Republican Beth Grossman announced her candidacy last week for district attorney, standing outside a pawnshop that was once her parents’ candy store.
The announcement took place at 3149 Kensington Ave., near the Allegheny Avenue stop on the El.
“I worked here during school breaks. I bought my prom dress on the Avenue. I have seen how crime and drugs can deteriorate a neighborhood,” she said.
Grossman is a former 21-year assistant district attorney and onetime chief of staff at the city Department of Licenses and Inspections.
Her slogan is “Beth, NOT Seth.” The incumbent district attorney is Democrat Seth Williams, who is being challenged in the primary by former city Managing Director Rich Negrin, former federal prosecutor Joe Khan, former Municipal Court Judge Teresa Carr Deni and lawyer and real estate developer Michael Untermeyer.
An East Falls resident, she will be courting Republicans, independents and what she calls “anti-corruption” Democrats.
When she was younger, she lived in the Northeast, but moved to Huntingdon Valley and graduated from Lower Moreland High School in 1986. She has a political science degree from Penn State and a law degree from Temple, then started working for the district attorney’s office.
“I am proud to have been hired by District Attorney Lynne Abraham,” she said.
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Untermeyer, a former senior deputy attorney general and Philadelphia assistant district attorney, joined the race last week. He was the Republican candidate for district attorney in 2009 and ran on the GOP ticket for City Council at large in 2011. He also ran in the 2007 Democratic primary for sheriff.
“I want to restore public confidence in the District Attorney’s Office and let Philadelphians know that public safety is our number one concern,” he said.
Untermeyer proposes charging heroin dealers with homicide whenever their heroin results in the death of an individual.
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Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 endorsed Seth Williams when he unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Lynne Abraham in the 2005 district attorney’s Democratic primary and again in ’09 when Williams won a primary after Abraham decided to not run again.
Williams had an easy 2013 re-election, but now faces at least four Democrats in the primary. The FOP will not be with him.
The union is angry because Williams did not prosecute former Eagles running back LeSean McCoy for allegedly assaulting off-duty cops in an Old City bar.
The last straw came last week, when Williams declined to pursue charges against a 16-year-old girl who slapped a police officer during a brawl in West Philadelphia.
FOP president John McNesby issued a critical statement about Williams, mentioning reports of a federal investigation into his nonprofit and political action committee.
“Once again, the District Attorney of Philadelphia has chosen to disregard his responsibility and look the other way when a Police Officer is assaulted,” McNesby said. “First, there was the McCoy debacle in which Williams turned against the police, and now this. The young woman who freely admitted assaulting a uniformed Officer on duty is allowed to walk away with absolutely no accountability by a District Attorney too busy dodging Federal Subpoenas to do the job he was sworn to do. It has been very disappointing over the past seven years watching a once promising District Attorney degenerate into a morally and ethically challenged sideline playboy. Philadelphia’s citizens and Philadelphia Police definitely deserve better.”
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Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Ellen Ceisler, a Democrat, last week announced her candidacy for Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, which is responsible for handling all appeals from county and state governmental agencies.
“I’m running because the Commonwealth Court profoundly impacts all citizens of this state on a wide range of important social, economic and governmental issues,” she said.
Ceisler was elected in 2007. After spending her first six years in the Criminal Division presiding over major felony trials, she was assigned to the Civil Motions Court, where she’s presided over hundreds of appeals from city government agencies.
From 1997 to 2005, Ceisler served as deputy director and then director of the Integrity and Accountability Office for the Philadelphia Police Department. In that capacity, she audited the operations, policies and practices of the police department to minimize misconduct, improve the effectiveness of the department’s operations and enhance public confidence in the department.
Ceisler has also served as a prosecutor, litigator, investigative producer for CBS News, consultant to the School District of Philadelphia on student disciplinary procedures and director of special investigations for the City Controller’s Office.
“My background has uniquely prepared me to serve on this important court,” Ceisler said. “I regard a seat on the Commonwealth Court as the culmination of all the knowledge and skills that I have gained in government and law over the past thirty years. I believe I have the experience, integrity, independence and passion to effectively serve the citizens of Pennsylvania.”
There are two openings on Commonwealth Court. The primary is May 16.
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On Wednesday and Thursday of this week, state Sen. Scott Wagner was scheduled to announce his candidacy for governor at six businesses throughout Pennsylvania.
Wagner is a Republican from York County.
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, also from York County, is expected to seek a second term next year.
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The first Elizabeth Warren PA meetup will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 7:30 p.m. at Pub 36, at Frankford and Sheffield avenues.
The meetup will provide an opportunity for individuals to get acquainted, discuss their reasons for supporting the liberal Massachusetts senator for president in 2020, and to agree on next steps. The event is free to attend, though drinks are not provided. ••
