Former State Rep. Justin Simmons to Run For Lehigh County Exec

Former State Rep. Justin Simmons announced yesterday that he is seeking the Republican nomination for Lehigh County Exec. He probably will have company. Former Allentown City Council member Roger MacLean is reportedly also seeking the GOP nod. 

The winner of that race will take on State Rep. Joshua Siegel, who has previously announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination. 

“I have a proven pro-taxpayer record of fighting for common-sense ideas and needed government reforms that I will bring to Lehigh County’s government.” Simmons explains.  “I’m a common-sense person.  I think County Government can do more with less.  This I can promise you…As your County Executive, I will never sign a budget that increases taxes, I will always support our law enforcement, and I will keep local zoning decisions where they belong…. with locally elected municipal officials.” 

After spending 5 years in the private sector and successfully overcoming health issues that his previous opponents used as political fodder against him because he missed some time to seek treatment for his health, Simmons is now determined more than ever to give Lehigh County residents a new pro-taxpayer voice they deserve.  

Simmons Out! Who Will Drain the Swamp Now!

Within days of a Morning Call story revealing that political opportunist Justin Simmons missed 500 votes as a state lawmaker, he's withdrawn as a Congressional candidate. Simmons, of course, blamed everything on Charlie Dent.

It's a sad day for General Lee Snover, boss of the NorCo GOP. She no doubt cried herself to sleep.

The good news for Justin Simmons is that he broke completely new ground when it comes to campaign strategy. He campaigned against a man who wasn't running and managed to lose to him.

Voters will have an opportunity to show Simmons the door next year. He's dropped out of a Congressional race. He's abandoned a stab at Lt. Governor. So he'll try to con the people he attempted twice to abandon this year.

I think they're on to him.

Anonymous Comments and Justin Simmons

Allentown blogger Michael Molovinsky is trashing me again, this time over my treatment of anonymous commenters. He claims I am fine with people so long as they agree with me, but otherwise call them anonymous cowards. He also attacks me for answering every pro Justin Simmons comment as though it comes from Simmons himself. Molovinsky also takes a few personal shots to which I decline to respond, but I will discuss my comment policy.

This is an interactive blog. It is not just me, but you. I rely upon and am educated by my readers through the dialectical method. I don't have one editor. I have 5,000 of them. As fellow blogger LVCI recently learned, it can be exhausting to respond to the diverse points of view.

As an opinionated person, I make things worse. I have made enemies over the years. I have also attracted a fairly large number of trolls. They sometimes try to hijack blog threads.

I will delete off-topic comments. I'm fine with a tip about a late-breaking story, but am insulted when someone rudely interrupts a discussion about a topic that I researched for several hours and then wrote as a story.

I also hate cut-and paste jobs because the person who wrote the original story deserves better treatment. But if you just post a link, it might go into my spam folder.

I will immediately delete any comment from one person who agreed in court to stay off this blog. Molovinsky knows who this person is, and he is the reason why Molvinsky has removed the anonymous option and sometimes moderates.

I will also delete any comment from another person who once threatened to kill Barack Obama when he was re-elected as the President of the United States. Molovinsky hosts the hate that still comes from this person as well as others who make ridiculous arguments about the IQs of Somalis being inferior and other such nonsense. That's just hate. Molovinsky has complained that I removed my link to his blog. This is why.

I generally will allow personal attacks aimed at elected officials, provided they are not vulgar. I tend to be more protective of appointed public officials, and will not allow snarky remarks about family members. They are civilians unless they make themselves part of the story.

I am of course fine with anonymous comments that agree with me. I am also fine with anonymous comments that disagree with me. But if the commenters get personal, I have no compunction about telling them they are cowards. If I call someone an anonymous coward for simply disagreeing with me, I am wrong. I deal with numerous comments every day, and sometimes I make mistakes. Molovinsky provided no examples of this happening, but I am sure there are likely some instances in which I do cross the line, mostly in defense of officials I like. I only mean to call someone an anonymous coward if he hides behind anonymity to attack someone personally.

Unlike Molovinsky, I write numerous articles about local races. Over the years, I have noticed that two types of races tend to attract ugly comments. The first is magisterial contests, believe it or not. The second is any race involving Justin Simmons.

In the last election cycle, in which Justin Simmons ran for re-election as State Rep and broke a pledge to serve only three terms, I published 13 stories. Almost from the beginning, the comments were very ugly, and would go on for as long as 11 days after my story originally published. At this point, the only persons reading the comments would be the candidates themselves and me. I would eventually get tired of it and close comments off completely. Even then, team Simmons would jump onto another thread and continue the flaming.

