Frances "Tottie" Ferencin is certainly very well known to anyone living in Fountain Hill. She's a proud Democrat whose husband was that Borough's Mayor. Her son is a police officer there. She herself was an an excellent secretary to now President Judge Michael Koury. Her sister is former NorcCo Council President Ann McHale. Ferencin, believe it or not, was ejected from a petition drive being hosted by Lehigh Valley For All at the Steelworkers' Hall this weekend. Her offense? She's working for the wrong candidate.
Ferencin is a volunteer with Van Scott's campaign for magisterial district judge. She was at the Steelworkers' Hall to help gather signatures for his nomination petition.
Scott himself is a Democrat. Last year, during the "Defund the Police" movement, he switched to the Republican party for a few months. Because he's both a former corrections officer and a retired Bethlehem City cop, this is understandable. He did return to his Democratic roots. But to the partisans in the LV4All (who agree with them) movement, his sin is unforgivable. In addition to trying to prevent him from gathering signatures at all, Republicans who wanted to sign his petition were incorrectly told by Kathy Harrington that there were no Republican petitions. I have her misleading text messages to several voters.
While Scott was deterred from circulating his petition among Republicans, other magisterial district judge candidates were permitted to do so.
Eventually, Scott decided to leave, but Ferencin wanted to soldier on even though she was treated badly.
"Somebody, get her out of here!" screamed one of the partisans. Ferencin figured she better go. While she was assembling her material, Kathy Harrington hollered, "Are you still here?"
The reason for this hostility is Scott's opponent, Amy "Defund the Police" Zannelli. I'll have more about her soon. And LV4All (who agree with them).
28 comments:
This is a bit complicated Bernie. I question a group asking a person to leave their function, yet it is their function and they set it up. So they are naturally going to push their respective picks for office.
On the Zinnelli thing I agree with you completely, Hopefully, regardless of this group voters will realize she is wrong for this position in terms o temperament., training and record.
She is part of a special interest group that has as one of its principles defunding the police. You must agree to it to get their support. Also Bernie, more in your own backyard your favorite county person Tara Zirinski had allegedly also signed the defund the police pledge. Yet she claims she will be the highest vote getter in Northampton County. How could anyone who wants to defund the police get elected? She also does not have the temperament or experience to be in office. As one Northampton County official told me, she doesn't even know what the county does and is to busy planning to run for other offices to learn.
Both Zinnelli and Zirinski are self-promoters who care more about themselves than any constituency.
Amy Zanelli is a train wreck. I know she’s desperate for a steady paycheck, but I can’t imagine she’d want a job which prevents her from running her idiotic, partisan mouth 24/7. Also, since she no longer lives in her wife’s home on 12th Avenue, shouldn’t her children attend the middle school covered by the district in which they reside? Apparently she thinks that she can use the old address in order to keep her daughter at Nitschman as opposed to having her attend Broughal. What’s wrong with Broughal? And, why does Zanelli think that the rules don’t apply to her? If she’ll conduct herself in this fashion as a partisan hack, how will she be if she’s elected judge?
LV4Some
Amy Zanelli certainly scrubbed her Facebook page. If you aren’t a total wingnut with radical, outlandish beliefs, then why scrub your Facebook page???
her son is a lehigh university cop not a fountain hill cop..please we get enough bad press..lol
I'll sign any petition, even a candidate for whom I'll never vote. That's because choices are good. I want everyone on the ballot and a robust debate to follow. There'll be plenty of time to sort them out later. Denying access to the ballot is denying voters a choice. That should offend everyone, but the civics-impaired. They'd prefer limited debate that doesn't slightly offend them. They are cowardly birdbrains are too scared and too stupid to defend their position.
First, why would Van Scott want the support of the socialist LV4All?
Second, LV4All is a private group, they can exclude or include whoever they want. I am sure Zanelli will not be invited to an LVTP petition signing event.
