He may have been starry-eyed, but he wasn’t a fool.
Carl Romanelli, a divorced father of two grown sons from Wilkes-Barre, knew that as the Green Party candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2006, he’d have a hard time beating the big boys in the race: Republican incumbent Rick Santorum and Democrat Bob Casey. But he hoped to focus on his issues: an end to the Iraq war, health insurance, the rights of women and gays.
He did not foresee that, first, he’d get knocked off the ballot and, three years later, both he and his lawyer would be facing a $80,407 bill for the expenses incurred by foes who challenged Romanelli’s nominating petition.
An election expert says this is only the second time in U.S. history that a candidate has been assessed the cost of efforts to remove him from a ballot.
After lengthy appeals, Romanelli may have run out of options. The state Supreme Court refused on Oct. 17 to reopen the case and ordered him to pay immediately.
Romanelli, 50, who works in the office at a locomotive repair shop, said his experience should make anyone think twice about running for office.
He doesn’t know how he’ll pay, he said:
“I make about $40,000 a year. I don’t own a home. I don’t have stocks and bonds. I still owe money on my car.”
Read the full Inquirer article here
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