Now that Simmons is running for Congress, I am getting ugly pro-Simmons comments again. Instead of shutting down the discussion, I've opted to address all the slimy pro-Simmons comments as though they are coming from Justin himself. This has minimized the filth coming from him or his supporters.

I sometimes delete a comment accidentally. Also, there are times when a comment goes into my spam folder. I may think it is published, but blogger has incorrectly identified it as spam. I often fail to discover this for days.

My decisions regarding comments are unappealable. I will in fact delete comments complaining about my comments policy. I would rather discuss the issues, but you can always email me if I have made a mistake. BOhare5948@aol.com .

I will host no comments here because this is my blog. I set my own comments policy. Not Michael Molovinsky. Not anyone else.

Will Justin Simmons Now Have to Support the Dreamers?

In a recent interview on a conservative Internet station from North Georgia calling itself FYNTV, Republican Congressional candidate Justin Simmons said that if he had the last vote in the House, it would be against the dreamers, 800,000 people who entered the country illegally as children. He'd get rid of them all. Otherwise, he would be "encouraging people to break the law. And then it's just going to continue that cycle and then we're going to get into a debate with liberals about compassion and it's never going to end."

Well guess what? Donald Trump and Democratic leaders had dinner last night, and the dreamers were the first course. They've apparently reached a deal that protects the dreamers from the clutches of political opportunists like Simmons, even without forcing Dems to concede on a border wall.

It seems to me that unless Justin changes his tune, he's being disloyal to his President. Isn't that why he ran against Charlie Dent in the first place?

Simmons Sez No to DACA

In a telling interview on FYNTV, Republican Congressional candidate Justin Simmons admits he was talking to potential donors in Washington D.C., as early as this summer. He also said that if he had the last vote in the House, it would be against DACA. That's a bill that would protect 800,000 people who entered the country illegally as children. They could get a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and would be eligible for a work permit. He said it would be "encouraging people to break the law. And then it's just going to continue that cycle and then we're going to get into a debate with liberals about compassion and it's never going to end."

Nice guy.

Dent Slams Simmons' Hypocrisy

Earlier this week, State Rep. Justin Simmons wrote his own political obituary. Pretending that he was always on the Trump train, he's decided to jump on himself and try to railroad Lehigh Valley Congressman Charlie Dent, perhaps the most popular elected official in the state. He also happens to be one of the few grown ups left.

A man who lived in his mommy's basement and has spent his entire career feeding at the public trough claims it is time to "completely drain the swamp."

Justin himself is the swamp.

“Justin says one thing in private, then turns around and says the exact opposite to the potential voters he’s trying to mislead. This is a politician at his absolute worst,” Dent said in a statement released by his campaign.

“In several statements, Justin has attacked me and my service to the people of our community, even adopting catchphrases from President Trump in a pathetic attempt to pander to supporters of the President," said Dent. He's referring to several of Simmons' Facebook snarks. "Outside the public’s view, Justin says and does very different things,” Dent continued.

Dent explains that during last year's primary, Simmons texted Dent to solicit campaign contributions from Dent, asked Dent to connect Justin with potential campaign donors, and appealed to Dent to endorse his candidacy for State Representative.

Dent proceeds to prove it, too. He provided copies of those text messages,which now appear here.

In one exchange in mid-August 2016 – when then candidate Trump’s poll numbers sagged - Justin even questioned Dent about the potential for replacing Trump on the ballot, hoping Trump would be removed at that time. "Do you think there is any chance the party can replace Trump on top of ticket?" he asked Dent on August 16.

“While there is nothing new about political opportunism, it is still shocking when someone tries to blatantly deceive the people he supposedly wants to represent,” observed Dent.

Just a few months ago, Simmons had his eye on another major office - Lieutenant Governor. That until the lack of support ended that possibility. That fizzled when he realized he had no support, except for maybe his wife, and I'm not even sure about her.

Simmons is clearly a political opportunist with no loyalty to anyone. If he turns on Dent, he'll turn on the Trump train.

It all depends which way the wind is blowing.

Simmons explained to PoliticsPa that he only asked Dent about removing Trump from the ballot after news broke that Trump had been bragging about grabbing women "by the pu--y." But as PoliticsPa also notes, Simmons spoke with Dent about removing Trump in August, two months before Trump's "pu--y" remarks were disclosed.

So Simmons got caught in a lie.

Like I said, he's the swamp.  

