Pa. high court candidate gets big backing from a friend

In 15 years, Gary Lowenthal has donated to one candidate - and only twice.

He gave a friend, Michael George, $500 in a 2001 race for Adams County Court judge.

In January, he gave to George again. That donation was a thousand times larger.

"Without the support of the people in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia - and that's the money centers - I don't think he'd have the opportunity to get on the trail and tell his story and let the voters decide," Lowenthal said Friday about the biggest donation this year in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court race.

Lowenthal's $500,000 gave George, 56, president judge in Gettysburg, the biggest war chest among Republican candidates. The party has endorsed George, and his campaign is the third wealthiest in a field of 12 Republicans and Democrats, reporting $546,880 as of March 30.

Three Republicans and three Democrats will compete for three open seats after the May 19 primary.

The primary race has drawn nearly $3 million, with more expected in the general election. Judicial races rarely capture much public attention, and spending big on advertising is virtually the only way to get out their message, candidates said.

Unlike most other states, Pennsylvania has no limits on donations to candidates, said Barry Kauffman, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania.

"A large contribution from an institution or a person who has significant interests before state government will certainly influence the recipient of that contribution, if only to get him immediate access whenever he or she wants it," Kauffman said.

George said he would recuse himself from any case in which Lowenthal might have an interest.

Lowenthal said money's influence in elections, which he called "obscene," was the very reason he gave to George.

"He's not beholden to anybody," he said. "I think that's a positive thing for us."

Lowenthal, 66, is the entrepreneur behind Boyds Bears, a teddy bear line. He now busies himself investing, teaching at Mount St. Mary's University, and working his Adams County farm. He also founded the ARK Foundation, devoted to breaking poverty cycles.

He met George 20 years ago through a mutual friend. Among their favorite activities is an intermittent poker night, played for no money.

"He's very community-oriented. He's very kid-oriented, and I think he's fair," Lowenthal said of George.

When George told friends he was considering a run for the high court, he added he had heard from party members and veterans of state politics that he lacked the financial backing to be competitive.

George emphasized the conversation was not an overture for funding. He was stunned when Lowenthal later offered him a half-million dollars for his campaign.

"I wasn't sure if he was serious or not," George said.

George told Lowenthal he would not personally benefit from the gift, Lowenthal said.

"There are no favors in the offer," Lowenthal remembered George as saying. "There's no quid pro quo."

Lowenthal said he will not give any more to the race.

"This is to give Mike, who I believe would be great for the job, an opportunity," he said. "But that will be the extent of it."