They can leave or they can be removed, Lynch said. This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. He described himself as a supporter of liberty, saying businesses and property owners should be free to operate as they saw fit. McClure had no comment on Lynchs rant. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Because we had three no-tax-increase budgets, we now know we can pass a tax cut.. After receiving social media criticism, Steve Lynch put out a YouTube video the next day claiming he did not intend to incite violence or physical intimidation. Its reasonable for anyone who sees him anywhere to assume hes a violent threat, after this. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. I asked him in our 69 News studio, where Lynch agreed to have a sit-down interview. And speaking of hills: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star noted that Lynch attended Trumps Stop the Steal rally on Jan. 6, which preceded the storming of the U.S. Capitol. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Steve Lynch is representative of how they do that. While Snover did not endorse Lynch ? Chris Borick, the director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, agrees with McClure. Lynch did not level any allegations of vote tampering in Northampton County in 2020, but said he wanted an audit of the results. How Supreme Court ruling could affect how we use social media, Shakira 'feels complete' following Gerard Piqu split, Stranger Things play coming to London's West End, 'I could feel my brain degrading!' (Im) not going to answer that at all at this point because I have no idea how things are going to pan out on election night. If the unofficial votes hold up, the elected county council members will be Tara Zrinski (D), Lori Vargo Heffner (D), John Goffredo (R), Ron Heckman (D), and John Brown (R). Hes modeled his candidacy after former President Donald Trump, harping on conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, denouncing mask and vaccine mandates and criticizing Gov. Lynch has suggested that board members supporting masks in school be given an option: they can leave or they can be removed. County Council member Ron Heckman, himself a graduate of Northampton Area HS, called Lynch's remarks shameful and reprehensible. Political newcomer Steve Lynch launched his campaign by railing against government overreach, accusing Gov. PA Candidate Wants To Muscle Out Local School Boards, PA Candidate Calls For Brute Takeover Of School Boards, Netflix CEO Wants To Dump Local School Boards, Stabbing Spree At PA High School Leaves 20 Injured. Thieves memorizing passcodes to cellphones so they can try to steal money, What the Tech? If elected county executive, he said his top priority would be restoring integrity to Northampton Countys election process. Please give a one-time or recurring donation, or buy a year's subscription for an ad-free experience. In August, Lynch controversially called for 20 strong men to oust school boards that require students to wear masks. All rights reserved (About Us). Were going to pay attention, see what happens on Election Day, he said, expecting day-of reports from polling stations, though residents are also able to vote by mail. But the Republican candidate for Northampton County executive says he stands by his speech made at a rally in Harrisburg Sunday where he said he was going to school boards to remove members. The Bethlehem Township Democrat is finishing his first term as executive and previously served a decade on County Council. He later claimed his comments were taken out of context and not meant to be threatening. Im going in with 20 strong men and Im gonna give them an option - they can leave or they can be removed.. The county millage rate last went down in 1996 when then-County Executive Bill Brackbill signed a 1.5% tax cut into law. Due to the hectic . Steve Lynch, the Republican candidate for Northampton County executive, holds a news conference outside of Gracedale, the county-owned nursing home in Upper Nazareth Township, on Oct. 25, 2021.Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com. Tom Wolf and federal officials of closing churches and businesses but allowing rioters to burn American cities in protests over the summer. Just like that. If anyone has a question about me, I would love to have a conversation with them.. If you don't mind the ads and would rather donate, please select one of the options below: Statue Of Liberty Beheaded In Latest Russian Propaganda, Republican's New Bill Would Eliminate The Florida Democratic Party. His 2022 budget proposal would reduce the millage rate by 8.5%, rolling back the 2015 tax hike. Im going in with 20 strong men and Im gonna give them an option - they can leave or they can be removed. pic.twitter.com/A0M6SsOldI. Steve Lynch, the Republican candidate for Northampton County executive, holds a news conference outside of Gracedale, the county-owned nursing home in Upper Nazareth Township, on Oct. 25, 2021. I need you in the coming weeks because when we walk into those school boards, were gonna have everything we need to do to go in there with those 9-0 school boards that voted to put these masks back on the children with no scientific its done. He participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the nations capitol, wearing a bulletproof vest and shouting, Its going down! He admits he received a visit from the FBI over his role, but no charges were filed. Instead of conceding, he ranted his Facebook page about corruption and other nonsense that sounded like it belonged in an episode of Game of Thrones. He promised supporters he was now entering phase 2 of the race but didnt offer further explanation. McClure, of Bethlehem Township, is a former Northampton County council member and is wrapping up his first four-year term as county executive. Freedomworks candidate Steve Lynch calls for brownshirt tactics to take over school boards. Our journalism needs your support. