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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Judge Emil Needs Your Help

Judge Giordano in Naturalization Court
This past summer, I had numerous opportunities to chat with Emil Giordano as he watched his son Caden put in an excellent summer of basketball at Allentown's Cedar Beach. Unfortunately, it was so good that Caden's team, Bethlehem Catholic, managed to defeat my grandson's Allentown Central Catholic in the 'ship. Now he should have been criss-crossing the state and putting 200,000 miles on his car, hunting for a vote here and there in his race to become a Superior Court Judge. But he put his son first. If only for that reason, he should be elected.

Judge Giordano has been on the bench in Northampton County for 13 years. He could have sentenced anyone at Cedar Beach to death, especially a few of the refs. But no one there knew he was a judge. He was Emil. Down to earth. Plain spoken. Complaining like everyone else about the heat. Taking pictures of my bald spot and texting them to me.

It's rare to see a judge who remembers that he still wears underwear, but Emil Giordano is that kind of person.

It could be because of the way he was raised. His parents were both Italian immigrants who met while learning to speak English. Like so many of these gifts from abroad, they worked hard and established a chain of pizza restaurants. Emil made hoagies and learned what it was like to talk to people.

As a lawyer and then as a judge, Emil has been selfless, just like his son is on the basketball court.

He's running for a seat on the Pennsylvania Superior Court, an appellate court that hears most of the criminal appeals and wiretap requests.

He's one of eight candidates for four seats.

He is easily the most popular judge in the Lehigh Valley and has widespread bipartisan support.  Though he's a Republican, he has the endorsement of numerous unions, including trade unions.

But what hurts him is that he's from the Lehigh Valley. It is very difficult for someone from the Lehigh Valley to be elected to statewide office  Making matters worse is a federal investigation into political corruption, which has had a chilling effect on donors.

He's not allowed to seek donations, but needs money to have a fighting chance. So if you can see your way to giving his campaign some financial help, this is a link to his donations page.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had the privilege and the honor to introduce him to a number of Sportsmen and Women at the recent Northampton County Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs Meeting recently held at the Stockertown Rod and Gun Club. I am proud to call him a friend and have voted for Judge Emil in the past. He is a good man that never forgot his roots and he will be a great addition to the Superior Court. Democrats and Republicans alike should support "our favorite son."
Gerald "Jerry" Seyfried

Fiorella R. Mirabito said...

Emil is the best and only choice for the bench. His dedication to family and community - second to none.
I'm so incredibly proud of my childhood friend...support him 100%, and wish him all the best!

Anonymous said...

not sure you asking us to help him helps him anymore

Anonymous said...

I'm sure he appreciates you drooling all over him, in the same week you have disgustingly shit on the flag and praised the NFL, and the same goes for the Director of HR.

He's your texting buddy? Ok he just lost my vote.

Anonymous said...

Just donated!

Thanks for putting up the link, Bernie. Emil is a good man.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"He's your texting buddy? Ok he just lost my vote"

Yes. You see, he is unwilling to shut out others simply bc of their politics.

sezary said...

Anonymous at September 28, 2017, 8:14 AM

I do not know what it must be like to have such anger in your heart, or how that feels. I hope I never do. The fact that you stated publicly you would vote against someone just because of your disdain toward another individual and/or their politics says a lot about you. The fact that you posted such a comment anonymously also speaks to your character. Unfortunately for you, both do not paint you in a positive light. Because I am not as shallow as your comments make you out to be, and because I graduated with Judge Giordano, and because of what I know about him and of him, I will gladly support him and his candidacy for Superior Court. Already have a Giordano sign in front of my house.

Anonymous said...

Great, thanks for confirming it. Again he lost my vote.

Jeff Fox, yes, there is anger in my heart when I see our flag disrespected by a group of spoiled brats boiling with fury because Hillary lost and Trump won.

Anyone who supports this behavior is part of the problem, texting buddies and all. Glad I tuned in today.

sezary said...

Your on-line behavior is also part of the problem. The high road is often rough and lonely. Being angry at something specific and harboring anger toward others are two different things. The fact that Judge Giordano lost your vote because you are angry at Bernie and others is not reasonable, rational, justified, nor is it a way to change the very thing you may oppose. Fighting, as you labeled, "fury" with "fury" or anger in return, although it may be your gut reaction, is not, nor is it ever very productive.

Anonymous said...

spare me the lecture on what is acceptable anger and behavior and what is not. Born and raised on American soil, and proud. Spit on my flag and I am angry. Don't need or want your permission. Don't need or want to give a promotion to a judge who is a texting buddy of the biggest imbecile America hater in the county.


