DV Journal

When big, banner signs appeared in Bucks County showing popular Republican District Attorney Matt Weintraub campaigning with Democrat County Commissioners Diane Marseglia and Bob Harvie, it was big political news.

Particularly to Matt Weintraub.

“Over the weekend, I was disappointed to learn that my name has been used by the Marseglia-Harvie campaign without my authorization or permission,” Weintraub, who’s running for Common Pleas judge, told DVJournal.

“I can’t allow this, and I won’t stand for it,” Weintraub added.

The signs were paid for by Marseglia’s campaign PAC.

“I’ve worked hard serving the people of Bucks County over the last three decades and have lived here with my family for most of half a century. I’ve earned my reputation, I’m proud of my good name here, and I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the people of Bucks County as the next Judge of the Court of Common Pleas.”

Weintraub, whose candidacy is uncontested, will appear on the November ballot on both the Democratic and Republican lines after Democratic voters wrote in his name in the primary. However, Weintraub did not seek the Democratic Party’s nomination.

“Earning the support of Bucks County voters, regardless of their party affiliation, is important to me because judge is not a partisan position,” Weintraub said. “That is why I accepted the will of the Democrat voters who wrote me in during the Primary Election in May. So, now I appear on both sides of the ballot.

“Unfortunately, in typical underhanded politics, the Bucks County Democratic Party seeks to capitalize on my name, and my reputation for their own selfish reasons.”

Marseglia declined to respond to repeated requests for comment, as did the Bucks County Democratic Party.

Pat Poprik, chair of the Bucks County Republican Committee, said, “I am very disappointed in the recent action of the Bucks County Democratic party. To take and put someone’s name, without their permission or approval, on large signs throughout the county, inferring that they are supporting someone else, is so wrong.  We would never, ever do that to a candidate!”

“The inference or intent is to make it look as if Matt endorses the Democratic candidates, which he absolutely, emphatically states he does not. It is such an underhanded action that I cannot believe they thought it was the right thing to do,” said Poprik.

“I hope they now do the right, ethical action and remove the misleading signs or at least cover Matt’s name. You cannot and should not do that to anyone, let alone someone who’s running for the position of judge,” she added.

Weintraub said, “In February, I neither sought nor received the endorsement of the Bucks County Democrat Committee, despite their endorsement for every other candidate on their slate. I was the only one not endorsed, and it was their choice.”

He added, “ I was never consulted on whether my name could be used, and it has now been misappropriated in a purely political move by the Bucks County Democratic Party. Let me be crystal clear: my name appears on their signs without my endorsement or my permission.  It is the worst kind of underhanded politics.

“I resent it, and I demand that they take my name off their signs immediately,” said Weintraub.

“The Board of Elections Office is a non-partisan government department tasked with administering free, fair and secure elections in Bucks County. It does not weigh in on politics,” said Bucks County James O’Malley, when asked if the board could comment on the sign.

Please follow DVJournal on social media:Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

For years, Geoff Gamble allowed the Republican Party to put campaign signs on a triangle of land he owns at the busy intersection of Kaolin, Chandler’s Mill, and Bucktow roads in Kennett Township.

This year there was a problem.

A large, four-foot-by-eight-foot sign valued at $300 promoting GOP gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano was recently vandalized.

“It was an expensive sign,” said Gamble, a Republican and a Kennett Township supervisor. “For 36 years we’ve let the Republicans put signs there. The Democrats usually put their signs across the street. The only other time there was trouble was when former President Trump ran.

“People who didn’t like him destroyed the sign once or twice but it wasn’t a huge sign,” he said.  And once, one of Gamble’s supporters took down a sign that belonged to an opponent and he told her to put it back. “I find that reprehensible,” he said.

“That’s just not the way you convince the public to vote for you,” said Gamble.

When the large Mastriano sign was installed, Eric Matuszak, vice chair of the local Democratic committee complained to the township, said William R. Borton, Republican Area 17 vice chair and a Kennett Township committeeman.

However, township police checked and found the sign did not block drivers’ views and permitted it to stay on the triangle.

Shortly afterward, vandals destroyed it.

Gamble wrote to Mutuszak, “So I guess that if you cannot get rid of signs lawfully, the next action in your playbook is to have one of your associates vandalize it?  Whoever did this is guilty of trespass and destruction of private property. I consider such activity shameful and juvenile, and it contributes to the crime and lawlessness currently plaguing our commonwealth and our country.”

In an email to Gamble, Matuszak denied that he caused the vandalism.

“I had nothing to do with this wanton example of vandalism.  Maybe there shouldn’t have been a large TARGET on the banner, perhaps? Exercising my First Amendment Rights.”

Matuszak did not respond to the Delaware Valley Journal’s request for comment.

Borton said that when the GOP replaces the sign, it will include lights and cameras to catch anyone who might try to vandalize it again.

In the meantime, Gamble said, Democrats had the audacity to put signs for Josh Shapiro and John Fetterman in the same spot that once held the damaged Doug Mastriano sign. He removed them.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal