Westmoreland GOP head seeks to remove 2 commissioner challengers from ballot

Attempts to remove two Republican challengers for Westmoreland Commissioner from the May ballot will be heard this week.

Two lawsuits were filed late last week by the chairman of Westmoreland County’s Republican Committee alleging John Ventre and Paul Kosko, both making their second attempt to run for commissioner, did not meet state election code requirements when they failed to submit financial disclosures to the chief county clerk.

The lawsuits, if successful, would end the campaigns of two of the three challengers seeking to unseat incumbent Republican Commissioners Sean Kertes and Doug Chew. The candidacy of another Republican commissioner hopeful, Patricia Fritz, a former chief deputy sheriff from Mt. Pleasant, was not challenged in the court filings from GOP committee Chairman Bill Bretz.

Kertes and Chew were endorsed in February by Bretz and the county Republican committee.

“I have an attorney, and we will fight this,” said Ventre, a retired United Parcel Services executive from Hempfield. “This is a personal vendetta. The WCRC doesn’t want me running.”

Ventre finished third behind Kertes and Chew in the 2019 Republican primary for commissioner. Kosko of Hempfield, a retired computer manager with the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County, finished fourth in the 2019 commissioners race.

“My legal team is challenging this. Bill Bretz does not want us to be on the ballot,” Kosko said.

According to the lawsuits, Bretz contends candidates are required to submit specific documents to multiple county offices to qualify for the ballot. Those documents include nominating petitions with at least 250 valid signatures and financial disclosure forms that are submitted to the county election bureau. Financial disclosures also must be filed with the chief county clerk in the county commissioners office.

It is that last step, the filing with the chief county clerk, that Bretz contends Ventre and Kosko failed to complete.

Ventre said he was not given proper instructions from county officials when he asked where to file his disclosure forms. Kosko said he also was provided erroneous direction from county officials.

“They are trying to fix the election,” Kosko said.

Bretz said the Republican committee is not participating in the challenges.

“This is an opportunity for the two candidates I am supporting to eliminate two rivals without firing a shot,” Bretz said.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Harry Smail Jr. set a hearing on Bretz’s lawsuits to be heard at noon Thursday.

Ventre and Kosko said they will seek to have Smail, who is a candidate for a seat on the Pennsylvania Superior Court, removed from the case because Bretz is serving as the judge’s campaign manager.