NEW CASTLE, PA. County commissioner alleges election violations

A meeting is set for Dec. 18 to address the complaint.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A Lawrence County commissioner is accusing another commissioner and two other people of violating election reporting laws.
Brian Burick filed a formal complaint Tuesday with the county elections board. He asked the board to investigate quickly and then turn the matter over to the county district attorney's office.
Burick contends that a group calling itself People Angry About Hill View Manor and its officers, Sandra Kirkham of Ellwood City and Arthur L. Rush II of New Castle, and county Commissioner Ed Fosnaught violated state campaign expense reporting laws. Kirkham and Rush were the only officers listed on the election reporting documents.
Burick, who lost his re-election bid, said a mailing by the group may have altered the election outcome.
People Angry About Hill View Manor mailed a flier to voters the week before the Nov. 4 election contending that Burick cost the taxpayers money in the failed attempt by commissioners to sell the nursing home to a private buyer.
Burick, in his complaint, contends that Kirkham and Rush did not properly fill out their political committee registration statement and did not clearly identify themselves on the mailer as officers of the group, as required by state law.
Quotable
"This was unfair, created confusion and misled many voters, severely damaging my re-election effort," Burick wrote in his complaint.
Burick came in fourth in the race for three county commissioner seats. Dan Vogler was the top vote-getter, followed by Steve Craig and Fosnaught.
Burick also contends that Fosnaught made a $390 donation to the group but did not report it on his own notarized expense report.
The complaint also questions how People Angry About Hill View Manor paid to mail the fliers. The group's expense report lists only the printing of signs, Burick said.
Fosnaught, who was present at Tuesday's meeting, said there was a reporting error and his political committee, Friends of Fosnaught, gave the money to the Hill View Manor group.
"Mr. Burick lost the election and I'm sorry that happened -- no, I'm not sorry that happened. But he needs to get on with his life," Fosnaught said.
The elections board scheduled a meeting for 11 a.m. Dec. 18 to allow Fosnaught, Kirkham and Rush to respond.
Burick said these reports were filed only last week. "This has nothing to do with the election. It has to do with reporting laws," he added.
Another investigation
In other business, the elections board also is investigating an expense report filed by Mary Ellen Jessel of New Castle. Larry Puntereri, board chairman, said there appears to be some improprieties.
Elections director Marlene Gabriel said Jessel submitted an expense report saying she was the treasurer of a committee that used $1,994 to place newspaper ads during the election. But no committee with Jessel as treasurer is registered at the elections office, Gabriel said.
Puntereri added that the report does not state who gave $1,194 of the money. Two other donors were identified in the report.
The elections board decided to alert Jessel of the inconsistencies and allow her to submit an amended report by Dec. 21.