This weekend, in the midst of splendid weather and a bevy of beauties, Easton Attorney Sam Murray kicked off his race to be elected Northampton County's next judge. He did so from Missy Rudas' back yard, in a speech that told voters that they have a very clear choice. One is a man who has practiced law for 32 years, including ten as a Juvenile Hearing Officer. The other is a man whose rash judgment has cost Northampton County taxpayers nearly $300,000. One believes in due process, the most important quality in a judge. The other has been found to violate this basic right. One of them follows the Home Rule Charter. The other defended the Exec's decision to hire a public relations consultant and even advised him to go ahead and borrow $20 million to balance the budget.
Murray came out swinging. Though most judicial contests are sleepers, this one promises to be quite interesting. He spoke out quite forcefully about how Jill Mancini, a former Assistant NorCo Solicitor, was fired by Murray's opponent, Vic Scomillio, just two days before Christmas.
Though Scomillio was not yet in office as County Solicitor, he fired her anyway. By cellphone. From a car. In a call that kept fading in and out. He even sent a Deputy Sheriff up to collect her card key at the end of the day. A federal jury would later determine that in doing so, Scomillio violated this person's rights to due process. He failed to provide this person with notice or an opportunity to be heard, instead acting precipitously.
That's why a judge exists. He is there to provide notice and an opportunity to be heard.
Scomillio's error will cost taxpayers at least $300,000.
When finally sworn in, Scomillio would go on to argue that it was perfectly legal for Executive John Brown to have taxpayers pay for a public relations consultant to shovel propaganda at us. He even advised brown he could borrow $20 million to balance the budget, in clear violation of the Home Rule Charter.
People need to know these stark differences before they decide on who they want to elect as a judge to ensure their own due process rights.
You can see my pictures from this event here. As a matter of full disclosure I support Murray for judge and have contributed to his campaign. I will attempt to be fair to Scomillio, but his violation of due process disqualifies him in my mind.
62 comments:
Why wasn't that poor martyr Jill there? She has become the poster child for naive sympathizers like you and Murray. Got her job through connections and no competition, was propped up by a boss with whom she had a personal relationship in violation of county policy, and constantly whined about how underpaid and underappreciated she was, to the point of consternation by council during budget hearings. Then she was seen inebriated and flaunting her political partisanship at a Parsons victory party and chugging champagne at a Callahan non-victory party. And SHE is the poor lamb you crucify Scomillio over? Unbelievable!
Mancini was there. You did not look through my pictures. She got her job improperly, but that was not her fault. A judge and jury, not I, have determined her due process rights were violated. Everyone, even the most hardened criminal, is entitled to due process. You don't get to pick and choose to whom it is applied ... unless Scomillio is elected judge.
Word on the street is Murray goes down by three points.
12:17. What's naive about criticizing Scomillio's bill to taxpayers caused by his legal incompetence? You appear willing to ignore a $300,000.00 red flag to citizens that this man should not be given the power to harm other people's lives and freedom for the next 10 years.
Good Luck to Sam Murray.
must have been a lot of moaning and groaning with all the inbreeding in Norco - must have been a real mess to clean up when this group got finnished
Its hard to say what is more disturbing, Scomillio's track record as solicitor or his lack of judicial temperament. Arrogance with a bizarre sense of entitlement topped of with a "little man" complex. Adds up to a toxic mix that should only be visited upon his own clients and not the citizens of Northampton County.
Independent voters - educate yourselves. Republican voters - Pause before you robotically vote for the chosen boy of his patrician backers. Democratic voters - remember to vote.
I didn't look at your photo gallery because it required me to "friend" you on Facebook. Why the hell would I do that? And your defence of Mancini that it was not "her fault" that she got her job improperly if not illegally is weak. She is a total hypocrite crying "foul" for being terminated when she got her job in the first place by not playing by the rules. Her FT job was being eliminated, pure and simple. Council approved reorganization of the solicitors office. It has saved the county thousands of dollars a year. It has been Mancini herself that has cost the county hundreds of thousands of dollars with her spiteful lawsuit. Solicitors jobs have always been, and should always be exempt. The CE must have total trust in his legal representatives. Mancini is a political animal who actively supported Brown's opponent in the general election. Instead of being a professional and accepting that it was unacceptable for her to legally represent an elected official she campaigned against, Mancini had to sue to county and its taxpayers to satisfy a personal vendetta. She is far from being an innocent in this matter. She should have just moved on and sought a real job in the legal field. NO ONE will ever hire her in the public sector again.