Justin Simmons is Gonna' Need a Bigger Boat

LV Congressman Charlie Dent was listed as one of Justin Simmons' top contributors in his always contentious races for the state house.But that was then. Simmons is now planning to take on Dent. If he's serious, he's just signed a death warrant for his political future.

"I for one can no longer stand by as Congressman Dent continues to be a representative to K Street in Washington D.C.," says Simmons on his Facebook page. "I want to be a representative for all the citizens in the 15th congressional district."

Simmons is hoping to surf his way into Congress on a wave of resentment from Trump backers and the tea party.

What he fails to realize is that there are sharks in 'dem 'dar waters.

One of the biggest and nastiest of these great whites is none other than Charlie Dent.

Nice guy. Hardest campaigner I've ever seen, and one who goes for the jugular.

I once asked him why he runs such tough campaigns, and the usually loquacious Congressman answered me pretty completely in one sentence. "There are only two ways to run - hard or unopposed."

Let's look at some of his victims.

Charles "Don't call me" Charlie Dertinger. - Never heard of him? He was a Northampton County Councilman who made the mistake of taking on Dent. When that race was over, so was Dertinger's political career. Ron Angle easily defeated him. Twice.

Sam Bennett. - Dent raised questions about Bennett's excessive salary at Properties of Merit, putting her on the defensive. Every mistake she made, and she made plenty, was highlighted. When she tried to run for Mayor, she was already defined as a nut and there was nothing she could do to shed that image.

John Callahan.- John was a fairly popular Mayor in Bethlehem, but Dent portrayed him as a spendthrift. Dent portrayed a Callahan push for a 1% hike in sales tax as a sleazy move. Callahan was so badly damaged after that race that he was unable to win an Exec race against a political unknown from Bangor.

The only reason Rick Daugherty was never destroyed like the others is that Rick waved the white flag early. He never ran a serious race.

Simmons has run against weak candidates, but the elections have always been far closer than they should be. Now he is reportedly challenging one of the few grown-ups left in Congress.

Charlie probably could be beaten in a GOP primary with the right candidate. That candidate would have to be from the western part of the district.

Justin, you're gonna' need a bigger boat.

Is Simmons Break-In Attempt Politically Motivated?

The glass door has been boarded.

About a week ago, US Senator Pat Toomey's Zionsville neighborhood was vandalized with anti-GOP graffiti. Instead of hitting his home, two homes across the street from him. In what could be a coincidence, someone attempted a break-in at State Rep. Justin Simmons' Coopersburg office late last week.

Though this could be a druggie, Simmons seems to be suspicious that it is coming from political opponents.

From his Facebook page:

"I'm extremely saddened to report that this campaign season continues to deteriorate as one of the worst. Last night, someone tried to break into my Coopersburg legislative office. This behavior is unacceptable and I have to say I have never seen anything like this (on the campaign side as well) until this election. The way to get your message across is to win at the ballot box, not engage in scare tactics. Obviously, the other side doesn't think they can win."

He has reason to be suspicious. Campaigns against him have all been ugly.

On her Facebook page, challenger Joanne Jackson condemned the attempted break-in. "I am so upset at the vandalism perpetrated towards the incumbent," she said.

Why Joanne Jackson Will Lose to Justin Simmons

Justin Simmons is a hard-core conservative Republican representing people from three different counties who have been thrown together in the 131st District. Since he first upset Karen Beyer in 2011, he has been targeted by Democrats and Republicans alike. He has always come out on top, and I expect to see him pull a repeat performance again this year. That's pretty much because his opponent, write-in Joanne Jackson, is waging the same kind of dark campaign that has repeatedly blown up in the faces of other candidates.

I probably agree with Justin about five percent of the time. But he is one of the legislators who helped to remove the EIT tax grab from the NIZ legislation. He is a cosponsor to bipartisan gerrymander reform legislation proposed by State Senator Lisa Boscola and State Rep. Dave Parker. He is also one of the best debaters I've ever seen. He responds to every phone call and email and answers every question I have, even when we disagree. Transparency and accountability are very important to me, so I have supported him, and will continue to do so.

His Democratic opponent, Joanne Jackson, entered this race as a write-in candidate, and only because she claimed to be worried that Simmons' GOP opponent was going to ask Dems to vote for him. She found herself the nominee, and decided to give it a go.

She has been elected as an Allentown School Director, so she knows how to run a race. But she will lose.

She will raise far less money that Justin, but that's not why she'll lose.

She's in a Republican District, but that's not why she'll lose.

She'll lose because she's making the same mistake as Justin's previous opponents.

