by Jay A. McCalla

Staying informed on things that matter is a struggle: so much data, so many images, many sound bites and sources. No matter how hard I try, I’m always significantly under-informed about some issue that may amount to something.

As closely as I followed the rollicking battle over Jim Kenney’s proposed tax on soda, there are meaningful back stories I missed and have only emerged lately.

After having been twice rejected by City Council, a soda tax seemed to face dim, initial prospects. Titanic power shifts, led by Labor Leader John Dougherty, enabled the passage of a compromise that has already taken effect.

We know the almost ancient admonition that we want neither to see sausage nor laws made. Well, part of what went into the passage of this tax was uniquely discouraging but must be acknowledged.

Through the Freedom of Information Act, Ryan Briggs of the news website cityandstatepa.com, discovered the pernicious use of “dark money,” attempts to create “fake news” and physical intimidation on the part of the Kenney Administration in an effort to literally coerce the support of Councilperson Maria Quinones-Sanchez.

The pro soda tax forces funded a group of local activists – ACTION United – to create the appearance of “grassroots” support for the beverage levy. Kenney Press Secretary Lauren Hitt acknowledges shaping their message and public actions. Hitt admits her goal was to conceal the involvement of the Kenney Administration in this caper for fear it would have been “dismissed by the media”.

In a May 11 email, Kenney Chief of Staff Jane Slusser is directing a plan to “corner her (Quinones-Sanchez) out in front of cameras.” Viewed without sympathy, this was a plan to physically intimidate a woman with paid “activists,” in an effort to create a fake news story. This was not legitimate lobbying. This was a “smug-thug” tactic that needs to be repudiated.

Predictably, the Kenney Administration defends its actions in light of lobbying efforts by anti-tax elements. Implicitly damning is the claim of Slusser and Hitt that Kenney knew nothing of the grimy plot. If they believed the transaction to have been kosher, there'd be no need to distance him from it.

And, let's get real. No staffers take actions against their bosses enemies without overtly taking credit. That is exactly how political staffers prove their loyalty and move up the ladder.

Kenney is no fan of Quinones-Sanchez. She's the only Democratic incumbent he refused to endorse. This may be why no other recalcitrant member of Council was singled out for manufactured public humiliation.

It seems the plan was foiled by a simple lack of competence in execution, but there is no absolution that accompanies failure. This was a dirty trick worthy of Richard Nixon.

For her part, certainly Quinones-Sanchez is angry and warns about this becoming an acceptable modus operandi. I share her fear and agree a very serious, cynical line has been crossed.

Labor unions are no strangers to the notion of picketing. In fact, city workers marched in front of the private home of Mayor Michael Nutter. But, they were never ordered to “corner” the mayor or shield the identity of those who manipulated them into action. It is that very “shield” – lie, actually– that deceives the news media and Philadelphia public. This is not politics as usual.

Equally distressing, despite this incident occurring months ago, no media outlet in our town bothered to report or inquire except city and statepa.com – a news site that isn’t one year old. And, since they broke the story, no Philly media has followed up.

I fear our politicians have gotten out of control and believe nobody's watching. They dazzle us with Papal visits and political conventions while they secretly control staggering amounts of cash via the Board of City Trusts, Higher Education and Hospital Authority and Mayors Fund. In truth, we really don't know what on earth they are doing.

We will never nail them for backroom skullduggery that involves high finance and rules designed for non-transparency. But, like a lucky umpire, we've got an easy call to make. The Kenney Administration casually violated a series of our few remaining political standards in an aborted effort to embarrass an “enemy.” It was foul ball.

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Jay A. McCalla is a former deputy managing director and chief of staff for Philadelphia City Council. He does political commentary on WURD900AM and contributes to Philadelphia Magazine. He can be followed and reached on Twitter @jayamccalla1.