Council race somehow gets crazier

THE RACE BETWEEN City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson and developer Ori Feibush has generated as much tension and name-calling as everyone expected.

But we have to wonder: Are things starting to get a little out of hand?

Last Friday, employees in Feibush's campaign headquarters at 20th and South streets told police a local man had barged in and claimed he had a gun. (Feibush wasn't there at the time.)

Cops arrested Jason Floyd, 41, at his South Philly home later that night and charged him with making terroristic threats. He posted bail on Monday.

Officer Leeloni Palmiero said Floyd was upset over fliers Feibush's campaign had mailed out, urging local residents to become registered Democrats so they could vote for him in the May 19 primary election.

Palmiero said Floyd told staffers in Feibush's office that he was a "gun owner" and "not playing around anymore," adding, "This is a threat."

Police didn't find any weapons in Floyd's house, and no evidence that he'd ever owned or purchased any firearms.

Michael Bowden, a friend of Floyd's, said the incident had been blown out of proportion. Floyd and Feibush had a heated exchange about the perpetually changing - and gentrifying - Point Breeze area at a zoning meeting a few days before, which made Floyd think the campaign mailer had been somehow directed at him personally.

"Some words were exchanged at the office, but one of Feibush's aides was the first to make mention of a weapon," Bowden said. "Jason left because he didn't want it to turn into a big deal. Then the cops turned up at his house with a warrant, and one of them made a reference to [Floyd] being involved in politics . . . it seemed to me like retribution."

Feibush called the incident "incredibly disappointing" and blamed the episode - and other acts of vandalism that have hit his campaign offices - on a toxic environment he said Johnson has created.

"This is not one isolated incident," he said. "This is event after event. It will continue to unfortunately get worse unless the councilman has an honest conversation with his guys, and stops with the identity politics and with the polarizing statements coming out of his camp."

State Rep. Ron Waters is holding an employment workshop today in Darby Borough to help folks who don't have a resume or are "facing obstacles to employment because of a criminal history," he said in a mailer.

We applaud Waters for continuing to serve his constituents as he faces bribery charges for allegedly pocketing $8,750 from Tyron Ali, the lobbyist-turned-informant who caught the exchanges on tape.

That probe, killed by embattled Attorney General Kathleen Kane and successfully resurrected by Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams, produced one of our all-time favorite lines in the history of corrupt city politicians:

"My man. happy birthday to Ron Waters," Waters allegedly said as he pocketed one of Ali's cash-stuffed envelopes on his 61st birthday.

Waters' attorney says his client intends to accept responsibility for his conduct, which means he might find himself jobless and with a criminal history.

Maybe one of his colleagues in the House will invite him to an employment workshop.

Waters, by the way, was arraigned in Dauphin County on April 3, which happened to be his birthday. Happy belated birthday, Ron Waters!

Stephanie Singer: One question. What are you doing?

Last month, the Democratic City Commissioner's campaign sent an email from her angry "Aunt Lil" to try to raise money - $25 a head - to get back on next month's primary ballot.

This week, Singer sent an "URGENT" email comparing herself to the civil-rights marchers who were beaten on Bloody Sunday in Selma, Ala., in 1965.

"The heroes of Selma in 1965 were fighting for the people of Philadelphia in 2015," she wrote Tuesday, soliciting a $3 contribution. "Today, the weapons are not billy clubs and horses - they are the courts and the media."

Singer, by the way, is white. And rides a horse. Which dovetails nicely with her next communique, a Wednesday-evening tweet in which the comparison was with George Washington: "In 1775, 1965 or 2015, it's abt ppl choosing leaders on EDay. Do voters decide? or entrenched insiders?"

Just for fun, we asked Republican City Commissioner Al Schmidt what he thought of Singer's (delusional?) fundraising efforts. He declined to comment. Probably a smart move. The best politicians know when to stand outside the blast radius.

Yesterday, Commonwealth Court rejected Singer's latest attempt to get back on the ballot, saying she did not have the required 1,000 valid signatures on her nomination petition. Singer told supporters that she is no longer actively campaigning.

But how will history treat her?

Last week, Clout wrongly reported that ballot position for Common Pleas Court is decided by a "stupid little ball that's pulled out of a friggin' Horn & Hardart coffee can at City Hall." That's actually only for city officials. Common Pleas ballot position is decided in Harrisburg and a coffee can is not involved. We still maintain that the whole process is asinine.

- Staff writers Dave Gambacorta

and William Bender

contributed to this report.