LYNN TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR CANDIDATES ISSUE BIPARTISAN STATEMENT ON ELECTION DISCLOSURE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - MAY 14, 2013:

The Democrat candidate Scott Feinour, and the Republican candidate, David Najarian, each running for Supervisor in Lynn Township, Lehigh County, together call for greater transparency in the upcoming primary election. Their joint statement arises after another candidate, Steven Feinour, Republican, failed to register his Political Committee with the Lehigh County Office of Voter Registration. Upon receiving a complaint, the Elections office required Mr. Steven Feinour to file a campaign expense report, register any intended committee, and change his yards signs and any other communication. Steven Feinour was slow to accommodate the directive. As of this writing, many days after the directive, the majority of yard signs still erroneously reflect the formerly unregistered committee. Democrat Scott Feinour and Republican David Najarian therefore issue this bipartisan statement. Campaigns for elected office are a great process for voters to evaluate candidates views on policy and governance. Campaigns are also an effective way for voters to evaluate candidates styles, personalities, natures and character. How a candidate runs for office is illustrative of how a candidate will run his office. Elections are governed by laws designed to provide transparency for voters and particularly with respect to who is financially supporting those running for office. Candidates are required to display who paid for all of their communications from yard signs to mailers. Candidate committees must be registered and all donations of support must be reported on a preordained schedule to local election authorities. The voting public can then know who the financial backers of a candidate are and incorporate this information into their voting decision. When candidates fail to follow the rules, the voting public is denied a basic right at law. Candidates who fail to comply with the law may be given an opportunity to correct their error, but if they do not, we should recognize that, either through ignorance or intention, the voting public is kept in the dark. How can a candidate be expected to govern with transparency if he cannot campaign that way? It should be alarming to voters and it should raise concerns the candidate is either too inexperienced to assume public office or is unwilling to govern with the respect the office requires, so much so as jeopardize the publics trust in the elected official.

We join together to condemn this behavior. We each may have different views on policies that affect our constituents but we are in complete agreement that we must stand together to condemn these actions which impair the transparency of the election, and particularly with respect to Candidate Steven Feinours failure to accurately reflect who paid for his campaign materials. It is incumbent on both of us to bring Steven Feinours behavior to the attention of voters so they can better determine who they will support on Tuesday.

Scott Feinour

David C. Najarian

The message authorized by Scott Feinour and David Najarian