Unlike most peace officers, constables are elected to six-year terms. Once they complete their 80 hours of training and file proof they have liability insurance, their jurisdiction is statewide. A constable elected in Nazareth, for example, can spend his time serving warrants in Milford if he's pals with the magistrate there.
Micaael Assise is opposing long-time Constable Doug Fulmer in Palmer Township I've met Fulmer while working the polls in Palmer and paying off a ticket at Magisterial District Judge Jackie Taschner's office. He towers over most people, and my guess is that most respect his authotah, even Cartman. But his chief weapon is his disarming smile.
Yet Fulmer is being challenged by Michael Assise, who has signs throughout Palmer touting his seven years of experience in law enforcement. What he fails to mention is that he was let go as a police officer in four different municipalities Wilson Borough, Palmer Township, Nazareth and Hellertown.
Assise, you may recall, is the tavern operator accused and acquitted of buying stolen lobster tails for The Brickhouse Tavern. He claimed at the time he had no idea they were stolen.
As a Wilson police officer, he was fired for his own admitted use of excessive force against an individual charged with disorderly conduct. Assise also acknowledged, in his third interview with Chief Steven Parkansky about the incident, that his original account of the matter had been deceptive. Chief Parkansky withdrew the disorderly conduct charges filed against an innocent person.
I called him about his race and he had no idea that winning does not guarantee him any work. That decision is made by a Magisterial District Judge who could just as easily decide to giver the work to someone else. So why is he running?
He told me that someone "higher up" encouraged him to run. He declined to name that person, but it's no secret that he and judicial candidate Abe Kassis share many of the same Lebanese supporters.
