Chris Kelly Opinion: The Democratic Machine vs. democracy

The Lackawanna County Democratic Party Machine escalated its war on democracy last week with "letterbombs" addressed to lifelong Democrats who dared to exercise their Constitutional rights as Americans.

Via registered letters, Machine Executive Committee Chairman Chris Patrick notified 76 duly elected committee members that they are disqualified from serving because they supported independent candidates in recent elections. These electoral infidels didn't toe the party line, so Patrick plots to cut them off at the knees.

The parting shot is a low-brow final bow from a party chairman whose reign of error was pocked with clumsy, self-owning cronyism that inspired an insurgency to dismantle the Machine from the inside. "Fired" over his habit of playing with matches, Patrick seems determined to burn the house down on his way out.

Patrick and the Machine kindled this conflagration last year when they installed Brenda Sacco to replace departed Commissioner Matt McGloin and neuter rebellious Commissioner Bill Gaughan. Sacco was in office long enough to settle some old Machine scores, but had no interest in running for the seat in a special election that happened despite the Machine's court fight to keep meddling voters out of the equation.

The Machine nominated now-Commissioner Chairman Thom Welby, who handily beat former Democrat Michael Cappellini, one of a handful of Dems who ran as independents in defiance of the Machine. All lost. Patrick now contends that any Democrat who supported independents is ineligible to serve on the committee and will not be seated when the party reorganizes on July 7th.

The Machine's antiquated by-laws seem to back Patrick's undemocratic attack on duly elected Democrats and the voters who filled their ovals. Said by-laws apparently give him the authority to bar the reformers, but his decision to weaponize them is as morally and ethically bankrupt as the Machine's failed coup attempt on Gaughan.

Patrick's latest selfish stunt backfired spectacularly. Among the recipients of Patrick's letter was sitting Democratic state Rep. Kyle Donahue, who called on state Democratic Party Chairman and former state Auditor Gen. Eugene DePasquale to intervene.

DePasquale has a Scranton-specific history of outing things that don't add up. Neither he nor his party needs this family drama right now.

Neither does state Sen. Marty Flynn, who raced to disavow Patrick's attack on antisocial media.

"For the record, I DO NOT condone, support or agree with Lackawanna County Democratic Committee Chairman removing committee people for signing independent candidates petitions," he wrote. "I have family and friends and coworkers who are being targeted and right now is the time to row in the same direction not sow division! Furthermore, I also REFUSE to support a Chairperson candidate that was a REGISTERED REPUBLICAN after January 6 and now wants to run OUR party!"

Word to the wise: Any statement that begins with "furthermore" is almost always better left unsaid.

The REGISTERED REPUBLICAN Marty referred to is Lexie Kelly, an elected committeewoman for Newton Twp. and the reformers' favorite to replace Patrick as chair. Kelly co-founded Abington Democrats, which became the cradle of the current insurgency. Kelly (no relation to this scribbler) told me Thursday that like many young Americans, she originally registered with her parents' party and never thought to change it. She was registered as a Republican, but voted for Democrats and volunteered in high-profile Democratic campaigns, including Hillary Clinton's failed bid for the presidency.

Ironically, Kelly said she and her husband Tim, a Democrat, were advised not to change her registration by former Democratic state senator and short-term federal inmate Bob Mellow. The couple was starting a foundation in memory of their late son, Timmy, who was 5 years old when he died of brain cancer in May 2003. Mellow said a "bipartisan" couple would be more successful soliciting donations from both sides of the aisle.

Kelly said she changed her registration to Democrat after the Jan. 6 domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol when she renewed her driver's license.

"Marty keeps trying so hard to tie me to January 6, and it's just ridiculous," Kelly said.

The wobbly innuendo also invites scrutiny of widely disseminated photographs of prominent local "MAGAcrats" sporting MAGA merch and mugging it up with Republicans at Trump rallies.

You will never see Marty Flynn at a Trump rally. In a phone interview on Thursday, the senator who now holds Mellow's longtime 22nd District seat struck a conciliatory tone.

"It's counterproductive," he said of Patrick's attempt to shun elected Democrats. "It's just stupid."

Patrick's pathetic purge couldn't come at a worse time, Marty said. As Democrats across the country try to sell the party as a solution to the MAGA Republican assault on democracy, Patrick is giving persuadable Republicans and independents reason to discount Democrats as the same old red-handed grifters in blue drag.

With the midterms mere months away, Democrats should be united in attracting and welcoming new people to the party, regardless of their past affiliations, Marty said.

"I don't want to chase anybody away from moving the party forward, especially when the Republicans have (expletive) up so bad," he said.

On the urgent need for unity and attracting and welcoming new Democrats, Marty and Lexie Kelly agree. Before any of those goals can be realized, the Machine's latest desperate attack on democracy must be dealt with. Kelly and Lackawanna United Democrats will host a meeting to discuss democratic options for responding to the Machine's undemocratic attack Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Voodoo Brewing, 820 S. Washington Ave, Scranton.

Whatever the end result, actual Democrats should count Patrick's attack as a strategic win. It reflects the desperation of the cynical, selfish and shameless insiders who serve as the creaking cogs of the Machine. In a statement, Patrick characterized his last, petty gasp as a righteous crusade.

"It is about maintaining the integrity of the Democratic Party and ensuring that those entrusted with representing the Committee remain committed to advancing Democratic candidates and Democratic values," he said.

The fastest, best way to achieve Patrick's noble goals is to bounce him and seat the 76 duly elected Democrats voters chose for themselves.

CHRIS KELLY, The Times-Tribune columnist, believes that those who talk about integrity should have some. Contact the writer: ckelly@scrantontimes.com; @cjkink on X; Chris Kelly, The Times-Tribune on Facebook; and @chriskellyink on Bluesky.

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