Earlier this week, I suggested a connection between Northampton County Dem boss Joe Long and Larry Otter, the Bucks county goofball claiming to represent voter registrar H.R.H. DePaul at our last citizens' panel discussion of Northampton County's elections woes.
Thanks to Morning Call columnist Bill Rutherford White, we now know the truth. "Long, among others, suggested she contact a lawyer to represent her interests at the meetings. One of the names on his list was (drum roll) – Larry Otter. Otter says DePaul called him."
In choosing a lawyer recommended by the local Dem chair, H.R.H. DePaul proves local Republicans are right. She's too close to local Dems, and that damages public confidence in the electoral process.
17 comments:
Again. The biggest problem in Northampton County politics is Joe Long. Until he goes (and I would bet a fair election would do just that) there is going to be corruption and turmoil. Kudos to John Stoffa for being as upfront as you can be about not paying such an insane legal bill.
Mrs. DePaul's biggest problem is the same one Superintendent Joe Lewis of the Bethlehem School District has: both believe that anyone who is critical about the job they do is just airing a personal attack. Did she ever think she is just performing her job poorly?
If you ever get out of cyber blog world there is a Geico commercial about cavemen where they are doing an interview and he states they invented the wheel and fire - then makes an apology for taking so long to get it to us. You guys are idiots - our county's entire voting system changed. Have you read the national reports about actual voting disasters across the nation??? The only news here is your news that Mrs. Depaul is a Democrat - we get it and it's old news. What next she needs to parade her "R" friends to the courthouse. You guys need to get a real life or a real cause - your sinking yourselves now - not her. You are also making the Republican party look like a bunch of cry babies and I DON'T APPRECIATE IT!
Anon 5:38,
Gee, pal, you're absolutely right. What could I be thinking? HRH DePaul just happens to hire a lawyer who just happens to be recommended by the chair of the local Democratic party. His daughter was working there until July of last year. Last year, when Congressman Dent called the registrar with a concern about HAVA, the office gave him a number to call. It turned out to be the home phone number of the local chair. No partisanship there. No siree. Silly me. Pardon me for ever thinking that. I'll go get a labotomy at once.
Now let's return to the real world, shall we? Other counties, like LC, had their unofficial results out within a few hours after the poll closed. They were dealing with new machines and a new registrar as well. And guess what? Their unofficial results almost exactly corresponded w/ official results. There was not a 6% variance, as we had in the case of Congressman Dent. Or a 22% variance, as we had in the case of Senator Browne.
She's a bad registrar and she needs to step aside for someone, anyone, who could do the job. Joe Long needs to be told that the voter registrar office is not part of the local Democratic committee. And if this is making the Rs look bad, I don't really care. To me the right to vote is a little more important than you seem to think. I take that right seriously. That's a very real cause.
Funny, I am a Republican and ran and was served very well by DePaul and the office, despite her then boss. I never experienced foul treatment as a matter of fact the opposite. Question suppose I get her a Repubican attorney what then? I gonna take a shot in the dark when I say I don't think that you were aware her office with the exception of her is more "R" then "D". Oh, maybe this is some super secret spy thing going on. Wow, it seems the paranoid and defensive one is you. Again you are an embarassment stop "pretending" you really care about fairness and the Republican party. We don't need nor do we want your kind of help. I'll make a call to Mr. Dent tomorrow and let him know what you've been posting as I'm sure it will interest him.
Oh, come on anon R - Ms. DePaul has no excused she could've just waved her magic witch wand over her bubbling couldran. She needs to move over or learn her spells better. Oh oh Bern, better watch out she might be practicing you could be her practice subject she'll turn you into a toad. Oh that's right you're already one.
I'm gonna send her the book so she can make Bernie disappear. oh, and I think you spelled cauldron wrong-I think so anyway.
Anonymous Republican 9:27,
1) I'm not interested in fairness for Rs. I'm interested in impartiality. There is a difference. The registrar must be impartial,and there should never be any hint to the contrary. This is especially so now that we are using machines that are not certified by the state.
2) If you were the local Republican chair and helped HRH DePaul select a lawyer, I would question her impartiality and would accuse you of attempting to ingratiate yourself with an elections official.
3) I strongly suggest that tomorrow, you pick up that phone and call Congressman Dent's office, exactlty as you said you would. It should be an eye-opening experience for you.
4) If I have done any unfairness in writing about this, it has been to Dent. The Express Times carried a story several months ago about Congressman Dent and what happened when he personally called the voter registrar. She was not there, but an employee asked Dent if he'd like to be put in touch with the chairman. Thinking this was the chairman of the elections commission, Dent said sure. He was given a number and called it. The chair of the local Democratic party, Joe Long, answered. This is the same dude who was helping HRH DePaul pick out her legal eagle.
5) Please be sure to call and ask about it. And when you do, please express my apologies for not blogging about this separately. I completely missed that story when it appeared in the ET, and am embarrassed I only learned about it a few weeks ago.
6) Among those who have suggested that HRH DePaul has shown partiality are the following: Northampton County Republican chair Roy Shuman; vice chair Bob Kilbanks; republican committeeperson Mary Barket; and Shawn Millan, Congressman Dent's campaign manager.
7) Citizens task force member Dick Benner, a former registrar and hinself a solid D, expressed deep copncern over that call from Congressman Dent.
8) Now I know why Rs lost control of Congress and the state house. Keep up the great work.
Well, Mr. O'hare, do take me seriously because I am more so then you know.
