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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, February 25, 2016

183 House Seat: Grammes' Nomination Petition Under Siege

Nomination petitions filed by Marc Grammes in the 183rd State House race have been challenged by three citizens. Gammes, a Republican, is running for the seat being vacated by Julie Harhart. Two other Republicans - Cindy Miller and Zachary Mako - are also running.

Two Democrats are also seeking to win the seat - Phillips Armstrong and Terri Powell.

Updated 3 PM, Grammes Petition Challenged For Failure to File Statement of Financial Interests, Powell and Mako Nomination Petitions Challenged as Well.

According to a news release from Cindy Miller, in which she refers to herself as "small businesswoman, trusted township supervisor, wife, and mother," she states Grammes' petition has been challenged because he neglected to file his Statrment of Financial Interests with the Ethics Commission at the time he filed his petition. If this is true, his campaign is in trouble. In other cases, the state supreme court has ruled that this omission is a "fatal defect."

In addition to the challenge directed at Grammes, there have been two other nomination challenges in the 183rd legislative distict.

The noimination petition filed by Republican Zachary Mako has been challenged by the same attorney who filed against Mako - Larry Otter. In addition, a legal attempt to remove Democrat Terri Powell from the ballot has been mounted by a group of four Democrats represented by Adam Bonin.

25 comments:

c said...

Why the challenge?

Bernie O'Hare said...

I do not know at this juncture. There may actually be another challenge aimed at Mako as well, and Grammes claims Cindy Miller is behind them

c said...

You never know I guess. Politics.......

michael molovinsky said...

i would think with 600 signatures, this is indeed a nuisance suit. however, as a true outsider who was interested in this seat, i find his claim of politics amusing. not only is his party support, i.e. eckhart and browning, partisan, they're partisan for lehigh county republicans, vs. those from northampton.

Chris Casey said...

There's no doubt Cindy Miller is behind it, this has Mr. Harhart's fingerprints all over it. Julie played the nice old lady while her husband was the backyard bully. Old habits die hard when you are trying to bestow your kingdom to the chosen princess.

Anonymous said...

I have heard whispers that Terri Powell's Petitions are being challenged, also.

Anonymous said...

Rep Harhart did not choose, John Brown did. It was reported here on LVR that the Northampton seat on NorCo Gaming control board was switched without explanation, despite the a very respectable job by the prior board member who wanted to retain the seat. Makes sense now.

Anonymous said...

You have a typo in your headline.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Thanks for pointing out the tyopo, which I've corrected.

D Grim said...

Interesting and amusing, these allegations by Grammes. What plausible reason might there be for a local politician to fail to disclose finances? Surely must have been caused by his opponent, and not a blatant disregard for the election law that governs all of us. Suggest creating a checklist of stuff to submit when running for office, will be useful next time around.

Anonymous said...

D Grim 6:14. Finance form was filed with 670 signatures and available for review. Was not filed in Ethics office.
That is the dispute. No disregard for the law. Harrisburg wants to control the election. Voters should decide.

Chris Amato said...

This will be a tough race in both primary and general as this is a Presidential election year. Dems will be out in greater numbers. Any other year this would be a Republican landslide.

Anonymous said...

If Miller pushes Grammes and Mako off primary. Potential for write in and Independent candidates will push election over to Dems.

Anonymous said...

Bob Guzzardi was thrown off the ballot in 2014 for almost the same reason Grammes is being challenged. His chances of survival are grim and it will cost campaign $$ to fight it.

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Bernie O'Hare said...

If it was filed, and simply just not filed with the Ethics Comm'n, Grammes might skate. He would have to make an evidentiary record as to exactly what happened.

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Bernie O'Hare said...

I have deleted a number of off-topic comments attacking various individuals involved in another state house race. If you can't follow the rules, you don't deserve to be heard.

Anonymous said...
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Bernie O'Hare said...

The sins of the mother shall not be visited on the son. It is obvious someone is wasting a lot of time trying to dig up dirt, but that is very weak.

Anonymous said...

10:17 post rather confusing.