Local Government TV

Monday, November 27, 2023

Dertinger Resignation Weakens McClure

If you want a friend in politics, get a dog. Harry Truman once said that about Washington, but it applies everywhere.  Charles Dertinger and Lamont McClure have pretty much been tied at the hip since they both got into Northampton County politics. Over the years, they've been very loyal to each other. So it's shocking to see Dertinger "resign" over what McClure has already acknowledged is his responsibility. You could say that Dertinger just loyally fell on the sword, giving an angry Council the "sacrificial lamb" they demanded,  You could say he needed to go, but it's pretty clear he had no role in either a coding error or pre-election testing that led to the November 7 election debacle. A loyal McClure would refuse to let Deringer depart under these circumstances. This is being sold as firm action, but it solves nothing. In fact, it actually weakens Lamont McClure. 

I understand the ager from the public and County Council at the inexcusable failure to handle a core county function. But I'm more interested in fixing the problem than in collecting heads. We know that the county had nothing to do with the coding error that started this fiasco. We also know that ES&S spearheaded the pre-election (called Logic and Accuracy) testing following a pattern recommended by the Department of State. That has nothing to do with the county. 

So where is the county at fault? The biggest error, and this is in hindsight, is the failure to supply voting precincts with sufficient emergency paper ballots to cover a precinct in the unlikely event that use of a voting machine had to be discontinued.  The county only supplied 20 emergency ballots to each precinct under a practice initiated by former Registrar Amy Cozze, who obviously had Dertinger's blessing. Even though this failure was a disaster in the November 7 election, Cozze herself still fails to grasp why.

An anonymous comment from the U.S. Senate, where Cozze just happens to be employed, makes this argument: "Can we just address this paper ballot thing? If the county is going to start sending out hundreds of thousands of paper ballots on election day 'just in case' what the hell is the point of even using the voting machines??? Just switch to an all paper system. The paper ballots are supposed to be for EMERGENCIES not incompetence. ... they need to fire whoever is in charge, not saddle the tax payers with a new outlandish expense. " I'd say that when the machine has to be discontinued, that's an emergency. Also, as Elections Commissioner Dan Lopresti observed, "The cost is tiny compared to what we experienced here."

The remaining errors were by election workers in the field, most of whom only work twice a year.  Some of these are independently elected officials, and the county has limited authority over what they do or fail to do. Some of these officials decided to close their polling stations. This was unsanctioned and inexcusable. Some of them told voters to vote the opposite of who they wanted to elect even though no one in the county gave that advice. Two election workers from Hanover 4 incorrectly told voters that there would be a special election in the appellate retention race, though neither had authority from anyone to give such advice.   

Could the county do a better job of training? Registrar Chris Commini told the elections commission last week that there is mandatory training before each election, but it's clear to me that more training is needed, especially before next year's Presidential. 

Aside from Dertinger's acquiescence in the limited number of emergency ballots, I find little fault with his administration of this election. His resignation is intended to deflect some criticism away from McClure, who is ultimately responsible.  Instead of doing so, it weakens him in many ways.

It emboldens his critics. As one reader observes, "McClure shows his true colors here. It could be said it was his 'failure' too. In my world the top guy always takes responsibility. That's true leadership." I'd much rather see a written report explaining what went wrong and what steps are being taken to prevent it from happening again.

It is now less likely that his rubber stamps (Zrinski, Lott, Kraft, Warren and Keegan) will remain that way. They have seen now that they are expendable. 

It is now far less likely that a McClure pick will get the Council vacancy created when Zrinski becomes Controller. Instead of a McClure lemming like Bill McGee or Greg Zebrowski, Council is far more likely to select someone who would be independent and provide balance. Republican John Cusick or Democrat Deb Hunter are both good choices who would exalt good government over partisanship or blindly following McClure's agenda. 

In his time as Executive, McClure has worked hard to undermine the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, has played a part in the rift between the county conservation district and is now fighting with Easton over a goofy proposed hydropower plant on the Lehigh Canal. Council members Lori Vargo Heffner and Ron Heckman, both of them Democrats, complain his administration refuses to talk to them.

On top of all this, McClure and the local Democratic party are at odds.   

How many people can you afford to alienate before you start paying a price?  

McClure first tried to downplay the election fiasco as a minor error. Nobody swallowed that bullshit burger. He now has accepted the resignation of his top administrator, hoping that ends things. It's instead an admission.

He has been a good Executive, but his chief flaws have been both an unwillingness to listen as well as a penchant for undermining anyone he perceives to be a threat. 

If Republicans can get out of their own way, I doubt very much he wins a third term. Democratic and even Republican voters are motivated by woman's choice, which explains Democratic success on November 7.  But Republican and even Democratic voters care about election integrity. You can't tell people to ignore the touch screen in favor of the paper ballot in one election and to ignore the paper ballot in favor of the touch screen in another.

