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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Wednesday, May 03, 2017

Judge Emil Giordano, A Regular Guy, Throws Pizza Party

Judge Emil Giordano
Lehigh Valley favorite son Emil Giordano, a highly regarded Northampton County judge for the past 13 years, is running for Superior Court this year.  He is seeking one of four vacant seats. Giordano is "highly recommended" by the state bar association, its top rating. But Giordano never mentioned that last night at a pizza party he threw for about 300 bi-partisan supporters at Northampton Memorial Banquet Center. There was no need. He's perhaps the most popular Lehigh Valley jurist to emerge since Jack Panella. Attorney Mark Altemose, who introduced Giordano last night, explained why. In the eyes of most people, he's a "regular guy."

I've seen this for years. He's never been known as Judge Giordano at baseball games or on the basketball court. It's always been Emil. No one would know he was a judge. They instead know him as a coach, a dad, a fan. A regular guy.

Pizza galore!
Altemose said he was honored that Giordano would ask a "lowly Democrat," and one who is also a Plaintiff's attorney, to introduce him. But he learned that the reason is because Giordano ran out of Republicans at so many other events. He had to turn to Democrats, starting with the letter "A".

Giordano fell a little short in his last bid for a seat in the Superior Court, but decided to try again. He told his wife than when they first met, he was a small town lawyer in a strip mall in Egypt. "Did you ever imagine, in your wildest dreams, that I would be running for the Superior Court of Pennsylvania?  he asked her.

"Honey, you're not in my wildest dreams," his wife answered.

What was amazing about this event, aside from Judge Giordano's self-deprecating humor, are the number of loyal friends who appear with him. High school classmates. Fraternity brothers. Former students from Moravian College. Former clients.

Mayors Ed Hozza (Whitehall) and Fiorella Mirabito (Bath)
were classmates
Executive John Brown was apparently too important to attend. His opponent, Lamont McClure, had what Giordano would consider an acceptable excuse. Baseball. Peg Ferraro,unfortunately, was unable to attend because she was burying her brother John. . Seth Vaughn, who is seeking re-election, were nowhere to be found. Nor were any of the Democratic Council candidates.

Fortunately, numerous local government officials were there.Controller Steve Barron and NorCo Council members Hayden Phillips and Glenn Geissinger came. Council candidate Ron Angle was there. Northampton Borough officials. The entire Bushkill Township Board of Supervisors. The entire Bath Borough Council and Mayor Fiorella Mirabito. Hanover Township's Jay Finnigan and John Diacogiannis. Dave Colver from Palmer Township.Whitehall Mayor Ed Hozza. I know I missed some of you.

Hanover Tp's Jay Finnigan and John Diacogiannis
Tony Pristash, a Northampton Council member, did the photography.

In a show of bi-partisan support, Democratic State Senator Lisa Boscola and Republican State Senator Mario Scavello both spoke on behalf of Giordano.

Senator Mario Scavello said it was tough to follow Lisa Boscola and Mark Altemose
Giordano asked his son Caden, a basketball standout and scholar at Bethlehem Catholic, to stand up. Then he asked three MDJ candidates running in his district  to take a good look at him."If he gets in trouble, do not give him bail," he joked.

Caden is now taller than his father. "I can still beat him,"lied Giordano
Giordano came up hard.His parents came to this country from Italy and met in night school, where they were learning English. He worked in their pizza shop after school. Though he claims to have hated it, he said that job taught him about service.

Why is he running for Superior Court judge? Because "they don't have to all come from the big cities. Appellate courts are full of judges from Philadelphia and Allegheny County. It's my humble, self-serving opinion that we need judges from smaller counties who have small town values and that's why I'm running."

Controller Steve Barron and his lovely family. Fortunately,
his daughters look like their mother.
The ying and the yang of Northampton County. Flamboyant barrister Gary Asteak
and Northampton County bulldog Ron Angle. 
Hayden "the Colonel" Phillips ordered me to clean the bathrooms 
Magisterial District Judge candidate Vivian Zumas, with Asteak and Finnigan

Updated 8:50pm: Unfortunately, Peg Ferraro was unable to attend as a result of the death of her brother John.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I doubt if all people were aware of the function. I doubt non-attendance denotes not liking the guy. You now have a litmus test on people who for whatever reason are not at a political function? Nice going. Keep that up and you will put the O'Hare being obnoxious jinx on the poor guy.