"I didn't look at your photo gallery because it required me to "friend" you on Facebook."
You are incorrect. That photo album is available to the public, not just friends. As for tyour points re mancini, you forget this has already gone through the courts. A judge and juiry have determined that her rights to due process have been violated, largely bc of Scomillio. And this has cost taxpayers nearly $300,000. I like when she gets attacked for filing a winning lawsuit that vindicates rights that apply to us all. As for the kind of person Mancini is, lady justice is blind. The law should be the same for one and all. She could be an accused mass murderer and would still be entitled to due process. Murray stands for due process and the law. Scomillio stands for firing county workers two days before Christmas. By cell phone. And then sending a deputy to make sure she clears out. If this is the kind of person you want sitting in judgment of you or your family, by all means vote for Scomillio.
I WILL vote for Scomillio. And Mancini was given over a month's notice. The effective date of her termination was the end of January. Should Scomillio have broken the news to her in person? Of course. But as far as the timing is concerned, should he have waited until after the holidays, thus robbing Mancini of a week of time to find other suitable employment? NO. As soon as Brown approved of Scomillio's plan to reorganize the solicitor's office by eliminating FT positions it was his duty to inform those affected immediately. Don't forget, your martyr Mancini was not the only FT solicitor. Mike Alpago got the same notice. And he did not sue the county over his termination. Council could have rejected the reorganization to save their jobs, but they did not. Mancini may have won her case in regards to "due process" but the court provided her with a meager award. It it the blood-sucking lawyers who have cost the county. And Mancini herself for filing a vindictive lawsuit. In the process she has tarnished her name to the point where no law firm or government entity will hire her, for fear of being unable to terminate her without being sued. She may have "won" in court, but she ruined her career in the process. All for $70 K.
You completely ignore the fact that a judge and jury determined that the due process rights of a career service employee were violated by Scomillio. The fact that another employee whose rights were violated did not sue, is irrelevant. The fact is that just two days before Christmas, Scomillio fired Mancini, a career service employee, with no notice or opportunity to be heard. Scomillio's rash judgment has cost taxpayers $300,000. I like how you characterize her access to the courts as vindictive. Is this the attitude we can expect when Scomillio is on the bench? Will he be looking down his nose at those who are stepped on because they don't belong to the right clubs? Scomillio also advised the Exec that it was completely legal to blow county money on a propaganda machine, and that he could borrow $20 MM to balance the budget, something at which even the Rs balked. But by all means, vote for him. Maybe he'll help you fire a few people.
For the rest of us, who want a judge who is fair and unbiased, there's Murray.
Well, YOU ignore the fact that Mancini got her job through preferential treatment and the consequences of her actions, which have black-listed her for the balance of her career. Your other points about Scomillio's poor judgement in advising Brown that both his sweetheart contracts and insipidly dumb idea to borrow money to balance the county's budget are valid. But he will still win. He is former President of the NC Bar Assn. and well respected in his field. Murray's association with party sycophants like boozer Boscola and your former whipping-boy Barron is proof enough for me that he will be a party partisan and not a fair-minded judge.
As I've already told you, and as a jury and judge have already determined, whether she got her job improperly is irrelevant to the question whether her due process rights were violated. That is on the county, not her. Due process applies to one and all.
Boscola is hardly a party sycophant. She is a conservative Democrat who is often courted by Rs. In fact, she should be in leadership, but is penalized bc of her mainstream views.
if you think that voters wil select Scomillio bc he is a former bar ass'n president, and right after you've attacked lawyers as bloodsuckers, be my guest.
People who want one of the good ol' boys who will step all over thee rights of others,, will want Scomillio. Want to screw your workforce? Vote Scomillio. Want to laugh at people who seek access to the courts? Vote Scomillio? Want to violate the HRC and let the Exec do as he wishes? Vote Scomillio? Want to cost taxpayers another $300,000? Vote Scomillio. By all means, if you want that kind of person sitting in judgment of you, vote for him.
