As we get closer and closer to primary day (May 19), I thought I'd update you on the latest involving the eight candidates seeking three judicial vacancies:1. Web Pages. - Craig Dally (state rep. webpage only), Candy Barr Heimbach (here), Barbara Hollenbach (here), Michael Koury (here), Karl Longenbach (here), Samuel Murray (here), James Narlesky (none) and Leonard Zito (none). What do they tell us?
Hollenbach will be tough on crime. "People have a right to be safe ... yada, yada, yada." Funny thing. Barb never served a second in the District Attorney's office. If this issue really mattered to her, why has she spent no time prosecuting the bad guys? Her statement sure seems more like vote pandering than a statement of honest conviction.
Michael Koury tells us how lucky we are to have him. "Michael Koury decided to leave the opportunity of a multi-million dollar per year career as a Wall Street lawyer." Obviously, he's doing us all a big favor.
Instead of rattling jail doors or telling us how lucky we are, Sam Murray tells us he's "extremely grateful and humbled by the support he has received." Karl Longenbach is just as classy. “The fair and impartial administration of justice is the cornerstone of every safe and prosperous society.”
In the battle of the web pages, Heimbach, Murray & Longenbach are clear winners.
2. Meet the Press. - Earlier this year, Judge Antony Beltrami refused to recuse himself from a case involving his largest campaign contributor. Now he had already ruled, so the motion was a little late. But a petulant Beltrami just had to add that excusing himself would make the judicial system "unmanageable."
In Sunday's Express Times, reporter Sarah Cassi asks judicial candidates how they feel about recusing themselves from cases involving a contributor. Only Michael Koury feels a judge should step down. All other candidates, while advocating full disclosure, argue against a "blanket policy." Judge Zito notes that, aside from money, he might be asked to decide a case involving a friend, and should always discuss this issue. "It's not only good sense, its good manners."
In addition to Sarah's account, the League of Women Voters has asked whether the Judicial Conduct Board, which monitors a judge's ethical conduct, is working. Heimbach, Dally and Narlesky argue that we need to increase public awareness. Judge Zito believes the current four-year statute of limitations should be extended.
In their responses to specific questions, all candidates are informative. Zito is impressive.
3. Hollenbach, Narlesky & Longenbach File Early Campaign Finance Reports. - Campaign finance reports are due on May 8. But Barb Hollenbach, Jim Narlesky & Karl Longenbach have taken the unusual and commendable step of filing early campaign finance reports (6th Tuesday Pre-Primary). Narlesky and Longenbach are largely self-funded, relying on themselves and family. But Hollenbach reports raising $37,225.00. This includes $1,000 from state senator Lisa Boscola.
4. Online Poll Shows Recent Surge by Heimbach. - On my left sidebar, I have an online poll. On April 16, with 515 votes cast, three candidates appeared to be in the lead - Craig Dally(116), Sam Murray(107) and Lenny Zito(93).
Now, with 936 total votes, Candy Barr Heimbach has surged to 2d place behind Craig. Here's the latest tally: Craig Dally - 206; Candy Barr Heimbach - 170; Samuel Murray - 162; Karl Longenbach - 145; Leonard Zito - 137; Michael Koury - 57; James Narlesky - 31; and Barbara Hollenbach - 28.
This online poll is mostly for fun. If it is an accurate reflection of the voting public, then it appears this race is far from settled. Dally, Heimbach, Murray, Longenbach & Zito are all within striking distance of each other.
28 comments:
Another O'Hater slam piece. I am sure some of the candidates would question your "interpretative" take on their campaigns.
Wow, the Joe Long Dems strike as soon as I post. They must love me. Thanks.
Hollenbach's report says that she ended with about $11,000 and had not paid a bill for $13,000. 2K in the red.
Gee, I've gotten three pieces of mail and some phone calls from Mr. Narlesky's campaign, why isn't that on his expense report?
Most likely because this is an older report! It is the 6th Tuesday Pre-primary report, from about 4 weeks ago!
Hey Bernie, could you fix the layout of your post, it was kind of weir to read. Thanks
I'd like to accomodate you as best I can, butneed more to go on. I'll guess and see if that solves it.
Narlesky has been assaulting with flyers and robocalls. I know two things about this character Narlesky:
1. His wife thinks he's really cool.
2. He joins the list of schmucks who instantly lose my vote by ringing my home phone without permission. I view him as a true domestic terrorist who ruins county voters' domestic tranquility with harassing calls.
Not only will I not vote for him. I'm hoping for his crushing defeat.
I hope Jim and his lovely family have a quiet evening.
Narlesky is the only qualified candidate. The fact that O'Hare and his putrid posse are against him is a plus for Narlesky.
Was the last post from Severson himself?
Zito and Dally are in for sure.
Qualified or not, I suspect Dally would find the job of county judge to be tedious (as indeed it would be).
