Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Matta v. Wagner Headlines Unexpectedly Light Card In Nomination Petition Challenges

George Matta's full-bore assault on Chelsa Wagner's petitions (filed by the Network's legal department) deservedly dominates Petition Challenge Deadline Day news, but the more interesting point might be the substantial number of planned challenges that apparently were not filed by today's 5 p.m. deadline, in races that included Pittsburgh City Council (although Darlene Harris reportedly found objectors to at least two opponents' petitions, sketchy petitions filed by other mayoral soldiers were not challenged), Allegheny County Council and Allegheny County Executive.

UPDATE: A commenter's assignment of responsibility to the Ravenstahl camp for the objections to Oberst and Wilson in InsolvenCity council district 1 seems correct. The lawyer who filed those objections also filed a challenge to Jason Phillips in district 5. It also appears that someone challenged George Matta's petitions in the Allegheny County Controller race.

Infinonytune: Let It Ride, Randy Bachman and Fred Turner

9 comments:

MH said...

I think maybe the Amie Avlot signature looks too familiar.

Anonymous said...

The challenge to Wilson & Oberst came from the mayor's friend Pallus, not from Harris.

Infinonymous said...

The lawyer who filed the challenge to the Wilson and Oberst petitions reportedly is Lisa Michel; there are conflicting reports on whether the objectors acted on behalf of Pallus or for Harris. Either seems plausible.

Another interesting angle in the immediate wake of the deadline: Rumors that some petitions that were not challenged might be referred to the district attorney instead.

MH said...

Babe your sheet is not complete. I'll never let you file.
Slide, slide, slide, let it slide.
Baby I'm not the forgivin' kind and that town name isn't complete.
Slide, slide, slide, let it slide.

Anonymous said...

Infy,

I think Chelsa may be toast.

Check the objection to her nominating petition.

I'm not thrilled about this, but I think Matta is right.

I hate to see a candidate knocked off the ballot, I prefer to see them beaten at the polls.....

Anonymous said...

Word from a number of knowledgeable sources is that Judge James is lenient on petition errors in an effort to encourage candidates to run. So I think the repeated concerns that signatures will be thrown out for abbreviating Pittsburgh or similar small scale errors are just so much urban legend.

Thank being said, James may not look so kindly on petitions from a seasoned pol and her even more seasoned campaign team. There's honest error, then there's neglect.

Anonymous said...

In my less cynical moments, I think the entire ACDC operates in the area between honest error and neglect.

MH said...

That last anon was me.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know if there are any other challenges besides Wagner, Wilson and Oberst?