Local Government TV

Friday, February 26, 2016

Schweyer Challenges Dominguez Petition

too brown for Allentown?
State Rep. Pete Schweyer has a pretty good gig goin' as the Gringo representing a new District in Allentown that was supposedly established for its Latino population. But Norberto Dominguez, who actually is a Democrat and an honest-to-goodness Latino, has dared to challenge the natural order by running himself. So Schweyer has challenged Dominguez's nomination petition, hoping to have this election decided by a judge and not the voters.

Schweyer is using the same Philly lawyer - Adam Bonin - who challenged Terri Powell's signatures.

According to Tonya Trotter, who is volunteering for Dominguez' campaign, Schweyer "doesn't want the Latinos (that he represents) in the 22nd district to decide. What he wants is for Mr. Dominguez, who is Dominican, founded HALA (Hispanic American League of Artists), has beautified ugly parts of this city with full scale murals, and turned a dirty lot into a park, to be kicked off the ballot. He filed his lawsuit late on Tues, the 23rd, the deadline for objections."

"How serious is Mr. Schweyer's commitment to the Latino people of the 22nd district if he wants to kick their Latino candidate off the ballot?

"That should speak volumes to the voters of the 22nd district about his character and true motives for being in that seat. He's okay representing them in a seat of power, but he is too afraid to face a true contender in an election?"

Tonya, I don't believe Pete represents the voters. He represents the crony capitalist party headed by J.B. Reilly. From time to time, he hands out food to the poor, kinda' like the aristocracy used to throw coins at the unwashed masses in France.

Schweyer and his Bobbsey Twin, Mike "Darth Voter" Schlossberg, are far more comfortable among the Lee Butz' of this world, something their campaign finance reports make very clear.

I don't know his challenge claims. Maybe it was signed by people who aren't really registered. Maybe Norberto did not know about filing his Statement of Financial Interests with the Ethics Commission. But Schweyer's real argument is that Norberto is too brown for Allentown.

53 comments:

  1. hispanics aren't real Americans and should not be allowed to vote

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  2. More like Boobsy Twins. Any Latino who is competent could beat Petey in a primary. That district would turn on him in a heartbeat.

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    1. It is boopsy like the lady cartoon chacter herion hanna hoe herpieiZed :hence RePete of the soul sale sector¿!)$ This is one of many subsect sets that make up the hole of the browne whole as a hole¿!($ Speaking of which LVHN fomall the Great Allentown Hospital circus sideshows freeks and geeks of the back midways Cigar SurpriZe SidewayZ with the secret twistZ ticket takers yeast infected cheesy french fries sold epicentral¿!)$
      Now there is a nue nue nue campaign contribitor party favor conssessionair comPETitor in humtydumties court jesters ranks¿!)$ Hence were does all the hanna herion herpie hotspot pool side ReSide to Redistribute with knowledge of claiming ignorance to the original carnival zip code pinned for itZ demize by thoZe large and incharge with this citcus arena agenda failure diversionary tactiks of the notorious hamilton street gang o thugs¿!)$ This man just like greedy is just another sellout to whitey, hence poverty pimp extraordinaiar the one and only jennings with his boy toys first feet on the street the doc of thriteenth street and formerly chriss addict¿!)$ Nothing ventured nothing gained laraZa¿!)$
      redd for Republican
      patent pending

      Delete
  3. Tonia Trotter said:

    "How serious is Mr. Schweyer's commitment to the Latino people of the 22nd district if he wants to kick their Latino candidate off the ballot?

    "That should speak volumes to the voters of the 22nd district about his character and true motives for being in that seat. He's okay representing them in a seat of power, but he is too afraid to face a true contender in an election?"


    Wow, she still doesn't get it.

    Maybe if she'd take out her references to Schweyer in her quote above, and substitute "Democrat Party" she'd have the full picture.

    After all, the "Latino District" was specifically drawn by the democrats to include Schweyer, the "PA Dutch Latino". All the while, the democrats told the Latinos that it was for them.

    Not actually.

