The Only Thing "Un" About SCAN's "Unbiased" Claim Is It's Truth

EDITORIAL

by BRYAN SCHUY

The Terrapin Times Editor-in-Chief

In the November issue of The Terrapin Times, SCAN PAC Treasurer and Political Director Drew Vetter said, “SCAN is a bipartisan organization that…doesn’t blame Republicans or Democrats.”  As of yet, SCAN PAC has not proven to be anything but partisan.  The Terrapin Times promised its readers to hold SCAN accountable to its bipartisan claims and to investigate partisan activities on behalf of SCAN, both in their inception and in their alleged efforts to help higher education.

When SCAN PAC members originally announced their creation in Annapolis, Chairman Daly claimed all state delegates had been invited, but The Terrapin Times has been unable to find one Republican legislator who was invited in any form.  In fact, several have commented that not only did they not receive an invitation, but they also did not receive a press release either.  So then was it really a surprise that Delegate Franchot, a Democrat, appeared and was quoted as saying, "[The Ehrlich] administration has destroyed the dreams of hundreds, if not thousands, of University of Maryland students who would like to pursue a diploma”?

Recently, Chairman Daly attended the U.S. Senate filibuster a few weeks ago to speak on behalf of the Democrat Party. Democrat Senators invited Daly to use the time during the filibuster to say higher education should be the Senate’s main issue instead of judicial nominations.  Daly was also at a press release supporting the Democrat House of Representatives’ plan for Higher Education. 

Along with other SCAN PAC members, Daly spent his summer mocking Governor Robert Ehrlich Jr. and has recently increased the rhetoric by labeling the Governor as “Public Enemy Number 1.” 

In the wake of this “bipartisanship,” it is important to review the history of SCAN PAC’s leadership and consultants to see why this isn’t really a surprise. A brief overview of the leadership of SCAN illustrates why they are using the means of SCAN to launch an attack on the Governor and Republicans.  (Their leadership is readily available for viewing on their website at http://www.scanpac.net/about/leadership.php). 

  Chairman and Fundraising Director, Tim Daly, has a vivid history with the Democrat party.  In fact, according to a recent Baltimore Sun article (November 18), “[Daly] came to UM to be near Washington, the better to land political internships…Daly doesn't deny that he has political ambitions.”  Daly not only interned for Democrat Congressman Michael McNulty, but he’s also served as Fundraising Director for a respected Democrat political fundraising firm, Fraioli & Associations.

But Daly is not the only member of SCAN PAC who is closely connected with the Democrat Party leadership. Drew Vetter, Treasurer and Political Director for SCAN PAC has interned for Senator Sarbanes (D-MD) and for Mayor O’Malley (D-Baltimore).  Vetter is also the nephew of Councilman Curran, a well-known Democrat City Councilman in Baltimore.

Another member of SCAN PAC’s leadership, Byron Macfarlane, has worked for State Senator Kasemeyer (D-Baltimore), Howard County Councilman Guy Guzzone, and in the Health Office of U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA).   Senator Kennedy was also spotted with Tim Daly during the Senate filibusters last month. And, Mr. Macfarlane was also the Vice President of the College Democrats on campus.

After investigating SCAN PAC’s student leadership and demonstrating their partisanship, The Terrapin Times also investigated SCAN PAC’s consultants. According to SCAN’s own website (http://www.scanpac.net) they have consultants from Bannon Communications Research, Bates Neimand Inc., and the Law Offices of Joseph, Greenwald & Laake, P.A..  A careful examination of these three consultants shows political partisanship on a whole other level.

According to Bates Neimand Inc’s website (http://www.batesneimand.com), they “started some twenty years ago as a political consulting firm specializing in targeted mail programs for Democratic candidates and issues.” Not an ounce of bipartisanship here.

Similarly, Bannon Communication Research is a considered a well-known Democrat polling company. President Bannon of Bannon Communications doesn’t hide his bias at all.  In an article in The Hill, “To congressional Dems: Lead, follow or get out of the way” (http://www.hillnews.com/news/010803/ss_bannon.aspx), Mr. Bannon gives advice to fellow Democrats about how to handle issues during the current election cycle.

Finally, we have the Law Firm of Joseph, Greenwald, & Laake.  Their website is http://www.jgllaw.com.  Running any of the founding partners’ names through the Maryland Election Contribution website (http://www.elections.state.md.us/campaign_finance/database/contributions/index.html), will turn out results that display regular donations to a variety of Democrat candidates.  For instance Mr. Walter Laake donated $1,000 to Congressman Van Hollen’s campaign (D-MD), $250 to the DNC, and $250 to Congressman Wynn’s campaign (D-MD). His partner, Joseph, gave over $1,000 alone to Democrat candidates and the DNC in 1992.  This firm is anything but bipartisan.

About the only bipartisan aspect of SCAN PAC is the token Republican statewide director and he is a member of the SGA.

It appears that SCAN PAC is highly connected with the Democrat Party. The leadership of SCAN PAC and the majority of its members are Democrats. Subtract the one Republican on the staff and it is run entirely by Democrats. The funding of SCAN PAC and the consulting firms and agencies that help support it are heavily tied to the Democrat Party. And, key Democrat legislators at the local, state, and national levels are primed and ready to use SCAN PAC for their own political means – especially if it means using students to try to win back the Maryland governor’s office in 2006.