Nov 19, 2024

The Mann Machine

Although Jennifer Mann hasn't served in the State House for eleven years, her vehicle still sports Legislative Plates...That's not inappropriate considering the local power she wields. Ponies in her stable include Matthew Tuerk, Mike Schlossberg and Pete Schweyer.

Her father was a union boss at Mack, and helped put her in the state house in 1999. When she retired in 2013, she put her protege Mike Schlossberg in the seat and started a lobbying firm, having Sacred Heart Hospital among her clients. Schweyer is also an alumnus of Mann's state office.

While some of her clients have merged with other bigger entities with their own lobbyists, she remains a kingmaker in Allentown. Save for Molovinsky and O'Hare, that local political influence has remained mostly under the radar.

20 comments:

  1. Jennifer Mann is clearly a significant force in Queen City politics. Connected, discreet, experienced and effective, this still young woman’s influence cannot be minimized if one is interested in how the wheels of power turn in those back rooms where the significant decisions are made. I’m hoping that this piece is the introduction to a series of others on the real power brokers of Allentown.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I believe Charlie Thiel is in her circle. Under the radar as well.

    ReplyDelete
  3. How's Allentown doing under their "leadership"?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Imagine how Allentown would be doing without their involvement!

      Delete
    2. Her Party runs the City and her Candidates are doing great. Schlossberg and Schweyer have State Rep jobs for life and Tuerk is likely to win a second term. It doesn't really matter how Allentown is doing.

      Delete
    3. I weary of the R vs. D comments. I weary of anonymous comments. I weary of one sentence repetitive comments. Take no offense if such submissions do not appear.

      Delete
    4. Mike, these comments seem less R and D than complaints about our one party town that is corrupt and mismanaged. It matters less to residents which is the guilty party than the problem itself. Many of us can remember better times that are now lost due to the ongoing regime.

      Delete
  4. Is Jennifer Mann the invisible hand of Riley and his go between with what passes for city government? If not her, who?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have declined several comments. I'm sure Reilly doesn't need an invisible hand to communicate with city hall, nor should he. Although I do not endorse the current administration, down the road it may well end up being the good old days

      Delete
    2. I’m thinking that Riley absolutely requires a firewall between himself and Mayor Matt. I find it difficult to imagine Riley ever choosing to directly engage the Mayor professionally or socially.

      Delete
  5. Here's a non anonymous comment, Years ago I thought the world of Jenn Mann and worked with her and Charlie Dent on community related items. In time I lost that respect as she, over time revealed herself as a deeply partisan politician willing to overlook what her party was doing to the city. It's rare to find a politician who is truly involved for the greater good. The best I can say is she's as bad as the rest.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Scott A., the working relationship between Mann and Pat Brown is rock solid evidence that bipartisanship is alive and well.

      Delete
  6. Cynthia Mota has made her run official. She would like Allentown to be more inclusive and address poverty more. Ed Zucal would like the quality of life to more resemble what it was in the past. Jennifer Mann is finance chair for Matt Tuerk's new campaign.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. “She (Mota) would like Allentown to be more inclusive and address poverty more.”

      Allentown is already a “minority-majority” city and has had the highest poverty rate in the Valley for decades.

      So I would argue that being “inclusive” isn’t and issue and maybe it’s time to change the way City Hall has been addressing poverty.

      Aim the poverty issue, the current poverty rate is unsustainable for a healthy city. So instead of more of the same failed programs that make the city a magnet for even more poor people to move here, City Hall’s focus should be on attracting and retaining higher income residents.

      Just a thought.

      Delete
    2. Oh great, another platitude campaign, let's see, she want Allentown to be more inclusive...what does that even mean? Allentown is already completely inclusive on race, gender and religion. What's missing? What's being excluded from anything or anyplace here? Part two, let's address poverty. Again, perhaps some specifics would help here. Exactly what does she plan to do to address poverty? That begs the question, what can any mayor do to address poverty? I do believe our public schools would be the best way to reduce poverty but presently the ASD seems bent on facilitating it.

      Delete
    3. Is Mota the one that works for Promise Neighborhoods?

      If so, my guess is that her plan for “addressing poverty” is a large kickback, I mean grant, for her employer.

      Delete
    4. I believe that she worked for them years ago, but now has her own business.
      I have been accepting less comments that contain a question. Such answers can be found via search engines.

      Delete
    5. I would find it so refreshing if a candidate for Mayor would point the finger at the rest of the region and say "what about them???" "Where's their inclusion"??? Why do we have to have all the low income housing, poor people and non-taxed public properties???" "Why does ASD have to educate 90% of Lehigh County's low income population???" I agree with the other post from above, if Allentown is to be inclusive, how about attracting more affluent working people??

      Delete
    6. One more thing about Council person Mota, let's remember how she got on council. If memory serves me correct her position there was facilitated by then mayor Ed Pawlowski. One one qualification necessary to be selected to serve on Ed's hand picked council was perfect obedience. She was one of the rubber stampers as we called them. Some of her fellow rubber stampers went on to gained higher office for their efforts. Mike Schlossberg, and Peter schweyer are now rubber stampers in Harrisburg.

      Delete
  7. I'm not sure why you're not talking about the mayor supporting the cop lawsuit that came out end of summer, was dropped, and now an officer was arrested with the situation being highlighted in the lawsuit. Where is the accountability from the mayor regarding this?

    ReplyDelete

ANONYMOUS COMMENTS SELECTIVELY PUBLISHED. SIGNED COMMENTS GIVEN MORE LEEWAY.