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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Monday, April 16, 2018

LWV to Nothstein - We Are Nonpartisan

Last week I told you that Lehigh Valley Congressional candidate Marty Nothstein, a Republican, refuses to participate in a primary debate with opponent Dean Browning. He's blowin' oil because the League of Women Voters is a "partisan, liberal organization allied with the interests of the Democratic party." He's particularly irritated at the stance this good government group has taken against the gerrymander. Up until that moment, I thought Nothstein was running a pretty good campaign in which he cast himself as an outsider. But we know now that he's really one of the good ol' boys.

Last week, State Rep. Daryl Committee convened a half-hour hearing on the gerrymander bill with virtually no notice and gutted it. He refused to allow the meeting to be livestreamed and threatened to clear the room when his transparency was challenged.

This divisive and polarizing behavior, we now know, is what to expect from Nothstein.

Beverly Hernandez, Vice President of the Northampton County League of Women Voters, said there is "no partisan agenda. Our purpose is to educate and inform the voter. There ARE Republicans in the League. ... The debates must include both ( or all) parties or we won't hold the debate. Nonpartisan."

In addition to Beverly Hernandez, I'd like to share a comment from Irish Mare:

I am shocked that a campaign manager for Marty Nothstein would allow him to go after an institution like the League of Women Voters. Not only is he hugely misinformed and completely wrong; but he has insulted people who work tirelessly year round to educate, inform and protect the voting rights of all citizens from all parties. And these people (men and women ) have been doing this for years for us, the voting population of the Lehigh Valley from all parties!

Perhaps he should: join the League, attend some meetings, help interview legislators from both parties, organize the Voter's Guides, voter registration efforts, hold candidates forums and debates, research voter reforms and redistricting reforms and help organize the yearly Government Directory that I am sure he has used often. Then I challenge him to make those same claims...

If he wants to go after someone, perhaps he should go after those who were originally responsible for drawing an unconstitutional, partisan gerrymandered map in the first place, in 2011. Who might that be, Mr. Nothstein? I can guarantee it was not the League of Women Voters. This will hurt his campaign going after such a well-respected institution with facts that are erroneous and false. Maybe have a nice long talk with his campaign manager about acting like a grownup and having your facts straight! And maybe he will join the League. He has divulged a side of himself that is very spiteful and nasty and boy oh boy, I believe everyone would agree we don't need anymore of that in Washington, DC! And maybe, just maybe he will be man enough to apologize!

24 comments:

Chris Casey said...

This is the exact same arrogance Marty has exhibited repeatedly over the years to residents near the Velodrome who simply asked that he not blare loud rap music from the speakers at 7 AM on Saturdays. The same Marty who tells them to quit whining and appreciate all he does for the community. Yep, that is Marty!

Anonymous said...

No to Noooooooooooooorthstein. Okay, we get it.

Anonymous said...

Lee Snover put him up to this bad idea. Thought it would help build his conservative cred.

Anonymous said...

"partisan, liberal organization allied with the interests of the Democratic party." This organization sounds more like Nothstein's mystery campaign donors than the LWV.

Anonymous said...

Gerrymandering reform is a legislative and judicial issue to which there is a political component - for better or worse. I was never comfortable with The League's involvement/endorsement. I think The League does good things and I don't like Nothstein, btw.

Bernie O'Hare said...

The LWV has consistently advocated against legislation that suppresses the vote or renders it meaningless. For example, it advocated against the poll tax. You could say there is a political component to that, too. I would prefer that it avoid certain hot-button issues that have nothing to do with voting, but its advocacy for fair districts is entirely consistent with its mission.

Anonymous said...

Nothstein's sending lots of election mailings. Each very costly. Thanks for this insight, Bernie.

Anonymous said...

I would like to know the political affiliations of the leaders of the LWV, I am sorry but I don't blame Nothstein for not trusting anyone, Is there really anything that is Non-partisan. Candidates need to go out one on one with the voters and skip the organized groups. They all have an agenda. If this disqualifies you from some, so be it. After the last election where we saw the questions given to their favorites on national tv, where we saw Candy Croaly step in a few years ago to rescue Obama, participating in those type of events is just plain stupid. You now need to take your message to the voters directly.

Bernie O'Hare said...

9:36, Your own political leanings are pretty clear. You watch how quickly Nothstein agrees to a LWV debate in the general election, when his poll numbers show he is behind. I hope he follows your sage advice and avoids forums and relies strictly on door-to-door. You should market yourself to all GOP candidates for your wisdom.

Anonymous said...

The issue at hand is whether the LVW is an appropriate moderator for a Republican primary debate. They aren't, end of story.

Also, I'm not sure why Ms. Hernandez feels that Republicans have to debate Democrats in the primary, or there won't be any debate. That doesn't make sense to me.

Anonymous said...

BTW - Who is Irish Mare? Is she in the LWV?

If not, how does she know anything about it?

Anonymous said...

It's no secret the left is playing Pennsylvania hard. A lot of outside money coming in from Soros and Tom Steyer from California. Ever wonder where the money came from to bring a
gerrymandering case brought on by the League of Women Voters? Can't have it both ways. Can't claim impartiality and then take money from a leftist group to file a lawsuit.

Anonymous said...

Obamas' "organizing for action" is coordinating much of this, also do you see the teachers unions are on the march everywhere, even telling governors which taxes they want them to raise to give them more money.

Bernie O'Hare said...

1:16, And your evidence that the LWV was financed by Steyer and Sorors comes from where? Out your ass? I am tired of people who deliberately misinform others.

Anonymous said...

Dean Browning' trump agenda is a path to defeat. May help him in the Primary however I love America and we cannot afford a trump nodder.....it's about that time for per diem gang to hold conceal carry seminars while the cut funding for our schools.

Anonymous said...

The League as a political action group of George Soros is as funny as it is nuts. Have you met these ladies. They are like a Saturday canasta group. I doubt they would be counted on to handle some covert deep state planning. They are self-motivated do-gooders who want good government in their eyes. They are not partisan, in fact some of the biddes in the past were Republican country club types, maybe some still are.

You guys have to stop obsessing on some of this nonsense you get from Britebart and Fox News, it will rot your brains. The term "alt-right zombies" did not come from nothing.

Anonymous said...

Please advise if there is a Northampton County of Men Voters !

Anonymous said...

Hey, why cant we have a league of men voters, or maybe even league of white men voters. We need a voice now in this modern day political arena. Lets go boys, bought time to unionize.

Anonymous said...

I am all for a League of dickles gun lovers who voted for Trump.

Anonymous said...

Playing the Soros card like the Facists in Eastern Europe.

Unknown said...

Men have always been welcome to join the League of Women Voters. When I was involved the Easton LWV, I recall both Gary Asteak and Bob Freemen were regularly members.

The group is non-partisan by its charter. That’s one reason they have been invited to hold candidate debates for over thirty years in the Lehigh Valley. Yes, there are D’ and R’s and Independents Who are members - all are welcome.

It’s a great group of people who care about good government, and I now belong to the Lehigh County LWV.

Beverly999 said...

Thanks, Joyce. A point I would have made.

Anonymous said...

Marty really did deserve to be chase and screamed at by Mark Pinsley

Anonymous said...

Marty really deserved to be chased by Mark Pinsley and screamed at