Nick Englesson to Remain on Ballot For MDJ (Updated)

Nick Englesson with Malta Ortiz and Olga Negron

In a ruling handed down late Tuesday afternoon, Judge Craig Dally has dismissed a nomination petition challenge against Bethlehem Attorney Nick Englesson, who is running for the Magisterial District Judgeship in Northeast Bethlehem, part of the south side and Freemansburg. Judge Dally's decision follows a lengthy hearing on March 17 in a case that was well-tried by Allentown Attorney Ron Clever and Bethlehem Attorney Vic Scomillio. Barring an appeal by rival candidate Jon Whittington through his proxies, Englesson will remain on the ballot.

The challenge against Englesson was premised primarily on his circulator affidavits. He executed 16 affidavits attesting that he had obtained the signatures to his nomination petition, but in fact, signatures were obtained by numerous other circulators. He attempted to cure this defect by having each circulator file an affidavit. Judge Dally stuck all signatures that Englesson failed to obtain himself.

During the hearing, Englesson frankly admitted that he failed to have his individual circulators execute an affidavit, calling it an "oversight." "There was nothing nefarious about it," he assured Judge Dally at least three times. "There was no intent to deceive anybody. Nobody was harmed by it and I had nothing to gain by it."

As finder of fact, Judge Dally concluded that "any error in the completion of the Circulator Affidavits was purely accidental, and not done for some fraudulent purpose." But following the dictates of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, he refused to accept any signatures that Englesson failed to obtain himself. Judge Dally also struck several signatures from people who previously signed the nomination petitions of other csndidates, as well as several signatures that were defective for other reasons.

In the end, Attorney Englesson was left with 121 valid signatures on his Republican petition and 111 good Democratic signatures. He exceeded the 100 minimum needed to get on the ballot.

Throughout this ordeal, Englesson has been besieged by anonymous comments on this blog, suggesting he be disbarred or charged with "purjury."

I felt bad for Nick, so before the hearing got started, I tried to calm him down.

"Nick, I just want you to know that being disbarred is not as bad as it's cracked up to be. I can teach you how to search titles."

"Go away!"

Later, during a break, I decided to comfort Nick again.

"Nick, I just want you to know that I'm sure Morganelli would seriously consider ARD if you apply."

"Stop!"

Later that night, I sent him an email telling him that I could help him get his passport renewed almost immediately.

He never answered.

At one point, Nick told me that before this challenge, only one person had ever questioned his integrity.

"Who?"

"You! You always were filing motions accusing me of prosecutorial misconduct."

"Well, prosecutorial misconduct is not really unethical, Nick."

The Whittington camp has hinted it intends to appeal. That's his right, and i understand him being upset. But it would be unwise. Other than this blog, there's been very little coverage of this challenge. If Whittington appeals, he is inviting more scrutiny. He will look like a bully and will almost certainly lose the appeal and his race.

Let the people decide, just as Judge Dally ruled.
 
(Blogger's Note: Originally published on 3/21/17 at 5:27 pm)

Freddy Lahovski Files For Magistrate in Northeast Bethlehem, Freemansburg

When I walked inside the elections office yesterday to be nosy about candidates filing nomination petitions, the man you see above was standing there, waiting for me. I thought he was holding a warrant for my arrest again, but it was a nomination petition. Fred Lahovski, the finest police officer I ever met, is running for magisterial district judge in Northeast Bethlehem and Freemansburg. He decided to run only as a Democrat.

Bethlehem attorney Nick Englesson, who I started with and who is well aware of my many flaws, filed his petition last week.

When I stepped outside to cool off, I ran into the guy you see above. That's Jon Whittington, who's also running for this judgeship. I asked if he was filing his papers.

"No, I have a warrant for you."

I'd ask Englesson to represent me but he knows me and knows I'm guilty as hell.

Constable Seeks Judgeship in Freemansburg, Bethlehem

Jon Whittington

Liz Romig is perhaps one of the most admired and respected magisterial district judges from Northampton County. She was much smarter than her brother, Jerry Seyfried, and managed to keep things together on the front lines of justice in a high-crime district that included Pembroke Village. Police officers and defendants both thought she was fair, and attorneys knew she would listen. When she was forced to step down after turning 70 (she tells me it was 40), her daughter Patricia Romig-Passaro stepped in to fill the void. Unfortunately, she was forced to resign. Although she sounds great, she is suffering from vascular dementia, and has been told she has only 5-10 years left.

Though Romig has stepped down, her husband, Jon B. Whittington, has announced his candidacy.

Whittington is known as a constable, but his real background is in the tool and dye industry. He worked there for 22 years, and this gives him a perspective on what it's like to be a hard-working blue collar worker.Beinmg a constable has given him an understanding on how the courts work.

He has volunteered as a Big Brother, has sponsored families at the New Bethany Ministries and participated on Christmas Day celebrations by serving them. He has also coached soccer for many years.

He tells me he decided to run because he thinks he can make a difference. He has a powerful ally behind him. They Seyfried family has been a force in Bethlehem since the '20s, when Floyd "Skip" Seyfried was active. His son Jerry went on to become NorCo Executive, and his daughter Liz and granddaughter Pat both distinguished themselves on the bench.

Jerry claims his cousin Amanda got her good looks from him.