March 24-30, 2005

political notebook

Pulling Positions

by Mary F. Patel

There were judicial candidates galore at City Councilman Jim Kenney's annual St. Patrick's Day fund-raiser, held March 16 at the Society Hill Sheraton. On most of their minds were ballot positions that were pulled earlier in the day for the May 17 primary.

With 27 lawyers seeking seven openings on Common Pleas Court and three on Municipal Court, ballot position is crucial because no voter is likely to wade through long lists of names. Since county judges are state employees, a ballot lottery to determine position is held in Harrisburg. Candidates can either appear personally and draw their own ballot, or opt for an election official to select their name.

Municipal Court Judge Frank Palumbo, who wants to trade up to Common Pleas, took the first ballot position on the Democratic ballot. This is the second election in a row the former restaurateur drew number one. In 2003, Palumbo was also picked for first place on the Democratic ballot for Common Pleas Court but dropped out due to pressure from party officials who'd promised judgeships to others. At the Kenney event, Palumbo said he won't drop out this time.

Some candidates, like Ira Shrager, cousin of the late Democratic ward leader and Fox Rothschild attorney Isadore Shrager, are running again after several attempts. Shrager, the counsel for Local 98 who is seeking a Common Pleas Court seat, pulled a low 14. As the last candidate on the ballot, Sharon Williams Losier will have to depend heavily on her canvassing abilities.

While the bagpipes and Irish dancers entertained, top Kenney legislative aide John Hawkins headed to the lobby to discuss his new career with media types. In two weeks, he'll jump to the lobbying firm of Wojdak & Associates. While he worked out of Kenney's office as a state employee, he was paid out of state funds under the purview of state Sen. Vincent Fumo. As such, he is exempt from the rule that a city employee cannot represent anyone looking for city business for a year after they leave their position.

Barring Some

While ballot position is make-or-break for some judicial candidates, the Philadelphia Bar Association (PBA) hopes it is not the only determinant of who wins. Its Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention, an independent and nonpartisan board that includes lawyers and nonlawyers, issued a partial list of recommended judicial candidates Tuesday. It gave nods to Losier, Ellen Green-Ciesler and Charles Cunningham. Ira Shrager is also recommended, which is a change from 1991 when he wasn't commission-recommended but pulled the top ballot slot in the lottery. Frank Palumbo is not recommended, just as he wasn't during his successful run for Municipal Court.

Democratic and Republican city committees have not issued their endorsements yet.

Ward Healing

The 2nd Ward, which went through some radical changes after the 2002 death of former senator and ward leader Buddy Cianfrani, appears to have returned to its old ways. After Cianfrani died of complications from a stroke, ward chair Tony Palmiere sought the ward leadership, facing opposition from 1st District Councilman Frank DiCicco. Indignant that DiCicco would try to push him out, Palmiere won enough votes from the elected committee members to succeed Cianfrani. Local 98 Business Manager John Dougherty, who, for some reason, chose to become involved (most likely because DiCicco is his nemesis), assisted Palmiere.

Now, almost three years later, Palmiere, who currently works in constituent services for U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, said the ward is in fine shape.

"We had our healing process," says Palmiere, noting that he's since reconciled with DiCicco and says the councilman is doing a good job in the neighborhood.

DiCicco later had a challenge from Dougherty-backed Bella Vista United Civic Association president and activist Vernon Anastasio, who sought to run against DiCicco in the 2003 Democratic primary but was tossed from the ballot by a Common Pleas Court judge because he failed to fill out his nominating petitions properly. Word is that Anastasio wants to challenge DiCicco again.

Anastasio works as a legal assistant for the Redevelopment Authority, where Dougherty is chairman, and was recently appointed to the city's Gaming Board Advisory Committee by Dougherty.

"It's too soon," said Anastasio of a future race. "Right now I am focused on reforming City Hall and advancing neighborhood agendas. But I can tell you that at least two of the slot parlors will end up in the 1st District, so I will always have an interest there."