Jimmy Cracks Scorn

James Tayoun Sr. , ex-councilman, ex-con, publisher of The Public Record and father of James Tayoun Jr. , who’s planning a run against state Sen. Vincent Fumo in the Democratic primary, seemed caught off-guard Feb. 10 when questioned about the Web site dumpfumo.com. The site is dedicated to news articles, opinions and cartoons that show Fumo in a poor light. When asked for a number to reach the potential candidate, Tayoun the father said the hopeful was too busy to talk to this reporter and said, "I’ll let you know when you can talk to him." When asked about the anti-Fumo Web site, Tayoun denied being involved with it and stressed that his son’s campaign will not be negative. When asked about Nora Truscello, the domain’s registered owner, Tayoun said he never heard of her and abruptly hung up the phone. Truscello did not return calls to the number listed in the registry. Fumo operatives didn’t know who she was either until Feb. 11, when they discovered that Truscello is the daughter of the elder Tayoun. The Daily News learned who she was Thursday, when she called and identified herself as Junior’s wife to tell the paper she was linking its stories on her site.

Backpedaling, Tayoun sent an e-mail to City Paper claiming that he assumed this reporter knew Truscello was his daughter, and he said the same thing to the Daily News.

Get real, Tayoun. Your days as a political power are long past. Every reporter in this town does not keep records on every member of your family.

Note to Tayoun the candidate: If you decide to run, your father is your biggest liability.

Who’s on the 182nd?

The field of Democratic candidates running in the 182nd state House District is getting crowded. Aside from incumbent state Rep. Babette Josephs, Terry Gillen and Andrew Hohns, word comes that Tony Palmiere wants a shot. Palmiere is the ward leader of the Second Ward and a paid staffer for U.S. Rep. Bob Brady in Brady's Philadelphia office. Palmiere did not return calls.

Palmiere once served Josephs, for almost a decade, as her legislative aide in her South Philly office during the heyday of former Second Ward leader and state Sen. Buddy Cianfrani. Cianfrani died in July 2002, and Palmiere won a nasty fight against Councilman Frank DiCicco to become the new ward leader. Palmiere had served as ward chair under Cianfrani and got a little help from his friends in the ward election, mainly from Electricians Union head John Dougherty, then a Fumo foe. (Fumo and Dougherty have since kissed and made up just in time for Fumo's re-election race this year.) Around the time that Palmiere won the leadership, Josephs lost most of the Second Ward through state redistricting to her Democratic colleague state Rep. Marie Lederer. Josephs could no longer fund the South Philly office, which was now only partially in her district. Lederer agreed to pay half from her state budget, but House Minority Leader Bill DeWeese, who has the final say on the matter, nixed the idea.

Josephs has since opened a new office in Grays Ferry, now part of her district. She still maintains her Center City office.

In another interesting twist, the five ward leaders in the 182nd made no endorsements for a House candidate. Palmiere, Fifth Ward Leader Sam Rappaport, Eighth Ward Leader Norman Berson, 30th Ward Leader Gillen, and City Council President Anna Verna, ward leader of the 36th, opted for no one, according to Democratic City Committee.

The Gay News

Stalwart foot soldiers for the Democratic Party gave up their Sunday to circulate nominating petitions for delegates for the 2004 Democratic Convention.

But these weren't any delegates -- the focus was on gay delegates. The DNC wants gay delegates at this summer's convention in Boston.

Renee Gilinger and Mike Marsico, co-chairs of Liberty City Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club, spent Sunday at the 12th and Locust restaurant Bump asking for signatures in the congressional First and Second Districts for Michael Weiss, who is an owner of Bump, and Mark Anderson. Bump patrons appeared to be obliging, maybe because Bump offers complimentary Bloody Marys and mimosas with brunch. Anderson wants to be a delegate for John Kerry, and Weiss is for Howard Dean. Die-hard Deaniacs made a brief appearance at Bump. But the gay-friendly Dean may not make it beyond the Wisconsin primary, so what happens to signatures for Weiss? "He can still use them," explained Marsico. "Dean can still have delegates at the convention; Bill Bradley had delegates even though he wasn't nominated." Both Marsico and Gilinger plan to be delegates at-large.

The Delaware Valley Legacy Fund, a nonprofit focusing on building endowments and funding programs for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, (LGBT) is hosting a Will Power Seminar. According to a survey conducted by the fund, community members are raising concerns about wills and estate planning and asset protection. Since same-sex marriage is not legal in this state, gay and lesbian couples living together should protect themselves. The Will Power Seminar is free and open to the public and pre-registration is encouraged by contacting the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund voicemail at 215-563-6417.