The LuLac Edition #1623, June 6th, 2011

PHOTO INDEX: ATTORNEYS DICK HUGHES AND MOLLY HANLON MIRABITO AND DEFENDANTS BOB CORDARO AND A.J. MUNCHAK.

2011 JUDICIAL RACE

While things have quieted down after a busy primary, political people of all stripes are thinking about the upcoming 2011 race for Common Pleas Judge. There are 6 seats to filled but 5 of them have dual nominations. It would be very hard for a candidate to lose that way but everyone I have spoken to in the media uses that caveat. Their reasoning is “This is Luzerne County and the unthinkable here usually happens”. The five dual nominees are Fred Pierantoni, Mike Vough, Joe Sklarosky Junior, Lesa Gelb and Jennifer Rogers. That leaves Molly Hanlon Mirabito as the Democratic nominee vs. Republican Richard Hughes.
This race will be fascinating because both have been long time assistant District Attorneys. Both have acquitted themselves well in that office. The two ran once before for Judge in 2009 with Mirabito losing the nomination but Hughes getting to the big dance in the General Election. He came in third behind dual nominee Bill Amesbury and Tina Polachek Gartley both currently Judges.
The challenge for Hughes is going to be to get Democratic party support. While Rogers won the GOP nomination by less than 100 votes knocking out Jim Haggerty, Hughes came in with 11,019 votes on the Democratic side barely losing to Mirabito who got 12,193. Hughes needed 1175 votes to beat Mirabito. It will be his challenge to keep what he has in the GOP and convince enough Democrats to pull him in. Hughes’ problem is that he has no objectionable opponent. The only thing going against Mirabito is the fact that some people are telling me that with Rogers and Gelb winning, along with Polachak Gartley serving, that there are more than enough women on the bench thank you very much. Mirabito is also facing a very likable guy who pulled more than 29,000 votes in the 2009 general. Mirabito also can’t count on an organized Democratic party. It is not like the old days when a Democrat came out of various areas of Luzerne County with a big base. Dems I have talked to said that the organization is in shambles and that newly installed Chair woman Kathy Kane has made no great inroads in improving it.
Mirabito’s party problems though are nothing compared to the County GOP. Devoid of an Executive Director for their offices and losing two of its biggest champions to death just a few weeks ago (Rusty Flack and Jon Balester)
the County GOP has to stand behind Hughes with no defections from anyone. Hughes is a good credible candidate but he needs total support because of the low GOP registration. Hughes will have funding but as well know from the 2009 primary, a lead in money isn’t everything.
Both candidates will also share the same problem of the dual nominees, they shouldn’t expect any help from the anointed 5. Those candidates who won duals aren’t going to do anything to jeopardize their own nominations from both parties. They will be asking voters to pull the lever for them to make sure they stay within a margin of victory. A defeat is highly unlikely but remember where we are.
This summer, if both are smart Hughes and Mirabito will be going to every church picnic they can. Both camps are going to have to cement their respective party committee people and get them lined up early. The media will tout their prosecution records and who they put away. Even though the two assistant District Attorneys have great mutual respect for each other, campaigns do get hot and nasty. Don’t be surprised to see ads with cases where each of their performance was less than stellar, ie the criminal walked. Not their fault necessarily but politics is played tough around here. As the breezy days of June meld or melt into the hot months of July and August, each organization must be implementing their ground game and strategy. If either one of the camps is reading this now and saying “Hey we better get started”, come November they will be at a serious disadvantage. In this race, every day, every hour and every vote will count.

CORDARO/MUNCHAK

The corruption train heads north with the trial of former Lackawanna Commissioners Bob Cordaro and A.J. Munchak. The duo is charged on racketeering, honest services fraud and money laundering charges by the U.S. attorney's office.
We’ll try to be there and give you updates. It will be interesting to see how these two fair out. Friends of A.J. Munchak have opined that it is ironic that he attached himself to the rising rocket of Bob Cordaro and is currently now anchored to the Cordaro ship as it sails into these stormy and uncertain seas.