Long-time Harrisburg politicos believe the effort to remove Lamont Jones has less to do with legal intricacies of his eligibility and more to do with machine politics.
A Harrisburg City Council candidate who has made his troubled past a centerpiece of his work is now facing a legal effort to have him kicked off the November ballot, ostensibly because of that history.
That scenario – in which Jones wins election but is removed from office due to past disqualifying crimes – is unlikely to come to fruition, Jones indicated in his filing last week. “Lamont’s publicly-admitted past has nothing to do with anyone’s interest in his ability to serve, it has to do with the fact that they do not want someone to have that post who has the courage, ability, worthiness, and standing in the community,” said Harrisburg activist Fred Clark, a supporter of Jones.
Jones has three convictions that would meet past court precedent for what counts as an infamous crime, according to the suit; a 1997 charge for making false statements, a misdemeanor, as well as 2004 and 2005 felony charges for drug possession with intent to distribute. The plaintiffs could have challenged Jones’ eligibility when he petitioned to run, which is “the exclusive and only remedy given to parties such as the plaintiffs for removal of a candidate based on criminal convictions,” the board of elections wrote.
Further, Jones is seeking a pardon through the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons, according to documents in his legal brief, and has received support from some prominent figures. A pardon would mean Jones’ convictions would be treated as if they never happened, obviating any eligibility concerns, Bravacos said.
Some judges have ruled that certain crimes, including felonies, present no rational reason to disqualify a candidate; if those rulings are not appealed to face higher precedent, the individual has stayed in office.
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