A lawsuit was filed Tuesday seeking to have Westmoreland County Commissioner Tom Ceraso thrown off the Democratic ballot in the May 15 primary election.
The challenge came from a campaign supporter of Democrat Mike O'Barto, a candidate for commissioner, and questioned the veracity of a document filed by Ceraso that detailed his financial interests.
In the filing, Patrick Carnicello claimed that Ceraso improperly checked a section of the document that declared he received no gifts during 2006.
"Items have been received as gifts of monetary value," Carnicello wrote.
The petition accuses Ceraso of not listing details of paid trips he took last year. Carnicello yesterday said he has evidence that Ceraso did not disclose several trips he took in 2005 and 2006, but declined to reveal specifics until the case goes before a judge.
O'Barto last weekend lost out on the county Democratic Committee endorsements, which went to Ceraso and fellow incumbent Tom Balya. The Unity Township supervisor said he did not know about or sanction the Ceraso challenge.
Ceraso yesterday said his financial disclosures are accurate.
"After what happened in 2005, there were no gifts in 2006. I think they're just trying to stir up trouble. I don't take gifts anymore," Ceraso said.
Ceraso came under fire last year after it was disclosed that he took an all-expense paid trip to the Masters golf tournament in Georgia. The trip was originally paid for by a vendor who was seeking to retain a county health insurance contract.
After details of the trip were reported by the Tribune-Review, Ceraso paid $3,000 to a lobbyist for the vendor to cover the cost of the vacation.
O'Barto yesterday conceded he did sanction a lawsuit filed by Carnicello seeking to have a fourth Democratic commissioner candidate tossed from the ballot.
Carnicello said South Greensburg retiree Virginia Oplinger did not have enough signatures on her nominating petitions and filled out accompanying paperwork incorrectly.
Should Carnicello's challenges succeed, only Balya and O'Barto would be on the Democratic ballot this spring seeking two party nominations for the commissioners race in the November election.
Democrats weren't alone yesterday in challenging commissioner candidates.
A lawsuit was filed seeking to remove Delmont Councilman James Bortz from the Republican ballot. Bortz is one of five candidates seeking GOP nominations for commissioner.
The court action was filed by party official Frank Schiefer, who is the GOP's endorsed candidate for county treasurer. In his petition, Schiefer claims Bortz had 41 improper signatures on his nominating petitions. If those are invalidated, Bortz would not qualify to appear on the ballot, Schiefer said.
Bortz, who earlier this month was passed over for a GOP endorsement, yesterday said he would fight the lawsuit but indicated he would withdraw from the race if his petitions are invalidated.
Bortz accused GOP leadership of engineering his ouster.
"I'm truly disappointed in the party. I've been a staunch Republican, and I've been in office as a Republican. I can see now why the Democrats have succeeded for the last 50 years in Westmoreland County. It's simply not fair," Bortz said.
Schiefer denied that the party was behind the Bortz challenge, instead saying it was a personal matter.
"I have a beef with him because he refused to help my campaign for clerk of courts two years ago," Schiefer said.
Other challenges filed yesterday include an effort to have two candidates for Hempfield Township supervisor removed from their parties' ballots. Those challenges were filed against Democrat Warren Ciabattoni and Republican Richard A. Miller.
Another challenge seeks to have Greater Latrobe School Board member Heidi T. Kozar removed from the Republican ballot. The lawsuit was filed by Perry Christopher, county Republican Committee chairman. Christopher's wife, Rhonda Laughlin, is a Democrat and also serves on the school board.
Court challenges against candidates had to be filed by 5 p.m. yesterday.
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