Amy Cozze Attempts to Justify Blackmailing the County She Wants to Lead

Last week, I told you that Amy Cozze blackmailed the county she now wants to lead. As NorCo Elections Registrar, she submitted her resignation and made it effective just 12 days before the November 2, 2021 municipal election. I included her own resignation letter, obtained through a Right-to-Know request, in which she also complains about stress and her mental and physical health. She put her own interests ahead of the county's core obligation in assuring the citizenry that its votes would be counted. Her blackmail worked. After she got the money she wanted, she rescinded her resignation.

I believe that once you've dug yourself into a hole, it's time to stop. But Cozze has taken her shovel and is digging a bit deeper. On her campaign Facebook page, she attempts to justify her blackmail. I'll post her 7-paragraph explanation, followed by my response. 

Over the course of this primary, my opponent and her supporters have lied about my departure from county government. I’ve chosen not to respond because I believe this campaign should be focused on our visions for Northampton County not divisive distractions. However, information from my private personnel file was shared to build a misleading narrative and I feel I need to address it.

In late 2019, following a disastrous election, I was offered the position of Chief Registrar at a salary far below what Election Administrators in similar counties were making, with the understanding—handshake agreement included—that my starting salary would be adjusted the following year based on performance.

In 2020, while battling my second round of breast cancer, I led a team that transformed Northampton County’s elections from national embarrassment to a state model during historic and unprecedented times. We implemented mail-in voting from scratch, rebuilt voter trust, trained 800+ poll workers, and delivered results faster than any other county in the Commonwealth. We did this all while receiving regular threats of violence and constant harassment by extremists. As a result, I was recognized by the Governor and appointed by the PA Senate to the Election Law Advisory Board, and the County Executive’s reputation had been restored. I did not receive an increase in pay.

In the fall of 2021, after nearly two years of flawless elections, I was finally told I would be receiving the raise I was promised in 2019. However, less than an hour later, I was told there had been an “accounting error,” so I would not receive the raise. My many attempts to have the issue corrected before the budget was finalized were met with silence. So, with the full support of my deputy and staff, I made the extremely difficult decision to resign.

Once Council heard what happened, they took it upon themselves to work to keep me at the county and approve a step increase for myself and my Deputy Registrar. That raise was then vetoed by the County Executive, the veto was overturned by Council, with only my opponent dissenting.

Let me be clear: I resigned because, like too many county employees, I felt I was being taken advantage of, and saw no end in sight. I stood up for myself and my staff—just as I’ve always stood with workers throughout my career. It’s one of the reasons I’m running for County Executive - not only have I seen the struggles county employees face, I’ve faced them myself.

Northampton County needs leadership that values workers, honors commitments, and puts competence over politics. As County Executive, I’ll fight for fair wages, safe workplaces, and accountable government. If, like me, you're tired of toxic politics and broken promises—then I hope I can earn your support.

My response:

1) I am unaware whether Tara Zrinski has made Cozze's blackmail an issue. I also should point out that I am far from a Tara Zrinski supporter. Though I think she has done a good job as Controller, I was highly critical of her as a Council member. 

2) Cozze's resignation letter is public information. I researched the Pa. Office of Open Records before making this request and found numerous cases supporting the public's right to know. Anyone who runs for public office should expect scrutiny. I never requested her "private personnel file".

3) She claims to have chosen against explaining her blackmail but now devotes seven paragraphs to doing just that. 

4) I am unaware whether McClure promised her more $ when he hired her as Registrar. But he did give her a raise, just not the raise she wanted. What I also know is that after losing an election to Joe Emrick, she was crying about having no healthcare. McClure offered her a job in his administration. No good deed goes unpunished. County Council buckled under the blackmail, but McClure vetoed the raise and Zrinski supported that veto. They oppose blackmail.  

5) I have already conceded that she made numerous changes in the elections office that improved our elections. That's why she was appointed. Unfortunately, her people skills are terrible. 

6) She admits that she offered her resignation to take effect just 12 days before an election and solely because she thought she deserved more money. That's unconscionable. 

7) She made no effort to secure better compensation packages for the rank-and-file elections workers that she ignored as Registrar.  

8) Speaking of toxic politics, she claimed falsely that NorCo left all kinds of federal grant money on the table, while the truth is that the US Senator who employed her gave NorCo a big fat 0 despite numerous requests. I'm just pointing out that she exalted her own financial well-being over the county's core obligation to conduct an election. If that is who you want, vote for her.