U-Turn: Go away Mayor Nutter

This is the last time I will be writing about Michael Nutter.

Promise.

And that's not easy.

Here at U-Turn, Mayor Nutter has given us plenty of reasons to be disappointed, frustrated and angry.

He's kept us really busy.

We told you how we believe he seemed to care more about the death of one black man in another state more than any of the thousands of blacks that have been killed in Philadelphia during his tenure.

We complained about Hizzlackofhonor ridiculously choosing to label ex-convicts as "returning citizens" rather than the courageous homebound veterans that he should be saluting.

We made you sick by telling you about the taxpayers' money that Nutter wasted on producing a puff piece called "Tale of the Tape" that glorified the Nutter years. Nutter distributed a copy of the propaganda to each mayoral candidate just so that they got the facts straight – the facts according to Chairman Mix-Master.

We shared his accomplishment of apparently becoming an expert transportation engineer.

And we made you cringe when Nutter lectured the media to stop criticizing a mayor who gave her seal of approval to providing space for urban rioters to destroy property.

We will miss writing about Michael Nutter.

But we won't miss Nutter.

Big difference.

Right now, it sucks being Nutter.

Imagine. You're not even running for office, and you are still labeled as a loser after this week's election. Not only do your candidate endorsements not matter, but your successor avoids you like the plague until he wins the primary.

You've been booed at an Obama rally, at your City Council budget address and a Tom Wolf event at Temple University – mostly by Democrats in your own party.

You've fallen into obscurity.

No longer are you hated.

Worse.

You are ignored.

You are irrelevant.

We don't care that you need to make money.

Deaf ears.

We can't hear your singing anymore.

Out of what can only be describe as a last minute move of desperation, Nuttertook a not-so-indirect shot today at newly reelected Republican City Commission Al Schmidt by saying the Commissioners'"office is just a complete disaster in its conduct of promoting voting here in the city of Philadelphia."

Schmidt, who has been doing the heavy lifting in the Commissioners Office, is the only of the three commissioners who hasn't either admitted breaking city ethics laws or admitted not voting in five successive elections – going back to 2011.

Yes, Democratic Commissioner Anthony Clark, who prides himself as being "the first African American to certify the election of the first African American President of the United States, Barack Obama, in Philadelphia" ironically didn't even vote for Obama in 2012. He didn't vote for anyone. He didn't care to show up to vote.

So with Nutter's veiled attack on the Republican commissioner, Al Schmidt fired back, telling U-Turn today, "According to all the research, voter participation is linked to income levels. Philadelphia has the highest rate of poverty of any major city. The Mayor is certainly in a better position to do something about that than I am."

Boom!

The geeky and squeaky clean PhD who is the de facto manager running the Philadelphia City Commissioners office just let the door hit Nutter squarely on the ass.

Philly GOP Executive Director Joe DeFelice was just as brutal as Schmidt, messaging U-Turn, "If Michael Nutter is so concerned about the City Commissioners office, then why did he support and endorse Anthony Clark for reelection?  Yet he thinks we should support his person to run the place?  So that person would be Anthony Clark?  Round and round we go."

DeFelice's comment referred to the official 52nd Ward Democratic Ballot, which endorsed Anthony Clark. Nutter just happens to be the 52nd Ward leader. That's the same Michael Nutter who also endorsed Andrew Stober for City Council at-large. Stober is an independent, which means that Nutter may have violated the Democratic City Committee's bylaws and is subject to removal as ward leader.

To quote former presidential candidate Rick Perry, "Oops."

That sentiment was echoed by Center City Republican Darin Bartholomew, who told U-Turn, "Political coward Michael Nutter is at it again. Rather than take responsibility as the leader of the city, he blasts the city commissioners. Al Schmidt and his team have done an amazing job making our elections run smoothly. Another coward move is Nutter waiting until after the election to blast no show commissioner Clark. Nutter is a Democratic ward leader (for now).He also endorsed an independent for Council at-large. Why not man up and do something about Clark BEFORE election day?"

Going after the commissioner that the media are now clamoring over due to his important voting research is not a wise idea. Schmidt is not only viewed as our Clark Kent, but he's the city's Mr. Clean – arguably the most honest elected public servant this city has ever seen.

Michael Nutter's political career is history. Al Schmidt's, though, is just beginning.

Contact John Featherman at john@featherman.com