A few weeks ago, she was actually knocking on the doors of Justin's GOP supporters and telling them to remove yard signs they had planted at their homes. She apparently was unaware that the First Amendment trumps any attempt by local government to curb political speech. In fact, it is Democrats who filed a federal lawsuit over these unconstitutional ordinances several years ago.

I can understand Jackson being confused about free speech. But it takes a lot of nerve to knock on a homeowner's door and tell him to take down a sign. Especially when you're wrong. News like that gets around pretty fast, so my guess is that she lost a lot of ground with that mistake.

But that's not why she'll lose, either.

A few days ago, I received an invitation from Jackson to like an amateurish site called "Justin Simmons' Horror Stories". It depicts Justin as some sort of Dracula and is resurrected before every race. It's full of all kinds of hokey, personal attacks. I was offended.

That's why she's going to lose. Simmons is a fierce campaigner who subscribes to the Charlie Dent admonition that there's only two ways to run - hard or unopposed.

She should ask Simmons' previous opponents how their negative campaigns worked out for them.

Justin can be beaten, but not this way.

He wins in November.

Simmons Crushes Coyle

If you've read any of the comment threads on this blog concerning Bill Coyle's state house challenge to Justin Simmons, you'd know that Simmons was going to win. Still, Simmons' 78-22 smackdown had to be a surprise, even to him.

On Facebook, Simmons was pretty gracious to Coyle. Justin is waiting to see if a Democratic write-in like Joanne Jackson has prevailed.

131st Update: Coyle Fails To File Pre-Primary Finance Report

Bill Coyle

I've been highly critical of statewide candidates who still file paper reports instead of the electronic reports that can be seen immediately on the Internet. Though no law requires electronic report, candidates who choose to go the paper route know that voters will never see their finances until months after an election is over. This lack of transparency is a slap across the face of citizens these candidates claim they want to serve.

Usually, the biggest offenders are the very persons who pretend they're all about transparency and accountability. Take Bill Coyle, for example. He has repeatedly slammed Justin Simmons for seeking a fourth term, and has claimed that, unlike Justin, he's a man of his word. But Coyle completely failed to file his pre-primary finance report, which was due on Friday.

“It is absurd that a candidate who talks about integrity and transparency refuses to release campaign finance reports as required by law,” said Jason Ercole, a spokesman for the Simmons campaign. “For someone seeking to be an elected official, whose sworn duty is to uphold the law, to run his campaign this way is simply unforgivable and should cause great concern among voters.”

It does raise a red flag or two. I have seen candidates drag their feet on filing required reports precisely because they want to hide who is supporting their campaigns.

I contacted Coyle, who admitted that he has failed to file his report. He told me he had been "out of town." He indicated his report will be filed tomorrow, and vowed to do so electronically.

Simmons: Pension Reform or Bankruptcy

Justin Simmons

The first of three debates hosted by the Lehigh Valley Tea Party last night was the most raucous. Pennsylvania's 131st legislative district consists of the southern portion of Lehigh County, a tiny sliver of Montgomery County and part of Lower Saucon Township in Northampton County.  It has been represented by Justin Simmons for the last four years after he pulled off an amazing upset of Karen Beyer in 2010. make no mistake about it, Justin Simmons is a hard-core conservative. he has been the republican Democrats love to hate in the western part of the Lehigh Valley.  In the last two elections, Simmons has faced stiff competition in vicious campaigns that included teacher union advocate Kevin Deely and Republican-turned Democrat Michael Beyer.

All this adversity has made Simmons very effective during debates. He's a skilled orator and was clearly the most polished of all the candidates in three debates last night.  A few times, even opponent Bill Coyle joined in the applause after an answer, only to catch himself and look in amazement as his own hands would betray him. Coyle also had to admit and even apologize for a mistake in supporting the Manchin-Toomey gun proposal that would require background checks on the sales of firearms at gun shows and in Internet sales.

Three Term Pledge

To his credit, Coyle conceded his weakness. ""I may not be the best debater, I may not be as up on the issues as someone who's versed in it, but I've had success in my career, and I think I can translate that to our district." A wholesale furniture salesman, Coyle claimed he was running because Simmons has broken the three-term pledge limit that he made when he first ran for office.

And he has.

But Simmons had an answer.

"The people of my district have asked me to run for a third term because I'm actually one of the people who have gone into government and done what I said I'm going to do,"he explained. "I fought for conservative principles. ...  We've just got a victory from this Governor and have passed a budget that does not increase taxes."

Who's the Real Conservative?

Bill Coyle

It was a debate in which both Simmons and Coyle maintained that each was the real conservative.

Simmons painted Coyle as a liberal in conservatives clothing.