1)There is not a doubt that office had bias leadership with the previous registrar. To Mrs. DePaul's credit she resisted ever resorting to defaming her previous supervisor. Shear professionalism as I heard she was not pleased with that person’s actions and has been working hard ever since to “clean” up the garbage left.
2)Since you haven’t an ounce of humanity you wouldn’t understand someone wishing to help someone that they feel is being treated unfairly – so argument on this over – mute point.
3),4)and 5) I will be calling more then Mr. Dent tomorrow, and I am quite certain they do not want their name associated with your rhetoric!
6)I am not so sure I see it the same as you and I think that Mrs. Depaul has acted defensively and maybe a little overboard but what do they say about putting someone in a corner is true. It’s a natural action to defend oneself. I think there is enough logic and thought process with this group to see if they reach out as the rest of us have she couldn’t be a more fair or non bias person. You again are beyond and the point is mute. As to admit she a kind fair person wouldn’t be any fun for you and that’s what important here – you don’t have a life of your own to you steal others.
7)As one who attended meetings many years ago, let’s just say Mr. Benner has no business speaking at ALL. Well known fact – direct from the DOS – refused to hand out Spanish Voter Reg. forms “don’t want them voting”, drinking at election time, rumor there was attempts to pay someone off to keep L.A. from getting hired? He might want to just watch what he says.
8)R’s losing – always a few negatives. Reason why I am working on the @#$holes like you butting you big nose in with ignorant statements. Riling up the opposition. You are going to have the same effect in NC if you continue.
Is someone going to do the obvious and FIRE her already?
Anonymous Republican,
1) In both of the last two meetings, HRH DePaul excoriated her predecessor, and permitted her employees to do so as well. You don't know what you're talking about.
2) There is no such thing as a "mute" point.
3) I don't give a shit if you're Dick Cheney. Who you are has nothing to do with the facts. You would do well to remember that instead of coming off as some grand poobah.
4) Please be sure to spell my name correctly when you call "more than Dent" to report my outrageous behavior. If you want to send the secret police to pick me up, I should be at the courthouse by noon. I'm starting early tomorrow.
5) Please find out what kind of booze Benner likes, buy a case, and send it to HRH DePaul. Maybe it'll help.
6) It feels good to be hated by Democrats AND Republicans. My work here is done.
wow Bernie, you managed to piss off somebody from the GOP too. Not sure how you did that, but great work.
If I were to offer one bit of advice for anybody who works for an elections office it would be to never place a call to any party leader unless you are returning a message and documenting very clearly what the nature of that call is.
So let me get this straight -- DePaul's lawyer is recommended to her by the County's Democrat Party Chair. At the public meeting he attends he tells the County's Republican Chairman that the Chairman is incompetent and doesn't know how to run his party. Ms. DePaul doesn't distance herself from those comments.
So the next time the Republican Chairman needs to interact with the Voter Registrar he's got to consider the following. He's dealing with someone who is accepting legal advice from his Democrat counterpart and the Registrar's "mouthpiece" ridiculed him.
Yeah. That sounds like a pretty impartial situation to walk into.
DePaul should be fired for her stunt with the lawyer alone. Prediction, Joe Long ends up paying the bill.
Stand strong Mr. Stoffa. And good job, Mr. O'Hare. Good government benefits the people -- party be damned.
So let me get this straight -- DePaul's lawyer is recommended to her by the County's Democrat Party Chair. At the public meeting he attends he tells the County's Republican Chairman that the Chairman is incompetent and doesn't know how to run his party. Ms. DePaul doesn't distance herself from those comments.
So the next time the Republican Chairman needs to interact with the Voter Registrar he's got to consider the following. He's dealing with someone who is accepting legal advice from his Democrat counterpart and the Registrar's "mouthpiece" ridiculed him.
Yeah. That sounds like a pretty impartial situation to walk into.
DePaul should be fired for her stunt with the lawyer alone. Prediction, Joe Long ends up paying the bill.
Stand strong Mr. Stoffa. And good job, Mr. O'Hare. Good government benefits the people -- party be damned.
>"It feels good to be hated by Democrats AND Republicans. My work here is done."
I'm an Independant; we still luv ya honey!
You know it's kind of funny when you think of it how long have you guys been at this one. Maybe DePaul should feel honored (of sorts) she's superseded so many other issues. I'm gonna take a shot in the dark here - I don't think she's quitting obviously she's a tougher woman (B is what you want me to use but I wont) then you gave her credit for. Maybe she even likes the attention - ooo.. wouldn't that just crack you up. She's becoming an icon. Hope she don't shave her head like Britney. Do you think maybe she had something to do with Iraq and terrorism?? I claim first dibs on the next county Executive pool - since I heard she had connections she's gotta win.
Yeah, she's an icon like Homer Simpson must be an icon around the plant where he works.
"How the hell did he melt down the simulator? It's not even attached to anything."
Anon 5:39,
The problem is our elections. In a democracy, that's pretty fundamental. Our elections and that office have been a problem for some time now. In my view, it should be given top priority. The only thing more important in this county is getting a living wage for its workforce. And I'm thankful for an elections panel that has taken its time and moved very carefully.
HRH DePaul can be held accountable for her mistakes. The latest of this was to hire a lawyer recommended by the chair of a local political party. That'n not impartiality. As far as I'm concerned, that alone is more than enough reason to remove her from office.
And NO, I don't want you to refer to HRH DePaul as a bitch. I don't believe there's any basis for referring to her in that way, or making allusions to Britney Spears. Her gender is irrelevant to this discussion. If you want to make an issue out of that, then that's your problem.
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