Observer » Jack Davis

A Robocall Rampage from ‘Acid Trip’ Jack Davis Campaign

Azi Paybarah — Wed, 25 May 2011 00:49:04 -0400

Just after 4 p.m. last Thursday, several New York City political reporters received an odd telephone call at their desks and on their cell phones.

"During your next election," insisted a woman's recorded voice, "when you are choosing which consultant to help you with your campaign mail, remember that Jim Spencer and the Campaign Network have no business calling themselves progressives when they're currently representing a Tea Party candidate!"

The robo-call referenced the heated special election in New York's 26th district-- way out west, near Buffalo, where Mr. Spencer was working for the third-party spoiler, Jack Davis--but the area code indicated Boston. For weeks, Mr. Davis, had endured withering attacks from national Republicans who branded the former Democrat a Tea Party traitor, but the call, strangely, said nothing of Mr. Davis's policies. The electronic woman only mentioned his campaign adviser.

"A negative call that targets a political consultant???" wondered Albany reporter Liz Benjamin on Twitter, as the political chattering classes tried to make sense of it. "[C]uriouser and curiouser. Check out where that number's listed. Weird."

In fact, the call had gone out to every member of the state legislatures in North Carolina, Massachusetts and New York, along with political operatives and reporters in New York City.

"The only reason I got involved is because I like Jack Davis," said Steve Kramer, a robo-call specialist based in New York, who told The Transom he orchestrated the call out of disdain for Mr. Spencer.

"I saw him operate in a certain way with the Jack Davis campaign, and spoke with enough of his former clients to get a real profile of this guy," said Mr. Kramer. "I'm so glad he's old and that he'll die or be out of the business soon, because he's a real scumbag."

Mr. Kramer--cherub-faced and prone to wearing shiny dress shirts--boasts a client list with 59 members of Congress and countless governors and state legislators. Generously, he declined to unleash his call in the 26th District, out of concern it might damage the candidate instead of Mr. Spencer.

"I want to hurt his business," said Mr. Kramer, who gloated, "I also hit 3,500 people in his Boston neighborhood."

Mr. Kramer said he would have liked to see Mr. Davis elected to Congress, but fears Mr. Spencer and his aides led a good candidate astray.

"Jim Spencer is a total prick, and Curtis Ellis [the campaign manager] is a whiny little bitch," said Mr. Kramer.

Mr. Spencer, for his part, said Mr. Kramer is just "disgruntled" over his short-lived stint working for the Davis campaign, and added, "This is some kind of weird, personal vendetta."

Mr. Ellis declined to respond directly, but said it had been a weird race.

"This campaign is like an acid trip," he said.--Azi Paybarah

The Netroots’ Massa Lays Out Veteran Health Care Plan

Katharine Jose — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:53:04 -0400

From tireless intern Bharat Ayyar:

Congressional hopeful Eric Massa, a retired Navy commander, held a conference call with reporters this morning, and outlined his plan for veteran health care, which he says has been neglected by Washington.

“I don’t care how much it costs. I don’t care,” Massa said. He added later, “Supporting our veterans is not a matter of cost. It’s a matter of political will.”

Massa, who raised an impressive sum of $298,156 during the filing period that just ended, wants to introduce legislation that would not only mandate full funding of the Veterans Administration but also permit veterans who are too far from a V.A. facility to receive care at any health care facility.

He issued a sharp rebuke of his opponent in the Southern Tier's 29th district, Randy Kuhl, for voting “present” on Jim Webb's new G.I. Bill, calling the decision “grossly fiscally irresponsible.” The bill included a half-percent tax increase on those earning at least $500,000.

“That alone is cause for him not to return to Washington,” Massa said.

Massa, who has the support of the DCCC's "Red to Blue" program, recently held a press conference with two fellow upstate Democratic Congressional challengers.

One, Dan Maffei of Syracuse, is a formidable fund-raiser who nearly unseated Jim Walsh in 2006. (Walsh is now retiring.) Jon Powers of Buffalo, an Iraq veteran also in the DCCC's "Red to Blue" program, has lots of support from Democratic organizations.

But Powers is facing a primary fight with the wealthy Jack Davis, who was behind the lawsuit that ultimately overturned what was often called the "millionaire's amendment." The winner of that primary, in which Alice Kryzan is also a candidate, will compete for an open seat, since Representative Tom Reynolds is retiring.

All three are darlings of the Netroots blogs, where Davis and Kuhl draw a great deal of criticism.

Sweeney Loses, Reynolds Leads

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 23:19:26 -0400

Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand upset incumbent Rep. John Sweeney, who was dogged by allegations that he beat his wife. CNN has the results at 53-47 percent.

Another embattled upstate congressman, Tom Reynolds, is holding off his challenger, Jack Davis, 54-46 with about 7 percent of the votes counted.

-- Azi Paybarah

Jack Davis: “Let’s Rumble”

Mon, 27 Mar 2006 11:11:06 -0400

Jack Davis, the throwback anti-trade industrialist who almost beat Tom Reynolds Upstate two years ago, is back in.

Here's his letter:

Hello Friends,

Many of you have encouraged me to pick up my slingshot and fight the Goliath Reynolds. I have tested the waters (polled) and discovered the possibility of defeating Reynolds looks great. All we have to do is get our message out on lost jobs, expensive health care, the Iraq War and terrorism.

I will formally announce my candidacy for Congress in the 26 th District on March 30th in press conferences in Erie, Livingston and Monroe counties. You are invited.

March 30th, 2006

-9 AM: Protocol Restaurant, 6766 Transit Rd., Amherst, NY
-12 noon: Big Tree Inn, 46 Main St., Geneseo, NY
-4 PM: The Dutch Mill, 2901 Dewey Ave., Greece, NY

With your help we will bury Goliath in November and celebrate in Washington in January.

Let's rumble.

Sincerely,

Jack Davis