Northampton County Council Investgating Wrong Office

At last Thursday's council meeting, Lamont McClure announced his law and order committee will soon investigate the embezzlement of at least $83,000 in bail money by a former deputy clerk. Her office has not been fully audited since 1992.

Although this matter is being investigated by both the District Attorney and Auditor General, McClure wants to play detective, too. He even wants to hire a "forensic accountant" to tell us what we already know - a five year theft was possible because county officials were asleep at the switch.

So why the big "investigation"? Elementary, my dear bippy. Its purpose is to cast the Eye of Mordor in the direction of Controller John T. Schimmel, a Republican whose term expires next year. Blame for the $83,000 theft will be laid at his doorstep. Schimmel can expect a Democratic opponent should he choose to seek reelection. McClure's investigation is designed to stoke the flames from time to time.

Voter registration is one office where a complete investigation is really needed. Touch screen machines froze. Elections officials failed to inform voters who weren't on poll books about provisional ballots. Elections workers with questions would call the office but the phone would just ring and ring. Voting machines were not evenly divided among precincts. The ballot was designed to encourage straight party voting. Votes were not tallied until the next morning. And the large discrepancy between unofficial and official results, both with the congressional and other races, is inconsistent with Lehigh County, where there was little difference. The employees in these offices are dedicated and hard-working, but they could use a little help.

Councilman John Cusick noted some of these problems last Thursday, but county officials seem reluctant to take a hard look at an office designed to protect our most important right. It might interfere with the witchhunt.