"Mr. Coyle has been backed by teacher union presidents, has been associated with Jennifer Mann, a former liberal Democrat, and with Karen Beyer, my liberal predecessor," he said. "I don't believe his intentions are really on the term limit pledge. I believe his intentions are a liberal Republican that wants to take a conservative out."

Coyle claimed he was the real conservative because he'd close one of the district offices. Simmons scoffed at that idea, noting those offices exist to serve constituents. Then he returned to Coyle's ties to the teachers' union.

"When the president of the teachers' union at East Penn School District says, 'Bill Coyle will represent our interests in Harrisburg," - someone that opposes paycheck protection, opposes pension reform, opposes everything that conservatives stand for - and two other teacher union people - I have the photo right here, saying 'Bill Coyle is the moderate alternative to Justin Simmons,.' Bill Coyle is not a conservative."

Simmons also pointed to Joanne Jackson, a Democrat sitting in the audience, and claimed that she had just told him that Democrats plan to mount a write-in campaign for Coyle. Jackson was so incensed that she has decided to mount her own write-in campaign.

Reducing the size of the state legislature (203 state reps, 50 state senators, 2d largest in country)

Both candidates said they'd like to reduce the size of the state legislature."Any time you can cut expenses, I think that's a good thing," said Coyle. "I'm a little concerned that it would give too much power to Philadelphia."

Simmons claimed a constitutional amendment will soon be in the hands of the voters.

"I've always been an advocate of reducing the size of the legislature,"" he claimed. "Texas, a state double the size of Pennsylvania, has a legislature, half the size. ... We need to reduce the size of the legislature and move to a part-time legislature here in Pa. ...It's going to be a constitutional amendment so we have to get it through the next session as well and then it will go to the ballot for people to vote on the issue. ... My opponent has said it will never happen. We're very close to this happening."

Pensions and per diems for state reps

Noting that Pa. has a $54 billion unfunded liability for pensions. Simmons signed a pension declination form. "I will not accept the pension," he observed. .

He lambasted per diems as "a ridiculous system" in which a "legislator can go out to Harrisburg and get $165 blank check to spend money however they want. No direct expense. It's wrong. I've been on every bill to eliminate the per diem system, I do not take per diems. I do direct expense because my expenses, when I have to spend the night in Harrisburg, come in about half the $165 per diem. The per diems have got to go."

Coyle agreed, but added he would eliminate pensions completely from the legislative branch.

"My opponent ridiculed me for that, but I think we should eliminate [pensions] from the legislative branch."

Differing views on term limits. 

Coyle stated he supported term limits for state representatives They should run for four-year terms and be limited to two terms.  Under the current system, state representatives are always campaigning, which he called a "full-time job."

Simmons claims to have "evolved" on the issue. "The voters decide at the ballot box," he argued  He also noted the irony of being attacked on term limit pledge by an opponent "who will not take the term limit pledge because he said he didn't know how long it would take to get things done."

Is It Time for HB76 Or Some Alternative to Eliminate Property Tax?

Coyle said he supports HB 76, which replaces a property tax with increases in the sales tax. It's hard not to support that bill," he said. But he admitted a "little bit of fear" about the impact of a consumption tax on clothing. Noting the outlets in Tannersville, he predicted that there "will be an impact in having a tax on previously untaxed articles of clothing. It's hard not to support that bill."

This fear about a tax on clothing was disputed by Simmons. "HB76 still does exempt clothing. You gotta' read the bill,  Bill. Sorry."

Simmons claimed to have voted for HB76 each time it has come up. Noting that the bill has 91 co-sponsors, but got 50 votes, Simmons claimed one of those votes came from him.

Simmons also disputed whether Coyle is really for property tax elimination. "When you are endorsed by teacher union bosses in the district, when you are trying to get written in by Democrats, you can't be for property tax elimination," he charged. "You can say that to a tea party crowd, but you're obviously not saying that to the Democrats."

Second Amendment and HB503, which will require that all firearms be registered with the state police and that there be an annual $10 gun tax.

"I'm pro Second Amendment," said Simmons.."I'm always endorsed by the NRA. I'm going to be endorsed by the NRA in this primary. I supported the castle doctrine. I was a co-sponsor of the castle doctrine because I believe you should be able to protect yourself in your own home. ... I have to do a contrast between my opponent and I. My opponent, on Bobby Gunther Walsh, says he supports Toomey-Manchin, the Toomey- Manchin federal law that is more into gun control. I don't support Toomey-Manchin. I think law-abiding citizens that own guns aren't the problem. ... I am pro-Second Amendment. I will oppose HB503, and I will continue to fight for your second amendment rights as I always have done."

