Northampton County Council Logjams Over Solicitor

From the moment I saw Lamont McClure's bogus termination letter to Northampton County solicitor Anthony Martino last week, I knew last night's annual "reorganization" of county council would be a mess. So did Morning Call blogger and columnist Bill White, whose pre-meeting blog is called "Solicitor Smackdown." That's pretty much how things went, too. Express Times reporter Sarah Cassi tells us that if last night's meeting is any indication of what next year portends, "the county should start selling tickets and popcorn."

Sitting in the cheap seats before the meeting started, I met Bucks County Attorney Larry Otter, who swam up the Delaware from Doylestown to make a pitch for that $49k part-time solicitor's job. Larry told me I look nothing like my profile picture.

"Larry, if you wrote what I write, would you want people to know what you really look like?"

"Fair point," conceded the Otter.

We were soon joined by Bill White and Freddie the Deputy Sheriff, who keeps threatening to shoot me. Bill was a little shocked at this, unaware that Freddie and I are actually great pals. We both drive Jeeps. He's never shot me, not even once. He just zaps me with a stun gun.

Then the Northampton County Bulldog, Ron Angle, was in the house. Walking into the star chamber, he glared at Bill White and me, sitting in the same row.

"There they are, the blogger and the blunderer."

Before Bill and I could decide who's who, Angle started clicking his heels and saluting Bill. Now Ron was wearing a long black leather coat he obviously picked up from the Wehrmacht, and looked like he had just come from the Wolf's Lair. There he stood, someone who's constantly accused of anti-Semitism, pretending to be Rommel. And he does it right in front of the Morning Call's most influential columnist. At this point, I asked Deputy Freddie to just shoot me. He refused, claiming it's a waste of bullets.

Patti Grube's Resignation

Before reorganizing, council had to decide whether to accept formally Patti Grube's resignation. Patti, appointed to fill her husband's vacancy, had written to council, apologizing but explaining her decision to accept the appointment was premature. As the votes were cast, council members Ron Angle and Mike Dowd said they were doing so "with regret." But in what certainly sounded like an unnecessarily mean-spirited and classless remark to me, McClure snarked, "I will have no regrets."

What is up with that?

Council Logjam

Down to eight members again, Council member Diane Neiper immediately nominated Ann Mchale as Prez. Just as quickly, Angle nominated Peg Ferraro.

Before they voted, Peg Ferraro predicted exactly what would happen. They are "deadlocked," with 4 Democrats and 4 Republicans. In the past, party labels disappeared once an election was over. "Now, this body is more polarized than ever. The President and Vice President should be from different parties."

Council ignored her, but Peg was quickly proved right. They deadlocked on whether McHale or Ferraro should be President. Each got four votes. Peg's recommendation was turned into a formal motion, and council deadlocked over that, too. Another party-line logjam developed over Diane Neiper or John Cusick as VP. They could not even agree on voting order, with both Angle and Dertinger insisting each should vote last.

Finally, Dowd broke out the buzzsaw, suggesting McHale for Prez with the understanding that a Republican would be named VP. McHale was quickly elected. Just as quickly, Dems tried once more to install Neiper as their VP, but they deadlocked again. Finally, Charles Dertinger nominated Mike Dowd as VP, and he is the only council member unanimously elected last night.

Everybody called everybody hypocrites.

McClure's Apology & Turkeys

After briefly discussing the council vacancy, McHale wanted to get the hell out of there. Not McClure. He wanted to stay until council named a new solicitor, even if it took all night. He then passed out a resolution to council members without bothering to inform the public what it contained.

Angle teed off on McClure's imperious letter firing solicitor Anthony Martino. "McClure had no right to dismiss Martino. But what bothers me is that you [McHale] OKed it." McHale indignantly denied ever having seen the letter, although she was obviously aware of its contents. She and Dertinger then started inexplicably blasting The Express Times over "inappropriate" and "undue" turkeys awarded to McHale and Neiper a few weeks before. Just five minutes before that, she was asking reporters at both papers to run a story about the council vacancy so they would not have to pay for an ad.

By the way, what the hell is an undue turkey?

Then came Lamont's big apology. He insisted on re-reading his letter to Martino in its entirety. As he did so, Ferraro and Cusick both bristled. Then he apologized for the last two sentences, claiming he was only firing Martino over a holiday to keep him from being embarrassed in public. Mighty nice of him, eh? He acknowledged usurping his authority, but only because he's a nice guy.

Council Logjams Over Solicitor

Peg Ferraro warned council it should hold off on a new solicitor until they have a ninth member because they would just logjam. Once again, they ignored her. Once again, she was proved right.

Neiper started things off by suggesting Christian "Pay to Play" Perrucci for the role. That failed. Then McClure, in a false spirit of compromise, suggested McHale pal Barb Hollenbach. Republicans started laughing. That failed, too. Finally, Dertinger nominated Larry Otter, a Dem operative who amazingly told council he "has no political axes to grind in Northampton County." Even McHale and Neiper voted against Otter, claiming the job should go to a Northampton County lawyer.

After three strikes, council was out and Anthony Martino remains council's lawyer, at least for now. The meeting ended when Angle said, "I am the emperor. When I say adjourn, adjourn."

Update: Both the Morning Call and Express Times boldly try to capture the insanity of last night's county council debacle, but we really needed Steven King. One council candidate, dressed very nicely, just sat there shaking her head in disbelief. You hadda' be there.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa: I make no apology for my opinions, but try to get my facts right. Really! So it is with a heavy heart that I must admit a faux pas. I criticized Lamont McClure's tackiness in refusing to accept Patti Grube's resignation with regret. What I failed to realize is that McClure actually voted against accepting her resignation, so his remarks were no slam at Grube. Lamont, all I can say is what you said last night. I am sorry.