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  4. While I can't stand Schweyer, rules are rules. I believe Americans who identify themselves as Hispanic, or anything else, are capable of following instructions and obeying rules. Saying a challenge to petitions shows a lack of commitment to "Hispanics" is insulting to all of Spanish descent, including those from the Island Hispanola.

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    Replies
    1. Actually yes. RULES ARE RULES! This means that petition signatures must be legit and verified. Anyone running has the right to challenge the petitions of an opposing candidate. Those are the rules of politics.

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    2. Gina, Do you even know what rules were supposedly violated? "Rules" have been used to deprive ballot access to people of color. The Bobbsey twins peter and Mike, whom you like so much, are doing what the empowered always do. And you thank them. No wonder Allentown is a mess.

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  5. 1:57, Do you even know what rules are in question>/ Do you even know the basis of the complaint? Is it your position that if Schweyer filed the challenge, it must be right?

    I admire Tonbya's passion, and if I were of color, I'd be upset to see that a district made up of so many person of color being represented by someone who is not.

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  6. 1:57, Do you even know what rules are in question>/ Do you even know the basis of the complaint? Is it your position that if Schweyer filed the challenge, it must be right?

    I admire Tonbya's passion, and if I were of color, I'd be upset to see that a district made up of so many person of color being represented by someone who is not.

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    Replies
    1. I live in his district aND I vote. I'm not Hispanic.

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  7. This is good stuff. How dare they? After all he has done for the Spanish speakers.

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  8. Challenges are legal. If all rules were followed, there's no problem. Caucasians have their petitions challenged all the time. Making this a racial issue flies in the face of Dr. King's admonishment to judge content of character and not color of skin.

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  9. What we are talking about is ballot access. What we are talking about here is actualoly systemic racism, in which "rules" are used by the empoered to deprive those of limited means. Schweyer can use hired legal guns with money supplied by crony capitalists to look for a reason to knock someone off the ballot who is of cor and has no access to those resources. That is EXACTLY what is happening here. You may not like hearing the truth, but it really is a form of subtle racism to keep thiose who are disempowere in their slave status.

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  10. bernie, i disagree. a petition challenge can be very legitimate. i opted out as a republican candidate in the 183rd, because i questioned if i had sufficient help to gather the necessary signatures, and i didn't want to accept any help unless success was assured. had i been willing to be "causal" about the signatures, i may now be a candidate. furthermore, marc grammes petitions were most likely deficient in his previous runs. the petition office and the ethics office are in two separate buildings, it would be very difficult to forget that, if you ever did it properly the first time. in 2014 i went to great pains to do everything per statue, because i expected to be challenged. it's very easy for a novice to misstep.

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  11. tonya should be more concerned that it took years for one hispanic out of 60,000, to come forward and run for the seat. that's the only real "racial" issue

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  12. my bad, my apology, steve ramos ran last cycle

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  13. so, now we remember that schweyer beat a hispanic in nov. of 2014. although steve ramos did run as a republican, he's puerto rican, born on the island. so, the hispanics passed on a hispanic representative by straight ticket voting and low turnout, not being disenfranchised by peter schweyer

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    Replies
    1. They had already been disenfranchised. The poor have little reason to vote, edpecislly for an R.

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  14. MM, you are correct to note that it is quite easy for a novice to make a mistake. You also correctly observe that petition objections can be very poignant. If someone is not registered to vote, his or her signature should not count. But these rules are used by the empowered to start in control. Schweyer is funded by the NIZ beneficiaries to ensure that everyone else knows their place. Norberto likely has no funds for an election lawyer or a political consultant to comb through his opponent's papers. So it really is a form of systemic racism. Perhaps the better word is classism. Had you run in the 183rd, there is little doubt in my mind that you would have been challenged, too. You are not a member of the ruling class

    I do know that, to the courts, tge overriding concern is supposed to be the desire to let the people decide. Many decisions support that principle, but some do not. If a candidate has filed his ethics statement, but failed to file it in the ethics office, that should not be a fatal error if it can be corrected. But Justice Saylor, who is now Chief Justice, used that failure to screw Guzzardi, whose real sim is that he is a pain in the ass.

