Supporters of Joey Brunelle Rally Around Him at Gay Pride Parade.

Bree LaCasse’s campaign for city council has hit a roadblock:  It has run into such overwhelming negative publicity  that she’s resorted to using last minute “dirty tricks” to try and salvage her reputation.

Bree’s  campaign for city council has been discredited  by the local print media recently because of her affiliation with Steven Biel – known in Portland politics for his own dubious campaign practices as well as his wife Emily Figdor’s abuse of her post with the local Democrats.  Assisting in this dirty tricks campaign is State Senator Mark Dion, a candidate for Governor.

Tonight voters all over Portland were subjected to robocalls from Dion on behalf of LaCasse.  (She  works for a real estate developer, although she does not want that information to become TOO public.)  The robocalls from Dion state that a poll has been conducted concluding that the race for Councilor Duson’s seat is so close – so VERY close – that there is no point in voting for Joey Brunelle tomorrow.  So just vote for Bree.  That way your vote will count is the fraudulant message from Bree.  In his robocall this blogger received from Dion tonight,  he failed to state who conducted the poll and who paid for the poll.  It’s an old, old trick given new life by Bree. Biel & Dion.   You didn’t fall for this –  did you?!

In fact, the bogus poll was such a transparent ploy to salvage a hemorrhaging  campaign that most media outlets would not use the message last week. Chances are pretty good though that Steven Biel, the “dirty trickster” of Portland politics was involved in the last minute strategy and the implementation of this unsubstantiated claim. Because that’s the way Biel operates!  And that’s the way LaCasse, his protege,  operates too!  And now Dion operates this way also – who knew?!

If you missed it and this blogger hopes you didn’t, yesterday, November 5, 2017,  Bill Nemitz, a columnist for the “Maine Sunday Telegram” castigated Bree for her deceptive advertising mailers and her vagueness about Steven Biel.   At an October editorial board meeting, Bree was asked about her “ties” to Biel. She skirted the issue – refusing to come clean on his known involvement in her campaign.  That turned the editorial board off.  The Board endorsed the incumbent Councilor Jill Duson.  It doesn’t end there.

Next, Bree had the audacity to suggest in a campaign mailer that the board of the “Portland Press Herald” was endorsing her candidacy.  She just brushed  off the misrepresentation – ho hum – no big deal.  It IS a big deal. That deceptive advertising really turned Nemitz off even more.  Nemitz went after Bree & Biel in a tone usually reserved for the “big guy” – LePage.  Scrutiny is part of politics; just ask Twisted Trump.

There is a pattern here that is clearly unsettling.  Bree has  insisted that she was one of the original “movers and shakers” in the development of Congress Square Park.  “Not true” say those with first-hand knowledge.  Bree does not enjoy a reputation  as being open and accessible – but there are times when those traits are good ones – there is nothing like an election campaign to demonstrate that.  Clearly, she’d rather focus on her fictious role at Congress Square Park rather than be accountable as an employee for a real estate developer – given the current mood toward the real estate industry by many voters in Portland today.

In contrast to the robocall received by this blogger,  a reputable polling service has concluded that Joey Brunelle’s Campaign to unseat pro-development, anti-renter Councilor Jill Duson – councilor-at-large – is in a good position to succeed.

“I’m deeply disappointed that State Senator Mark Dion has allowed himself to be used in this way.  We are better than this,” wrote Joey Brunelle in an email to mhn.com this evening and other supporters of his.   “There is no place for this kind of shady tactics in Portland politics.  I have been fighting for a fair and affordable city for all our families, for accountability and transparency in our government and for  clean elections.  Those issues are more important now than ever.  Please remember to vote tomorrow!”

Polls are open until 8:00 pm in Portland on Election Day.