Posted on Thu, Jul. 03, 2003
Castor's records suggest run for attorney general
The Montco district attorney, who is seeking reelection, has not made a
formal declaration.
By Keith Herbert
Inquirer Staff Writer
Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr. has been flying
around the state in a borrowed jet. He has a Harrisburg-based political
consultant, and he has raised more than $200,000 in cash and in-kind
contributions since the beginning of the year.
Although Castor has not made a formal declaration, his campaign-finance
reports suggest that he is more than simply mulling over a run for state
attorney general in 2004.
The records suggest he is spending money across the state to get his name
known. All the while, he is still the Republican candidate, running against
Democrat Josh Chung, for reelection as county district attorney in November.
Last week, his campaign sent out a press release that was clearly a slap at
Thomas W. Corbett Jr., a Republican from Pittsburgh who is seeking the
Republican nomination for attorney general. The release accused Corbett of
hiding his campaign finances from voters.
The Corbett campaign says that if anyone is hiding from voters, it's Castor.
Brian Nutt, Corbett's campaign spokesman, said Castor should tell Montgomery
County voters that he's running two campaigns - and that if he's successful
in his run for attorney general, he won't be district attorney for long.
Castor was unavailable for comment.
"Bruce has never hidden that he's interested in attorney general for next
year," said Keith Naughton, Castor's campaign consultant. "He has just not
made a formal announcement. He hasn't hidden anything."
Attorney general candidates have until February to file campaign-expense
reports for money raised this year.
Castor went on the offensive with a one-page press release on June 26 that
stated he had filed campaign-finance reports with the Department of State in
Harrisburg.
Castor, 41, said that as a potential candidate for the highest law
enforcement job in the state, he should be held to the "highest standard,"
and willingly filed a campaign-expense report though he was not required to.
Corbett, on the other hand, has a state-registered committee but has not
filed a campaign-finance report, which to Castor's camp raises questions
about Corbett's openness with voters.
"When is Tom Corbett going to offer full disclosure?" Naughton asked. "Maybe
he should live up to the highest standard instead of the lowest common
denominator."
Corbett is a lawyer in private practice in Pittsburgh. He is a former state
attorney general, nominated in 1995 to fill the unexpired term of Ernie
Preate.
Also seeking the seat is Joe Peters, a former official in the Bush
administration's drug policy office.
A former Scranton police officer, Peters is a law enforcement consultant.
He has raised less than $25,000, campaign-finance records state.
Castor has been getting around Pennsylvania in style, thanks to his campaign
contributors. In March, April and May, Castor used a jet owned by
Fleer/SkyBox International L.P., a trading-card company in Mount Laurel.
Fleer/SkyBox is owned by Alex Grass, founder of Rite Aid Corp., and his son
Roger.
According to campaign-finance records filed at the Montgomery County Board
of Elections, Castor took 13 flights on Fleer's Beechjet between March 15
and 29.
Each one-hour flight cost $1,911, and the total value of the flights was
$24,847, the campaign-finance records state.
Castor used the jet to fly to Allentown, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Erie,
Bradford and Washington, Pa., according to the records.
Use of the jet was listed as an in-kind contribution.
In April, Castor received a $2,849.22 in-kind contribution for use of the
jet, and in May, a $3,768 in-kind contribution for use of the jet and
limousine service, the records state.
In April, Castor donated $250 to the Berks County Republican Committee, $100
to the Blair County Republican Committee, and $100 to the Bethlehem
Republican City Committee.
He also bought a quarter-page advertisement in the Lincoln Day dinner
program put out by the Republican Committee of Allegheny County, records
state.
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Contact staff writer Keith Herbert at 610-313-8007 or
keithherbert@no-spam