Lehigh County's Home Rule Charter tells us that Bill Leiner, a Democrat who is resigning as a Lehigh County Comm'r, must be replaced by another Democrat. Commissioners could play games and appoint a Republican who switches parties just as long as it takes to get appointed, but that would likely defeat the intent of the Home Rule Charter. Commissioners have 45 days after the vacancy occurs, or it goes to the courts. The successful applicant must be a person who has resided in Lehigh County for at least one year before there was a vacancy.When Lehigh County's Republican-controlled Board filled a Democratic vacancy nearly two years ago, they chose David Jones, a person whom they believed would run for the job and provide some continuity, as opposed to a mere stewardship. In fact, he was nominated by conservative Glenn Eckhart, of all people.
I have no reason to doubt this philosophy has changed, but doubt very much that the appointee will be either Hillary Kwiatek or Jeanne McNeill. Both were involved last Fall in ugly races against incumbents Glenn Eckhart and newcomer Tom Creighton. Both were heavily financed by the County Executive, causing now Chairman Dean Browning to question their independence. Most damaging of all, neither had the courtesy to call their opponent and concede, once the results were known. Neither came to the Commissioners' swearing-in ceremony, as Browning had done when Dan McCarthy beat him a few years ago in a District race.
But rest assured, there is no shortage of Democrats interested in this position. One name I've been hearing is one most of you know. Allentown resident Geoff Brace, a frequent commenter here and on other blogs, is interested. Brace, just 29 years old, is a downtown revitalization specialist who until recently, drove all over the state to train people in Main Street revitalization programs. He currently is employed as executive director of Kutztown's Main Street initiative.
Photo Credit: Reading Eagle
The Ohare endorsement! That is the kiss of death.
ReplyDeleteBernie, I got chastised for a mailing that allededly wasnt true or not having the facts. You just posted something about me and you did not bother to check out the facts. First of all, I did try to contact Tom. I was not able to find a phone number for him. Secondly, I was not at the swearing in for two reasons. The most important was on the day of ths swearing in, I would not have even been there if I had won because I was in a hospital with my husband who was having open heart surgery at that time, and the other reason being, I work with special needs students and try to take off as little as possible so as not to disrupt their daily schedule. I have never responded to your other comments, but this time you should have checked your facts before you wrote something about me. If you would like to get together for a coffee, and talk, let me know, but please, do not write comments about something that you did not check on.
ReplyDeleteRespectfully,
Jeanne McNeill
Sorry about the typos. Was leaving for work and typed it quickly without checking for errors.
ReplyDeleteJeanne McNeill
Jeanne,
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear about your husband and hope he is doing better, but I do have my facts right.
You did not concede, something candidates generally do when the results are obvious, even in races that turn ugly. It is a very easy matter to obtain Creighton's contact info for election night. He had yours, and Dean Browning did provide Creighton's contact information as well as the contact info for other candidates to the Cunningham camp for dissemination.
This failure, both by you and Kwiatek, was noticed, and was intended to be noticed. It made both of you look petty. Of course, at that time, neither of you thought you might be applying for a vacancy/
Your absence at the swearing in is certainly understandable, and you've explained that.
Hi Bernie,
ReplyDeleteI am still waiting for Mr. Eckhart to apologize to me for calling me a liar in his robocall, accusing me of breaking the law in his press release, and sneaking a photographer into the budget hearings to intentionally take unflattering photos of me to use in his mailings.
And I'm waiting for both he and Mr. Browning to apologize for making things up about me in Mr. Eckhart's mailings about me. The suggestions that I saw taxpayers as ATM machines and that I think money grows on trees were completely beyond the pale.
Not to mention there is a very likely possibility that some of Mr. Eckhart's supporters started a whisper campaign about my Judaism, which I am not sure had any influence on the outcome of the election but was still completely inappropriate.
So, just as soon as my phone rings and Mr. Eckhart has an apology ready for his actions and those of his supporters, I'll be ready with my gracious concession.
