Four candidates are in the final heat for three coveted Northampton County judgeships this November. Lenny Zito - already appointed to the bench - and Mike Koury - a sitting magistrate - have been nominated by both parties, giving them an inside edge. That leaves popular state rep. Craig Dally squaring off against workers' comp lawyer Barb Hollenbach.I've seen Criag, Koury and Zito everywhere, washing cars, helping old ladies cross streets, carrying groceries, doing what they can to make sure people remember them on election day. But the Hollenbach camp has been unusually quiet. She has had to campaign while coming to terms with a recent family loss.
Her secret weapon in the primary was state senator Lisa Boscola, who for reasons that elude me, is popular. Barb just hitched her star to Lisa' wagon and was somehow able to capture the Democratic nod. It made no difference to them that her workers compensation work is mostly on behalf of employers who are doing their best to avoid paying for injuries on the job.
On Tuesday evening, at the Grand Eastonian, Boscola and Easton Mayor Sal Panto will sing a duet for Barbara at 5:30 PM. Somebody screwed up and sent me an invitation. I'd go, but Zito, Koury and Dally are doing my laundry that night, and last time, they used too much starch.
Wow, another ohare slam job. Dally not only does your wash but apparently makes your bed in the mornimg as well.
ReplyDeleteNot true by a mile. Hollenbach, by far, has been the most active campaigner of the 4. Since the primaries, I've seen or heard of her being at multiple public events, including Musikfest. She is canvassing (1 s or 2?) door-to-door and doing a masterful job getting her name out. I believe she will get the Mcall endorsement.
ReplyDeleteAside from that cognac-sipping fundraiser at Melt that was the subject of a recent posting of yours (also misleading in that you failed to mention it was for Dally specifically), Dally has been mostly out-of-sight. In fairness, it may be due to the budget travails.
Assuming Zito and Khoury are in, who do you want the third judge to be? Based on your posts, I've got a pretty good guess.
Actually, I will be voting for Zito, Dally and Hollenbach. But if she expects to win or even come close, she needs to campaign. My conclusion, which is shared by others, is that she is not.
ReplyDeleteI can't speak for the other candidates but Michael Koury, despite all slammers and garbage that was said in the primary are now poised to wear egg on their faces.
ReplyDeleteI am very excited to see that he will finally get what he has worked so hard for and has earned.
I'm sure the slamming will commence on him so I wanted to start things on a positive note.
Yes, I am biased because I know Mike personally, work for his office and know the kind of person he is.
I wish the other candidates the best of luck in their campaigns!
Fred Schoenenberger
Constable, Wilson Borough
My primary posts were factually based. Narlesky and Hollenbach did circulate nomination petitions on behalf of other candidates. Koury did run for two incompatible positions simultaneously. Of all judicial candidates, the Bar did give Koury the lowest rating. These are all factual observations.
ReplyDeleteAll candidates in this race are qualified. You should support Koury if you think he's a superior choice. We all carry our own bias and you admit yours. I welcome your comments supporting him.
Here's the way I look at it. Zito and Dally are head and shoulders above the other candidates. Dally gets knocked for notpracticing much law, but I consider him more knowledgable than most attorneys with an active practice. he does still practice law, and his legislative job is largely legal.
Then we have Koury and Holllenbach. I do not like the fact that Barb has made a career on the side of the bad guys, i.e. big corporate employers in worker comp cases. I do not like her association with Lisa Boscola or her error in circulating a nomination petition on beahlf of Ann McHale. But she is extremely bright, works hard, and is a fair-minded person. She also brings a woman's perspective to the bench. I went to law school with Barb and can think of few people who share her judicial temperament.
In Koury's case, I have the complaints I've outlined before. On top of that, I'll add complaints about his temperament. But he might actually be the brightest of all the candidates in terms of raw intellect. He is certainly qualified and did very well in the primary. I can't support him, but he should not lose any sleep over that bc he is going to win.
