Phoenix Mayor Race: Same People Raising Money for Councilwoman Peggy Neely Giving Money to Rival Councilman Claude Mattox
Categories: Election 2011
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Well, apparently some folks in Phoenix can't decide whether they want to be bedfellows with Councilwoman Peggy Neely or Councilman Claude Mattox.
There are at least 13 people on Neely's fundraising committee -- helping her raise money as she explores whether she wants to run for mayor in the August 30 election -- who also are listed on Mattox's campaign website as his supporters. It appears that it's a list of people who have contributed to Mattox's campaign.
We get it ... people want to support a winner -- whether its in sports or politics. But politics is far more unpredictable than sports, so who can blame developers and zoning attorneys, among others, who do business before the Phoenix City Council for hedging their bets?
Take two well-known Valley attorneys -- Paul Gilbert and Stephen Anderson.
Both signed up to be part of Neely's political fundraising team, and they are also found on the endorsements page of Councilman Claude Mattox's campaign website. Mattox, who has already made official his bid for the mayor's seat, includes them on a scrolling list of "supporters" at the bottom of the page.
Anderson didn't say much or directly answer who he is supporting for mayor. He does confirm that he is on Neely's committee.
"I think the record speaks for itself," he tells New Times repeatedly.
Gilbert took our call much more in stride.
"I think you'll find that several of us that do zoning entitlement work have contributed to both campaigns," he says.
When we ask who he supports for mayor, he dodges the question and says, "Let's just leave it at that."
They're not the only two.
A quick dump onto a spreadsheet of names from Mattox's scrolling list and from Neely's list of money-finding peeps, a little sorting, and here's what we came up with:
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