Delaware County Republicans on Wednesday slammed Democrats for requesting a federal probe into their nominating petitions, calling the move a shameful and hollow campaign stunt.
“It’s nothing more than someone throwing a bunch of political B.S. against the wall and seeing what’s going to stick,” said State Rep. Stephen Barrar of Upper Chichester, whose district includes parts of Delaware and Chester Counties.
His comments followed the release of a letter that Barrar’s opponent, Nick DiGregory, and three other Delaware County Democrats sent to the Justice Department, contending that they found multiple instances of fraud in nominating petitions.
“It appears the Delaware County GOP may be at the forefront of an organized scheme involving many candidates,” the letter states.
Attached to it were dozens of petitions, some highlighted to identify questionable signatures or lines that appeared to be filled in by the same person. Under state law, each resident who signs a nominating petition must fill in the form himself or herself.
The petition fracas started in early March when Patrick Meehan, the GOP candidate in the Seventh Congressional District, referred 20 pages of his own nominating petition to the Delaware County district attorney, citing four potential forgeries.
Meehan’s likely Democratic opponent, State Rep. Bryan Lentz, contends that the forgeries and irregularities extend far beyond the pages Meehan flagged. A court challenge to Meehan’s nominating petitions is pending.
Republicans running for the state House described the complaint from their Democratic challengers as a toothless attempt to piggyback on Lentz’s. They said that the allegations were false, that their petitions were valid, and that the Democrats turned to the Justice Department only because their deadline to legally challenge the petitions in state court passed weeks ago.
“Let’s be honest: Judge Judy wouldn’t hear this case – or would any federal court in America,” said State Rep. Nick Miccarelli of Ridley Park, one of six Republicans whose petitions were included in the letter.
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