Boorish Behavior By Elected Officials Becoming the New Normal

On Friday, I posted the video of Lower Saucon Tp Council's November 20 meeting, which lasted well over six hours. The meeting was constantly disrupted by Council members Jason Banonis and Thomas Carocci, as Council President Priscilla de Leon struggled to keep control. I've covered meetings since 2006. I've seen some devolve into brief shouting matches. I saw one meeting that had to adjourn without conducting business. I've never seen the disruptive behavior exhibited by Banonis and Carocci, even though both are practicing attorneys who know exactly what they are doing. Their boorish behavior is unfortunately becoming the new normal. Ten years ago, an elected official who acted that way would be rightly called to task. But then came Donald Trump. And while he won the most recent Presidential race, most people (except for his most loyal cultists) would disagree when I call him a boor. His conduct has normalized this behavior. Both really should be charged with disrupting a public meeting. 

Under Pennsylvania law, "A person commits a misdemeanor of the third degree if, with intent to prevent or disrupt a lawful meeting, procession or gathering, he disturbs or interrupts it."

Carocci, a 1995 grad of Duquesne's Law School, is assistant general counsel at FINRA and testifies in security fraud cases. Banonis, a 1999 grad of Widener Law School, practices civil defense at Marshall Dennehy, representing insurance companies. Both presumably know the law. 

Their actions have been called out at Saucon Shenanigans:"They call fellow Council members 'Vladimir, dumb asses, morons, stupid, clowns,' telling them to shut their big fat ignorant mouths and get their heads out of their ass. They constantly disrupt when other members are speaking. They berate taxpayers who speak at meetings. They told a taxpayer who spoke up at a meeting that she was speaking out of her ass. We deserve better than this. What kind of a role model are they to our junior council members? "

I'll confess I was unable to watch the entire November 20 meeting. A few minutes was all I could take and was all I needed. 

It's true that there's no way these Council members can be removed from office. But they can be charged with disrupting public meetings, which is their clear goal. I'd suggest that one or all of the other Council members should file a private criminal complaint against Carocci and Banonis. That matter would have to be approved by the District Attorney but there is little doubt in my mind that this boorish behavior is criminal.