Pages

▼

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Follow the Money: Contributions by Vahan Gureghian 1/1/07 - 5/31/11

This post was last updated on March 29, 2013


Jersey Jazzman is a great New Jersey education blogger; he did his homework on this….
Jersey Jazzman Blog THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013
The Selling Out of Camden's Schools: Part I
Now that the state has officially taken control of Camden's schools, what changes are we likely to see? What's in store for the city's children and their schools?
The best place to find an answer may be right down the Delaware River. A charter school made famous in Chester, PA is setting up shop in Camden.
http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-selling-out-of-camdens-schools-part.html



“In Part I of this series I spelled out how Gureghian, the charter school magnate, has spread campaign money around Pennsylvania, becoming Governor Tom Corbett's biggest contributor. Undoubtedly aided by this influence, Gureghian has become a very wealthy man on the backs of the taxpayers. But Gureghian hasn't confined his political contributions to Pennsylvania.
According to New Jersey election records, Gureghian has been donating money to New Jersey politicians around the state since at least 1997.”
Jeersey Jazzman Blog THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013
The Selling Out of Camden's Schools, Part II
This Monday, Governor Chris Christie and Education Commissioner Chris Cerf announced that they were going to disenfranchise the Camden Board of Education and take direct control of the city's schools. One of the most interesting aspects of the story was how little outcry there was from the region's Democratic politicians against a Republican governor taking over Camden's education system.
http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-selling-out-of-cadens-schools-part.html



Camden announces new charter school to open in September
By Jason Laday/South Jersey Times  on March 21, 2013 at 5:58 PM
CAMDEN — Officials on Thursday announced a newly approved public charter school in North Camden, scheduled to begin serving up to 300 elementary school students beginning as early as September.  Students at the new Camden Community Charter School — which will soon break ground at what has long been an empty lot near the intersection of 8th and Linden streets — will be provided with free laptops and at-home Internet access through a partnership between Comcast and a local charity.  The new charter school will be managed by CSMI Education Management LLC, which operates Chester Community Charter School in Pennsylvania, and whose founder and CEO, Vahan Gureghian, is one half of the foundation providing the free laptops and Internet access to students. The other half, Danielle Gureghian, serves as executive vice president and general counsel for the group.
http://www.nj.com/camden/index.ssf/2013/03/camden_announces_new_charter_s.html


Pennsylvania Couple Building 20,000 Square Foot Palm Beach Mansion
Homes of the Rich Posted by Kenny Forder on January 27th, 2012 
Philadelphia attorney and entrepreneur Vahan Gureghian and his attorney wife, Danielle, are planning to build a 20,000 square foot mansion at 1071 N. Ocean Boulevard in Palm Beach, FL. The plans were submitted late last year to the town for review. If built, the house will stand on two lots, with a total of nearly 240 feet of oceanfront, which they acquired last year for $28.9 million (the year’s second-largest Palm Beach residential purchase by a single buyer). The most amazing part? The Gureghian’s main house is even BIGGER than this! They live in a 30,000 square foot mega mansion in Gladwyne, PA. Pennsylvania-based architect Frederick L. Bissinger Jr. designed the Palm Beach house as well as their Pennsylvania house. Smith and Moore Architects of West Palm Beach are also involved in the project, and Lang Design Group of West Palm did the landscape plan.

Check out the plan:

http://homesoftherich.net/2012/01/pennsylvania-couple-building-20000-square-foot-palm-beach-mansion/



Palm Beach Florida Daily News

By DARRELL HOFHEINZ
DAILY NEWS HOME & LOGGIA EDITOR
Posted: 4:04 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011

Owners on the record — There’s finally word about who bought 1071 N. Ocean Blvd. and the lot next door for a combined $28.9 million — the year’s second-largest Palm Beach residential purchase by a single buyer.

http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/beyond-the-hedges-k2-realty-opens-office-in-1949286.html?printArticle=y

 

This is an excerpt from an article by Jason Fagone in the August issue of Philadelphia Magazine. According to Pennsylvania's Campaign Finance Reporting website, Mr. Gureghian has made over $1.3 million in political contributions since 2007 and was the largest individual donor to Governor Corbett.  He also served on the Governor’s Education Transition Team.
"The way Gureghian's charter school in Chester works, the school itself is public. It receives taxpayer money. But a private, for-profit company—Gureghian's Charter School Management Inc.—manages the school's finances. It owns the buildings, leases them to the school, pays the teachers and, according to a 2008 report by the Inquirer, has collected $60.6 million in public funds since the school was started in 1999. Gureghian wanted to make sure the bill (SB 904) would exempt charter-school management organizations like CSMI from state sunshine laws. According to Republican State Representative Mike Vereb, who considers himself a friend of Gureghian, "The language that Vahan was looking to do had to do with vendors of a school … contractors." The effect of such language would be to hide details of the financial operations of charter schools from public scrutiny. Presumably, this would make it harder for Gureghian's competitors to copy his financial "recipe.""
http://www.phillymag.com/articles/what_would_ronnie_say_about_montco_republicans_now/page1

When they were recently asked whether the current administration is seeking to privatize public education, a couple of PA State Senators used the term "selective dismantling" in discussions with school board members and superintendents in Delaware County.

Want to know what privatizing public education might look like in Pennsylvania?
Here are a few background links.

Email trail shows Pottstown schools chief was in talks with charter magnate
"Should that new paradigm involve Gureghian's takeover of Pottstown's elementary education, it would also have meant, by Lindley's estimates, a $19.2 million windfall in Pottstown tax dollars for Gureghian's company."
The Pottstown Mercury, Published: Sunday, May 29, 2011;
By Evan Brandt, ebrandt@pottsmerc.com
Andrew Dinniman, D-19th Dist. told The Mercury that with Harrisburg battling over school vouchers and a difficult state budget that it is unlikely any action would be undertaken on the charter school reform bill before the fall. ...
http://pottsmerc.com/articles/2011/05/29/news/srv0000011831727.txt


Corbett's team jingles with donors
Two-thirds of members have financial ties to campaign
Sunday, December 19, 2010
By Tracie Mauriello, Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau
"The transition team member who provided the most to Mr. Corbett -- $334,286 over the past three years -- was Vahan Gureghian, a Gladwyne lawyer who operates the state's largest charter school and owns a billboard company.
Mr. Gureghian was tapped to serve on the education committee and to lead the 27-member transportation committee, along with two former PennDOT administrators."

Read more: http://postgazette.com/pg/10353/1111963-454.stm#ixzz1KufEATau


To the best of my knowledge this 2006 right-to-know request is still pending.



Charter school should reveal deal, court says
February 17, 2006|By Dan Hardy INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
The management contract between the Chester Community Charter School and a for-profit charter-management company headed by Main Line lawyer and businessman Vahan H. Gureghian should be made public, Commonwealth Court has ruled.

Charter raises scores; finances raise questions

Pa. wants to know how popular Chester school is spending public money.

December 28, 2008|By Dan Hardy, Inquirer Staff Writer
First of two parts.
To many in the impoverished city of Chester, the Chester Community Charter School is a beacon of hope.



Following data is from the Pennsylvania Campaign Finance website at:
http://www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us/ContributionSearch.aspx


Pennsylvania Contributions by Vahan Gureghian
 from 1/1/2007 through 5/31/11



Date
Amount
Recipient
2/2/2007
$1,000.00
LOWER MERION-NARBERTH REP COM
3/1/2007
$1,320.00
LOWER MERION-NARBERTH REP COM
4/19/2007
$500.00
BRENNAN, MARY ALICE FOR JUDGE
5/14/2007
$500.00
ERICKSON, FRED FRIENDS OF
6/4/2007
$5,000.00
PILEGGI, DOMINIC FOR SENATE COM
6/4/2007
$5,000.00
PILEGGI, DOMINIC FOR SENATE COM
6/4/2007
$400.00
Matthews-Castor '07
6/5/2007
$350.00
DELAWARE CO. REP. FIN. COM.
6/20/2007
$20,000.00
CASTOR BRUCE FRIENDS OF
6/21/2007
$21,000.00
LOWER MERION - NARBERTH REP COM
6/26/2007
$2,000.00
SPRINGFIELD REP PARTY
9/8/2007
$3,000.00
LOWER MERION - NARBERTH REP COM
10/4/2007
$5,000.00
CHESTER CO REP COM OF
10/5/2007
$10,000.00
Friends of Seamus McCaffery
10/10/2007
$30,000.00
CASTOR BRUCE FRIENDS OF
10/10/2007
$1,000.00
Committee to Elect Judge Maureen Lally-Green to the PA Supreme Court
10/18/2007
$20,050.00
CASTOR BRUCE FRIENDS OF
10/22/2007
$10,000.00
Committee to Elect Judge Maureen Lally-Green to the PA Supreme Court
10/22/2007
$1,000.00
PILEGGI, DOMINIC VICTORY COM
10/28/2007
$25,000.00
Matthews-Castor '07
10/28/2007
$25,000.00
Matthews-Castor '07
10/29/2007
$1,000.00
PILEGGI, DOMINIC FRIENDS OF
10/29/2007
$500.00
RAYMOND, RON FRIENDS OF
11/12/2007
$15,000.00
CIVERA, MARIO FRIENDS OF
11/15/2007
$6,000.00
CITIZENS WITH COMMONCENTS
12/10/2007
$15,000.00
ROGERS, LANCE COM TO ELECT
2007 YTD
$224,620.00




1/11/2008
$15,000.00
CAMPAIGN FOR PA'S FUTURE
1/22/2008
$10,000.00
LOWER MERION AND NARBERTH REP COM
2/1/2008
$42.25
CAMPAIGN FOR PA'S FUTURE
2/6/2008
$10,000.00
Montgopac
2/6/2008
$922.50
CAMPAIGN FOR PA'S FUTURE
2/11/2008
$500.00
Friends of Todd Stephens
2/12/2008
$5,000.00
CHESTER CO REP COM OF
3/1/2008
$50,000.00
CAMPAIGN FOR PA'S FUTURE
3/18/2008
$2,500.00
MontGOPAC
3/19/2008
$3,766.18
Friends of Bruce Castor, Inc.
3/19/2008
$1,200.00
Friends of Bruce Castor, Inc.
3/19/2008
$1,140.00
Friends of Bruce Castor, Inc.
3/19/2008
$360.00
Friends of Bruce Castor, Inc.
4/8/2008
$200.00
REP WOMEN OF THE MAIN LINE
4/10/2008
$10,000.00
CITIZENS WITH COMMONCENTS
4/11/2008
$1,000.00
DELAWARE CO. REP. FIN. COM.
4/15/2008
$5,000.00
ROGERS, LANCE COM TO ELECT
5/22/2008
$500.00
ERICKSON, TED FRIENDS OF
5/27/2008
$125.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
6/2/2008
$5,000.00
MOYER, JAY FRIENDS FOR COM
6/5/2008
$5,000.00
VEREB, MIKE FRIENDS OF
7/3/2008
$25,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
7/23/2008
$1,000.00
WER MERION - NARBERTH REP COM
8/16/2008
$2,000.00
SPRINGFIELD REP PARTY
8/16/2008
$2,000.00
SPRINGFIELD REP PARTY
8/19/2008
$500.00
HARPER, KATE FRIENDS OF
8/26/2008
$25,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
8/26/2008
$1,000.00
MENSCH, BOB FRIENDS OF
9/1/2008
$1,200.00
VEREB, MIKE FRIENDS OF
9/3/2008
$1,000.00
DELAWARE CO. REP. FIN. COM.
9/11/2008
$10,000.00
ROGERS, LANCE COM TO ELECT
9/15/2008
$25,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
9/15/2008
$100.00
ROGERS, LANCE COM TO ELECT
9/25/2008
$10,000.00
CIVERA, MARIO FRIENDS OF
9/26/2008
$1,000.00
LOWER MERION-NARBERTH REP COM
10/2/2008
$7,500.00
ROGERS, LANCE COM TO ELECT
10/2/2008
$2,500.00
PILEGGI, DOMINIC FRIENDS OF
10/6/2008
$5,000.00
SENATE REP CAMPAIGN COMM
10/16/2008
$250.00
Friends of Lynne Lechter
10/17/2008
$10,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
11/8/2008
$500.00
Friends of Bruce Castor, Inc.
11/18/2008
$8,400.00
ROGERS, LANCE, COM TO ELECT
12/23/2008
$1,000.00
DELAWARE CO. REP. FIN. COM.
2008 YTD
$267,205.93




1/12/2009
$10,000.00
LOWER MERION - NARBERTH REP COM
2/2/2009
$5,000.00
PHILA REP CITY COM
2/4/2009
$450.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
2/4/2009
$450.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
2/25/2009
$1,000.00
SENATE REP CAMPAIGN COM
2/28/2009
$1,000.00
Friends of Joseph Scarnati
3/6/2009
$1,000.00
CHESTER CITY REGWAR REP COMP COM
3/26/2009
$25,000.00
TOM CORBETT FOR GOVERNOR
4/9/2009
$1,000.00
DELAWARE CO. REP. FINANCE COM
4/17/2009
$5,000.00
CHESTER CO REP COM OF
4/22/2009
$1,000.00
CARTISANO, LINDA A FOR JUDGE COM
4/27/2009
$2,600.00
MCCAFFERY FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY PAC
5/2/2009
$1,000.00
ERICKSON, TED FRIENDS OF
5/5/2009
$5,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
5/6/2009
$25,000.00
CAMPAIGN FOR PA'S FUTURE
5/7/2009
$300.00
CRUZ, JOANNA FOR JUDGE
5/15/2009
$25,000.00
TOM CORBETT FOR GOVERNOR
5/18/2009
$2,500.00
Friends of Mike Brubaker
5/21/2009
$15,000.00
PILEGGI, DOMINIC FRIENDS OF
6/3/2009
$5,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
6/5/2009
$1,000.00
Friends of Jeff Piccola
6/11/2009
$250.00
Wendy Demchick-Alloy For Judge
6/12/2009
$500.00
CARTISANO, LINDA A. FOR JUDGE COM
6/19/2009
$10,000.00
FRIENDS OF MARIO CIVERA
6/23/2009
$567.08
CAMPAIGN FOR PA'S FUTURE
6/30/2009
$1,000.00
CHESTER CITY REGULAR REP CAMP COM OF CHESTER
7/5/2009
$5,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
7/27/2009
$1,000.00
CHESTER CITY REGULAR REP CAMP COM OF CHESTER
7/31/2009
$25,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
8/5/2009
$5,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
8/9/2009
$1,000.00
FRIENDS OF MARIO CIVERA
9/2/2009
$5,000.00
SOUTHEAST REP SENATE VICTORY COMMITTEE
9/4/2009
$500.00
BOYD, SCOTT-BOYD VICTORY COM
9/9/2009
$1,500.00
UPPER DARBY REP CAMP COM
9/10/2009
$5,000.00
Wendy Demchick-Alloy For Judge
9/20/2009
$2,500.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
9/21/2009
$500.00
CHESTER CITY REGULAR REP CAMP COM OF CHESTER
9/25/2009
$2,500.00
Smucker for Senate
10/1/2009
$25,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
10/2/2009
$500.00
PILEGGI, DOMINIC FRIENDS OF
10/5/2009
$1,000.00
DELAWARE CO REP FINANCE COM
10/6/2009
$400.00
Area II Republican Committee
10/9/2009
$500.00
PICCOLA, JEFF FRIENDS OF
10/13/2009
$2,000.00
Kevin Brobson for Commonwealth Court Committee
10/26/2009
$2,000.00
Kevin Brobson for Commonwealth Court Committee
10/28/2009
$7,500.00
ORIE MELVIN, JOAN JUDGE FOR SUPREME CT COM
11/1/2009
$34,285.68
TOM CORBETT FOR GOVERNOR
11/10/2009
$50,000.00
TOM CORBETT FOR GOVERNOR
12/15/2009
$1,000.00
DELAWARE CO/REP FINANCE. COM
12/15/2009
$1,000.00
DELAWARE CO/REP FINANCE. COM
12/22/2009
$5,000.00
RAFFERTY, JOHN FOR SENATE
2009 YTD
$330,302.76




