Democratic state Sen. Jimmy Dillon (D-Philadelphia) is hoping voters will show up for him on Election Day, despite the fact that he didn’t show up in court as required by law.
As a result, the Philly Democrat is facing an outstanding warrant from the state of New Jersey for failure to pay his fines for traffic offenses and failure to appear in court.
Now Pennsylvania Republicans are running ads letting voters know about Dillon’s scofflaw ways.
“Jimmy Dillon doesn’t play by the same rules we do,” the ad says. “We need a change.”
Pennsylvania Senate Republican Campaign Committee Communications Director Michael Straw told DVJournal, “No one is above the law, not even Jimmy Dillon.
“The citizens in Northeast Philly are good, honest, hard-working people. They certainly pay fines for their traffic violations, and their state senator should be playing by the same rules. Party bosses hand-picked Dillon in a last-minute backroom deal to replace his brother as a candidate in the special election. Now, the more we find out about Jimmy Dillon, the less there is to like.
“It really begs the question, what else don’t we know about him?” Straw added.
Dillon was handpicked by Democratic Party insiders to fill a vacancy in a 2022 special election when his brother Shawn Dillon was forced off the ballot due to legal challenges. Shawn Dillon failed to file documents required under the state’s ethics laws.
Dillon, 45, did not reply to requests for comment.
Dillon’s outstanding warrant dates from 2004 and is from Tuckahoe, N.J., Dennis Township Municipal Court Administrator Lauren Reddy verified that the warrant is valid and still outstanding. Reddy said it was for a speeding ticket and driving without a license.
“We feel it’s important that voters know the real Jimmy Dillon and that he doesn’t play by the rules as everyone else does in Northeast Philly,” said Straw. “No one else can refuse to pay fines or show up in court.”
Picozzi, 29, declined to comment on Dillon’s legal woes. But he did tell DVJournal he decided to run because Northeast Philadelphia is no longer the safe neighborhood he grew up in.
“I could ride my bike around as late as I wanted to, and my parents didn’t have to worry,” said Picozzi. “That’s not the childhood kids in the Northeast are having now. Violent crime has exploded up here.”
He noted there was just a triple shooting the other day at Bustleton Avenue and Tomlinson Road. And in March, eight Northeast High School students were shot at five points.
Asked what he would do if elected to the state Senate, Picozzi said he’d make sure the Philadelphia police got more funding and would be an engaged leader, working with the town watches to “make the neighborhood safer.”
Joe Picozzi campaigning
He’d also continue to fight to remove progressive District Attorney Larry Krasner.
“We’re going to really push to get him out of there,” said Picozzi. About Krasner seeking a third term, Picozzi said, “There’s no accountability there. These people get elected, do a terrible job, and they think, ‘Well, I’m a Democrat in Philly. I don’t have to worry. Why do I have to work? Why do I have to care?’”
“I’m running on three issues: public safety, public safety, public safety,” said Picozzi. He would also like to see more security cameras installed, and to start more summer programs for kids and “after school programs, vocational training programs, extracurricular activities, things to keep them motivated, connect them with good mentors and job opportunities.
“If a kid has a summer job, they’re far more likely to graduate high school,” said Picozzi.
When Picozzi was in high school, Councilman Brian O’Neill recommended him for the Youth Commission, where he learned about government. An Eagle Scout, Picozzi studied government at Georgetown, worked on Capitol Hill and was chief of staff for the Manhattan Institute, a think tank.
“I think we need new leadership with fresh ideas,” said Picozzi. “It doesn’t matter if people are Republicans, Democrats, Independents. If you don’t like the direction that things are heading in Northeast Philadelphia, just give me a chance.”
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