Senator Casey’s campaign got $220,000 from his brother’s law firm, had partners pick judicial names

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by Josh Christensen

August 20, 2023 | 9:04 a.m

Senator Bob Casey’s Political Campaign He took hundreds of thousands of dollars from him His brother’s personal injury law firm For the past 15 years — the legislator has enlisted one of his associates to help him nominate federal judges.

Attorneys and employees of Philadelphia-based Ross Feller Casey, LLP have donated $222,566 to Bob Casey for the Senate since 2008. Federal Election Files The bid, which brought in more than $85,000 last April — the largest contribution yet.

And the Philadelphia-based firm’s founding partners — including Matt Casey, the senator’s brother — reached the donation cap for the Pennsylvania Democrat before what is expected to be Competitive campaign 2024.

Casey (D-Pennsylvania) has twice selected one such partner, Robert Ross, to co-chair a commission that has helped install dozens of federal judges in Keystone State.

“Since Senator Casey’s arrival in the Senate, every federal judge from Pennsylvania has been nominated by joint recommendation with (former Republican) Senator (Pat) Toomey or his predecessor (Arlene Specter) — a bipartisan process that Senator Toomey applauded. A spokeswoman for Casey’s campaign told The Post.

Meanwhile, mega-millionaire David McCormick’s former campaign was funded by the same Wall Street friends he’d spent his career enriching, including more than $250,000 in direct donations from Goldman Sachs employees, where McCormick’s wife Dina Powell McCormick worked for years. .”

The Senate Ethics Committee did not respond to a request for comment.

McCormick is expected to announce that he will challenge Casey for his seat after losing the 2022 Republican primary race to popular TV doctor Mehmet Oz, a Trump-backed candidate who was defeated by Senator John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) in the general election.

And the Republican Senate campaign for 2022 received more than $280,000 in donations from Goldman Sachs employees. According to federal filings.

Casey and Tommy, who retired earlier this year after serving two six-year terms, have agreed to appoint a co-chair and 10 members to the committee on a bipartisan basis to screen federal judicial nominees for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania beginning in 2011, according to the website. Newsweek. Casey’s contemporary press release.

The arrangement was “mutually beneficial” in allowing each senator to endorse nominees under both former President Barack Obama and former President Donald Trump, according to a former GOP campaign operative with knowledge of the matter.

“They have to work together. There have been stories during the campaigns that they have already succeeded in filling judicial vacancies.”

Tommy selected John Soroko, Chairman Emeritus and partner at another Philadelphia law firm, Duane Morris LLP, in 2011 and again in 2021 as co-chair, and selected Casey Ross. both times.

However, the former GOP campaign staffer noted that there was a significant difference between the donations from Soroko and his company and the contributions of Ross Feller Casey.

“I’m sure if you look at Soroko’s bidding history, he probably went over the edge,” said that person, adding that he was “extremely competent” and was “financially supportive, as are a lot of lawyers.” And the campaign activist didn’t say the same about Casey’s donations.

“Being among the hundreds of thousands” of a company “partnered with a Casey family member — that’s a little bit different,” the former employee continued.

A spokeswoman for Casey’s campaign called the remarks a “desperate attack.”

Federal election filings showed that attorneys and staff for Duane Morris gave Tommy $32,450 during his time in the Senate. Soroko has not maxed out his donations in each election cycle. Neither Ross nor other partners in his firm did.

Soroko has served as a member and presiding judge of the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline. Ross served as a member of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Civil Procedural Rules Committee.

Matt Casey also helped his brother in the final months of his campaign for re-election in 2012, according to Scranton Times Tribune. He also served as a campaign consultant during Bob Casey’s failed gubernatorial campaign in 2002, according to The Daily Pennsylvania. mentioned.

Patrick Casey, the other brother of the Pennsylvania Democrat, registered in the lobby in October 2022 as a partner at government relations firm Dentons Global Advisors, Politico first reported.

his cases, according to Disclosure formsIt included US semiconductor policy and implementation of the Chip and Science Act, which Casey voted for.

Ethics rules prohibit Senate staffers from contacting family members who are lobbyists, and Casey’s office has confirmed that it adheres to those guidelines.

As did Casey’s campaign Paid over $500,000 to a printing company owned by the senator’s sister, Margie McGrath, during his political career at the state and federal levels from 2005 to 2022.

Casey is the son of the late Pennsylvania Governor Robert Casey Sr. and served as Auditor General and State Treasurer prior to his election to the US Senate.