The one thing I find amusing in all of this is that Mr. Eckhart is so sensitive about my pointing out the truth of his record: that he had a terrible attendance record at the budget hearings his first three years in office (25%!), and that he voted against the Safe Streets Initiative twice, which is simply the truth. Meanwhile, I was expected to just accept the rough and tumble of politics as they said outrageous things about me that were pure conjecture.
As for Geoff, I think he's a great guy and would make a very good commissioner. There are a number of people I have heard are interested who would make fine commissioners.
Dear Mrs. McNeill,
ReplyDeleteCertainly being with your husband at his time of need is understandable. So, instead of being there, did you send a note or card of good wishes to the winner?
Hillary,
ReplyDeleteIt was a negative race, and BOTH sides used negative mailers. My recollection is that you went beyond Eckhart's opposition to Safe Streets and portrayed him as anti-cop. As you hated the ATM comparison, do you think a commissioner who actually increased the size of a police force might be upset by an ad that portrays him as anti-cop?
Negative campaigns inform the voters, giving them reasons to vote against your opponents. But the risk is that they cause hard feelings between candidates.
As I'm sure you'll recall, I urged you after the race to do the classy thing and concede. I'm sorry you could not rise above the bitterness, and honestly feel that you will now pay a price for that refusal.
As far as the suggestion - a "very likely possibility" - that Eckhart attempted to wage an anti-Semitic smear campaign, that's a very serious accusation. I find it next to impossible to believe he would do something that outrageous, and question why you would make such a horrible accusation without supplying any proof that makes you say this is a "very likely possibility."
Hello Hillary,
ReplyDeleteYour negative untrue attacks on a really nice guy like Glenn Eckhart did not work during the campaign, why makes you think it will work now?
The campaign is over!
Moveon.org
It's a very serious accusation, and a personal one.
ReplyDeleteBernie,
ReplyDeleteI am not going to get into a tinkling match with you here. I attempted to get a number for him. Honestly, I did not even think to ask the Cunningham camp for numbers. They had no clue who Tom was before he ran, so I had reason to think someone would give out contact numbers. With the vote being so onesided, after my attempt to get his number failed, I moved on, figuring there was no reason to pursue it, with it all over. I am new to this, and until I read your comments, did not realise how "important" it is to concede. My apologies to anyone who was offended and to Mr. Creighton. I wish him the best and hope he does well for the County. THat is my only concern at this time. As far as saying I would have done so if I knew a position would open, I do what is in my heart and what is right, and not to look good for someone or something. Anyone that knows me would tell you that. I dont do things to look good for political posturing. As far as applying, I do not need to add any more stress or ugliness to my household or family at this time.
I hope the commissioners choose a candidate that is best suited to replace Mr. Leiner, who was always a classy, respectable, open minded commissioner.
Jeanne McNeill
Tinkling?
ReplyDeleteYes, Jeanne, little things like that go a long way. Emil Giordano once ran a campaign against John Morganelli for DA. Things got pretty rough, rougher than your race by a long shot.
On election night, when John was celebrating his victory, a tall guy came into his campaign camp to shake his hand. That person was Emil Giordano.
That is class, and is something Morganelli never forgot.
Giordano is now a judge.
You have now conceded here and are absolved. Now go and sin no more. Hope all is well with your family.
Gee, thank you Bernie, I will sleep better forever and a day knowing that.
ReplyDeleteJeanne McNeill
Be careful or I'll make you say three Hail Marys.
ReplyDeleteYer like the Dr. Phil of politics. Consider her red wagon fixed.
ReplyDeleteBernie,
ReplyDeleteRe-read my comment. I never said Glenn Eckhart started a whisper campaign, I said his supporters. Your blog contains evidence of that.
Hillary
Excuse me?
ReplyDeleteWhat you said is that it was "a a very likely possibility that some of Mr. Eckhart's supporters started a whisper campaign about my Judaism." Whether or not Glenn is directly involved, he would have to be held accountable. And if his supporters did such a thing, it would most likely be with his approval or acquiescense.
