, and the highest profile ones at that. The lack of attention paid to state contests has not only led to more conservative policy outcomes in the states, they warn, but less Democratic talent moving through the ranks.

The DLGAs pitch to donors and other party leaders is a bench-building one: Todays lieutenant governors are tomorrows senators and governors. They also note that Democratic lieutenant governors best represent a party that increasingly relies on the support of non-white and women voters. Of the 25 Democratic second-in-commands, which includes states where the secretary of state fills that role, 14 are women and 12 are people of color.

It is the most diverse organization of elected officials in the country, said Austin Davis, who was recently elected as Pennsylvanias first Black lieutenant governor. If you look at the number of lieutenant governors that elevate whether to the U.S. Senate, whether its governor, whether its Congress this is clearly a bench of folks who are going to be leading our party into the future.

The DLGA is looking to fashion itself as a training ground for up-and-coming Democrats, connecting them with donors and helping them build policy chops as they consider their political futures beyond their current role.

For a long time, I think the role of lieutenant governor was sort of in the background, Peggy Flanagan, the Minnesota lieutenant governor who serves on the organizations executive committee, said in an interview during a meeting of the organization in Washington this week.

Two of Senate Democrats highest profile midterm recruits were lieutenant governors: Mandela Barnes, who narrowly lost in Wisconsin to incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson, and now-Sen. John Fetterman, who won a close contest in Pennsylvania against Trump recruit Mehmet Oz. And overall in 2022, four now-former lieutenant governors won election as their states chief executives, either winning a term outright or winning a full term of their own after previously assuming the governorship following a resignation.

DLGA leadership says that it is eager to foster members future ambitions. Kevin Holst, who was recently named the committees executive director, noted that would-be donors can form relationships early with a future rockstar in the party.

Holst said that, beyond putting LGs forth as key fundraisers, one particular area of focus would be turning the committee into a centralized services hub for current and aspiring lieutenant governors.

Its a unique committee in which we are focused on electing more LGs, but we recognize that LG isnt likely the endpoint for a lot of these elected officials, he said. Can we provide the fundraising support? Can we help with press support? Can we help with profile building in their states?

Republicans also have a party committee focused on lieutenant governors, which is an arm of the Republican State Leadership Committee. The GOP version focuses on all down ballot races in states, including state legislator and secretary of state contests. The RSLC lieutenant governors website notes that these experiences often prepare our lieutenant governors for higher office, and that over a third of the countrys Republican governors were previously lieutenant governors.

Two tests in the upcoming years for the DLGA will be North Carolina in 2024 and Virginia in 2025, states where the lieutenant governor is elected independently of the governor.

The officeholders in both states are currently Republicans and both are considered potential gubernatorial candidates in the upcoming cycle.

Part of the impulse behind getting involved in these races is because Democrats lost an ultimately consequential race in North Carolina in 2020, a race the committee says it spent $1 million on. Now Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a controversial and bombastic Republican in the state, is a likely candidate as Republicans look to flip the governorship next year.

LG was a race that many people didnt pay attention to in 2020, and now it is biting us in the ass, Holst said.

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Democrats have a diverse bench waiting in the wings. They just ... - POLITICO

Its so sad seeing our great country being so divided politically. Over the past decades people with socialist and communist ideology have slowly but surely been indoctrinating our children in our educational system. The colleges and other institutions have been infiltrated by people who see control being more important than freedom. These same individuals are not leaders but followers who want to be taken care of. Most cannot handle life or lead effectively on their own.

Their political party is no longer the party of John F. Kennedy who believed in lower taxes and a strong military. Kennedy was a war hero who fought to protect our freedom and appreciated the sacrifices made to keep America free. In my opinion, the Democrats have lost that respect. They hate others who dont agree with their new woke ideology and those who work hard to have a successful living.

I believe these Democrats are destroying our country. Our First, Second and Fourth amendments and much more of our Bill of Rights of our Constitution have and continue to violated by the current regime.

If the Democratic Party no longer support your values you need to leave. The party already left you so what do you have to lose?

