Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Preliminary Information Suggests Chuck McCullough Might Have Gotten The Drop On Roddey, Zappala

Two customarily reliable Republican sources -- one on each side of the relevant divide -- indicate that it appears likely someone will be nominated by Republicans to challenge Stephen A. Zappala Jr. in the previously uncontested general election for Allegheny County District Attorney, and that someone appears to be Chuck McCullough (right).

'You have to give them credit for the strategy and for the execution,' said the source who would have preferred that McCullough exit public life, 'because it looks like they pulled it off, and by the time they knew what was up neither Roddey nor Zappala could do anything about it.'

The sole point of information readily available now involves number of write-in votes (rather than the identify of the candidate whose name was written), but every indication points to McCullough.

McCullough also appears to have earned a belated Infindorsement.

UPDATE: Would a McCullough-Zappala campaign influence the propriety of a prosecution of McCullough by Zappala? Could a change-of-prosecutor issue (similar to a change-of-venue issue) be raised by McCullough's defense or by the court?

Infytune: Oh No Not You Again, The Rolling Stones (rehearsal)

12 comments:

Bram Reichbaum said...

Is there any precedent for this?

TheTruth said...

I like McCullough for taking on UPMC when they turned their backs on Braddock.

However, the stealing from little old ladies thing is more than bothersome.

Anonymous said...

Well, it would definitely make sense to delay the trial date.

Infinonymous said...

Precedent for what? A write-in campaign? Replacement of a political prosecutor for personal connection to a case? A candidate running for two offices simultaneously? Jim Roddey picking right-wing politics over effective local governance? An Infytune as apt as "Oh No Not You Again?"

MH said...

I'd like to know if the double-secret write-in campaign has a history.

Infinonymous said...

It has a history . . . and a future.

Bram Reichbaum said...

Is there any precedent for a defendant running to unseat his or her present-tense prosecutor.

MH said...

The name Archibald Cox comes to mind, but that didn't involve an election.

Infinonymous said...

A vague recollection suggests it has occurred, but the details are elusive at the moment.

Anonymous said...

Can you explain the significance of the Write Ins? Do a certain number trigger another vote, or is it a simple fact of protest?

MH said...

If he gets enoug write-ins, McCullough is the Republican nominee for DA. There was no candidate on the ballot.

mombrown1 said...

As a right-winger I am embarassed that you associate Liberal-moderate Jim Roddey picking a right-wing candidate. Nothing could be further from the truth. His pick was pure 'Party establishment" moderate Republican.