Your evidence is that one anonymous comment on my blog, which I subsequently deleted? Give me a break! How the hell do you know that came from a Glenn Eckhart supporter? Couldn't it just as easily be a Kwiatek supporter, attempting to get people to feel sorry for you? Most likely, it was the isolated rant of a self-loathing Jew, having little to do with anything. You may recall that the person who posted that remark did later claim he was Jewish.
If this is your evidence of anti-Semitism from the Eckhart camp, you should be ashamed of yourself. This is a very serious accusation, and should never be made lightly because that diminishes the very real cases of anti-Semitism that do exist.
How does Eckhart defend himself from such an accusation? It's impossible to prove a negative, but he should not be tarnished by such a serious claim without more substance than what you've provided.
I am amazed that you now use anti-Semitism as an excuse for your own defeat.
Hillary Kwiatek said...
ReplyDelete...Not to mention there is a very likely possibility that some of Mr. Eckhart's supporters started a whisper campaign about my Judaism, which I am not sure had any influence on the outcome of the election but was still completely inappropriate...
Hillary -
Until your post, I had know knowledge of your religious beliegs and had not heard anything about the so-called "whisper campaign".
Might I suggest that the whispering you hear is most likely from the voices inside your head.
there was a whisper campaign that was started here. bernie deleted a comment from somebody who made an issue of religion. It was certainly mean-spirited. Glenn's connection or his supporters' connection would be hard to ascertain but it was certainly real.
ReplyDeleteOne bizarre comment here, subsequently deleted, does not constitute a "whisper campaign" by anyone. Not even close. After that comment appeared, I looked at all comments concerning Hillary very closely to see if anything like that was being orchestrated. Nothing like that was ever posted again.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very serious accusation. There has been nothing to substantiate this claim. It diminishes the very real anti-Semitism that unfortunately still exists.
For Mrs. Hillary Kwiatek:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.americanthinker.com/2006/09/the_democratic_party_and_the_j.html
Please read this article in full and tell us what you think.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2006/09
ReplyDelete/the_democratic_party_and_the_j.html
Anti-Semiticism has no place in either the Democratic or Republican party.
ReplyDeleteAre we talking about Ron Angle?
ReplyDeleteJeanne,
ReplyDeleteYou don’t have to apologies for the Tom Creighton mailer. The mailer was a Classic and best describes Tom’s governance over his last two years in Lynn Township.
Oh, and by the way, the refrigerator purchase is still a mystery.
The January 7, 2010 NWP reported:
ReplyDelete"Lynn Township supervisors reorganized Jan. 4 and with new leadership at the helm, Keystone Engineering, Wescosville, was told to hit the road."
UNANIMOUSLY!
Eckville, than you, but I did not apologise for any mailers. I apologised for not pursuing harder contacting Tom to concede. The mailer that was sent was basically what was written about him in the NW Press. No puffing it up, just what was stated. Apparently it was an error that was not corrected. When the mailer went to press,most everyone who had read the article, knew it as fact. BTW, I always read your page and still wander about the fridge story. Peeks my curiousity.
ReplyDeleteJeanne
Jeanne
ReplyDeleteRE: Refrigerator Mystery.
Second Class Township Code (LAW)
Section 603. Monthly Meetings; Quorum and Voting.-The board of supervisors shall meet for the transaction of business at least once each month at a time and place determined by the board of supervisors. A quorum is two members of a three-member board of supervisors or three members of a five-member board of supervisors. An affirmative vote of a majority of the entire board of supervisors at a public meeting is necessary in order to transact any business. A member shall not be disqualified from voting on any issue before the board solely because the member has previously expressed an opinion on the issue in either an official or unofficial capacity.
Notices there is no provision within the Second Class Township Code to approve financial commitments per phone conversations.
The Second Class Township Code (LAW)also slanders the elected auditors through section 916.
Section 916. Interest in Township Transactions.-Any auditor who is financially interested, directly or indirectly, in any township transaction commits a summary offense. The auditor shall forfeit the office and forfeit to the township any financial benefit derived from the transaction.
And still the mystery continues.
Did someone say R2K request?
A PROVEN GOVERNMENT REFORMER?