1/5/2010
$1,000.00
CHESTER CITY REGULAR REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
1/5/2010
$250.00
TOEPEL, MARCY FRIENDS OF
1/20/2010
$500.00
PHILA REP CITY COM
1/29/2010
$500.00
REP WOMEN OF THE MAIN LINE
2/9/2010
$10,000.00
Republican Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth
2/16/2010
$15,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
3/3/2010
$500.00
MICCARELLI, NICK FRIENDS OF
3/10/2010
$500.00
AICHELE, CAROL FRIENDS OF
3/21/2010
$200.00
REP WOMEN OF THE MAIN LINE
3/22/2010
$2,000.00
FRIENDS OF MARIO CIVERA
4/8/2010
$15,000.00
CHESTER CO VICTORY FUND
4/14/2010
$250.00
PHILA REP CITY COM
4/15/2010
$500.00
MONT CO REP WOMENS LEADERSHIP
4/16/2010
$5,000.00
CITIZENS WITH COMMONCENTS
4/18/2010
$5,000.00
CAMPAIGN PENNSYLVANIA
4/19/2010
$250.00
SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN PARTY
4/20/2010
$1,000.00
DELAWARE CO. REP. FIN. COM. 7900243
4/20/2010
$1,000.00
CHESTER CITY REGULAR REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
4/22/2010
$25,000.00
HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
4/27/2010
$5,000.00
ASSOCIATES OF PA PAC (APPAC)
4/27/2010
$250.00
TOEPEL, MARCY FRIENDS OF
4/30/2010
$30,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
4/30/2010
$5,000.00
HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
4/30/2010
$500.00
MOYER, JAY FRIENDS FOR COM
4/30/2010
$500.00
MOYER, JAY FRIENDS FOR COM
5/14/2010
$5,000.00
Republican Committee of Chester County
5/14/2010
$4,800.00
FRIENDS OF MARIO CIVERA
5/20/2010
$50,000.00
CORBETT, TOM FOR GOVERNOR
7/9/2010
$1,100.00
DELAWARE CO REP FINANCE COM
7/21/2010
$15,000.00
Republican Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth
7/21/2010
$15,000.00
Republican Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth
8/17/2010
$10,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
8/24/2010
$500.00
PHILA REP CITY COM
9/10/2010
$17,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
9/10/2010
$1,200.00
UPPER DARBY REP CAMP COM
9/10/2010
$500.00
UPPER MONTGOMERY CO REP CLUB
9/13/2010
$15,000.00
Republican Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth
9/13/2010
$15,000.00
Republican Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth
9/13/2010
$50,000.00
CORBETT, TOM FOR GOVERNOR
9/16/2010
$5,000.00
Friends of Mike Vereb
9/24/2010
$1,000.00
Friends for Maureen Carey
9/30/2010
$225.00
Lower Providence Republican Committee
10/18/2010
$50,000.00
CORBETT, TOM FOR GOVERNOR
10/18/2010
$40,000.00
CORBETT, TOM FOR GOVERNOR
2010 YTD
$421,025.00







1/10/2011
$2,000.00
DELAWARE CO REP FINANCE COM
1/20/2011
$7,500.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
1/24/2011
$1,000.00
ERICKSON, TED FRIENDS OF
2/7/2011
$2,000.00
Dauphin County Republican Committee
2/28/2011
$25,000.00
Republican Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth
3/3/2011
$15,000.00
CHESTER CO VICTORY FUND
3/16/2011
$25,000.00
MONTGOMERY CO REP COMM
2011 YTD
$77,500.00




2007 YTD
$224,620.00

2008 YTD
$267,205.93

2009 YTD
$330,302.76

2010 YTD
$421,025.00

2011 YTD
$77,500.00

Total
$1,320,653.69



at

3 comments:

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.