Candidates and Election Board Don't Find Poll Harassment. Guess Who Does.
The Free Press, December 18, 2003

         I enjoy having Patrick Murphy around. His adventures make for some great columns. He seems to go out of his way to stay in the public spotlight. So if he appears occasionally in this space, don't shoot the messenger. I just write 'em as I see 'em, and he has chosen to be very visible.

         You may remember Pat as the man who, in September, was removed from his volunteer post as Richland Emergency Management Coordinator when he allegedly expressed reluctance to respond to a possible emergency at the CFC irradiator in Milford. He is still waiting for Governer Rendell to answer his plea for help. And he is still furious with the supervisors for removing him, despite the fact that area emergency personnel were unanimous in their non-support.

         Lost in the aftermath of the November election was the dramatic announcement Pat made at the next board of supervisors meeting. He accused supervisor Steve Tamburri of having harassed a supporter of Mike Zowniriw at the poll. This didn't get much publicity, mainly because it was overshadowed by Murphy's refusal to give up the microphone when he was informed that the matter was an issue for the county Board of Elections, not the township. The supervisors had to adjourn the meeting to switch him off. It almost looked like Pat wanted to get arrested, ala 1960's protesters.

         So what REALLY happened at the polling place? Here's the scoop.....

         At the Richland Elementary School, the poll at the lower end of the township, republicans and democrats are each given a table, prominently placed on opposite sides of the lobby. As a kind of reflection of political agendas, republicans are on the right, democrats on the left. Same old same old every election. Veteran campaign workers know the drill.

         Tamburri, a republican worker, arrived early, only to find Kathleen Doyle, another republican, already occupying the GOP table. But Doyle was there as a "Republican for Zowniriw", supporting the Green Party candidate endorsed by the dems. Got it so far? If you have followed Richland politics, you just had to know that his was lift-your-leg-and-pee time. Staking out territory. Posturing. The ritual dance of letting the other side know that we mean business here.  

         In the real world, Tamburri and Doyle are old friends. Well, not really friends, but they go way back together. In fact, Doyle knows election day politics as well as anyone. Tamburri defeated her for supervisor in 1999. She has run for local office five times, and was briefly the township treasurer and chair of the planning commission. She also recently completed college while working full time and raising children, and is now applying to law school. The woman knows the score. Shy she is not.

         So the play unfolded. The dashing Mr. Tamburri bowed politely and suggested that the lovely Ms. Doyle use the pro-Zowniriw democratic table. Our leading lady curtsied daintily and chirped that she, sir, was a true-blue republican, and therefore permitted to use the right-hand side. Or something like that. Perhaps both performers' language was a bit stronger, because the on-site deputy constable, whose name really is Constable, called the real Constable, whose name really is Heitz, to work this out. Really.

         Constable Heitz solved the problem by getting Doyle her own personal table, adding his chorus of   "Can't we all just get along". And, truth be told, they did. Everyone at the poll did. For 13 hours the entire cast worked side-by-side. Republicans ordered lunch (deli sandwiches) and shared them with democrats. Dems ordered dinner (hot Italian, much better!) and shared with republicans. Everyone missed the meatballs that Doyle's mother had prepared in previous years.  

         Despite any political and personal issues, campaign workers on all sides, including Doyle and Tamburri, co-existed in a cordial, almost friendly, atmosphere through a long, cold day that was both raining and draining. In the end, the election outcome had nothing to do with the placement of the tables. Neither Doyle nor Tamburri filed any charges of harassment. Nor did Heitz, Constable, either candidate, or a representative of any party. Everyone knew it was all part of the game.

         Not so with Pat Murphy. He wasn't even there for any of the fireworks. But that didn't stop him from carrying on at the township meeting as if he had seen things first-hand. And it didn't stop him from sending a letter to the Board of Elections. So what was the result? Not too good for Pat. Again. The board wrote back, saying that proper procedures had been followed, and there was no further issue. Oh well, Rendell still won't answer him, but at least someone has.

         And in case you're worried that Murphy's complaint didn't get fair treatment from the county election folks, keep in mind that the chairperson down there, Deena Dean, knows Doyle very well. Dean's husband, Breck, was Doyle's running mate for committeeperson in 1998.

         But there's also a lighter side to the on-going Murphy saga. It seems that the man does have a sense of humor. For instance, three days before the election, Murphy and Zowniriw were campaigning together in Richland Mead. Murphy suggested that Z knock on a particular bright red door. The lady of the house listened dutifully while Z gave his campaign spiel. She then called her husband to excitedly tell him "You'll never guess who was just here!". Murphy hadn't told Z that the red door was attached to the home of   supervisor Rick Orloff.