Everyone I know speaks highly of him but I, as I am sure many others, was not aware of the event or that attendance was mandatory.

rockybwinkle said...

Thanks, as always for the insight! I noticed you mentioned Peg Ferraro and others were nowhere to be found, implying lack of support (intentionally or unintentionally). Peg shared a video from the event on her Facebook page, so I'd assume she was there in spirit even if unable to attend in person.

Fiorella R. Mirabito said...

Great event for a truly great man. Mark Altemose was truly on-point "a regular guy"!

Anonymous said...

I'm reconsidering my support after seeing Barron there.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"I doubt if all people were aware of the function. I doubt non-attendance denotes not liking the guy. You now have a litmus test on people who for whatever reason are not at a political function?"

First, you'd have to be brain dead to not know about this event. Second, everyone supports Emil. That's not the point. The point is that Brown, McClure, Ferraro and others are running for county office missed an opportunity to be seen. McClure is a challenger and should have used this opportunity to get a few votes, but did not. Brown does not have Lucy Lennon leading him around by the nose this time and should also have been there bc he still needs the votes of the people. He apparently thinks he is above all of that and has no reason to be at an even for a fellow Republican seeing a spot on the Superior Court. Third, if I noticed this absence, so did others. .

Anonymous said...

Emil is a good guy. Intelligent and personable. Wish him the best in his Supreme Court bid.

Bernie O'Hare said...

In McClure's defense, baseball is an acceptable reason for missing anything.

Bernie O'Hare said...

It's super court

Arlene Klocek committee woman, Hanover said...

Sorry I missed your event Judge Emil. I totally forgot. I wish you the best and May you be our next Superior Court Judge

Anonymous said...

Now people unaware of the event are "brain dead" You are really helping the guy out big time. Since Angle was there people are aware of your motive in this. Emil is a good guy and I know many people from both parties will support him since he is a candidate from the area. Yet even with all that you as usual find a way to hurt the guys candidacy by your negative attack piece.

I am sure Emil is thrilled with you for the post.

Bernie O'Hare said...

You would have to be brain dead not to know. You are looking for excuses for Brown's absence. He missed an opportunity.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Bernie and Emil. Good for you in exposing the demonrats for what they are. Since Emil is a Republican, we know the motivation they all have to go after him. They are shameless. He has every right to be angry with those people. Good for you for pointing all this out.

Bernie O'Hare said...

ike I said,it makes no difference to Judge Giordano bc everyone supports him. The reason to be there, if you're running for office,is to raise your own visibility. In that regard, Republican Executive candidate John Brown failed, as did Republican Council candidates Peg Ferraro and Seth Vaughn. The latter won't even leave his house for a committee meeting so that is no shocker. All Democrats running for Council skipped and missed a perfect opportunity to let people know who they are. McClure, who was coaching Little League, gets a pass.

Anonymous said...

Based on this article it would appear you are saying people should vote for Ron Angle(of course), Hayden Phillips and Glenn Geissinger. Anyone that claims they were unaware of this event are liars and should not get anyone's vote. Nor should anyone use any excuse except for baseball. That about covers it, right?

Bernie O'Hare said...

What I am saying is that the candidates who failed to appear at this event missed a perfect opportunity to attract voters, especially the largely unknown Dem Council candidates. You can twist that however you wish.

Anonymous said...

So if someone was ill or had things to attend to that would be no excuse for missing the Giodano event? However, if it was baseball and probably basketball, Emil would understand.

Wow, I can see the votes flowing in for him now. Stigmatize and profile much?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Go away. You just want to argue.

Anonymous said...

Amen Bernie. Just democrat troublemakers here and everywhere. Emil will win without them. It is sad he was so disrespected. He deserves better.

Anonymous said...

You would think ANYONE running for ANYTHING would stay as far away from PIZZA as they could.