Bethlehem, PA – The Nancy Aaroe Campaign calls for honesty in the race for Northampton County Court of Common Pleas Judge.

In at least two separate incidents, Brian Panella has used a false claim of an Easton Police Department endorsement which he never received. One instance is an official campaign mailer advertisement  the second, in an official Campaign Facebook post. In both instances, the campaign material falsely claims that Panella is endorsed by the Easton Police Department, and in both instances, without authorization used the seal of the Police Department. Brian has falsely published that a government entity has endorsed him.

Unlike Police unions, police departments are government entities which are not allowed to endorse political candidates (per PA Title 71 Statute 2705(b)). It is also illegal to use police and other government seals in campaign materials.

These false endorsement claims and unauthorized use of government seals have resulted in the filing of an ethics complaint against Panella, who was just last month the subject of another Judicial Ethics Board complaint related to attempts to mislead potential voters. A complaint was also filed with the PA election board.

“Enough is enough. To try to make up for his complete lack of qualifications, Brain Panella has spent this entire campaign lying and recklessly skirting ethical boundaries – clearly, he will stop at nothing to mislead the voters of Northampton County so that he can win an election. It is time that we call for honesty and integrity for our next Judge,” said Andres Weller, Campaign Manager For Nancy Aaroe, “Misleading voters that he received the Easton Police Department Endorsement when he did not is a clear violation of Judicial and Campaign Ethics, and the Aaroe campaign has filed an ethics complaint against Brian Panella for this violation. Putting out that a Police Department endorses you when in fact they do not can sway voters and because of that we demand Brian Panella own up on what he has done and apologize to the people of Northampton County ” Weller Concluded, “The voters have a clear choice on November 7th, a candidate that is honest and has integrity, or a candidate that is misleading the voters for his own personal gain.”

From Judicial Candidate Nancy Aaroe, “The Voters of Northampton County deserve an experienced Judge, but they also expect a Judge that has honesty and integrity, I will be that Judge”. Aaroe Concluded, “I am proud of my 32 years of legal practice, during which I have never once had an ethics complaint of any kind against me. I am confident that the voters of our County will value my unparalleled legal qualifications and unwavering integrity.”

Nancy Aaroe was born and raised in Bethlehem Township, attending elementary through high school in the Bethlehem Area School District. She received her undergraduate degree from The College of William & Mary and her law degree from Dickinson School of Law, where she served on Law Review and interned with Duane, Morris and Heckscher, focusing on corporate law. After law school, she returned to the Lehigh Valley to raise a family and dedicate her work to public service. For over a decade, she gained courtroom experience on both sides of the aisle, working as an Assistant Public Defender, Assistant District Attorney, and as court-appointed Conflicts Counsel. In her tenure at the Public Defenders’ Office, Nancy gained indispensable criminal trial experience, including jury and non-jury trials, and arguments before the Superior Court. While at the Northampton County District Attorney’s office in the DUI Unit, she successfully prosecuted several memorable cases, including a DUI homicide by motor vehicle jury trial. While serving as Court appointed Conflicts Counsel, she represented the interests of senior citizens and the disabled, indigent criminal defendants, and parents who were suffering the potential loss of their children. Over the more than ten years of public service, Nancy was also building a private practice. Her concentration was family and small-business-focused. She and her husband, now of 32 years, established Aaroe Law Offices. She is proud of the success she has had in the business, but even more so, of the lasting client relationships she has built.  Over the years, she has had many repeat clients, some of which she has represented for over a decade. Nancy is proud to have served so many while raising 3 wonderful children, Annie, Nicholas and Paul. She recently became a grandmother, and she enjoys spending time with her children and grandson, who also reside in the Lehigh Valley.

Information provided to TVL by:
Andres Weller