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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Nazareth Magisterial Candidate Not Playing By The Rules

Today, as I do nearly every day after leaving my estate atop the Army Navy Store, I visited the Nazareth News Agency to buy a few newspapers. It was still snowing like hell, so I thought I'd read Bill White's love stories at home before trudging off to work. When I walked in the news agency, I wasn't in work clothes. I was wearing shorts, tee-shirt and flip flops.

Now, I thought I saw something odd in there, but it was hard to tell. Everyone inside was shrieking in laughter at an old fart in shorts and flip flops in the midst of a blizzard.

"Get a life," I growled, and walked off in my flip flops. I was going to give those laughing hyenas the bird on my way out, but slipped on my ass. More shrieking.

Well, tonight it hit me. I marched back to that store, fully clothed this time, and saw the problem. Mark Franczak, a district judge candidate, has two nominating petitions (one for each party) inside the store on a counter for customers to sign. In fact, he already has eight signatures.

But no one is acting as a circulator. The store owner told me he certainly isn't circulating on behalf of anyone, and doesn't even know who dropped these petitions off. This makes Franczak's nomination petition completely invalid. Anyone running for office should know this, especially a judicial candidate. All nomination petitions require a "circulator" affidavit from someone who physically circulated the document and has personal knowledge of the signatures.

Does Franczak think he can be elected magistrate when he doesn't play by the rules? And don't you think Nazareth residents have had enough from governmental officials who thumb their noses at the law?

12 comments:

LVDem said...

big no no...

Anonymous said...

At least he can say he was incompetant from the start.

Anonymous said...

good one, anon 8:40

Anonymous said...

this is actually his second faux pas from what i hear. the first is that he ACTUALLY owns a home and lives in Bushkill Township but he is renting a room at the YMCA in Nazareth in order to run in this district. talk about judicial integrity and ethics! this is what gives politics a bad name and keeps people away from the polls.

someone should get the elections office and other local papers involved.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Holy cannoli!!! I've just checked assessment records and you're right. Franczak lives in Bushkill and is pulling a fast one. Thanks for letting me know. I'll get the word out.

Anonymous said...

I heard rumors that one of the other candidates for District Judge obtained signatures for the ballot petition at a kick off party. That would not be a bad thing if the party would not have been held days before a petition could be legally signed (February 13th). If the rumors are true, that would be a real big NO NO happening right under the candidates nose! Also, I heard rumors of petitions being circulated by County employees/candidates on "county time." If not illegal -- certainly unethical or inappropriate.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Anon 1:11, Name names and provide detrails and I'll check out your claim. But just so you know, it is no defense to claim that others violate the law as well.

Anonymous said...

"Not a defense" -- I have nothing to defend because I am not running... I am merely commenting on the posting as I sip my coffee on a cold day while looking out the window.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Anon 1:35, Let me make this as clear as I can possibly make it. It is wrong for someone to expect people to elect him judge when he cannot follow the rules. If someone circulates a petition before the earliest date permitted, he's wrong. If someone has petitions signed on county instead of on break time, he is in violation of the county's home rule charter. If someone circulates a petition by leaving it at a store where there is no registered voter there to witness as a circulator, he's violated elections laws. If someone changes his address just to meet the residency requirements for judge, he's violated the constitution. If someone does not actually live for an entire year within the district before the election, he's in violation of the constitutioon. If someone says he lives in Nazareth but his wife and children live in Bushkill, he's violated the elections code.

After what happened in Nazareth last summer, we should have ZERO tolerance for candidates who don't follow the law, especially if they want to be a judge. And I don't intend to let this go.

Nazareth deserves better.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Nazareth deserves a Magistrate that is willing to separate himself from his family so that he is completely legal until he can find a suitable house for the family in the jurisdiction. I know that if I had an applicant for a job that told me he wants to serve my company so much that he is willing to leave his wife and child behind, move to the location of the company, purchase a house and then move his family to the new house -- all at his own cost and effort, I would think this is an applicant that really wants the position. I certainly would not think this is an evil person that is illegal and unethical. Only you bippie could come up with that conclusion!

Bernie O'Hare said...

If he weanted to do the right thing, he'd move his entire family now, wouldn't he? But he wasn't interested in doing the right thing. He was hedging his bets. And if he did exactly what you said, he violated our elections laws. He can only be registered where his wife and family reside. Under the law, that is considered his principla residence. Trey reading the law while you sip your coffee.

Anonymous said...

aren't rooms at the Y meant for those more unfortunate souls in unfortunate situations who are in true need of affordable housing rather than candidates for judgeships? is this where membership dues to the Y go to support?