A Milton mystery: Why did he sign Kenney's mayoral petition?

Call it a mayoral race mystery. Just how did former state Sen. T. Milton Street Sr. come to sign the nomination petition for former City Councilman Jim Kenney last week?

Both men are candidates for the Democratic nomination for mayor in the May 19 primary election.

Brian Villa, a Democratic committeeman from West Philadelphia's 27th Ward, said he attended a "petition party" last week at Ladder 15, a Center City bar.  Villa said he circulated petitions for Jim Kenney's mayoral campaign, Helen Gym's bid for City Council at-large and Carol Jenkin's bid for City Commission.

Street, Villa said, happily and knowingly signed all three petitions.  A copy of Kenney's petition, provided by Villa, shows the candidate's name typed in bold at the top of the page and Street's signature on the fifth line.

Street, normally the talkative type, did not respond to three messages seeking comment. Instead, his son, T. Milton Street Jr., insisted his father was misled into signing the petition in a dimly lit bar.

"My father would have never signed Jim Kenney's petition," said Street, who is serving as field coordinator for his father's campaign. "It was in the spirit of the moment. Everyone was passing around petitions and we were signing."

Villa counters that he was sitting at a well-lit booth in the bar and told Street exactly which candidates he was signing for.

"He was fully informed and he knowingly and voluntarily signed," Villa said. "I specifically asked Milton Street if he would sign Jim Kenney's petition."

Kenney declared for mayor on Feb. 4.  Street has said he will formally announce his campaign next Thursday.

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