Last night, at Historic Hotel Bethlehem, the Northampton County GOP hosted its annual Chairman's Dinner. That Chair, incidentally is "General" Lee Snover. Her hard work and organizational skills helped put Donald Trump over the top in Northampton County last year. That's a remarkable feat in a blue County. But success may have gone to her head. She apparently has forgotten that the chief responsibility of a county chair is to recruit and elect Republicans within her own county. She's so focused on next year's congressional mid-terms that it seems to have slipped her mind that five County Council seats are up for grabs in November. She snubbed the Council candidates who came to her dinner.
The dinner started off, of course, with an invocation. Because these are Republicans intent on impressing each other with their Godliness, the prayer went on for quite some time. It's no easy thing to make America great again, you know. In any event, the prayer was so damn long that the Democratic spies in the audience ran out and onto Main Street, throwing themselves into oncoming traffic.
After the ambulances cleared, Snover began bashing Congressman Charlie Dent as usual. He's a heretic, while pussy grabber Trump is everyone's hero.
Snover did let Executive John Brown deliver his "pitch," if you can call it that. He was both lengthy and boring. He pretends he is some kind of corporate savior when the truth is that he was fired at two jobs and laid off at a third. Before long, it was Republicans who began hurling themselves in front of speeding cars and horse carriages on Main Street.
After that, Snover promoted some national races next year because she apparently considers herself a major player now. Some US Senate hopeful parroted a few Trumpisms. She also wanted Justin Simmons to talk about his Congressional race next year, but Simmons' mom refuses to let him out on weeknights. So Tom Carroll got up and drained the swamp for him.
Northampton County Council candidates up for election this year were selectively snubbed.
She allowed Glenn Geissinger to speak, knowing he will never contradict Executive John Brown. But Hayden Phillips was completely disrespected. Geissinger mentioned that Ron Angle and Peg Ferraro were running, but never said a word about his fellow Council member Phillips, who was sitting there. Nor did Snover do anything to make up for this oversight, leading me to believe this snub was intentional.
Last Thursday, Phillips made clear he opposes a jail at Gracedale. So did Peg Ferraro. And Ron Angle has said he opposes a jail at Gracedale, too.
None of these three candidates was asked to speak, either, though their elections are a month away and they were there.
Candidate Seth Vaughn, who never shows up anywhere, was MIA at this dinner. He has said he will be easily re-elected so I guess there's no need for him to campaign.
45 comments:
Write in Ron Angle for County Executive. Let's make Northampton County great again! (Or at least bring it a notch or two closer to Lehigh County).
What is the deal with all their love for Giesinger? The guy uses the position to run for congress. he is arrogant tan doesn't care about the county council. Hell, that is just what some republicans say.
How Geissinger and Vaughn can get re-elected is beyond me.
How Phillips can be re elected is beyond me.
"How Geissinger and Vaughn can get re-elected is beyond me.
October 13, 2017 at 3:59 AM"
Because most rank and file Republicans are lever pullers, who would be loathe to split their ticket and vote for a Democrat.
Which speaks to larger issues transforming the GOP in my opinion. The changes in the party are largely of their own doing the past generation. Going back to the 90s and the beginning of talk radio, and its spillover into cable tv, was welcomed because even if sometimes having outlier views they captured reliable voters. The focus on winning states in the 2000s in the impressively patient RedMap strategy to control redistricting after 2010, netted fabulous success in some very refined gerrymandering creating extremely safe seats (e.g., take a look at the margin of victor, both R and "packed" D in PA). Their accommodation of the Tea Party movement from 2010 onward, again to welcome reliable and energized segment of voters. NOW.... all of this is biting the "establishment" GOP as they set themselves up to be overtaken by the Tea and Trump wings. These districts are so safe, and both old GOP and new insurgents are so unable to ever ever consider a non-GOP. This allows the current environment where Primary threats and outright challenges are successfully pushing the GOP even further into this "new GOP"'s control. All the earlier moves by the "established" GOP for short-term victory has turned around to devour them.
As long as the Geissinger's of the world knowingly, or accidentally, play into this new stratagem they are "in."
All the gop candidates for office were acknowledged, Did any of the candidates for council want to speak? If angle or any of those candidates wanted to speak, did they ask to do so.? It seems you are trying to put a negative spin on this dinner.
Lee Stover has little social acumen, I can tell you.
"All the gop candidates for office were acknowledged, Did any of the candidates for council want to speak? If angle or any of those candidates wanted to speak, did they ask to do so.? It seems you are trying to put a negative spin on this dinner."