Zrinski is a train wreck. Clueless. Has her own agenda not ours. Vote her out.
Period. Enough said.
It's a case of STD..... Small Town Drama
Purity tests on either side are a good way to lose general elections. I get certain groups have passionate beliefs on certain issues, but you end up cutting your nose off to spite your face when you draw lines in the sand.
"Defund the Police" has to be one of the most idiotic slogan/phrases that anyone has ever come up with on the Democratic side, its almost like it was written by a Republican for the Democrats. I know its a complicated issue, and to a certain extent understand that reallocating certain law enforcement budget costs and items from one area to another may pay higher dividends and ultimately provide greater benefits to the communities involved, including the law enforcement community.
That said, the phrase just boils down to "Less Police" which a majority of ALL voters simply do not want no matter how passionate certain groups are about the issue.
Anything to bash Zanelli huh Bernie? The recollection of whoever told you this must be diminished. Van Scott was not only hosted at the LV4ALL meet the candidates night just last week, he was also permitted to have his petitions there.
When his rabid supporters showed up they started causing problems. They blocked folks from signing Zanelli petitions and were incredibly rude to the volunteers. They also were circulating Republican petitions - LV4All is decidedly Dem (hell, it might BE the Democratic party in NorCo). So they kicked them out of a private event for being a disruption.
When you start a fight at a bar, the bartender can throw you out. Its not politics, just good manners. You'd think a retired cop would know that...
I was there. Van Scott and his people were so obnoxious, gruff and just very very unfriendly. After the way Scott came off, If he was the ONLY one in the race, I would not have signed his petition (Even if I could) There are 2 sides to every story. Sometimes you get what you give. Regardless of what you think of people or a group. It is a private group who paid to be at the hall and they have a right to expect people to behave cordially. The Scott Campaign did not.
I'm sure whoever told you about this has some story about oppression etc., but that is wildly different from the truth. Not only did LV4All host Van Scott at their meet the candidates night last week, they also allowed him to set up his petitions at the event.
It was only when his rabid supporters came in and started blocking people from signing for Zanelli and yelling at the volunteers did they get asked to leave. It was a private event and they were causing trouble.
They were also circulating Republican petitions, which is a huge no-no with LV4All. If you get rowdy and violate the rules of an establishment, you get thrown out. Simple as that
I think that the name, Lehigh Valley for All, belies the underpinning of the words "for all".
I am not surprised unfortunately that this has occurred as I have been in the company of Mrs. Harrington at other functions. At a Lehigh County meeting, she openly championed a group of Democrats who were running for lower level positions by screaming the "Dream Team". She was offensive to the other persons who had volunteered for those lower level positions. At a local meeting in Upper Saucon she defied the rules of a planned 55 and over community to solicit votes when clearly the by-laws of the planned community do not allow this as emphasized by one of the residents who lives there. She called him out but he follows the rules and would not break the rules of the community. I have seen Mrs. Harrington work a group as she passed out Oreo cookies to the PCPs. She behaves in such a way that she openly promotes a candidate even in a primary when the posture is to not support anyone until the General. She misinformed a candidate about the Lehigh County by-laws to stutter the natural progression of a candidate's journey to winning.
I get that if people are obnoxious they should be asked to leave. It is impossible for me to believe that Tootie was in any way obnoxious to anyone. I have known her a Ling time and she is a sweetheart
When your table at Applebee's causes a scene, the whole table gets ejected, even the quiet ones at the table. Bring a raucous crew, expect a raucous expulsion. The candidates were invited to get petitions signed, not cause trouble at the event. If Scott had controlled his friends better, he could have stayed I bet
van scott was always obnoxious he knows nothing other than how bully and throw his weight around as a beth officer i have seen him in action many times...he doesnt deserve the title of magistrate or any other law related position!!!
I find it interesting that only Bernie and myself are placing our own names on our post and owning them-- what does it mean when someone writes anonymous as to intent and reliability? I am always skeptical of statements made by people who won't stand by their own text.