Coyle, who stated he is also pro second amendment,acknowledged that "I did make a mistake on Bobby Gunther Walsh and didn't do my research on a national issue. I thought it would be more state specific and I wan't up to speed on it. And I apologize for that, and have since amended my position on it.

Coyle not only opposes HB 503 and its $10 annual assessment on each firearm. He also thinks "it's insane that we have fishing licenses." He complained about "government trying to extend their tentacles around all of us."

Take Your Pick, Pension Reform or Bankruptcy

Putting aside debate styles, Simmons also made a scary prediction. He believes Pennsylvania faces bankruptcy, probably within the next five years, unless it enacts pension reform.

"Here's the thing we gotta' do. The first step. We gotta' put all new hires into a new defined contribution 401k system, like 95% of the private sector has. We have to take taxpayers off the risk of what the pension system has caused. We have a $54 billion unfunded liability here in pa. It's not sustainable. And here's the thing if we don't do something about this. ... If we don't legislatively enact pension reform, the state's going to go bankrupt. Thirty dollars of every $100 right now goes to the pension system. That will be $50 of every $100 of the state budget within five years. The state will go bankrupt and the federal government will have to come in and allow states to go into bankruptcy protection. A lot of you remember what happened to the Bethlehem Steel and the retirees there. If we don't fix it now, that's what's going to happen herein Pa.

Noting that pensions were created to make jobs that no one wanted more attractive, Coyle said, "We shouldn't fund other people's retirements. We should fund our own."

(Blogger's Note: I will have reports on the other two debates on Monday).

State House Candidate Chided For Misrepresentations

Earlier in the week, I told you that state house candidate Bill Coyle ducked a number of questions I sent to him. He was on Gunther's WAEB program yesterday. His interview on Tuesday had to be bumped because of the tragedy in Belgium.

Coyle did answer some of the questions I had previously posed.

During the program, Coyle claimed he spoke with State Rep. Harry Lewis, Jr, who is Secretary of the Urban Affairs Committee, and Lewis claimed he did not know who Simmons was.

This is untrue.

Lewis fired off this email to WAEB yesterday, after the show.

It was brought to my attention today that you had a guest on one of your radio talk shows who is running against Representative Simmons. This gentleman apparently made representations that I commented on Representative Simmon’s attendance at the Urban Affairs Committee meetings. I’m very disappointed in such a gross misrepresentation of my brief conversation with this gentleman. Representative Simmons has served his constituents well in his participation on the Urban Affairs Committee.
Sincerely,
Representative Harry Lewis, Jr.

The Question Bill Coyle Has Ducked

Coopersburg resident Bill Coyle, a furniture wholesaler, is challenging Justin Simmons in the Republican primary in the 131st. He appeared as a guest on Bobby Gunther Walsh's radio show in February, which was pretty much a disaster. So my guess is that Walsh has been pressured to give Coyle a do-over, and he'll be on the show again today.

Though Simmons is very conservative, the reason I like him is because he is one of the few state legislators who worked to settle the NIZ lawsuit.

I've met Coyle. After doing so, I checked his voting record and discovered he's pretty much a hit-and-miss voter, especially in primaries. So I find it out that he would showcase himself as a standard bearer for the Republicans, especially since one of the persons who encouraged him to run is none other than Democrat Jennifer Mann.

She wants Coyle to bleed Simmons, while Democrats write someone else in.

He fell for her spiel while paying for her meal at White Orchid.

When Coyle first announced, I sent him a list of admittedly tough questions on February 18. He got them because he sent me an email about them. He has not answered me, and over a month has elapsed  Since he is using Robert Kerr as a consultant, my guess is he won;t be answering me at all. So maybe he'll tell Bobby Gunther Walsh what he's afraid to say to me.
.
Will you take the pension? (No answer.)

Will you take per diem? (No answer.)

Will you take state car? (No answer.)

Will you take cell phone? (No answer.)

Will you take mileage? (No answer.)

Since you are running against Simmons because of his term limit pledge. What is your term limit pledge? (No answer.)

What are your thoughts on the Republicans blocking Wolf's budget? (No answer.)

How would you be different? (No answer.)

What are your thoughts on Tom Wolf's 2015 budget? (No answer.)

What do you agree with? What don't you agree with? (No answer.)

What are your thoughts on Tom Wolf's 2016 budget? (No answer.)

What do you agree with? What don't you agree with? (No answer.)

How should we fund increase in school funding? (No answer.)

