Let me explain something about comments on this blog. Nearly 100% of the time, you can post a comment, it will appear and I am automatically sent an email notification. But sometimes, although I still get an email notification, a comment goes right into blogspot's spam folder. It's rare, but it happens, especially when I'm getting lots of comments or somebody comments on a post that is several days old. It happened last night in a comment about the Wilson Borough mini-judge race, and sheds light on some disturbing and intemperate characteristics of one of the candidates. So far, this contest stars Rhonda Elias, Shana Restucci and Richard "I'm a lawyer" Yetter. On my left sidebar, I have links for each of these candidates. Who knows? There may be more candidates in the days to come.
This one has been one nasty judicial race. Before Shana Restucci ever even announced, Yetter was threatening her with defamation. Then, when I posted about her candidacy, the attacks became so vicious I had to suspend comments.
On Monday, after telling you about Elias' candidacy, the anonymous slurs began again. One of the landed gentry attacks Elias because she owns no real estate. Both Elias and Restucci are snarked because they lack law degrees.
Last night, Donna "I'm married to a lawyer" Yetter decided to post a comment (read it here) claiming her husband, a lawyer, is the only qualified candidate. I got the usual email notification, but was on my way to a Bethlehem ZHB meeting and never checked the blog.
I was writing up my posts for the next day when, at 11:29 PM, I got this "anonymous" comment: "So what's up Bernie? If someone actually posts their name and an informative response to people's questions you take their post off? I don't get it. Are you only interested in stirring up trouble, or do you actually want people to know the truth?"
I checked my blogspot spam folder and, sure enough, Donna Yetter's remark was there. It had never appeared on my blog. I published it immediately, noting what had happened. But it bothers me that one of the Yetters had obviously commented anonymously. Is this kind of deception appropriate in a judicial campaign? Also, I was prejudged. Instead of waiting for the facts about the spam comment problem, as a good judge would do, I was accused and convicted of deleting a Yetter comment.
After all this, Richard "I really am a lawyer" Yetter decided to pop on this blog and claim that a comment identified by blogspot as spam had really, really, really appeared on my blog and then mysteriously ended up in my spam folder (read it here). "Before I left home for my quoit match tonight, her post did appear here on your blog."
Who the hell plays quoits in the Winter?
Well, Richard may be an attorney, but he's wrong. If blogspot recognizes a comment as spam, it goes into a spam folder without ever having been published. There is no way that he or his wife ever saw that comment.
By the way, Yetter's own comment went right into blogspot's spam folder. It failed to appear on my blog. I had to go to my folder and order it published.
As someone who has a law degree, I can tell you that most attorneys make lousy district judges. We have no common sense, a characteristic demanded in the minor judiciary. The best magistrates I've seen have always been nonlawyers.
What Yetter has displayed, over and over, is poor judicial temperament. He switched houses with his mom so he could claim residency. He threatened a candidate with defamation before she even announced. Another gets slammed because, in addition to being a nonlawyer, she is not a member of the landed gentry. He idiotically sent out a campaign mailer telling potential contributors their donations were tax deductible. And now, he or his wife attacks me anonymously for deleting a comment that was actually detected as spam.
Maybe he should consider becoming a professional quoit player, but he lacks the temperament to be a judge on any level.
And Richard, if you want to threaten me with defamation, there's a long line in front of you.
I love quoits.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in marrying a lawyer. Can you find me one? Thanks Bernie.
ReplyDeletethank you Bernie, you finally hit the button on the head. Most Attorneys make terrible Magisterial District Judges. They are trained to look at the law....not at the total picture of what is happening in most instances. A lack of Common Sense. The district Courts were set up to be the "peoples Court" where most minor neighborhood problems could be settled within the existing laws applying some good old common sense and the law to come to an agreeable solution.
ReplyDeleteOf course being learned in the law is most important in the more serious situations and criminal cases the MDJ also deals with, but again, commonsense plays into those decisions also. Judicial termperment is something that all good judges must have to keep control of his courtroom and the proceeding he/she is dealing with.
The lebanese candidate was hand selected by Abe Atiyeh, the Jail Tzar of West Easton.
ReplyDeleteHe must be afraid he's going to wind up at the DJ very often
Alot of human's in general lack common sense bernie, dont blame it all on the lawyers, for proof, just read through the comments about people whining over gracedale. Or the comment above by Brenda, as if a DJ throws lots of weight around and being hand picked by a super power player has anything to do with any sort of relevance what-so-ever.
ReplyDeleteha...humans not "human's"
ReplyDeletePlease dont describe Mr. Atiyeh as a super power player. He is politically corrupt, pays to play, and has a horrible reputation in the long term care community.
ReplyDeleteHis new jail endeavors feed his illness for accumulating more wealth because it is guaranteed occupancy.
This only describes a greedy business man, not a super power player.