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  15. B.O., if I may,

    I know both parties, and both are civil and open-minded individuals. Now, as a person who has run for City Council and was literally blackmailed, taunted, and had individuals literally attempt to ruin my reputation i.e. way of life, I would say this: ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR. And politics in Allentown is, indeed, war. I wouldn't say it was racism as much as I would say it is a strategic act of politics which, basically, is how "the game" is played. If you decide to jump into "the game" I hope everyone knows this is the type of situation you can expect. It's not about being brown in Allentown as much as it is about having "green" and a knowledgable team around you. Like "street" basketball, there are no fouls. (I learned this, when I ran, after getting kneed, elbowed, knocked, and slapped around every which way but loose.) Is it fair, nice, etc? It doesn't matter because it is business and politics and not everyone can be "the one". Now, I KNOW what racism is and how it can effect us in politics and I am NOT denying its' existence in Allentown politics, I am just saying I don't see it here. People want to win these seats because of the prestige and influence they hold and if you run, you have to be prepared to pull out all of the stops; in turn, you have to realize so will others. All you can do is fight the good fight and try not to turn negative or allow the negative to turn YOU. I wish them all good luck!

    Alfonso Todd

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  16. Has anyone asked the question; what help did the local Democratic Committee offer this Latino candidate to dot the I's and cross the T's so they could file correctly?
    The answer to that should be what angers Allentown's Latinos.

    Scott Armstrong

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  17. God, I hate agreeing with Scott Armstrong on anything, but on this one he happens to be right. Ask Kim Velez how much help she got. Now that the D's ran Bar Johnston out of town, there is no one willing to help the disenfranchised "outsiders" to get on the ballot.

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    Replies
    1. The local democratic is a poorly run volunteer organization. I highly doubt any of the incumbents relied on it to get their signatures for ballot access.

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  18. Chris,

    Why the hate? Because we have different political philosophies does not mean we can't respect each others opinion and discuss differences amicably.

    Scott Armstrong

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  19. i note that when i ran as an independent in 2014, all the T's were crossed and the i's were dotted. this time, when i announced as an outsider republican, not one person affiliated with the local lehigh county party in any way came, forward or responded to my requests for help with the signatures. instead, they rallied only for marc grammes. so, dean browning ,glenn eckhart, bob smith, how's that working out?

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  20. Mike,

    You did write that you receive help from the local committee this year when you ran. I would have helped but I am not not in your district.I will note that the Lehigh Republican Committee had Steven Ramos on the ballot as a candidate for controller and his brother on the ballot as a candidate for school board. Tim lost in the primary because he chose the stay registered as a D(therefore got no support from anyone), but Steven was supported by the local committee(Dean Browning)and made a respectable show of getting 40% of the vote for the controller position. He is presently a plaintiff is the lawsuit against the AEA.

    Scott Armstrong

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  21. Alphonso,

    If you become an advocate of the the merits of reduced powers for central authorities we would love to have you in the Republican Party and help fund your future runs for office. Let's discuss this. Really, does it make sense to hope the government can solve your problems?

    Scott Armstrong

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    1. This juggling clown effect would be a great effectZ part of the local political parasites arena agenda circus¿!)$ You go scott you too could become like your collegueZ snakeoil salesman jeff too, just yet another one of humtydumty's court jesterZ¿!)$

      Cover for the school borrowing monies when said monies were set aside for the innocent indigent childrens children by our four fathers only to be pillphered for the grant grab get to give back to be impropoorly allocated for improper allocationds that were put to print when such trusts were put in place¿!)$
      The ticcket tackers cheesy frenchfries and its secret sauce served up daily for the unvertueUS?!)$ Aleentown pa City run by those with low to no VERTUE sad but true¿!)$ Joe Henandez would make a mighty fine RePresentation for the latino populus, RePete is a whitey soul sale subsect set of the notorious hamilton street gang o thugs and such a RePlacement tool as jherberto will just be another mr. greedy whitey sellout of his the browne hole race palumpadomiZed like there supersiZed gutZ from there gluttonous illbehaviored unaddressed issues¿!)$
      Bernie, the suspense of opinions and allentownZ own the GAME caining of the BOILZ has me on the edge of my chair, pinZ and neddleZ pokeing every poor of my astronomical moral makeup¿!)$
      redd for Republican
      patent pending

      Delete
  22. The parties serve the interests of the party.

