Top Democratic Consultant Tapped By Unions for Polling on PawSox
Saturday, February 24, 2018
The effort by the building trade unions to resurrect the $40 million in public funding for the PawSox owners is taking a new turn.
Democratic political consultant Joe Fleming of Fleming and Associates has been hired to do a poll on the PawSox deal. The results are scheduled to be released on Monday.
Fleming has been paid more than $220,000 by Democratic politicians including former Speaker of the House Gordon Fox, former Speaker and now lobbyist Bill Murphy, Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, and Speaker of the House Nick Mattiello — each of their individual campaign funds or their political funds have paid Fleming more than $10,000.
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When GoLocal first reported on this conflict issue in 2013 of WPRI using Fleming for polling, the Dean of the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism raised concerns.
"The principle at stake is that the person as a pollster goes before the public representing as a neutral party presenting information without bias or political alignments,” said Edward Wasserman, Dean of the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. "If the pollster is aligned with a particular party or organization, that’s misleading and it’s deceptive. There is an issue of transparency, an assumption of neutrality.”
According to sources, Fleming was tapped to refute the polling of John Della Volpe of Harvard University. GoLocal has commissioned Della Volpe to conduct ongoing independent public polling in Rhode Island.
Della Volpe is one of the top pollsters in America and is a regular on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and appears on “The Daily Show.”
SEE THE RESULTS OF THE DELLA VOLPE POLL BELOW
On Monday, Fleming's poll is scheduled to be released at a press event at 11:00 AM.
If approved, the financing scheme for the PawSox private ownership group would receive approximately $40 million in public financing.
The group of owners of the PawSox are worth an estimated $8 to $10 billion and depending on how you book the value of Fenway Sports Management (a division of the Boston RedSox’ parent company, Fenway Sports Group) which has an ownership position in the PawSox, the net worth may be even higher. Note: John Henry’s net worth is reported at $2.5 billion, according to Forbes.
Also, there are two limited partners in FSG, Arthur E. Nicholas and Frank M. Resnek, that have interest in the PawSox.
“Sports have been the road to riches for many people, but the richest of the rich were billionaires long before they ever entered the sporting world. There are 62 billionaires who are majority owner or managing partner of a team in a major sports league,” according to Forbes.
One of America’s top economists had previously told GoLocal that public financing for the proposed new stadium for the PawSox would be a mistake.
“As an economist, I would personally advocate for no public money beyond a provision to infrastructure around the stadium so fans can get to the games,” said Victor Matheson, who is a Professor of Economics at Holy Cross, whose focus is on sports. “That being said, there are certainly sports fans who think that having an AAA team in town is a nice amenity for local residents so might be worth some public money. So, some level of ask might be able to get public support.”
Moreover, a review of publicly financed stadiums in the International League found little increase in attendance after building news stadiums
The PawSox ownership includes:
- Bernard Cammarata, the founder and 40-year veteran of TJX. According to a 2013 Boston Business Journal story, just Cammarata’s holding in TJX stock exceeded $137 million.
- William P. Egan, Alta Communications/Marion Equity Partners. Alta was once one of the hottest media venture capital groups; Egan owns (through a family trust) a summer house on Ocean Avenue in Newport that is assessed at over $4 million.
- Habib Gorgi, Nautic Partners. Gorgi manages the firm that now has a reported $3.3 billion under management. He is the only full-time Rhode Island resident.
- J. Terrence Murray, who built Fleet Bank into one of America’s and sold it to Bank of America — at maybe just the right time. He grew up in Woonsocket, but today is reported to be one of two from Rhode Island who belong to America’s most exclusive club - Augusta Country Club.
- Thomas Ryan, former top CVS exec. Forget the $30 million in stock and salary he posted some years; Ryan’s exit package in 2011 was $185 million according to Forbes - one of the top 10 exit packages paid in business in the past decade in the U.S.
- Paul Salem, the newest member to the team — he is co-founder and Senior Managing Director of Providence Equity Partners. Salem is second in the food chain to his co-founder and CEO Jonathan Nelson. According to Forbes, Nelson is the richest man in Rhode Island. As of June 2017, Forbes ranks Nelson’s wealth at just under $2 billion. The firm has $50 billion under management. Note: As GoLocal first reported, Salem is involved in the PawSox stadium deal, but neither the Governor's office nor the PawSox will disclose his exact economic interest in the deal.
- James Skeffington, Jr., took control of his father’s interest after his unexpected death in 2015.
- Larry Lucchino, former President of the Boston Red Sox. Played top-level roles with the Washington Redskins, Baltimore Orioles, and San Diego Padres. His specialty is big sports deals and shepherding the development of new stadiums. Had big wins in both Baltimore and San Diego.