I too have worked with judge koury for many years. I know him to be a very intelligent jurist. He, like most judges have their pet peves and sometimes temperments(maybe that's why i'm retiring) If mike doesn't win the common pleas seat, the district of wilson boro will be extremely well served with him on the bench....Northampton county would lose a very intelligent, hard working youthful and experienced judge.
ReplyDeleteMike's nasty campaigning is a fair indicator of what type of judge he'll likely be. I'm staying away from his courtroom if I can help it. He's got a mean streak.
ReplyDeleteWhy is Hollenbach not running a more agressive campaign? Does she think that Dally has too much of a lead?
ReplyDeleteYes, whats the deal with Hollenbach??
ReplyDeleteEnuff about the others.
Bewrnie, you just better stay out of Josie's. She's got a 24 year-old chicken salad sandwich with your anme on it.
ReplyDeleteI was torn in the primary - I know or have known most of the people in the race. One of the deciding factors for me was the Hollenbach poster/campaign slogan. How does having Lisa Boscola as the center piece of your campaign make people want to elect you judge? Sen. Boscola's judgement does not convince me you are qualified for judge. In fact it sent me looking at other candidates and I never gave Hollenbach serious consideration.
ReplyDeleteThat slogan was the main reason Hollenbach did so poorly in the GOP primary and she will do poorly with GOP voters in the fall. Craig Dally does well with Democrats.
Election night is going to be a long one for Att. Hollenbach, who I am sure is a good person but I just can't move past her campaign theme/slogan. I am with Dally on this race.
Donald, I cannot contradict a word you wrote.
ReplyDeleteIs Koury still on the ballot for both DJ and Common Pleas? If so why? He won on both sides in May.
ReplyDeleteIf Dally does so well with Dem's he would be on both ballots.
ReplyDeleteDally in another ineffective Harrisburg insider who now wants a lifetime job near his house.
Koury is the man but he wouldn't kis ohaters ample azz so he is attacked.
To Donald:
ReplyDelete...because in a crowded field of candidates, the Boscola endorsement made her stand out and, ultimately, carried the day. Trust me, Hollenbach is no dummy and her primary victory proved it.
IMHO, the general election will come down to who does better in Easton. Hollenbach will be having a campaign event at the Eastonian hosted by Sal Panto. Smart. What's Dally's strategy for getting a win in the city? Which Eastonian has given him an endorsement?
As far as campaigning, Hollenbach has been out there working hard virtually every day since the primary. I believe the commenters who feign ignorance of this fact are supporting Dally. Again IMHO, when Dally saw how he almost won the Democrat primary, he felt that he could coast to victory in the general and, as a result, has gotten caught flat-footed by the hard-charging Hollenbach.
In the end, everyone should ask themselves who they think would make a better judge, someone who has practiced law continuously for over 20 yrs and is fighting hard for every vote, or someone who has not been in the Courtroom for at least 10 years and is looking for safe job to escape the chaos of Harrisburg? The choice is clear. By the way, has Dally ever stated WHY he wants to be judge?
If Barbara is working so hard, why didn't I see her at the gathering for Judge Panella last Tuesday? Criag Dally, Michael Koury and Lenny Zito were there. So were a host of sportsmen and local leader that included Stoffa, Dertinger & Cusick. Was Barb there? I got there late, but nobody mentioned her to me.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I see the wisdom of getting Panto for an event in Easton. But Boscola? I do not think that helps Barb in the general. It may actually hurt.
You will be hard pressed to find anyone as hard working and dedicated to public service as Craig Dally. In fact , save your time and energy because it is just not possible to do. He has done an outstanding job all his years in Harrisburg and has done exactly as a State Rep should - serve the people of his district with complete and unwavering dedication. His office staff is top notch and his integrity has never wavered. The people of Northampton County will get the cream of the crop when they elect him in November.
ReplyDeleteDally is just another Harrisburg insider who can't even do the one job they have to do, pass a budget. Oh he is so great he should stay in Harrisburg.
ReplyDeleteI vote for judge Judy.
ReplyDeleteI will always be a proud support of Candy Barr Heimbach. However, since she was not nominated by either party in the primary, I will proudly cast my vote for Craig Dally.