Those who want someone fair will vote for Murray.
Sam looks like a good guy who would be an excellent judge. Noted that he was a coach for the 2002 Lehigh Little League team that made it to Williamsport! Brought back fond memories. Has deep local roots and a wonderful family. Regardless of your nasty opinion about Scomillio, I will vote for Murray, But he needs to distance himself from the Democratic establishment politicos. He must be seen as non-political as possible.
"People who want one of the good ol' boys who will step all over thee rights of others,, will want Scomillio. Want to screw your workforce? Vote Scomillio. Want to laugh at people who seek access to the courts? Vote Scomillio? Want to violate the HRC and let the Exec do as he wishes? Vote Scomillio? Want to cost taxpayers another $300,000? Vote Scomillio. By all means, if you want that kind of person sitting in judgment of you, vote for him."
Boy, your blind hatred of Victor has no bounds. He should sue your ass for defamation of character. In your opinion only he may have "screwed" one or two employees. but the entire workforce? Ridiculous hyperbole. How did he "laugh" at people trying to access the courts? You have lost your mind in your admiration for a false martyr, and hatred for a good family man who, like Murray. has contributed to his community in many ways.
I have no blind hatred of Scomillio. He violated a person's due process rights and it cost NC Taxpayers $300,000. That is a fact. You, a Scomillio supporter have called the lawsuit filed vindictive and have trashed lawyers as bloodsuckers. It is clear you want someone on the bench who will wink at employers who illegally fire people and who will laugh at those seeking access to the courts. He's your man. And you want me sued for defamation for expressing myself under the First Amendment. To hell with the Constitution. Scomillio for the bluebloods!
Scomillio did more than screw one or two county workers, though he certainly did that. He also screwed the county taxpayer and has cost them almost $300,000.
You want to put this guy on the bench.
For those of us who want someone fair and who is willing to listen to both sides, it's Murray.
SCOMILLIO IS THE BEST!!!!!
Murray is a decent and honorable man. I know lot of support will be coming out to vote for him because of Scomilio's arrogance. I was at the mall the other day and witnessed a toothless man attempt to bash Murray with Scomillio having more experience. LIARS FIGURE BUT FIGURES DON'T LIE! Murray I hope, will remember the outrageous conduct of these sleezy characters.
!!: 14 TAKE YOUR DRUG COCKTAILS AND GO BACK TO BED!
Did Boscola have open sex with anyone?
Unable to refute the criticism of Scomillio, the personal attacks begin.
Dear Democrats
My buddy Vic is going to get elected because you're lazy and apathetic and don't vote even when you know what's best for you. Moreover, most of you don't have a clue anyways and the ones that do will forget about it by election day.
Think about the things that can be done when Vic is on the bench and I get retained for another term. My studies show that we can save Northampton County tax payers trillions if we fire all the other judges and have them replaced by technologically assisted automated decision rendering devices supervised by president judge Scomillio. However, my public relations firm says we must still put the computers in robes so that we don't lose public trust.
Sincerely,
Your Dictator
You are a ruthless bully who uses a half-baked blog to assassinate the character of a fine candidate like Scomillio. You indeed hate the man but will not be honest by admitting it. You hang out with former targets of your character assassinations and don't even see how hypocritical you are. You worship a disgruntled employee who played the system to get her cushy job then whined when it was taken away from her. Her rights were hardly violated. If the county appeals, they will win. And your rights do not extend to using grandiose, libelous comments to destroy someone's reputation. That is why you sued Mezzacappa, and WON. But, all is fair in the bottom-feeding blog universe of yours.
Scomillio is all over this county this summer. Never saw him in Bushkill Twsp, before, ( Because he is running for election) he even took a picture with the pink fire truck as if he Likes women. hahahahahahahahahahah good luck with that phoney picture. Scomillio likes to BULLY women, and so does is supporters. FIRE AWAY VIC!
12:36, You have gone from defending the indefensible to attacking me personally. You have proved my point. Thank you. As I stated before, I do not hate Scomillio. Let me also state I don't have much regard for Mancini. But all of that is irrelevant. You don't fire a public sector employee without first according that person due process. Scomillio's mistake cost the county close to $300,000 so far, with more to come. The County has appealed, will lose, and will then be forced to pAY another $200,000 in legal fees.