Wrong. Not all were mentioned. Hayden Phillip swas omitted, which is why he left. Council candidates expected to be called up to say a few words. They weren't bc Lee is so focused on the 2018 races. She has forgotten she is a county chair,and that it is her job to elect Rs in her county.
At end of the day it is meaningless. Phillips will be re-elected. In the end, Republicans will take 3 seats-Ferraro, Angle and Phillips. Dems-2 seats-McGee and Heckman.
There's absolutely more to the story, you can't tell me that Ron angle would go to a Republican function sit in the audience and let them bypass him from speaking. What was he tied up and gagged in his chair, he must be losing it.
You should be happy if the GOP chair is doing such a poor job, this should give your people a better chance of being elected.
There are no expectations, if you are a candidate you make sure that you are given the opportunity to speak, if you desire. do you think the republican candidates for county council had to entice the people at the GOP dinner to vote for them, this is not a primary , but a general election, they are not competing against each other, they are all on the ballot. The speakers were all those either seeking statewide judge seats or are lining up for the primary. Snover did not trash Dent, other than to say he was not running. It was other speakers mostly Carroll. You are relaying a lot of second hand info. I did not see you there.
Hayden Phillips was acknowledged, but was in the bathroom at the time.
John Morganelli will pick up all Dent's Moderate Republican votes and be the new Congressman. Thanks Ms. Snover.
10:14, wrong again. Hayden Phillips left precisely bc he had been snubbed. Then General Lee texted him to come back and finally mentioned his name.
Grow the F up Bernie!!!!! You're a low life blogger sleaze!
10:37, John will also get moderate Rs turned off by General Lee and her litmus tests. Thanks, Lee.
10.07, oh I am happy. Gen'l Lee is so busy looking ahead that she forgot all about the county races going on right under her nose. She has deluded herself into thinking the county will stay red and hat no one is Trump weary. She surrounds herself with extremists like Tom Carroll and Tricia Mezzacappa while ignoring the many Rs who are sane.
Wow, I guess she should have free comped you, to the dinner.
9:28, Ron, Peg and Hayden were all muzzled. Snubbed. I think General Lee was afraid they might express an independent thought.
You know that brown and the commissioners have done a good job, they should be re-elected.
You need to examine objectively the LRC chairwoman but, it will never happen. We all know of your bromance with Dent.
One of your best write-ups...I choked twice while reading this. Thanks!
The republicans have ben conditioned to fear anything that does not fit the fictional Mayberry RFD scenario. With alt-right blogs, websites and media they are terrified of the 21st century and will only push the "R" buttons. The fear of dark skinned urban hordes taking their bibles is more than enough to keep them in line. The idea of splitting a ticket is heresy and they would rather endure 10% tax increases and multiple prions before doing that.
12:46, what you mean is that you want me to smear her after she reacted to being smeared by the Justin Simmons camp in a very vicious way by people who actually impersonated her with vulgar remarks.
12:17, if you knew anything about the county you would know that they are not called commissioners
Get over it, Dent quit, he will now go lobbying for the highest bidder. Stop blaming the northampton county republicans.
Mr. Phillips is the man that will tell the truth to us ,the tax payers ! Do not lump him into the pool of political malfeasance. This man was had been vetted by the U.S. Marine Corps from several angles that would impeach most of the rest of others presently on the board as candidates. I'm an hard R but will also vote for a D because of his personal integrity.
At the end of the day Jessica Banotai texted racist remarks about Simmons, and YOU want to defend that? She is no victim! She deserves every bit of negativity that comes her way. The fact that you defend her means you are no better, but we already know that now, don't we? The Lehigh County Young Republicans are a disgrace to the party. The LCRC is a disgrace to the party! Chucky Dent is a disgrace to the party! It's pathetic!
At the end of the day, she most certainly did not post racist remarks about Simmons. I saw her on the day that someone in the Simmons' camp impersonated her on PoliticsPa and posted ugly and vulgar comments. She was visibly shaken. She later reacted by suggesting that Simmons be portrayed as a member of Hitler Youth. She made this suggestion jokingly to a small group of friends. Was it appropriate? No. Understandable? Absolutely. Who was it in the Simmons camp who impersonated her? Someone who knew details about her personal life that should have stayed that way. But that is the way Simmons rolls. In every campaign in which he has been involved, he gets ugly and personal. Lee Snover should have her head examined for supporting this opportunistic loser, who does not have the respect of his colleagues in the state house. But I hope and pray he is the R nominee so he can be destroyed in the general election.