What should we do with property taxes? (No answer.)

What is your current employment? (No answer.)

Why do you think you can do a better job? (No answer.)

Why should people vote for you? (No answer.)

He dodged the question whether he would send out mailers at taxpayer expense when he was on Gunther's show in February. Gunther has stated he would host an hour-long debate between Simmons and Coyle. According to Coyle, Simmons has missed 60 votes during his time in the state house. I have tried, and am unable to confirm this.

Beyer State House Race Crashes ... Literally

Michael Beyer's campaign to unseat State Rep. Justin Simmons has crashed. At the time I write this, WFMZ had him down 61-39. But his campaign also crashed literally.

Leaving a polling place at Coopersburg's Calvary Church, Beyer pulled out in front of two cars. He ended up getting T-boned and snarling traffic. This probably reduced the turnout and may be the smartest thing he did in this race.

Fortunately, no one was injured except Mike's ego.

So ends a race that was dishonest from start to finish. Beyer was thrown off the ballot after misrepresenting that he was a lawyer. And yesterday, he had Joyce Moore, a liberal Democrat, hand out "Republicans for Beyer".

Beyer Campaign Gets Ugly In Its Waning Hours

Michael Beyer

Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court called State house candidate Michael Beyer a liar. They removed the Republican-turned-Democrat from the ballot for a "knowing and material" misrepresentation of himself as a lawyer. Beyer, who only became a Democrat the day before he started circulating his nomination petition was able to get on the ballot anyway, as a write-in candidate. This Democrat of Convenience happens to be the son of Karen Beyer. She used to hold the seat her son is seeking before it was taken away by incumbent Justin Simmons. She illegally solicited House Republicans, on their public email accounts, to attend a fundraiser she was hosting for her son. Beyer's no Democrat. He's an opportunist. But a small segment of extremist Democrats are so anxious to get rid of Simmons that they are willing to abandon the principles of their own party. Of course, they are doing it dishonestly It's a lesson they learned from Beyer. Let me tell you the story.

Both campaigns have created spoof sites to lampoon the other. There's BeyerProof and JustinSimmonsHorrorStories.

Good fun. But this goes a bot beyond the usual attacks.

Using pseudonyms Elizabeth Bennett and Ha Ireton, they recently began posting messages on Simmons' Facebook page.  They smear one of his friends as a murderer. Then they accuse Simmons of being gay.

Justin Simmons

Murder Accusations

One of Simmons' volunteers and a friend, Mark Sterner, killed three of his fraternity brothers, his best friends, in a Florida drunk driving crash about twenty years ago. In just three months, they were to graduate. Sterner spent three years in a Florida maximum security jail. Since his release, he has given lectures to over two million college and high school students, repeating his story. He does not preach. "You're old enough to make your decisions," he tells them. "I do this so you never have to bury one of your brothers."

Instead of deleting this attack, Simmons confronted it. "I'm proud to have Mark Sterner on my campaign. He made a mistake years ago and now tries to make a difference in kids' lives everyday. If you were actually involved in our community you would know that like everyone else."

I happen to know Mark myself, and consider his the most gifted political strategist in the Lehigh Valley, next to Shawn Millan. But he does not work in politics.

Gay bashing

After attacking this Simmons' volunteer, they go on to accuse Simmons of being gay, even claiming that he has some sort of relationship with a State Senator.

Simmons' sexual orientation is irrelevant, but he addresses the accusation. "I'm happily married to my wife Erica for almost 3 years now. I find it truly hypocritical that a campaign that supposedly supports equality in the LGBT community is using that as a weapon against Republicans."

Simmons is correct. Democrats stand for tolerance of sexual orientation, as well as giving a second chance to someone who has paid his debt to society. Like Beyer, these folks aren't true Democrats.

They're haters.

Beyèr - A Democrat of Convenience

Allons enfants de la Patrie

Two years ago, Democrats tried and nearly succeeded in getting rid of State Representative Justin Simmons. They ran Kevin Deely, a one-time teachers' union president for the Easton Area School District. Deely lost, and later moved out of the 131st District, proving that he had been a carpetbagger after all. Now Democrats are trying to beat Simmons with Mike Beyèr. Until very recently, Beyèr was a Republican himself. He's the son of former Republican State Rep. Karen Beyèr, who was upset by Simmons four years ago. She's pulled out all the stops in getting her son elected. This includes breaking the law, doing the same thing that led to the Bonusgate prosecutions.