If you want a judge who sanctions firing people two days before Christmas, Scomillio's your guy. If you want someone who will be fair, it's Murray.
@ 12:17 AM and 9:07 AM......I believe you must be related to my teenagers.....always divert the attention onto something or someone else when you don't have the facts to back up the argument you're trying to make.
Tie the above in with the astute observations of 10:44 AM, the undertone of which is that this very importance decision about who is going to spend the next TEN YEARS making decisions that affect the every day lives of ALL of us, SHOULD be bipartisan; i.e., it should be based not on party affiliation or who you're closest friends with, nor even on character smear (though I don't mean to discount all of that has been printed about the apparently poor advice to Northampton County) but on the FACTS.
Recently, someone showed me a piece that the Scomilio campaign put out...it says, in part that, "No one has more experience than Victor Scomilio" HUH? First, how could EITHER of these candidates make such an arrogant claim but, more to the point, based on what I've read, the FACTS ARE THAT
Mr. Scomilio has practiced for law 18 years, Mr. Murray for 32. Even using the "new" math, the above claim by Mr. Scomilio doesn't add up.
Mr. Murray sat as a Child Custody Master for a number of years and then was appointed by the COURT (obviously, the Bench knows who is to be trusted with this responsibility) and sat on the Bench as a Judicial Hearing Officer in Juvenile for the 10 years before he did the right thing and stepped down to run for judge; to my knowledge, Mr. Scomilio has never SEEN the "seat" side of the Bench.
THIS is what this election should come down to, REGARDLESS of whether you're a D, an R, an I or any other affiliation.
Murray will win BIG! Just hope he remembers the haters and gives them do process.
If he wins, and that is a very big IF, Sam will treat one and all fairly. That's what due process means.
The person responsible for the Mancini debacle is john Stoffa.
While he was napping on his office sofa, this friend job was created. Office romance flourished during his reign as he was too busy trying to fire Gracedale employees and build his personal mausoleum on the county dime.
Where were the other Dems like Panto and Freeman and so many more? Does he think he only needs Bethlehem.
@ 3:20......I feel sorry for you if the only thing you can add to a conversation is an off the wall affront to a very nice person.....it's unfortunate that's apparently what it takes to make YOU feel good about yourself.
@3:34.......... Mayor Panto was the MC at his last event at the Riverview Country Club. Events are typically "regional" and not every supporter and make every one.
"Where were the other Dems like Panto and Freeman and so many more? Does he think he only needs Bethlehem"
Missy and Nuria invited the people they know. Panbto has already been to several evewnts with Sam, and Freeman is firmly in his camp. Thanks for your concern.
"The person responsible for the Mancini debacle is john Stoffa. "
We've ow come full circle. Again. I have already stated twice that how Mancini got the job or what kind of person she is does not matter. It is irrelevant. Everyone is entitled to due process in this country, from Mother Teresa to Jack the Ripper. Repeating the same bad argument over and over does not make it correct.
Sam is by far the better candidate
My guess is that the slur at Missy comes from Mezzacappa, who hates attractive women and berates them. I am leaving this up to show what kind oif supporters are out there for Scomillio. I am sure he would be among the first to condemn that kind of disgusting remark.
Mancini was given due process. The position was eliminated. End of story.
I decided to take it down after all. Her daughter shouldn't have to read that disgusting remark. There is no doubt in my mind who posted it.
5:09, that argument lost in court. End of story, except now tge county is on the hook for $300k
12:52 - Scomillio likes to bully women? And O'Hare doesn't? What have you been smoking?
Not end of story. County is appealing and will win. Can they then force Jill to pay the attorney fees for her lame lawsuit? Looks like double shifts at McDonald's for her!
Bernie, is there a debate scheduled? Not sure if they do those for judicial candidates.
No Circuit Court is going to reverse tge jury's findings. A $300,000 bill will become a $500,000 bill. The appeal is short-sighted and foolish.
5:12, I am not a candidate, so your anonymous slur on me is irrelevant, like nearly all of your arguments.
5:18, don't count on the papers to give a shit.