Unfortunately, it's people like you that keep good and decent people from running for elected office. You think you hold moral authority over others and sling ugly insults at people. It's sad that you can't see past your hatred. You have no idea how wrong you are about so many people that you decide to be at war with. I can honestly say I feel sorry for you. Those you trust have used you for years to have their agenda supported by you on this blog. You aren't their friend, just a means to an end, but it makes you feel important. They feed you information to get what they want and you take the bait. Your life is so sad! So very sad!
Just deleted one if the typically vulgar posts coming from the Simmons' camp,
Let's all be honest in Northampton County and look at the facts, the reason why Trump won Northampton County is not because of the Northampton County Republicans. It wasn't the leadership or any of the Committee members in parades, or putting up political signs. The simple truth is the Democratic Party had a candidate with a history of bad judgment in Clinton. The Democrats simply held there nose and voted for Donald.
I agree with the above comment that it wasn't Republicans in Northampton County that elected Trump but traditional democrats that made the difference. Those dems overcame the establishment republicans like Dent that no longer represent the new Republican Party. I was at the dinner & Stover did a great job of introducing everyone including Phillips. She had high profile judges in attendance who were the feature speakers including PA Supreme Court & Superior Court candidates.
You have totally misrepresented the facts of the evening Bernie based upon some person who clearly was looking hard for something to find wrong with how Lee Stover handled the event. She even gave Ryan MCKensie a chance to speak even though she supports Simmons at this juncture. Also Mario Scavella did a great job.
You got bad biased report of the dinner vs what actually was a great event almost rivaling last year Pence appearance!!!
Patriot2, I agree with you and 10:01 that Trump won in NC bc Dems held their noses and voted for him. I never liked the guy, who is a buffoon, so I held my nose and voted for Hillary. After the Donald was elected, by initial reaction was, "How bad could it be?" I never envisioned that he was be actually far worse than I thought was possible. I know many of the Dems who voted for him now regret their decision, as well as some Rs. He is a danger to democracy.
As for the dinner,I spoke to three people who were there and will stand by what I wrote. Angle, Peg and Hayden were all snubbed. The invocation was interminable. Brown bored everyone. Snover focused on next year, instead of the matters at hand.
Prepare for a surprise in November.
Problem is despite this reversal of his long held position, no on really believes him. Even the people on county council now claiming they would never support a prison at Gracedale did not say a word about it for the past year, even though they knew about it. They did not say much a few weeks ago with the residents. Now they are scrambling for votes. Shows people what they are all about.
The sad thing is how Brown, his republican cronies and democrat pals are claiming it was their opponent who started all this. Yet the official records show that is not true and it was Brown and county council that kept this alive..
Bernie, the up the road republicans I know tell me Brown and a few of the republican candidates are running away from Ron Angle. Is this true? apparently, they are afraid of him dragging them down in the election. This may feed into what your story is about. Brown apparently feels Angle is "toxic". Any truth?
Bernie-All 3 county councilman were asked to stand & be recognized but Hayden wasn't there at the time. Angle didn't seem ruffled after the dinner about not speaking. Stover had no way to know that pastor Bird would give long prayer. Your looking to make mountain out of molehill. I know no one who has changed their support for Trump. He is trying to implement what he said he would do but the swamp is holding him back--not his fault--we have to drain the swamp & Dent is a good start!!
7:48, There were four council candidates at that dinner. Only one was asked to speak. Hayden Phillips actually walked out when Glenn Geissinger failed to mention him. It is these little molehills that lose elections, which you and General Lee will discover in November. You are so caught up in your Trump love affair that you've forgotten about other races going on right now.
5:43, if Brown wants to discover who is toxic, he should look in a mirror. But there is little doubt in my mind that Angle does not fit in with the blue bloods. General Lee will portray herself now as someone draining the swamp, when the truth is she is Chair of the BT Planning Comm'n and had to recuse her from the TOA project bc of her business deals with the developers.
Amazing how republican businessmen love Trump draining the swamp. They are the first line when for some of that draining swamp water when it comes to taxpayer dollars for their private business. Hypocrites all!
I wish there was a way to determine which candidate both sides could agree would be a terrible choice.
I'm searching for an absolutely worthless, borderline retard, a total disaster, so I can do my duty and vote.
You have the wrong candidate that is controlled by a parent. It's Ryan Mackenzie that is controlled by his daddy.
I've been waiting for the Simmons camp to raise their ugly heads collectively since they were shot down at the latest LCRC meeting . they wanted JB's head on a platter, going so far as to have a paid agent from Simmons camp read Justins own version of Mein Kampf , and then practically verbally assaulting the sergeant at arms . apparently it's okay if Trump uses whatever terminology he wishes to describe his fellow Republicans , but the same is not allowed if you said it against Justin Simmons . Just another case of do as I say not as I do .
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