Who Paid Fleming
Organization Name/Amount
DANIEL J. ISSA $750
JOSEPH A MONTALBANO $5000
EDWARD S INMAN III $420
EDWARD S INMAN III $465
EDWARD S INMAN III $520
EDWARD S INMAN III $520
HAROLD M METTS $140
EXETER DEMOCRATIC TOWN COMMITTEE $500
EXETER DEMOCRATIC TOWN COMMITTEE $125
NARRAGANSETT DEMOCRATIC TOWN COMMITTEE $75
JOHN JOSEPH LOMBARDI $1500
THOMAS E HODGE $25
JAMES E DOYLE $234
JAMES E DOYLE $289
JAMES E DOYLE $239
JAMES E DOYLE $3200
JAMES E DOYLE $82
JAMES E DOYLE $3000
JAMES E DOYLE $100
JAMES E DOYLE $100
JAMES E DOYLE $151
JAMES E DOYLE $193
JAMES E DOYLE $220
JAMES E DOYLE $3450
MICHAEL J SEPE $8350
SAMUEL A AZZINARO $200
ARTHUR J CORVESE $1000
ARTHUR J CORVESE $1000
ARTHUR J CORVESE $1000
ARTHUR J CORVESE $225
ERNEST F PITOCHELLI $25
KENNETH A VAUDREUIL $210
BEATRICE A LANZI $700
GORDON D FOX $3000
GORDON D FOX $3000
GORDON D FOX $5000
GORDON D FOX $500
DANIEL J MCKEE $5200
DANIEL J MCKEE $6000
DANIEL J MCKEE $1000
DONNA M NESSELBUSH $130
WILLIAM J MURPHY $2000
JOSEPH M POLISENA $500
JOSEPH M POLISENA $3700
JOSEPH M POLISENA $550
JOSEPH M POLISENA $7100
JOSEPH M POLISENA $1000
JOSEPH M POLISENA $4400
JOSEPH M POLISENA $1000
JOSEPH M POLISENA $850
JOSEPH M POLISENA 1800
JOSEPH M POLISENA $425
JOSEPH M POLISENA $425
WILLIAM SAN BENTO JR. $210
JOSEPH A DEPASQUALE $150
MICHAEL J MCCAFFREY $1000
MICHAEL J MCCAFFREY $140
MICHAEL J MARCELLO $225
ROBERT EMMETT CRAVEN SR. $250
ROBERT EMMETT CRAVEN SR. $140
DONNA M WALSH $125.1
JAN MALIK $200
HELIO MELO $210
HELIO MELO $200
HANNA M GALLO $850
JAMES C SHEEHAN $250
JAMES C SHEEHAN $150
JAMES C SHEEHAN $100
JAMES C SHEEHAN $100
RAYMOND E GALLISON $200
JEAN P BARROS $130
PATRICIA A SERPA $210
PATRICIA A SERPA $200
PATRICIA A SERPA $100
PATRICIA A SERPA $140
PETER JOHN PETRARCA $150
MARK SCHWAGER $200
FRANK A CICCONE III 225
KATHLEEN A FOGARTY $150
SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE $1750
FUND FOR DEMOCRATIC PRIORITIES $3000
FUND FOR DEMOCRATIC PRIORITIES $3000
FUND FOR DEMOCRATIC PRIORITIES $3000
Grace Diaz $225
LOUIS P DIPALMA $140
David A Lovett $150
DENNIS M CANARIO $125
STEVEN A CAMPO $200
JOSHUA MILLER $140
MICHAEL T NAPOLITANO $6800
MIA A ACKERMAN $150
MIA A ACKERMAN $140
Frank S Lombardi $130
Nicholas Anthony Mattiello $212.23
Nicholas Anthony Mattiello $1000
Nicholas Anthony Mattiello $2000
Nicholas Anthony Mattiello $3000
Nicholas Anthony Mattiello $4300
Nicholas Anthony Mattiello $200
Nicholas Anthony Mattiello $10000
Lisa Baldelli-Hunt $2500
Lisa Baldelli-Hunt $4000
Lisa Baldelli-Hunt $1250
Lisa Baldelli-Hunt $1300
Lisa Baldelli-Hunt $1250
Lisa Baldelli-Hunt $5900
Lisa Baldelli-Hunt $3000
Karen Macbeth $1000
Deborah A Fellela $40
JOHN E FLEMING JR. $100
JOHN E FLEMING JR. $261.68
DEBORAH RUGGIERO $225
Lorenzo C Tetreault $25
DAVID CHARLES HANOS JR. $1500
MICHAEL A RICE $210
DAVID A BENNETT $200
K Joseph Shekarchi $150
K Joseph Shekarchi $260
RI SENATE LEADERSHIP PAC $2500
RI SENATE LEADERSHIP PAC $2500
RI SENATE LEADERSHIP PAC $2500
RI SENATE LEADERSHIP PAC $2500
RI SENATE LEADERSHIP PAC $5000
RI SENATE LEADERSHIP PAC $2500
RI SENATE LEADERSHIP PAC $3500
SCOTT A SLATER $950
MARY DUFFY MESSIER $150
WILLIAM J CONLEY JR. $3500
WILLIAM J CONLEY JR. $2450
WILLIAM J CONLEY JR. $720
RI HOUSE LEADERSHIP PAC $2000
RI SENATE DEMOCRATS PAC $2500
RI SENATE DEMOCRATS PAC $2500
RI SENATE DEMOCRATS PAC $1500
RI SENATE DEMOCRATS PAC $2000
RI SENATE DEMOCRATS PAC $2500
RI SENATE DEMOCRATS PAC $2265
RI SENATE DEMOCRATS PAC $3500
ALICE C BRADY $225
WILLIAM W O'BRIEN $150
Cynthia Armour Coyne $125
FRANK LOMBARDO III $130
FUND FOR DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP $1450
FUND FOR DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP $1000
FUND FOR DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP $1900
FUND FOR DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP $2855
FUND FOR DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP $1300
FUND FOR DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP $9000
FUND FOR DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP $4500
FUND FOR DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP $4500
RHODE ISLAND GOOD GOVERNMENT PAC $200
STEPHEN M CASEY $100
STEPHEN M CASEY $200
MICHAEL A MORIN $1000
MICHAEL A MORIN $130
WILLIAM S MURRAY $500
WILLIAM S MURRAY $500
WILLIAM S MURRAY $1000
WILLIAM S MURRAY $500
WILLIAM S MURRAY $500
WILLIAM S MURRAY $500
HELDER J CUNHA $150
LINDA DILL FINN $1213.06
LINDA DILL FINN $100
SAVE EXETER $500
Related Slideshow: GoLocal: Benchmark Poll, October 2017
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