A news article in today’s Daily Local News concerning the elections for MDJ in Coatesville’s Magisterial Court 15-1-03; the Daily Local News failed to point out that it is illegal to run for office as District Magistrate Judge and be employed by a government agency at the same time.
Even a candidate for Coatesville City Council cannot take office and work for any government agency. Ask Calvin Culclasure, he recently withdrew his candidacy. He was unaware that people who work for a government agency cannot take for office without first resigning their job. Since the position as Coatesville City Council member does not pay very well, the decision is an easy one to make.
But Lavender is very well aware that she is breaking the law.
It came up in Judge Ott’s courtroom on Friday March 20, 2009. Lavender has been working as Hennessey’s Legislative Aid and running for Magistrate District Justice. She made the claim to Judge Ott that she is employed by the House Republican Caucus and not Tim Hennessey. Judge Ott quizzed her further and asked what it says at the top of her paycheck. Linda Lavender replied, "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania”. Lavender stated that Tim Hennessey told her that she could run and work as a legislative aid at the same time. She told Judge Ott that Rep. Tim Hennessey would write a letter explaining it to Judge Ott. Judge Ott said that she would like to see that letter.
In spite of Judge Ott very well pointing out that Lavender is an employee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Lavender continues to break the law and run for election. Lavender did not have sufficient valid signatures to be on the ballot for Magistrate District Judge in Coatesville. She was taken of the ballot for this reason. If there was sufficient time she could also have been removed by the ballot by proving in court that she was is employee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
I think that it is a spectacular failure of news reporting for the Daily Local News to not include the fact that Lavender is running illegally as MDJ and would be removed if she won the election. Her “certification” may be also be removed by the Judicial Conduct Board whether she wins or not. She may even have some difficulty in keeping her job as Hennessey’s Legislative Aid.
The Daily Local News article is here:
http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2009/05/15/news/srv0000005341236.txt
Question - Is it illegally to run for office or illegally to take office while being employed by a government agency ?
ReplyDeleteIt is illegal to run for office while working for a government agency or holding another elected office if you are running for District Magistrate Judge.
ReplyDeleteThere are differences in running for other kinds of elected offices. There are no elected offices that I am aware of that allow government employees to take that office without resigning from a government job.
Before any petitions to be on the ballot are submitted a District Magistrate Judge must resign from a government position.
Lavender’s opponent Greg Hines resigned his position on South Coatesville's government before his campaign began. He followed the law exactly and did everything right; something that you would expect a judge to do.
Right now I am trying to find a campaign finance committee on record for Lavender. I have not yet found one. Voter Services has not yet found one. Someone paid for all those lawn signs.
I was looking for the wrong campaign finance committee one called "Coatesville Unity Committee".
ReplyDeleteLinda Lavender's campaign finance committee is "Friends of Linda Lavender". The name is on the lawn signs. I just looked.