Times Herald Dist 149 Republican

My interview in Main Line Life

2008-10-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

Lechter profile and podcast
By Cheryl Allison
Lynne Lechter takes seriously all of her responsibilities - responsibilities in her work as an attorney, to her volunteer activities, to her family and to her faith.And that is what the Upper Merion Republican candidate for the 149th District state representative seat says she would bring to the job: dedication to being "a true public servant." She has a very clear idea of what that phrase should mean. "I would not take a [state] car or gas money. I have made that pledge," she said in a recent interview. "I would not make deals in the middle of the night." "Government at every level should be transparent," she went on to say. "What we do in government is for the citizens, and people should be able to see what we do. I would be accessible to everyone." In part, it was Lechter's sense of responsibility that led her to enter late into the race for the seat left open by Democratic incumbent Daylin Leach's run for state Senate. Lechter, who had run for office once before - in 2000, she ran against current state Sen. Connie Williams (D), when Williams was the 149th's representative - said local Republican leaders had asked her to run "sometime in 2007." "My dad had passed away in August. I am the only surviving child, and have an 89-year-old mother who isn't well. I was attending services every morning, saying Kaddish for my father. I said no." When a Republican candidate came forward, Lechter said she was "happy I hadn't let my party down." Then, 3 1/2 weeks before the April primary, the other candidate dropped out. Lechter agreed to run as a write-in candidate, a more complicated process than you might think, she found out. By word-of-mouth, she brought in a thousand votes, more than enough to secure her a place on the ballot. No one in her party "dropped the ball," as some have suggested, Lechter said. By the end of last month, she said she had made "8,000 contacts, mostly door-to-door" in the district, which includes parts of Lower Merion Township, Upper Merion Township, and West Conshohocken and Bridgeport boroughs, in a run against Democrat Tim Briggs. Lechter, a 15-year King of Prussia resident, is a Philadelphia native and grew up in Broomall. She and husband Abelardo have one daughter, Maxine, who is married to former Lower Merion commissioner and board president Matthew Comisky, a Democrat. It makes for some interesting family discussions, she allows. (Comisky has endorsed her.) In her 40s she pursued a long-time goal and earned a law degree at Villanova. After graduation, she ran the law school's domestic abuse clinic, "teaching third-year law students how to litigate those cases." She is currently general counsel for an international sales and marketing corporation. Fascinated by politics "since I was a teen," she got involved locally after law school, serving as a judge of elections and committee person and working on campaigns. Since her bid for office in 2000, she said she has looked to service in the community in other ways. Because of her experience at Villanova, she was appointed to Montgomery County's Commission on Women and Families. She served on the board of trustees and Finance Committee of Montgomery County Community College for five years, while the college expanded its facilities and curriculum. A supporter of the arts, she is also active with the Philadelphia Opera Co., in particular its Sounds of Learning program for young students. Not surprisingly, she is a believer in the opportunities provided by education. In talking with residents of the district, Lechter said their "top issues" have changed over the months. Earlier in the summer, it was "the price of gas and food." She was also hearing from people worried about a rash of home invasions, primarily in Lower Merion but also in parts of Upper Merion. "Now it is truly the national economy. That is all anyone is talking about." Those concerns of residents tie into some of her own, Lechter said. Pennsylvania "should be pursuing all energy options," an opportunity that might allow it to become a leader in alternative energy and create jobs. Having served on a fire and emergency board in the county, Lechter said she also has great respect for first-responders, and would like to see more recognition of the risks they take to serve their community in the form of education, training and other benefits. The recent fatal shooting of Sgt. Patrick McDonald in Philadelphia hit her hard. She said she supported legislation to increase penalties for criminals who kill or harm a police officer. "We have to enforce the laws we already have on the books," she said. "If we have outstanding bench warrants, we will have criminals on the streets, and criminal behavior is going to occur." And Lechter said she has been "astonished" to learn that Pennsylvania has the second highest corporate tax in the nation. As a former partner in a small business, she said she knows the hurdles businesses face to start up and continue. "We need to keep businesses in the state, so people can keep their jobs," she said. To some people, being business-friendly may be seen as conservative, Lechter said. "I don't think that is conservatism. To me, being pro-business is just logical."

