Browning Survives Attempted Coup in Lehigh County

Yesterday was a day of surprises - unpleasant in Northampton but pleasant in Lehigh County. After voting to support Don Cunningham's 16.1% tax hike last year, Dean Browning was told his political career was over. But last night, he was re-elected Chairman of Lehigh's Board of Commissioners in a 6 to 3 vote.

The Morning Call's Bill White, a witness at Northampton County's coup d'etat earlier that day, told me he tries to attend a municipal reorganizations. They sound dull, but you never know, even when you do. Damn if he wasn't right, in both Counties. Insider fighting and egos just bubbled to the surface.

On the surface, everything was quite genteel in Lehigh, a far cry from the People's Republic of Northampton County. But if you knocked over a few rocks, a "Dump Dean" battle was raging. GOP Boss Wayne Woodman and Scott Ott, still angry that Dean had dared defy them over the tax hike, were scurrying about just beneath the surface, doing their best to ensure Dean's ouster. Scott Ott has an ulterior motive. He intends to run for Commissioner himself. Deposing Dean as chair would be a great lead in to the primary.

Dr. Percy Dougherty, a geologist, is used to being underneath rocks. But when he crawled out to twist a few arms, he must have gone too far. Commissioner Gloria Hamm blasted all the pressure "going on behind back doors. The fact that this is becoming such a dog-eat-dog fight - I've live in Lehigh County all my life. I've never seen this. This is really an embarrassment."

Dougherty learned late yesterday that, no matter how hard he tried, he was one vote shy. So he pretended to support the guy he was trying his best to dump. In fact, as only a good politician can do, he nominated Browning.

This is where things get truly bizarre. Dean obviously had five votes, but instead of making it unanimous and providing a show of unity, Andy Roman went ahead and nominated Glenn "Commissioner No" Eckhart. One of Roman's arguments is that Browning, as Chairman, would have an unfair advantage over other at-large candidates in this year's election.

Amazingly, Echkhart accepted, even though he probably would not be sitting in his seat except for the money that Browning had raised for him in a tough contest against Hillary Kwiatek's well-financed campaign.

Browning and Eckhart both gave eloquent (and lengthy) speeches, but nobody was paying attention. This was a power play, pure and simple, and the battle had been lost earlier that day. Aside from Roman and Eckhart himself, only Rev. Dave Jones was willing to vote for Commissioner No.

Bill Hansell, the LC Comm'r appointed to replace Bill Leiner last February, was elected VP. Because my tape cut out, I am unable to tell you how Tom Creighton voted. All four Dems voted for Hansell, along with Dean Browning.

Dr. Dougherty waxed poetic about the importance of bipartisanship and a tradition of having a Chair and Vice Chair from both parties, and then inexplicably supported Roman, a fellow Republican.

Roman, who earlier complained that a Chairman would have an unfair advantage in an at-large election, apparently had no problem in running for Vice Chair and seeking re-election to his at large seat.

I asked affable Dan McCarthy, who was Vice Chair, why he decided to step down. Are the rumors true? Does he plan to run for judge? He smiled, and said, "Those rumors just might be true."

Sitting next to me last night was the famous Dr. Bob "the stud" Romancheck, wearing his silk scarf and leather flying jacket. He talked about flying or something, and supported Dean. In a matter of minutes, a woman was swooning over him. What is with this guy? Things got so rowdy at one point that Chairman Browning had to admonish the woman who was throwing herself at Dr. Bob.

Who was this femme fatale? Cheryl Browning, Dean's wife.