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    Replies
    1. If the party serves the interest of a political philosophy then it is for the good, if contrarily, it serves a self interest it is for the worse.

      Scott Armstrong

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  23. Scott, Have you turned back into a conservative already? I thought the liberal powder I sprinkled on your sandwich yesterday would be good for at least a week.

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  24. LOL! Thanks for the support Scott but I am too unorthodox and wild to be a Repub... Also, even when Bar Johnston and the Democratic team was intact, they promised to help and support when I ran (and I actually called her on several occasions for advice) and in the end I got nothing. The only help I received, as a novice beliving in truth, justice and the American way / fair play was from a group of slate creating rabble rousers. LOL! Again, this experience is NOT for the weak or faint hearted. Allentown politics will try your heart and soul if you allow it.

    Alfonso Todd

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  25. All party loving hacks promise everything but fall back in line with their incumbents.

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  26. scott, you should seriously consider reigning in your partisan support for the party, especially when it erodes your credibility. you know full well that you could have volunteered to help me without living in the district. none of the republicans i mentioned that helped grammes live in the 183rd, and that requirement was judged unconstitutional years ago, as you well know. the only "help" i received from the party was providing me with the list of committee people,(upon my request) none of whom came forward, despite numerous requests on my facebook page and blog.

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  27. Schweyer did not have any real competition last election. His opponent did not exhibit any effort. South Allentown needs a representative of the people. Good luck to this candidate.

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  28. All Hispanics have to ask themselves is to look around south Allentown under Schweyer's representation. Is it better or worse? Are there more activities for young people or less? Is there more safe, clean, attractive housing or less? Endless examples. Too little time.

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  29. Schweyer was preoccupied with advancing his own political career, and urban growth for rich dudes. Hispanic voters are as reliable and predictable as sunrise in pulling the lever and electing the party designee. Schweyer knows this and laughs at Hispanics when they get uppity and complain. They're always going to vote for him. There's no need to actually serve the Hispanic constituency. It's the same for African-Americans. When one side can bet the farm on 92% of your vote each election, you simply become part of the base that gets ignored when moderate and independent votes are sought in contested general elections.

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  30. I thought I published a reply last night, but here goes:
    Scott A: There was no hate intended. But I do not ignore that we have different political philosophies. We do share a goal that all kids should be offered the same opportunity to enjoy a good education.
    I don't believe Allentown's Hispanic voters are level pullers. I believe they are apathetic. Their turnout is abysmal, and one of the reasons turnout in the city has sunk to the depths it has over the last ten years. Guridy doesn't inspire them, nor does Pawlowski. They don't feel empowered, or even as if they matter. That needs to change, but there is blame both ways here. I blame party leadership for sitting on their hands, and the voters themselves, for sitting at home on their couches each election day and being too lazy to use their privilege.

    Both need to show some initiative

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  31. Chris,

    We had Steven Ramos on the ballot last fall. Mike, unless I am mistaken one cannot circulate a petition for a candidate unless they live in the district the candidate is running in. I do not live in the area you are running, otherwise I would have been happy to circulate for you.

    Scott Armstrong

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  32. yes, scott, you are mistaken. although the petition must still be circulated by members of the same party, the place of residency was stricken years ago. although, i had republicans volunteer from several areas in the valley, none were committee members of the lehigh valley republicans.

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  33. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  34. @12:12, you were up late last night attacking alfonso on this post. so pathetic that all your time is spent sending anonymous insults, which only last until the blog owner deletes them.