Sam , you have always treated me with respect,not knowing I carry a large frame SMITH LOL-YOU HAVE always been a gentleman and my father-in- law liked you too. You have my vote even though you are are D-because I vote for not the worst -but the best person for a position.I have witnessed you in the courts during my 20 some years as Constable. You are well qualified for this and I believe possess very high ,untouchable personal integrity. Good Luck.P.J.Cochran
Dear BOB NICHKEY,ESQ.I REBUT your Facebook comment . How would you know , you road on my father-in -laws law partnership and produced what? You what to come after me -a voter ,a Marine Vietnam Veteran and although I am 'simpler'than you as an Attorney at Law ,I could run you around the block in a preliminary hearing .GSYS ---I vote all the time , I payed the price ,you on the other hand walked though the issue.
Peter, I have no idea what F/B comment you mare mentioning, but you and Bob are both good guys and if there is some problem, I'll get the two of you together in Tom's office and make you both deal with Ellen. She's a part-time psychologist and psychoanalyzes me all the time. She even gave me a prescription but I'm not ready to drink Draino.
Bernie== I apologize to BOB Nichkey ,Esq. sorry. I `didi not look at this properly -Bob didn't bang me. Sorry Bob I did not look at this properly ,my fault. I apologize.
Democrats like Murray and Barron are in trouble this year. The Republicans are riding high in the county. They both could use the services of Jim Gregory and without his help they will probably lose. Most politicians have said that without the help of Jim, Democrats will have a problem winning anything.
Hopefully in 2016 with Mr. Gregory's return and the re-launch of Unity-Pac, thing sill improve.
I'll have something to say about Gregory tomorrow.
Good!
Will you finally admit that the bronzed god of Bethlehem, the Mediterranean manslab is the man men want to be and women want to be with?
Stay on topic, please.
I'm guessing that the Ridge Street retard has really screwed the pooch this time with the Gregory diatribes and has literally made him persona non grata in the Lehigh Valley upon his discharge from homo heaven.
Any time Griggy comes up on this blog the conversation spirals down the toilet.
The good judges in Harrisburg pooped all over Greggy's plan to get out of prison in a ruling filed today. Sam Murray will make a good judge - a lot better than Scomillio.
There was a time we could all read the amazing Gregory tomes. Then Bernie went and destroyed Tricia's blog and we all lost out. He has been prolifically writing numerous letters to many people. We are deprived of his musings all because of Bernie.
Sadly, his pearls of wisdom are no longer public. We hope that he has copies of all his correspondence and publishes them upon his release.
Apparently there is an appearance on the Bobby Gunther Walsh show in the works. It will be the highest rated radio interview of the year.
Though I don't post here, Peter C., after I was told about yours and, though this is certainly not the right forum to engage in a back and forth with you on the topic you raised, let's just say that I accept the apology, though it's kind of hollow because you and his family obviously feel that way. Its a real shame you and they don't know the truth (which would dispel all of the pretty darned ugly allegations you made), which I'll be glad to discuss with you any time you want, as I have always respected you, but respected your father-in-law even more. HE was a great man.
Sam accepts donations from Abe Atiyeh and has paid a substantial sum to Mike Fleck in the past. Not really good judgment here for someone who wants to be a judge.
QAfter every argument you made has failed, and your ugly personal attacks have blown up in your face you attack Murray for exercising poor judgment re Atiyeh and Fleck. You are, as usual, completely full of shit. In truth Murray fored Fleck after just two months because he sensed something was wrong with the guy. That's an indication that Murray exercised good judgment. As for Abe, can you tell me what law he has broken? Is it a crime to be a good businessman and get the best deal you can? Was his deal with Allentown public knowledge at the time he gave to Murray? While I would caution anyone from accepting money from anyone on the FBI Subpoena list until this matter is over, the vast majority of those people are decent and honorable men and women.
No Bob, I was out of sorts and accept total shame. I was not after you so much as I thought a FB issue came up that I refuse to engage in . Again, I'm sorry and will not 'do that again '.I think your a fine man and I should read stuff first and not just jump out into 'traffic' WITHOUT LOOKING. i am at fault totally,on excuses.This is on me -foot in mouth,for sure.
Murray fixed an All Star vote for his Joseph !
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