The LuLac Edition #4, 180, December 4th, 2019

WRITE ON WEDNESDAY

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This week’s “Write On Wednesday” is more information on Senator John Yudichak’s decision to become an Independent. It comes from Scott Cannon who has been an Independent voice himself when it comes to Democratic party politics and leadership. In his missive which first appeared on Facebook, Cannon outlines Yudichak’s hiring of a Republican firm in the last decade for his various efforts. His point which I’m sure is shred with other Dems is that there are plenty of Democratic firm that could have done this work. Plus, Scott makes the point that he wonders why investigative reporters (to be fair, there aren’t that many around anymore) never picked up on this in the last nine years. Now to be clear, anyone including Ms. Nash has a right to earn a living. I personally have no quarell with that but apparently some Dems might have liked to know about this. It might have taken the sting they felt over the surprise announcement which rocked the state let alone the 14th District. Here are his thoughts:
I was doing some research looking at John Yudichak's campaign finance reports and found that the former Democrat Senator made lots of payments to Kristin Nash, a political consultant living in Scranton. Kristin is the Vice President of Ignite Strategies, a political consulting firm in Harrisburg that specializes in fundraising for Conservative Republican candidates. Kristin was a key figure in Lou Barletta's campaign as a finance adviser for both his congressional runs and senate run. I've found payments Yudichak's campaign made to Kristin Nash going back to August of last year amounting to $25,000, and payments to her company Ignite Strategies going back to 2015, and payments to her previous company, Keystone Strategies going back to 2010. Kristin Nash has also filed some of the Senators late cycle finance reports (see attached).
Below attached are some references to Kristin Nash's ties to the Republican Party, and some jpg's from Yudichak's finance report. The Ignite Strategies Facebook page touts some of the candidates it's helped win elections, but no mention of Yudichak
I believe some Democrat contributors would be upset that their contributions to a Democrat candidate went to a conservative Republican consultant. John's decision to switch parties may have been in the works long before he made it public. John was the leader of the local Luzerne County Democrat party and held the purse strings for both the party and union campaign funding. That, I believe, along with paying Republican consultants he worked with, may be the reason he has not had any competition, from either party, in the past several elections. Illegal, maybe not, unethical, yes. 
Scott Cannon 
Plymouth, Pa. 


2008 - https://votesmart.org/public-statement/327174/barletta-announces-campaign-team.

2018 - https://www.politicspa.com/barletta-announces-campaign-team/86029/

https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/688670/barletta-announces-senate-campaign-team

http://timestribuneblogs.com/uncategorized/casey-touts-money-barletta-adds-people-who-can-raise-it/

https://www.facebook.com/pg/ignitestrategies/

Campaign reporting page
https://www.campaignfinanceonline.pa.gov/Pages/CFReportSearch.aspx