Harrisburg Republicans have been getting emails like this from Karen Beyèr, sent to their pahousegop.com e-mail addresses:

From: Karen Beyer [mailto:kdbeyer@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2014 6:25 PM
Subject: Please join me for a cocktail reception for Michael Beyer

Please join me and my family in our home for a cocktail reception for Michael.
He will be a great representative for the 131st, please come out and meet him.

Attached to these emails is a flyer from 7pointsconsulting.com (That is political consultant Mike Fleck's firm) inviting them to the cocktail party to elect Beyèr at $100 a pop.

This, of course, is exactly what started the Bonusgate prosecutions. So Beyer instead of a mad rush to buy tickets, she instead received an email from Rod Corey, Chief Counsel of the House Republican Legal Staff, telling her to stop using state email addresses to further her son's campaign.

There goes that damn Ethics Act again.

I guess porn would have been OK.

This little episode demonstrates that Beyèr, among other things, is a phony who pretends he is a Democrat while reaching out for Republican support, and breaking the law to do it. He is, as one other person has called him, a Democrat of convenience. He was registered Republican until just before deciding to circulate a nomination petition for his mom's old seat. Realizing he could never beat Simmons in a primary, he simply switched parties.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is on to him. He was thrown off the ballot as a Democrat after making a "knowing and material misrepresentation" that he was, in fact, an attorney. The truth is that he failed or never took the Bar exam. Those who signed his nomination petition, the Court concluded, were "materially misled."

He has continued to materially mislead the public. In campaign literature, this former intern claims falsely that he was a legislative aide. He also falsely claims to have worked at a securities arbitration clinic when the truth is that it was just a part of a required class when he attended law school.

The Beyèr camp, issued this statement: "I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries. Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time."

Vote For Beyèr

Michael Beyèr, the Democratic write-in state house candidate who was chucked off the ballot by the state supremes, has decided to incorporate his love of France in his campaign against incumbent State Representative Justin Simmons.

His campaign signs, all based on the French ensign, are his way of paying homage to the country that brought us the 35-hour work week. Simmons apparently asked him what he's doing, and Beyèr immediately surrendered.

State Supremes Toss Beyer Ballot Bid

Although Michael Beyer may still wage a write-in campaign for the Democratic nod  in a state house race against incumbent Justin Simmons, the Supreme Court has removed him as a sanctioned candidate. In a harshly worded opinion that reverses the Commonwealth Court, the state supremes have essentially called Beyer a liar who misrepresented his occupation. 

Beyer is the son of former State Rep. Karen Beyer, who was upset by upstart Simmons four years ago. 

Beyer's candidacy struck me as dishonest from the start. Knowing he could never beat Simmons as a Republican, he switched teams and suddenly became a Democrat right before he started circulating. Amazingly, many Democratic die-hards flocked to this obvious turncoat, whose party affiliation USA matter of convenience, not principle.

It was obvious Beyer knew what he was doing when he called himself a lawyer.  When Justin ran against Karen Beyer, she attacked Justin as an unemployed 23 year old who lived in his parents' basement.  In truth, Simmons had to quit his job to run for office.

Beyer is 30, unemployed and, according to his court testimony, never had a job. According to his court testimony, he lives in his parents' basement.  He had to lie.
He spent 12 years as a full time student. He's been out of law school for a year.  He hasn't taken the bar, has never had a job and doesn't have a job now.  That doesn't look good when you are running for office.

Here's the Opinion. http://www.pacourts.us/assets/opinions/Supreme/out/J-51-2014pco.pdf?cb=1

State House: Beyer Wins Ballot Challenge

Michael Beyer, son of former State Representative Karen Beyer, will be on the Democratic ballot for the seat his mother held as a Republican four years ago. Beyer has survived a three-pronged nomination challenge attacking nomination petitions, residency and his claim to be a lawyer. In a ruling issued this morning, Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer rejected the challenge.

David and Linda Eisenhauer, two Democrats who live in the District, filed the challenge. Representing them is Attorney Matt Crosslis, who until recently was Lehigh County Executive, and has vowed to appeal.

Originally, Crosslis' petition argued that petitions were being signed by circulators who did not actually circulate them. He also argued that Beyer was a Pittsburgh resident. But he withdrew those two challenges, leaving him only with the claim that Beyer, a recent law school grad, had somehow misrepresented himself.

Give me a break.

Once Crosslis realized he was unable to mount a successful circulation challenge, this case was pretty much toast. An appeal is a waste of money.

Since no one else is running on the Democratic side, this assures Beyer's nomination.

In the Fall, he'll face incumbent Justin Simmons, the man who beat Beyer's mother four years ago, and the man who will very likely beat him.