NorCo GOP To Pick Leaders In Secret

DeFranco and Snover

Northampton County is a Democratic County. But Republicans are in the driver's seat. They control the Executive's office and currently have a 5-4 majority on County Council. Even most of the judges are Republican. So you might think this is the one county party that has its act together. They'll meet this week on June 26 to select the Chair and Vice Chair for the next four years. But ironically, the county party with the most victories also has the most in-fighting. When the cops get called to one of your meetings, you should know you've got a problem.

Personally, I think these party committees are little more than a relic of the patronage days. Even Ed Rendell, who has bucked his own party more than once, dismisses them. "They have no significance, no political power, no punch."

Why are Republicans winning? Because they vote. Even in a Democratic county like Northampton, people are disgusted by President Obama. They stay home.

In the meantime, it's fun to watch wannabes make idiots out of themselves in their quest for power. Tom Carroll, Tony Simao, Tricia Mezzacappa and Ronnie Del Bacco are among those appropriately calling themselves the RATs. Loser might be more appropriate. They have yet to win an election.

Historically, Republicans and Democrats both reorganize at the Courthouse. That's where Democrats picked Obamaphile Matt Munsey as their new boss two weeks ago. Though only committee members may vote, everyone is welcome. It's the people's building. Before all the layoffs at local newspapers, they usually dispatched someone for the show.

In a break from tradition, Republicans will reorganize somewhere else this year. Privately  Instead of using the courthouse, they will meet in the tea party's underground lair at the Chrin Community Center. The RATs complained about a public meeting. Some say they want to keep bottom feeders like me away. Others say that the gun nuts want to open carry. Whatever the reason, it's yet another amazing demonstration that the RATs are hellbent on destroying transparency and accountability.

Who are the contenders?

DeFranco and Snover

Roseto resident Craig DeFranco, the current Chair, is seeking re-election. He's a Villanova grad and former Plainfield Township Chief of Police. An accountant by education, he's currently the CFO at a public company offering Internet music and games.

DeFranco is joined by Lee Snover, who is also running for re-election as Vice Chair. She manages her family construction business in Northampton and chairs the busy Bethlehem Township Planning Comm'n. She's worked dozens of campaigns in decades of party involvement.

I don't know DeFranco. I do know Snover. Anyone who calls her a RINO is nutz. She is a hard core fiscal and social conservative. But she tolerates people with different views. Even me.

That's her mortal sin.

DeFranco and Snover argue that you don't change a winning team..

"We won the County Executive election (John Brown) and all five County Council at-large positions (Peg Ferraro, Glenn Geissinger, Seth Vaughn, Hayden Phillips, and Mat Benol). Republican Judge Emil Giordano was overwhelming retained as Judge of our Northampton County Court of Common Pleas. On top of that, a majority of Northampton County voters – despite a Democrat party registration edge – voted to retain our Republican state-wide judges (Ronald Castille and Susan Peikes Gantman) and voted to elect Judge Vic Stabile to the PA Superior Court. The NCRC was recognized in a letter from Governor Corbett at our 2014 Lincoln Day Breakfast for our 2013 election wins."

Morey and Anderson

Anderson and Morey

DeFranco and Snover are being challenged by two RATs who represent the worst in local politics. Just this Spring, they engaged in a vicious state committee race that included a vicious website as well as negative mailers and robocalls against fellow Rs. All were done anonymously. If I had to describe them, I'd say they most closely approximate a circular firing squad.

These folks don't believe in transparency or accountability, which explains why they insisted that the election take place at Chrin. As explained by one of their acolytes, defamer Tricia Mezzacappa, "The Norco GOP will have its reorg meeting in a private place this year, to make sure that O'Hare cant get in."

The RAT candidates are Cynthia Anderson and Mike Morey, both of whom are coming off embarrassing losses to state committee. Anderson, a realtor who has bounced around from state to state, was Congressional candidate Matt Dietz' campaign manager. He lost, too, finishing dead last.

Morey claims to be an IT consultant.

In other words, he is unemployed.

No wonder they don't want me at their meeting.

RATs are going to committee person houses, telling them they have to support them or they have will make sure they have no future in the Republican party. One committee member complains, “It was like a Jimmy Hoffa visit."

I don't think the RATS got his vote.