Guy walks into a bar and screams, "All lawyers are assholes!"
ReplyDeleteA patron responds, "Hey, I take offense at that!"
The first guy asks, "Why? Are you a lawyer?"
The patron responds, "No. I'm an asshole!"
"This only describes a greedy business man, not a super power player."
ReplyDeleteYour description is spot on and it is the same man that Stoffa has been in bed with on the work-release center. But hey, Stoffa is a good guy, right.
I dont support the work release expansion.
ReplyDeleteThe answer is ankle bracelets and house arrest, not another facility to hold people hostage for too much booze or a missed child support payment
"I'm interested in marrying a lawyer. Can you find me one? Thanks Bernie."
ReplyDeleteDoes it have to be a practicing lawyer? How about a Reverend? I have papers!
"The lebanese candidate was hand selected by Abe Atiyeh, the Jail Tzar of West Easton."
ReplyDeleteBrenda, you seem very knowledgeable about West Easton.
Hi Bernie,
ReplyDeleteI will only say that I have a connect to the politics that go on in this Borough, but I will not identify to whom or how.
West Easton is as dirty as a dialysis filter
The Lebanese community is cohesive, I'll guess that most who are eligible vote regularly, and first and foremost are family orenited. It would not surprise me if the Lebanese community believe that the 'Koury " courtroom belongs to a Lebanese Judge, as Mike Koury, Sr. & Jr. have been on its bench for many years.
ReplyDeleteAs for the "lawyer" qualification, Mike Koury Sr. was not a lawyer, and did his job wonderfully, with grace and compassion, and was stern when his ruling called it.
For some time, I could not understand why this election for Magisterial District Judge in Wilson Borough was getting so much attention on this blog. Then, after Mr. Yetter could not even post a comment to defend his wife without Bernie blogging about it in yet another new blog topic, I looked into it a little more.
ReplyDeleteA picture taken in the lobby of the Courthouse appeared below the blog topic posted on Saturday, February 5, 2011 entitled “Gracedale Lawyer Otter Tries To Take Out Angle.” Pictured are Pat Sportelli, Ron Angle, unidentified, and Bernie.
Pat Sportelli is listed as Shana Restucci’s “Campaign Coordinator.”
I get it now Bernie, you have a dog in this fight.
dear brenda unless you are a resident of the boro of weat easton i take great offense to you calling our little boro DIRTY! this boro has some of the greatest resident you could ever meet. we all help eat other out espcially when theirs an emergancy! as far as attorney yetter he is one of the most respectalble,caring hard working family oriented person i have ever meet! ricky go for it keep your head up and show these people that you have more class than most people do
ReplyDeleteThe above two comments are obviously posted by Yetter and/or his wife. I got to know Pat when she worked on Sam Murray's campaign and have never once even spoken to her about Shana and did not know she was her campaign manager. Now that I do, I'll be sure to be in touch with her, so thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe simple truth is that you have trashed all the other candidates, have threatened one of them with defamation and attacked me when one of your comments was identified by Blogspot as spam. Now you are making up other names.
Let me clue you in. Normal people would not know Pat Sortell is Shana's manager, to say nothing of what Pat looks like. Thta's something that only people like Yetter or someone closely connected to him would know.
Do us all a favor and quit being such an idiot. You are only making yourself look even worse than you already do.
Between Shana and Rhonda, I don't know which one is better. But I already know that both of them show more class and judicial temperament than you.
42 racer,
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much you will love West Easton when all powerful Abe Atiyeh dumps his prison in a quiet residential area...look forward to traffic, sherrifs, inmates, visitors and very likely, out of county high level offenders.
Open your eyes and figure out how it got approval in the first place
I have read several of the blogs posted here and i do have one question... have any of these candidates actually done the required trainging to become a district judge???
ReplyDelete** Training** I apoligize!
ReplyDeleteAbe Atiyeh needs to be put in prison himself... West Easton needs a new mayor that will stick up for his borough... i have a feeling they are going to have a lot of people moving out.. Me Included!
ReplyDeleteGood luck moving out. The new jail will destroy property values...most will have to pay up in order to sell.
ReplyDeleteThe entire West Easton Council needs to be replaced
If you haven't sold your property in W. Easton or Wilson by now, you've already held on too long. I lived in both for years and left 10 years ago. Subsequent years' police blotters indicate I made the right move. It's a shame to see what's happened to those two, formerly lovely boroughs where I enjoyed twice a week trash pick up, clean, safe streets, and low taxes that were rarely raised (until they unnecessarily built a Taj Mahal for a high school to satisfy wealthier tastes in Williams Twp.).
ReplyDeleteLuckly, my husband and i are only renting a house in the borough, but we are currently looking to buy and i will have to recensider where we have been looking.
ReplyDeleteN42racer42,
I dont think Brenda was actually calling the residence of West Easton Dirty, rather the people who run it.