Ask the NFL about fury. They are on the receiving end of plenty of it, and will lose business because of it.

We the People were "furious" with the establishment in 2016, and the results made that clear.

Anonymous said...

Maybe we should ask the judge about his position of the anthem, if he doesn't think it is racist then Bernie can call him a hater authoritarian racist like he does with everyone who disagrees with him.

sezary said...

No lecture anonymous. Actually none needed. You make my point quite nicely yourself. Anonymous...Perhaps our definitions of "fury" and "anger" differ. I still contend that not voting for Judge Giordano simply because he is, in your opinion, "a texting buddy of the biggest imbecile America hater in the county", is not rational. There are bigger American hating imbeciles in this county than Bernie. I understand why President Trump was elected. I am also not a huge fan of the establishment. I did vote for Mr. Trump instead of Mrs. Clinton. Given the options, it really wasn't a difficult choice. I find it very refreshing to see all the political players befuddled and unaware of how to react to someone such as our President and vice versa. I do not like the status quo. However, those who blindly like and support everything the President says or does, are doing America no favors, just as those who blindly oppose everything Mr. Trump says or does, are not rational. IMHO. You certainly are free to say and do what you wish, no “permission” needed. Those same freedoms apply to all.

Anonymous said...

I just hope the judge agrees with Bernie on the flag, anthem and the NFL protests. Otherwise it will get ugly here

Bernie O'Hare said...

I don't speak for Judge Giordano or anyone else. no rational person can look at the closing verses of the national anthem without realizing that the slaveowner who wrote it was relishing the death of slaves. We need a new and more unifying national anthem, not an ode to slavery.

Anonymous said...

why don't you ask the judge?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Why don't you? You have time on your hands since you quit another job.

Anonymous said...

really....I think you are afraid to ask. The judge is a Republican.

sezary said...

Bernie, I really do not think you are an "American hating imbecile". Just making a point. We may not agree on everything but I do not consider you an "American hating imbecile".

sezary said...

I have read the words, all verses, of the Star Spangled Banner. I am a rational person. I do not think it is an "ode to slavery". "Relishing the death of slaves" and "an ode to slavery" would seem to be quite the stretch. Context is important. "America the Beautiful" would be an appropriate anthem to replace the "Star Spangled Banner". IMHO

Bernie O'Hare said...

Jeff Fox. The anthem delights when the bombs and rockets spill the blood of "hirelings" and "slaves," i. E. blacks people. It praises "freemen," i.e whites. It is a celebration of the subjugation of blacks and should not be our anthem. How this escapes you is beyond me, to me it is obvious.

Anonymous said...

you're really doing wonders for the judge, who is the topic of this post. Maybe you should ask him for a letter of recommendation to join the Antifa movement, since you align so closely with their mantra of anarchy and finding a racist/ fascist behind every door. He must be so thrilled to see he is your buddy.

Better yet, read this story. The author is right..."When everything is racist, nothing is."


http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2017/sep/12/opinion-if-everything-racist-nothing/

sezary said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
sezary said...

"How this escapes you is beyond me, to me it is obvious. "

That doesn't "escape" me. It is "obvious" to you because you choose to see and reflect on such through the lens of "racism". When context, history and the big picture, as opposed to the myopic view of those who find racism tucked away in all corners of history, are taken into consideration, it becomes obvious, to me anyway, that the lyrics to the "Star Spangled Banner" were not penned to be racist. Perhaps the zeitgeist of today sees racism in the same lyrics which were written after seeing, and not expecting to see, the American Flag waving over Fort McHenry the morning of September 14,1814. The poem was originally titled "Defence of Fort M'Henry." The words were not intended to be racist as they were being penned. The Star-Spangled Banner refers to the American flag and was chosen as the national anthem in 1931. It is not a "celebration of the subjugation of blacks". Perhaps in your mind. But I doubt it was in the mind of Francis Scott Key back in 1814. I guess it depends on how you look at it and what you choose to see.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Jeff, I do not view this through the lens of racism, but through the actual words used by the slaveowner who wrote this piece. He delights that the blood of slaves and hirelings is being spilled, and contrasts them with "freemen." This was as much a defense of slavery as of McHenry. This should not be our anthem. Most people are simply unaware of this, but I suspect that will change and that we can rid ourselves of that trash.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I have deleted two comments that attack me and attempted to liken my fact-based objections to the anthem to the librarian complaining about Dr. Suess.

sezary said...

Thought about tearing off a corner of the Giordano sign in front of my humble abode, to protest your support of Judge Giordano, but it would make the sign really look bad and that plastic stuff is hard to tear evenly, so.... no.