Bernie, touched on the fact in an earlier post that we have multiple qualified candidates. I think people should base their choice on who has actual trial (civil or ciminal) experience. I know Hollenbach, Zito and Narlesky fit that bill
If actual trial experience is the criterion of choice, then you can't leave Heimbach off the list. She may very well have more than anyone on the list not named Zito.
I just got a Hollenbach mail piece from the Democratic state committee. Did they endorse her? Are they mad because Len Zito switched to Republican after Rendell appointed him? Can't these people like T.J. Rooney count? It's nice that Ed Rendell appointed Len, and we all appreciate it, but he still had to get through the Republican senate. What did T.J. Rooney expect? Gee, I'll be a loyal democrat and go down to flaming defeat in the Rebublican senate?? Len's a realist, he knows you have to do what you have to do to get by, be a D one day be an R the next. It's the way the system works. Just look at Hollenbach, fighting for Stoffa all the time in her law firm, and then saddling up to the McHale people, that's just like being an R one day and a D the next. Come on, how can T.J.do this to Len, he's already said he will switch back after the election. Why shouldn't he get to mail at the discount rate, or do we just don't count in the Slate Belt, only Bethlehem gets the party mail discount?
Is that last post true?? Did the Democrats mail with the tax exempt rate?? Is that tax fraud?
Bernie. We are 12 days out from the election. Who do you think will win both sides in May?
Hollenbach is doing TV ads on WFMZ. Looks like the Ds behind her big time.
Anon 7:26,
I took some time to think about that. I believe Lenny will win on both sides of the ticket. Craig will definitely win the R nomination, and has a very good shot at the D nomination, too. I really think there will be only one open seat. I think Sam will have get on one of the ballots and the other will go to Heimbach or Koury.
Having said that, I just was talking to a highly placed Dem who thinks Narlesky will get the Dem nod. If Barb does heavy TV advertising, she may succeed, too. I just don't know.
Anon 5:38,
The Dems are broke. I'll know for sure by Friday or Monday, but think Barb is digging into her own pocket.
Heard from a high and knowledgeable Dem, that Zito and Dally are competing for 1 of the D spots. Zito wanted to put out the lawyer ratings showing Dally as 7 out 8 and not qualified but Zito did not want to look like he was bashing Dally. He did not want to appear negative and lose votes. So he used Murray as a tool to get this done with his brochure to Ds. Supposedly Zito thinks that Murray cannot win but he can use him to knock down others.
Murray's mail says its done by Bridge. That is Reibman's guy who did all those very nasty pieces against Angle showing him behind bars.
The mail piece, in which Murray features the bar ratings, is entirely appropriate. It shows how fellow bar members are calling it. he rates highly. Why wouldn't he want people to know that? It is in no way negative. Those who think so are mistaken.
Murray could have simply stated that 98% of the bar found him qualified or highly qualified. He listed everyone's ratings because it lists Zito first and it slams Dally. Zito needs this with the Ds but cannot do it himself so he uses Murray as a tool. Sam's reputation may not be the same after this election is done. I am sure there are more pieces - even worse in the pipeline.
I know Sam and what he is like. he had every right to tout the bar ratings, especially since he did so well. Since the bar made no general recommendation, there is noway he could do that w/o releasing all the hard data.
He is running a positive campaign, offering reasons why people should support him. he is not running against any one person, nor is he allowing Zito to use him. That kind of thinking presumes the worst of two very good judicial candidates, and is exactly the type of thinking that has consistently cause Koury trouble in his two previous runs.
It should be unethical that Koury is allowed to be on the ballot running for two positions. What job does he want??? If I'm correct, this will be the 3rd time he is trying to run for County Judge and vacate his Magistrates position. How dedicated is he really to his current position? I think people should take that into consideration!!
Sam Murray will make a very good Judge. If anybody doesn't vote for him,,,, they are crazy!
Mike is very dedicated to his Magistrate position, he is one of the few Judges that you can always count on being in his office every day. I've even seen him in his office on state holidays when most Judges are taking the day off.
He is always available and never gripes about his job.
His decision to run for both positions in my opinion is a smart idea. Should he not get a County Judge position in this highly contested race why should he have to give up his Magistrate position if he doesn't have to?
The public would then lose a dedicated, experienced and valuable person to serve as Magistrate Judge only to hope that someone good gets appointed or elected.
Mike is very humble in NOT conceding to anyone that he is a guaranteed win for a county Judge's position.
There are a great bunch of highly qualified people running for only 3 spots, I seriously hope the voters will pause and think before they cast their vote on May 19th.
In summation...
Again, knowing Michael Koury as a Judge I can only say that he would make a fine addition to the court of common pleas and I can assure you the public would be very happy with his work ethic and principles serving on the county bench.
Fred Schoenenberger
"98% of legal experts say Sam Murray is the right choice for Northampton County Judge."
Robo call went out today - Mother's Day -- from a PAC called Move on Pennsylvania. It touted the Bar evaluation specifically for Murray and Zito. These 2 are obvioulsy working together. I wonder who is funding this PAC and what they are planning for the last 8 days.
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