Very very sad that this has become such a petty "mean girls" party. Mrs Harrington is a very unpleasant person and really should not be representing a group that,at it's core,more that likely is not the elitist hate group that they are being painted. I was there that day,and left because of the chaos and lack of organization was overwhelming. One of Van's supporters was literally chased down by Mrs Harrington while she was mid sentence with someone else,and grilled like a criminal. Another candidate waited in his car,not really sure if the candidates were supposed to approach the cars or go inside and when Mrs Harrington sent the volunteers to his car,they had "forgotten" the candidates petition-to say he was dismayed is being polite. Most candidates left early that day because they felt door knocking would be more productive than the scrambling mess at the Steel Hall.
I guess the words "for all" actually mean "for all the people Mrs Harrington likes"
I would boldly disagree with you. I have know Van Scott and he is more than an asset in the community. He helps alot of people and his work in the community speaks for itself. What have you done? To say Van Scott does not deserve "any" law related position shows your lack of knowledge to his years of service.
How convenient that they switched to being Republican and then "he returned to his Democratic roots" lmao. Give me a freaking break. You wasted an entire paragraph when those of us who clearly know how to easily read between the lines see what you did here lol. Let her collect Republican signatures at their petition signing. Good Riddance.
The point to be made as well is that Amy Zanelli's decision to run for District Magistrate means that there is a vacant seat in Lehigh County District 3 ... Who are the potential candidates for that seat.....It won't be because I moved out of Allentown , the District and Lehigh County after the November election once I lost to Zanelli in the primary... Had I won my wife would have moved into the district once she found a suitable house in the district we could share ... My row house in the district would have been replaced with a bigger house... So had I won in 2017 I would have run again in 2021 ... With me on the Board all the communities within the district would have been represented by someone whom would really work for the communities in the district including West Bethlehem and East Allentown ... Zanelli ran saying that she would represent West Bethlehem and that for the few months shat she lived there she did good things for that community... Well the same could be said about me living in East Allentown ... I did good things and much more and would have continued to work for the East Allentown community adding the concerns of the the other communities in the district as well and the rest of Lehigh County ... So the question remains, what democrat who will replace Zanelli or will District three turn red.
I've known Van Scott for years and if you would have done your homework he has been a Democrate since he was 18. Scott has taken alot of ribbing from most of his Law Enforcement Friends for being a Democrate to not be swayed. Just because the radical activist Zanelli ia all about Defund the Police does not mean Van Scott zwayed away from believing equality for all while maintaining his integrity! Something Zanelli surely dies not have.
Joanne I understand your statement. With all do respect and I can only speak for myself, some of have jobs that political views are not tolerated. You can be skeptical but trust that alot of us have done our research.
As mentioned above, "Small Town Drama or STD," is a hobby for some people and they look for opportunities to start drama and stir up chaos...in addition to being disrespectful to as many people as possible. I'm not surprised by this situation. 'Get a life' and stop being a "mean girl" at someone else's event.
Can someone tell me why we were told that there were no Republican ballots to sign on Saturday? This really happened and there is proof. There was no disturbance, no confrontation, just a simple text that said we don’t have any Republican petitions. People were told to text a number with their parking space number and upon doing so were notified of the lack of Republican petitions. Dirty politics as usual from the Democrat operatives. So to those commenters down playing this, remember this is only the petition phase, and you are already pulling dirty tricks. Makes me question the 2020 election even more.
8:06 AM
Maybe because it was a Democratic organization's event? I'm sure the LVTP doesn't circulate petitions for Susan Wild or Tara.
Weird how Democrats supporting their own makes you question the 2020 election though - hottest take here...
Question the 2020 election? The misbehavior and cheating there was so widespread, it’s hard to imagine any honest Democrat not believing that result was sketchy, and will forever be remembered that way. American is learning a lesson.
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