Local Government TV

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Appeal Likely in Reibman Ruling Allowing Republican NorCo Council Candidate

Yesterday, I told you that Senior Judge Ed Reibman dismissed a challenge to Hellertown resident Bill Rowe's Republican nomination petition in the Northampton County Council District 1 (Hellertown, Bethlehem, Lower Saucon and Williams) race.  The case was dismissed because there really was no challenger. Steven R Topp, the named petitioner, failed to appear in court or attest in writing that he is a Republican who lives in that district. 

I have been reliably informed that election attorney Larry Otter plans to appeal this dismissal to Commonwealth Court. He argued before Judge Reibman that his own verification should suffice and that Rules of  Civil Procedure are inapplicable in election contests. 

Republican contender Bill Rowe vows that "[t]the one thing I know for certain is that I will not be overworked." He added that if a write-in campaign becomes necessary, "I welcome it. My purpose in life is to serve, even outside of the capacity of county council, and I know that no matter what, I will put in the work that it takes."

Bethlehem resident Ken Kraft's nomination petition as a Democrat was unchallenged. He is the presumptive Democratic nominee.  

9 comments:

  1. Much like the Keegan gambit, McClure is all over this like a biosolid. He will control county council. End of story. This is so him (despite your manCRUSH) people in the courthouse are always amazed AT HOW McClure pulls strings.

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  2. Derdy, derdy, derdy. This is nasty partisan politics contested by politicians who consistently poll as one of our society's lowest regarded lifeforms. What's the difference between a politician and a slithering reptile? Some people actually like slithering reptiles. Sadly, this case will be decided by a disgusting, disreputable, dishonest politician.

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  3. What a sore loser!! Rules of Civil Procedure concerning the lack of verification aside, you still need a challenger to testify. This guy probably went into the football game without his helmet, too!

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  4. Isn’t it interesting how far some candidates (Kraft) and those backing them (McClure) will go to take the choice away from the voters?

    Why not run a campaign on their records and vision for the county and let the people decide?

    What are Kraft and McClure afraid of?

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  5. Bethlehemites have a long and sad history of blindly pressing the "D" button to ensure losers represent the uneducated.

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  6. "Much like the Keegan gambit, McClure is all over this like a biosolid. He will control county council. End of story. This is so him (despite your manCRUSH) people in the courthouse are always amazed AT HOW McClure pulls strings."

    Actually, he won't. McClure has two reliable rubber stamps, Zrinski and Lott. Lott is leaving. If Kraft wins, he will retain the rubber stamp in D1. In D2, I'm uncertain whether Kelly will be a rubber stamp or her own person. But let's say, for the sake of argument, that she is. In D3, Jeff Warren would be a rubber stamp without question, but has a GOP opponent in a district that leans only slightly D. Tom Giovanni in D4 is no rubber stamp.

    At best, McClure comes out of the Council races with 4 rubber stamps instead of two. That is not control.

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    1. I didn’t make the original comment, but assuming your math is correct doubling his rubber stamps from 2 to 4 would still be huge. That would mean he’d only need 1 additional vote on any issue.

      Ties to the county executive should be an issue in the coming campaign, and voters should be wary of anyone endorsed, financed or in any other way aided or supported by McClure.

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  7. Weasels all weasels, Otter, Kraft and company!

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  8. Keegan, from what I hear, is on par with Zrinski as far as being left of your typical progressive; whether that means another McClure rubber stamp is hard to say but since she (Keegan) is unopposed in the primary and there is no R on the fall ballot (So far. Can they add one?); we'll see her on council soon enough and learn if she's another rubber stamp. If TeamTaraThePerpetualCampaigner wins County Controller (unlikely), Keegan will be an even swap for, if nothing else, the most far-left member of council.

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