32 comments:

  1. Where is the proof that McClure is a good County Executive? John Brown raised taxes so high it gave McClure 6 years of no tax increases and he is still riding that gravy train. He has alienated almost everyone he has dealt with and they're just waiting for him to run again. He is hated by the employees and retirees alike. Why? Because he sold them down the river. Dertinger was only one of the three who created these problems. McClure and his finance director are the other two.

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  2. McClure has been a good Exec. Proof: (1) He has kept taxes stable and even reduced taxes. (2) He was innovative in the county's purchase of the Human Services building by floating a bind and getting the state to pay the debt service. (3) He built an additional parking deck for the county workforce. (4) He made the forensic center a reality, something other Execs talked about but never did. (5) He managed the COVID crisis exceptionally well, and was among the first to set up an isolation ward to protect residents. (6) He created bonuses for the Gracedale workforce. (7) He spearheaded a $10,000 grant program for small businesses impacted by COVID. (8) He is establishing a daycare for Gracedale and 911, a pilot program that might expand. (9) He has retained the county's commitment to open space. (10) He has taken an active role in preventing new warehouses. (11) He is trying to establish an exclusive and voluntary health center for county workers in the hope that it minimizes the county contribution to health care while relieving employees of co-pays. These are just some items off the top of my head.

    His decision to force Dertinger out, however, is a mistake that will cost him. (1) It just emboldens his critics to argue that he himself should resign. (2) Dertinger had no role in the ES&S coding error or the failure to catch it. (3) It weakens his standing in other matters. (4) His rubber stamps might show some signs of independence. This is on top of the bridges he has burned with the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, the Conservation District, the City of Easton, the local Democrat party, and Dem Council members Lori Vargo Heffner and Ron Heckman. He is running out of allies and unnecessarily so.

    I disagree with Dertinger on many if not most things. He and I differed, for example, on the need for epollbooks. But no one in the county has more experience dealing with elections than he does. I am far more interested in a constructive response to the election fiasco than I am in collecting heads.

    I would be happy to see either Cusick or Hunter on Council to replace Zrinski. They would provide balance and be independent. Giovanni, Brown and Goffredo are the three GOP Council members in January. The Dems will have Warren, Kraft, Keegan, Vargo-Heffner and Heckman. I could see LVH and Heckman cutting a deal for Hunter or Cusick. Hunter was opposed to the Express Vote XL. I disagreed with her, but she is her own person and would be independent. If this goes to the courts, it's really unclear to me who will get it as Ds have a Dem majority.

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  3. He inherited money from Brown, so why would he raise taxes? You are gushing again. Many would argue that your list of accomplishments is phony. Employees feel betrayed by him and the unions for keeping their pay down. He used Covid money for his PR. His health center is a prelude to getting rid of real health care.
    Your council choices are obvious. You forgot Ms. Cozze who would receive serious consideration. Cusick won't get it and Hunter is seen a mole for McClure. However, Hefner will play a big part in all this as she wants to be president of council so bad, she can taste it. So, she would definitely cut a deal for a vote.

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  4. Spoken as a true McClueless press agent.

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  5. McClure spent what political capital and rhetoric he had sacrificing Dertinger. ESS and McClure own the mistrust and ire of the voters for the 2024 election.

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  6. Where’s this new parking deck? You forgot one additional accomplishment. Remember when he bought that piece of property across from the jail entrance for 2x what DiLuzio’s son bought it for a month prior at auction? Great deal he made there.

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    1. Let's not forget how great the jail has become. Last time I checked they lost 90 employees this year and mandates are at an amazing all time high. Also no contract. Nice.

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  7. Anyone who's worked in business knows that collecting heads is almost always part of the repair process. Collecting heads isn't enough, though. An investigation is necessary. No D will be compromised by this. The county is sewn up tight and the same dirty rules are locked in place. Ds can do whatever they want. What remains are boring inner-party squabbles, like Allentown and Bethlehem and Easton. Democracy is dead in NorCo. I think that bothers you most.

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  8. Lamont should resign. He fired contract manager at Gracedale and ratings went south. He also picks his political cronies for volunteer boards like the LNAA airport and others.

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  9. Hopefully they put John Cusick in the vacant seat. As far as McClure, he has poor leadership qualities. Let it be a warning to all that he’ll throw anybody under the bus to protect himself.

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  10. Can't believe he fell on the sword for Lamont. Something is set up for him. This whole county is in shambles. It's falling apart. The juvenile justice center, the jail, gracedale is still not right. It is the whole place. Just keep playing the music while the ship sinks.

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  11. I like reading general unsubstantiated accusations from the Know Nothing Party

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  12. ". Cusick won't get it and Hunter is seen a mole for McClure." Deb Hunter is far from a McClure mole. She was on the elections commission that opposed McClure on the XL. She will do what she thinks is in the county's best interests and is a far better choice than people would be rubber stamps to McClure. Council will need balance to counteract Kraft, Keegan and Warren.

    "Where’s this new parking deck?"

    Directly across the street from the courthouse, where the Milides building was located.