The Republican Party isnt perfect, no party is, but at least we are trying to save our great country.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

BOB PRYOR

Mifflin Township

Submitted by email

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Update: Democratic municipal leaders in Essex County met on Saturday and unanimously awarded the organization line for State Assembly to Alixon Collazos. The New Jersey Globe has also confirmed that the Passaic County line will be awarded to Collazos.

One of the most consequential political careers of the last 50 years in New Jersey will soon come to a close with the decision of Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin (D-Montclair), a powerful labor leader and hugely respected officeholder, not to seek re-election after eighteen years in the New Jersey Legislature.

Giblins replacement will be Alixon Collazos, a former aide to Rep. Steve Rothman (D-Englewood) and an immigrant who came to the U.S. from Colombia at age 14. She is a public affairs executive at the BGill Group, a firm run by her husband, Essex County commissioner Brendan Gill (D-Montclair).

I will not be seeing a new term in the New Jersey General Assembly, Giblin told the New Jersey Globe. It has been my greatest honor to serve as an assemblyman, freeholder, surrogate, and party chair, working to improve the quality of life for the people of New Jersey.

Essex County Democratic Chairman LeRoy Jones, Jr. has scheduled a meeting with municipal chairs in the 27th district today to discuss the Assembly race.

Giblin cited increased responsibilities at the 6,300-member union he runs, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 68. He said the union had opened a new training facility and office in Atlantic City and that he has become the Secretary-Treasurer of the Northeast Conference of the union, with 73,000 members. Hes been the president of the Essex-West Hudson Labor Council, AFL-CIO, for 27 years. He serves on multiple charitable boards, including one that supports the Burn Unit at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center. He also pointed to his five children and eleven grandchildren.

I will continue to be involved in my union and civic responsibilities, Giblin stated. I will serve until my term is complete.

Earlier this week, Giblin became the target of a complaint filed by his longtime chief of staff, Lolita Cruz, alleging that the longtime lawmaker yelled at her. In an interview with POLITICO, Giblin denied mistreating Cruz, his top aide, for the last fourteen years. Party leaders suggested that he retire. In advance of Mondays filing deadline, Giblin becomes the 26th incumbent legislator not to seek re-election.

There had been speculation that the 76-year-old Giblin, who has been dealing with some health issues, had already been considering retirement, but he announced early this year that he would seek a tenth term in the legislature.

Democrats in Essex and Passaic counties intend to put Collazos on the organization line with State Sen. Richard Codey (D-Roseland) and Assemblyman John McKeon (D-West Orange), the newly-drawn 27th district, which extends from Millburn to Montclair and then into Clifton.

They are facing a primary challenge from State Sen. Nia Gill (D-Montclair) and her running mates, Frank Kasper, a public school teacher from Clifton, and Eve Robinson, a former Montclair school board member. Legislative redistricting placed Codey and Gill in the same district.

Montclair is one of North Jerseys Democratic strongholds, producing the second-highest number of votes.

Collazos also served as Latino Outreach director for Gov. Phil Murphys 2017 campaign and as a grants manager for Millennium Strategies. She is a Democratic State Committeewoman and active in local community groups in Montclair.

If she wins the primary and general elections the 27th district is solidly Democratic, and Murphy won it in 2021 by a 2-1 margin Collazos will boost the number of Latinas in the Essex County legislative delegation from likely two Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark) and Carmen Morales, a high school principal from Belleville who is the organization Assembly candidate in the 34th district to three.

Giblin said he would support the candidates running on the organization line.

Ive been an organization Democrat all my life. There is no reason to change at this stage of the game, he said. I understand the complexities of putting together tickets.

Giblins retirement potentially balances the organization slate, which had included three white Irish Catholic men where the 64-year-old McKeon, known as the Prince Charles of Essex because of his longtime desire to succeed Codey in the Senate, was the young man on the ticket.

The 47-year-old Collazos will also reduce the average age of the 27th district organization ticket from 72 to 62. She would also flip the Assembly seat from a Pro-Life Democrat to a supporter of reproductive rights.

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Giblin to retire, Essex Democrats will back Collazos for Assembly seat - New Jersey Globe | New Jersey Politics