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Clarke Endorses Shapiro for AG

Josh ShapiroJosh Shapiro scored his first big endorsement today.

The Montgomery County Commissioner won the support of Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke.

“Josh Shapiro will be an Attorney General who focuses on ethics, equity, and clean, transparent government,” Clarke said. “I am proud to support him.”

“In order to make our system truly equitable and efficient, Philadelphia needs committed partners at the state level,” he continued. “I look forward to working with Attorney General Shapiro to reform Pennsylvania’s criminal justice system, saving taxpayers billions of dollars and ensuring that low-level offenders have a chance to turn their lives around and become productive citizens.”

“I’m so grateful for the endorsement of President Clarke, and even more grateful for the leadership he provides to the city of Philadelphia each and every day,” Shapiro said. “President Clarke is on the frontline, working to reform our criminal justice system and I look forward to working together with him to get it accomplished.”

This endorsement is significant because it shows that Shapiro will fight furiously for Philadelphia’s trove of votes. His chief competitor, Allegheny DA Stephen Zappala, is getting help from the powerful labor leader John Dougherty. If Zappala were able to corner the market on Pennsylvania’s two largest cities (which are home to hundreds of thousands of Democrats), it would make Shapiro’s path to victory extraordinarily difficult.

Additionally, Clarke is far from a marginal player in Philly politics. In fact, the feeling has been just the opposite, as increasingly the perception is that the City Council head is outshining new Mayor Jim Kenney.

Other candidates for the Democratic nomination are attorney Dave Fawcett, Northampton DA John Morganelli and prosecutor Jack Stollsteimer. Embattled incumbent Kathleen Kane is also now insisting that she’ll run for re-election as well.

24 Responses

  1. When the Bazzano-Zappala-Porter mafia is eventually exposed for their war on women and distain for blacks, party regulars and irregulars will drop them off their tickets and back onto Fox Chapel Road.

  2. So H3, if Rafferty isn’t qualified because he doesn’t have enough experience as a prosecutor, how can Shapiro be qualified if he has none at all?

  3. Not only has he never been a prosecutor, has he ever even practiced law? the last thing we need is another unqualified, political wannabe!

  4. Let me answer that for you: Repervlican Rafferty was a prosecutor for a cup of coffee.

    And he would just return the AG’s Office to the Dark Corbett Days … where they turned their back on child rape victims while watching bestiality porn and making fun of immigrants.

  5. Josh Shapiro: Politician, Not a Prosecutor.

    What are Josh Shapiro’s qualifications as a prosecutor?

  6. If Clarke ever has a cavity, I suppose he’ll go to a podiatrist instead of a dentist to get it filled. They’re both doctors, right? It doesn’t matter if the podiatrist has no experience working on teeth.

    Just like here, where some people apparently think that a guy who has zero experience as a prosecutor is a good choice for AG. He has a law degree, does anything else matter?

  7. I think for Darrell Clarke made the right choice because he wants a new person is to be Attorney General in Pennsylvania in 2016.

  8. Rutherford it’s played out already. And the only reason they haven’t endorsed is there’s no reason too! After all the handouts the Wolf administration gave Doc there’s no need for him to shove it down Shapiros throat. They’ll just be against him and play dumb. I can hear John now” oh no it’s not me I’m your friend “. Then he gives him a check then uses his position as head of the Building Trades and give triple to Zappala. Then he looks innocent and gets what he wants.

  9. @david kane getting reelected i dont think so never again will a democrat hold this office you can thank kane for that.

  10. And…Doc and Brady have not endorsed Zappala. They just said nice things about him. This hasn’t played out yet.

  11. jake o, look at all the corrupt Democrats who got arrested this year, and then watch how nothing will change. Zappala will destroy anyone running against him for AG. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Zappala has a ton of relevant experience, while Rafferty has only a little and Shapiro has none at all (you can’t even compare Shapiro’s “administrative experience” to Zappala’s, let alone criminal prosecution experience).

  12. Fact: John Dougherty and the Building Trades are supporting Zappala. Wolf signed the Anti Labor bill into law.
    Darrell Clark has no ground troops and can’t hurt or help any candidate who runs for office.
    Dem party chair Brady is no Shapiro lover he’s for Zappala hence the behind the scenes blocking of state committee votes Marcel was unable to gain for Shapiro.
    African American ward structure supports who feeds them. That’s BRADY and DOC. End of story

  13. I wouldn’t be so sure that Johnny Doc is really for Zappala. Clarke being for Shapiro is not a minor thing, he has real name recognition among African Americans in Philadelphia. It will be no surprise if both Rendell and Wolf endorse Shapiro, and both of their numbers are huge in the Philly market as well. Remember, Johnny Doc values his neck a great deal, I’m not so sure he’s sticking it out for Zappala and may in fact wind up being for Shapiro.

  14. This statement is pathetic — “Josh Shapiro will be an Attorney General who focuses on ethics, equity, and clean, transparent government,” Clarke said. “I am proud to support him.”

    What about focusing on prosecuting criminals, keeping our neighborhoods safe, and keeping drugs off the streets? I guess he’ll implement the hug-a-thug program!! What a joke these liberal democrats are!!

  15. It seems like progressives who are interested in criminal justice reform are backing Shapiro. I’m interested to see how this one plays out.

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