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  35. MM, For someone who tells me hoe careful he was to dot his "i"s and cross his "ts", you could find yourself in for a rude awakening. Although the elections office is no longer enforcing the circulator residency requirement, the law itself has not changed. It is very possible that someone could bring a challenge and would win, based on a failure to have a circulator resident. It is not "years" since that has changed. It is jut a few election cycle, a blip as elections go. Judge van Antwerpren ruled this is a magtter of core political speech, but state judges have never liked being told they are full of shit by a fed, even though we're all full of shit. Some senile senior Commonwealth Court judge ruled the other way despite van Antwerpen's ruling. He was reversed by the Court of Final Error, but that Court was a jerk about it and said its ruling was confined to that case or some such similar horseshit. That ruling just came down in 2012. I would not advise a state house candidate to use circulators who live outside his district. If you need that to get on the ballot. you should reconsider running, as you obviously did.

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  36. Bernie,

    Thanks for the input. I am not an election expert but the advice remains to get circulators from the district. By the way, very few people are willing to circulate petitions, it is tough work.

    Scott Armstrong

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  37. bernie, you may be correct in law, but wrong in practice. i read quite extensively on this, and it is now widespread practice that candidates get circulators, only of the same party, in helping state reps rather signatures. you may recall that in 2014, i was upset that ce-ce was helping Terri Powells, but not because she was from allentown, but because of her partisanship. frankly, i'm shockedthat scott didn't know this. you can even now hire consulting firms to collect signatures.

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  38. MM, I would NEVER advise a state house candidate to use circulators who do not reside within the district. The law is too unsettled, and it is foolhardy to take a chance. Also, as a practical matter, if a candidate does not have people within the district who are willing to work for him, he probably should reconsider running. Let's stick to the 122d.

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    1. Bernie,
      Morning, This RePeal of allentowns OWN boy toysextrordinair RePete of the soul sale sector apprentenceSHIP and darthvoter is some very bad RePresentational tools of any and all ie the hole human race not just a specific shade of tan¿!)$ Both should just come out of the closet and admit to there chalk aand paint and playing of any taint inhabitable and not¿!)$ The allentown experiance is just that a learning tool of understangs the many shell trix of area agenda carni val~¿!)$
      As for MM he has familia ties to the criminally corrupt and the arena circus agenda too, this is one of the main reasons for my banning, and than there is his low to now cognazant comprehencian of varios writting styles¿!)$
      MM, the jist is just that like the parables of jesus christ it is an aquired taste and you are just not there yet¿!)$ Just maybe when you are verticle on your die bed you to like you collegues church on the run wil profess the reality and like them try to pray your way out of hell¿!)$
      redd for Republican
      patent pending

      Delete







  39. bernie, i appreciate that you like to have the last word, but it doesn't make your advise any more correct. you confirm that the residency requirement was stricken by a federal judge, and reaffirmed by the state supreme court, and no longer required by the election office, but you consider the matter unsettled. understand that penna. had 203 state house races in 2014, and not one was challenged on the basis of circulator residency. although it may be decades before any change is made to the state constitution, candidates no longer consider themselves bound by the stricken circulator residency requirement.

    On February 8, 2014, the Secretary of State's office announced that it was re-designing nomination petition forms. As a result, circulators no longer have to affirm that they live in a particular electoral district of the state, though circulators must still affirm that they are state residents. This change was made in response to a lawsuit filed in November 2013 challenging the district residency requirement. Ballotpedia

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  40. I must still haunt 12:12 in his dreams.... YEARS later...

    LOL,

    Alfonso Todd

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  41. Campaign Suggestion for Mr. Dominguez:
    Create a simple flyer. Knock on as many South Side doors as you and volunteers possibly can. Be seen. Be at grocery stores, drug stores, fast food haunts. Be Seen.

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  42. Ouch, that one hurt bernie¿
    Was my noon time coffee reading and writing missing somthing that could not be redd not to be put to print¿
    As for RePete soul sale apprentence, he would challenge changing his diaper¿!)$ But than again maybe thats the way his campaign donors like there freeks and geeks circus trix and he should be used to his diaper issue as working with team elder abuse at the butcher home¿!)$
    redd for Republican
    patent pending

    ReplyDelete

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