Some really great press!

2008-10-13T07:43:00.000-07:00

I am so happy that my campaign continues to draw attention and interest from around the state. Take a look at what the October edition of the Insider, a state-wide publication had to say about this race. This continued interest, along with my aggressive grassroots effort is proof that we are on our way to winning this campaign!

TOSS-UPS:

The 149th House District in lower Montgomery County is being vacated by Daylin Leach so he can run for the state Senate, and attorney Tim Briggs, a well-liked Democrat would normally be a shoo-in. But Lynne Lechter, a lawyer, has wowed Republicans and some Democrats. A fairly liberal Republican, she is a good fit for this district and could win, although her fit with the increasingly conservative House GOP caucus if she gets elected could prove more problematic, except for her strong pro-business views. Briggs, 38, is the favorite, but Lechter has gotten major investments from GOP insiders who believe her political skills can win them back this seat, which they regarded as lost.

Don't forget to visit my website at www.votelynne.com for more information!

Supporting our Police

2008-10-13T07:34:00.001-07:00

The tragic death of 30 year-old husband and father Patrick McDonald, a Philadelphia police officer was the fourth in Philadelphia so far this year. It was admirable that Mayor Nutter spoke out so strongly about this senseless act and that the Philadelphia Orchestra, altered its music program to reflect the somber aftermath of Officer McDonald’s death. However, that is not enough.

Every citizen who enjoys and takes for granted the personal and private safety provided by our police officers should feel outrage and sadness at this and every other loss. Whether it happens in the city or in the suburbs, we should speak out loudly about how this behavior cannot continue in our society. What can we do to stop the string of violent acts against our police officers?

Here is what I advocate in order to improve this situation:

1. An ongoing academic program that highlights the daily dangers in which law enforcement officers place themselves to protect us. This curriculum should include an in-depth explanation of how law enforcement officers protect our civil rights and our personal security, and an emphasis on how law enforcement officials should be respected.

2. In Harrisburg, I will support legislation that increases penalties for those who commit crimes against law enforcement officers.

3. I would also support measures that strengthen the parole process to ensure that dangerous criminals are not roaming our streets where they could continue their criminal behavior, such as, in the case of Officer Patrick McDonald.

4. I would also support measures to crack down on firearms straw purchases, which is a situation where an individual who purchases a gun is actually buying it for someone else. This would prevent weapons from getting into the hands of criminals.

While this type of violence is typically viewed as an inner-city problem, it affects all of us. In the suburbs, one of the greatest problems in the minds of the residents is an increase in home invasions, which could potentially lead to violence as well. My approach to this problem includes both preventative measures as well as strict punitive measures that together should deter criminals from even considering these types of violent acts in our community. We can work together through the educational and judicial processes to improve the lives of all of us, citizens and law enforcement officials alike.

Thumbs Up from the Times Herald!

2008-10-08T10:25:00.001-07:00

I was thrilled to see that the Times Herald gave me a "Thumbs Up" recently for opening my office in Bridgeport. I think Bridgeport is a great town, and if elected, I would be a strong advocate for revitalization in the borough. Here is what they wrote:

THUMBS UP
To Lynne Lechter for setting up office in Bridgeport. Lechter is running for the 149th state House seat and she is the first candidate in recent history to open up a campaign office in Bridgeport. We've always known Bridgeport was on the comeback trail. This is just another event that tells everyone Bridgeport is a place to be.

Welcome to my campaign blog!

2008-09-30T13:58:00.001-07:00

I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to share my campaign experiences with you and I am grateful to the Times Herald Newspaper for affording me this opportunity. Please take a moment to visit my campaign website at www.votelynne.com and feel free to contact me at 610-275-2555 with any questions. I'd love to hear from you!

Times Herald Election Blog Central

2008-09-11T20:30:00.001-07:00

This blog is part of The Times Herald's effort to get more information to the voters of Montgomery County.