Big money is backing a threat to Brady
A newcomer considers a primary run against the Phila. power.
By Marcia Gelbart
Inquirer Staff Writer
While U.S. Rep. Bob Brady has escaped any serious election threat since 2000, his blowout loss in the spring’s Democratic mayoral primary led to rumblings that his Teflon may be eroding.
Now comes a political newcomer, physician Keith Leaphart, to test that notion.
Leaphart no doubt would face a formidable task in unseating the five-term congressman in April’s primary. But the 32-year-old African American, who’d be challenging the only white House member representing a mostly black district, has some equally formidable financial backing.
On Dec. 6, two major Philadelphia philanthropists – H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest and Peter L. Buttenwieser – are scheduled to cochair a fund-raiser for Leaphart at the Philadelphia Loews Hotel.
The event will be a first for the powerful pair; they hadn’t met before February, but now are united in promoting Leaphart’s possible candidacy.
“Keith is a man of deep integrity and intelligence. He thinks he can represent his community in an honest, straightforward way, and do something more than is being done by the current congressman,” Lenfest said in an interview this week.
He met Leaphart in 1999 when Leaphart, then completing his first year of school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, opened a janitorial company whose major client was Lenfest’s Suburban Cable. While Leaphart cleaned Lenfest’s executive office nearly every day, they developed “a mutual respect,” Leaphart said.
Over the years, Lenfest has directed millions of dollars from his cable-TV fortune to local cultural institutions and educational causes. But other than donating money to a variety of local and national candidates, he has not been politically active.
So to help Leaphart, he turned to Buttenwieser, a prominent national fund-raiser who mostly focuses on electing Democrats to the U.S. Senate.
“My primary interest was that Mr. Lenfest is a pretty major figure in this city, and he’s begun to take an interest in politics, which he had not before,” said Buttenwieser, who lives in Chestnut Hill. “As somebody who is very interested in expanding the network of people interested in progressive politics, I said I would help.”
The extent of their personal financial help, however, is restrained by federal campaign caps that limit donors to no more than $2,300 apiece.
Both men described their support of Leaphart as being less about dissatisfaction with Brady than “opening up opportunities for somewhat younger people,” as Buttenwieser put it.
Leaphart was raised in West Oak Lane by a single mother who, he said, valued education. After graduating from Hampton University in Virginia, he enrolled in medical school and simultaneously obtained a master’s in business administration from St. Joseph’s University. (more…)
From his website:
“His passion to help others led him to a career in medicine. Dr. Leaphart attended the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, earning a medical degree. While a medical student, he concurrently earned his MBA from Saint Joseph’s University. Dr. Leaphart applied this unique professional education in medical administration working directly with the CEO of Saint Christopher’s Hospital for Children. His interest in providing patients with high quality and affordable medical care led him to serve as administrative consultant to both GEMEDCO and City Avenue Medical Center.
Dr. Leaphart has remained connected to his community by creating opportunities for Philadelphians of all ages and economic backgrounds to engage in empowering activities. Examples of his work include:
* Rainmakers, Inc.: Believing that a more inclusive and equitable Philadelphia can be a reality, Dr. Leaphart founded Rainmakers, Inc., a non-profit organization committed to enhancing alliances among African-American professionals. The Rainmakers produce the annual Money, Power, Respect summit, which encourages young people to become more entrepreneurial through mentorship and educational workshops.
* “Man Up” Initiative: Working through local places of worship, community centers and barbershops, Man Up is a call to restore the role and responsibility of African-American men within the Philadelphia community. The program provides young men with the vision and skills to be a more responsible fathers and role models for Philadelphia’s youth. (source)
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