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  13. Hunter is a terrible choice and will never be appointed in that seat, as for Cusick you need to get a grip on reality if u think that would happen.
    Calling people rubber stamps is laughable at best
    NORCO will be a 6 to 3 majority D
    That is all

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  14. 11:43, It's not quite that simple. Come January, Democrats will have a 5-3 majority. Of those 5, three (Keegan, Kraft and Warren) will be McClure rubber stamps. The other two (Vargo-Heffner and Heckman) have had a lot of unnecessary friction with McClure, who at times have actively undermined them. Keegan and Lori Vargo-Heffner have exchanged verbal blows. Heckman is in his final term and has no reason to kiss anyone's ass. Lori Vargo Heffner might even primary McClure. Neither Heckman nor LVH will want a McClure acolyte to replace Zrinski's vacant seat. Both Cusick and Hunter would be more similar in thinking to LVH and Heckman than they are to the McClure trio. McClure wants a Council that will support his agenda and that is understandable. But Council exists to provide oversight, not follow his bidding. I suspect that if Council is unable to select an independently minded council member, the courts will.

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  15. Bernie I think you need to do both - find out what happened and also fire the person responsible for the screw up. This is too important a topic for that not to happen.

    You can't fire Cozze since she's gone, and that's a shame because her poor decision to not have paper ballots in place for emergencies was a big part of this fiasco. But someone decided to continue her poor decision. And someone ok'd the test results and should have understood what they were signing off on.

    My guess is the person directly responsible for both these matters is Chris Commini.

    So why is he still here and Dertinger is gone? This makes no sense.....


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  16. BernieOHare to 3:13, it makes sense bc Charles micromanaged the elections office and pretty much made the calls.

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  17. BernieOHare to 3:13, let me add that this was a mistake, but one recognized in hindsight. I would be more interested in correcting the problem than in collecting the head of someone who has extensive experience with elections.

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  18. When it went out on the national news outlets, someone had to go. Sounds like Dirty Dirt was the de facto head of the operation. Nothing to see here folks.

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  19. This is just the beginning, Bernie. Stay tuned for what comes next because this made national news (how appropriate for the type of elections we are having next year) and everyone (voter) with a pulse will be focused on Norco.

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  20. McClure and dertinger knew what was going on the election. Now they get caught and see it was rigged and bam be gone dertinger.

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  21. Dertinger will no doubt get a job at the Bridge Commission. The place for failed politicians and those with connections.

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  22. The problem, as explained, still will exist because the machine systems are still the same, and human errors, as you have stated, always will happen….and let’s be honest, the paper provisional amounts did not affect the machine, the reasons given for the problems were not and cannot be addressed or guaranteed as demonstrated in 2019 and 2023 when the same “problem solved” was again served up to the public Any assurances are worthless.

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  23. Bernie. The flaws you mentioned are right on target. Absolute truth

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  24. 7:14, I agree that, from time to time, there will be problems with a touchscreen voting machine unless ESS and other voting machine companies begin to use combinatorics to develop programs with which to conduct L&A testing on machines. That is why the verifiable paper ballot is supposed to be the "official vote of record." A municipal election in Northampton County involves hundreds of races, and in some of them, there are several choices. This means millions of permulations. There is no way that can be tested without development of a computer program to apply to the ballot once it has been coded.

    I mentioned this to ESS. They were probably just humoring me, but Cardullo (sp?)seemed interested and took notes. I believe this would eliminate 99% of programming errors.

    But there will always be problems no matter what system is in use. There are problems with paper ballots, too. That's why, over a century ago, we stopped using them. Today, those who prefer paper ballots are experiencing privacy concerns when voters make their choices. They also have problems with jammed optical scanners or scanners that fail to recognize votes.

    Also, the problems in 2019 and 2023 were different. In 2019, a large %age of machines were misaligned at the factory, and L&A failed to catch this error. In 2023, it was a coding error missed during L&A. In both instances, the problems were missed during L&A, but they were different problems.

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  25. Voters are not interested in your or anyone's excuses. Either they work or they don't stop making excuses. Ultimately this is on the county and your and their excuses are lame and pathetic.

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  26. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
    I come to bury Charles, not to praise him.
    The evil that men do lives after them;
    The good is oft interred with their bones;
    So let it be with Charles.

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  27. Cusick would be better off running for executive as a better choice rather than taking an appointment to fill Lori 's position.

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  28. 8:16, It is Zrinski's vacancy, not LVH.

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  29. The County will be better without Charile Tuna Dertinger. Working for the County I know he was not like by the employees, He always treated the Employees as lower than him.

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  30. I agree that either Cusick or Hunter would be good "good government" picks. That said, whether them or someone else, it will be interesting to watch the political dynamics involved.

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  31. Remember: McClure needs his wagons circled for the next election…between voting machines …and the canal turbo fiasco..the bet is on Ken Kraft to ride next to McClure, replacing Chucky, along with Czarinski, Keegan, and Warren lemmings.

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