ReplyDeleteI would urge fellow Heimbach supporters to do the same and Craig is a wonderful person and is the only judicial candidate who deserves our support.
Hollenbach does not have support from enough people to win this race. When you attach yourself to the likes of Boscola you have people questioning your integrity as well as hers. Wrong move . Best candidates are Dally, Zito and Koury by far.
ReplyDeleteI love being scolded by people who do not have the courage of their convictions to allow us to know who they are
ReplyDeleteYou are right 5:56 & 6:16 Boscola's support no doubt carried her through the Dem primary but it killed her in the GOP Primary please review how close Dally came to taking the third Demo nomination
I was told by a Dem Party leader that Hollenbach was going to drop Boscola off her posters but all the ones I have seen still have her on.
The slogan just makes her seem bought and paid for and will do Lisa's bidding and not be an independent judge - It may not be true but in campaigns and politics image means a great deal and in this case according to her campaign Hollenbach is beholden to Lisa Boscola
1/4 page add back page of section 2 in the Express-Times - Hollenbach has not changed her campaign approach.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to her with that
Donnie what's your problem? First you criticize others for posting anonymously, when you yourself go by the name of "Donald". When you post your full name maybe we'll consider doing likewise. Second, you seem perplexed that someone running for office would tout a high profile endorsement. Welcome to reality brother.
ReplyDelete8:56
ReplyDeleteIf you clicked onto my name it will take right to me. You did know you could do that? You will see that I am not the one hiding. Now what happens if I click on Anonymous - nothing - it leads no where
Also if you think calling me Donnie is in any way an insult or clever attempt to demean me - you failed - you do not have that power.
I am not perplexed by somthing that simple it just seems to be the basis of her campaign.
Bernie,
ReplyDeleteI usually agree with the vast majority of your posts but this time you are wrong about Hollenbach. What you are seeing is the "Good ole boy" network at work in the most obscene way. Democrat turned republican to get a nomination Zito, three time Koury and state budget debacle Dally are working together to keep another female off of the bench. By all standards she is the most qualified, has grass-roots support and has the compassion to be one of the best judges in out county's history BUT.... the good ole boys are campaignning together to keep her out.
Zito needs to make up his mind PRIOR to the election as to where his values and standards lie -- with the common people or with the high and mighties. Koury -- he is a Democrat but isn't showing the leadership he should be by being with Hollenbach - the only other true Democrat and certainly well-respected by the bar and the community. Dally, he needs to stop washing cars and do what we electred him to do now -- the state budget and not campaigning.
Elect Barbara Hollenbach --- and guess what? I have not met her but everyting I see and hear I like.
Anon 314,
ReplyDeleteI will be voting for Barb in spite of her Boscola ties and her penchant for representing the employer in workers comp litigation. I cannot in good consciense vote for Michael Koury, but know he will win.
In response to Hollenbach being left alone in the corner and Dally washing cars - this race goes far beyond who is republican and who is democrat as far as I am concerned. This race is about who will best serve Northampton County on the bench. It's about the amount of hard work,knowledge, dedication and integrity demonstrated by each candidate not just during the campaign but during an entire lifetime. You will be hard pressed to find anyone comparable in all those areas as Dally is , was, and always will be. Walk a day in his shoes and guaranteed you will need new soles. He is everywhere, everyday working as a servant to the people. The budget or lack of a budget has nothing whatsoever to do with this race. Dally is but one of many, many reps who have a vote in Harrisburg and clearly is working 20 hours a day taking care of all his duties in and out of Harrisburg.
ReplyDeleteDally is a politico pure and simple. When one looks for someone to serve on the bench you think of intellect and judgement not Harrisburg gladhanding.
ReplyDeleteHollenbach is a full-time attorney who is steeped in the law. Dally is a lifetime politico looking for the next taxpayer funded free ride.
He is a nice guy but has acheieved nothing in Harrisburg and is backed by the legal integrity of ohare, that says it all.
Washing cars is great if you want a job at Rudy's, I prefer a mature legal mind.