Republican billionaire and U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick made a campaign stop outside Max’s Steaks in North Philadelphia on Friday afternoon, the latest in a series of GOP events aimed at reaching out to Black voters in Philly. Via the Inquirer:
But McCormick’s campaign apparently didn’t do enough outreach to Max’s.
Mike Sfida, manager at Max’s, said he was told the event was for autism awareness and was surprised to see campaign signs for McCormick and former President Donald Trump being hung up outside the restaurant. Sfida said he welcomed the event because his niece and nephew have autism, “not a political campaign.”
“We didn’t sign up for that at all. Zero,” Sfida said as the McCormick team was wrapping up the event. “I could throw them all out of here, but I’m going to be nice. Do your thing. When you’re done, leave. You’re not welcome back.”
Dig deep enough into Republican fuckery, and the same names come up:
The confusion over the purpose of the event stemmed from the fact that it was organized in part by Sheila Armstrong, a Philadelphia activist of various causes who has run for City Council as a Democrat but is now a Republican. Sfida said Armstrong reached out to him to schedule the event on behalf of her nonprofit organization, Cooking4Autism, and not on behalf of McCormick’s campaign.
Armstrong, who has been a member of the controversial conservative group Moms for Liberty, appears to have no official affiliation with McCormick, but said she has offered to be a liaison for the Republican in the city. During Pennsylvania’s 2022 Senate race, Armstrong was at the center of a minor controversy when it was revealed that the campaign of Republican Mehmet Oz — who defeated McCormick in that year’s GOP primary before losing to U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.) — failed to disclose that she was a paid campaign staffer after featuring her as a speaker at a community roundtable in Philadelphia.
Ah, God love ya! Lie, cheat, steal: It’s the GOP way.