Why does someone's ethnic background have to be questioned in determining who would make a better judge? Who cares if a candidate is Lebanese? Or if he plays quoits? Or was a homecoming queen? At least it's not a disbarred lawyer with a gudge against the world...oh yeah that'd be you Bernie!
ReplyDeleteand bernie no i am not hiding behind my name as mr yetter or his wife as a matter of fact you know me personaly from county council meetings and as you know i speak how i feel and just wait until thurs cause you are gonna hear me loud and clear with lots of facts!!
ReplyDeleteLooks like you were hiding behind your name bc this is the first comment you ever signed. Yes, you are now a fairly regular attendee at Council meetings. I did not appreciate when you cursed at Council, telling them they have "no balls," but you are getting better.
ReplyDeletewrong bernie im n42racer42 nancy kutz
ReplyDeleteWell Nnacy Kutz, unless I'm a mind reader, I'd have no way of knowing that now, would I?
ReplyDeleteDespite their reputation, most attorneys are honest and hard-working and their clients usually do well by them. But Mr. Yetter's hobby is race car driving and this type of thrill-seeking death-defying stuff, I think, says a lot about his temperament. A non-attorney has amply time to qualify as a MDJ by taking the requisite courses, even after being elected.
ReplyDeleteokay anonymous obviosly you have to hide your real identity well im not afraid to so here i go. obviously you have never ever seen ricky race! you keep saying ricky cant make good decision if he drives a race car because he goes over 100 miles an hour. i have a question to ask you what about judge leonard zito ? He raced at the old nazareth speedway before he became a judge did that hinder his ability to be a great judge? NO IT HAS NOT! so why in the world do you think ricky can not preform his job? Have you ever gone to a track that ricky raced at? I have watched ricky race since the age of 5. It is amazing to see the abilty this young man has the patience he has on the track the skill he has in a race car the temperment he DOES NOT show that you claim he has! before you speak out your butt maybe you need to investigate and make sure you have all your facts in a row! its a shame that you have to keep bashing a well qualified person. what about the other 2 they havent even taken the distric judge course that need to be taken to become a distric judge. but i guess thats okay with you. as far as i am concerned you need to get your factys straight before you post something you know nothing about and yes i am VERY VERY VERY PROUD TO SAY YETTER IS BETTER FOR DISTRIC JUDGE
ReplyDeleteI am curious; as to why these People who support Yetter are just out bashing the other two candidates, one more then the other. He really must be Scared. The other two candidates have not replied or even given him, his "people" or this blog a comment back. Nice Job Ladies...!!! Both ladies must be running a "clean, free from bashing" campaign. There are alot of people also furious over this and feel the same way. In closing "those who live in glass houses (or mother's houses) shouldn't throw stones...."
ReplyDeleteANONYMOUS I DONT KNOW WHAT YOU WERE READING BUT I DIDNT SEE ANY BASHING OF THE OTHER 2 CANIDATES IN MS KUTZ POSTING ALL SHE DID WAS ASK A QUESTION. WHY DO YOU READ THINGS INTO THE POSTING THAT ARE NOT THEIR AND SAY THINGS THAT ARE NOT WHAT WAS SAID. ASKING A QUESTION IS NOT BASHING A CANIDATE I READ ALOT OF INFORMATIVE FACTS IN THAT POSTING SO WHY DONT YOU STOP STIRING UP TROUBLE?
ReplyDeleteYelling "YETTER IS BETTER" over and over is about as convincing as doing so with the a slogan like, "HITLER IS BETTER." Yetter's tactics are Hitler-like in his supporters' intolerance for any criticism, however mild. Posting anonymous fairly gentle comments about Mr. Yetter is entirely understandable - they are sure to go after you with forks and tongs.
ReplyDeleteLet's let the voters who rarely ever read this blog..you know the super voters speak come election time. May the best candidate win or at least the one with the most votes!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness...Now you are comparing candidates to Hitler? Just because there are a lot of people who know what a great person Rick Yetter, and come to his defense, you have to compare the slogan to Hitler? Please..it's obvious that most of these comments from the beginning are either Shana or her buddies.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of the goofy things Bernie may say or twist around..he really has no clue what has really transpired in this race, because Rick has more class and temperment, never firing back at Shana and her petty attempts to make him look bad. He tried to handle it professionally in the beginning when she ran her mouth saying rude and untrue things about him, and she tried to turn it around and look as if she is some sort of victim. As difficult as it may be, with an opponent so viscious as Shana, it is amazing to me that Rick hasn't aired her dirt..which shows his true, honest, and respectable temperant.
God knows, there is A LOT of dirt there.
ReplyDeleteNo Comment to the above. I will say You Better Get Your Facts Straight!
ReplyDeleteWhat facts might those be Shana??
ReplyDeleteFor the second time, I am forced to close a comment thread in this race.
ReplyDelete