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Lets go! YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. I think they are going to carry this movement over. Northampton County Executive. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. Afterward Lynch questioned the validity of the vote in a Facebook post. Enjoy ad-free browsing while paying as you go. Rather than take the L, . Thats the essence of our democracy.. Unofficial results have a split of three Democrats and two Republicans winning the five seats on Northampton County Council. Over the weekend, he called for a brute takeover of school boards, not by electoral means, but simply by brute force. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? She accused the county of bullying and intimidation. I plan on giving a voice to people who are not OK with being told how they are going to live their lives. You go into these school boards to remove them, Lynch said, later adding, Im going in with 20 strong men and Im gonna give them an option they can leave or they can be removed, he said. In Pennsylvania, to remove a school board member, a petition has to be presented in writing to a circuit court judge and it could take three weeks to get an answer. With so little in common between them, its little surprise the candidates are running drastically different campaigns. "When we walk into those school boards, were gonna have everything we need to do to go in there with those 9-0 school boards that voted to put these masks back on children with no scientific its done! Forget writing your legislator. Steve Lynch, Northampton, PA. 803 likes. at least two other executive candidates are expected to run in the May Republican primary, she said ? YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Lynch said he was speaking up for them. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Any comments that are sexist or in any other way deemed hateful by our staff will be deleted and constitute grounds for a ban from posting on the site. Our journalism needs your support. Steve Lynch, who last year called for "20 strong men" to attend school board meetings to force an end to mask requirements in schools, is seeking election to the Republican State Committee from Northampton County.. Theyre not listening, Lynch said, before saying people would have to end his life before he would permit criminals to enforce the mask mandate. I'm going to speak in front of the school board, and I'm giving them an option they can leave, or they can be removed. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. His website now sells T-shirts that say Im 1 of 20; Ive got your 6. At least one person was wearing the shirt at Mondays event. . This past weekend, Steve Lynch, who is running for Northampton County Executive, gave a speech at a "Freedom Rally" in Harrisburg where he chillingly suggested forcibly removing elected officials who don't do things his way. In addition to Lynch addressing the crowd, about 10 local citizens also spoke. His newcomer status hasnt stopped a local blog, Community Research Opposing Hate, from alleging hes a far-right extremist who harassed peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters over the summer. called for 20 strong men to attend school board meetings. When I see criminals trying to take my rights and my beautiful children and everything they are going to do, youre going to have to take my life. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) sent a letter to Fox Corporation Chairman, After days of pushback, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) finally broke his silence on the exclusive internal Jan. 6 footage, This story first appeared at ProPublica. It remains to be seen if Northampton County Republicans will face the same debate over the partys future playing out at the national level. They want me to fight for that and win that fight.. View the profiles of people named Steve Lynch. He said 92% of Gracedale residents and 65% of staff have received a shot, that there are no current coronavirus infections at Gracedale and that no resident has died from the virus since April. Lets go, men, I need you. "Im going in there with 20 strong men, Im going to speak to the school board and Im going to give them an option. "The presence was going to be men just sitting there, to have a presence, that people weren't talking back," he said. Any arrest would be made by police, not deputies. According to the Morning Call, Lynch regularly posts conspiracy theory theories on social media, which often mimics Trumps rhetoric that pushes the Big Lie of a stolen election. But the county delegation increased by one this year because of several factors, including higher Republican voter registration totals, said Lee Snover, who as Northampton County GOP chair oversaw the voter registration effort. Make men great again, right? Subscribe to receive new posts about Lehigh Valley politics. HuffPost reached out to Lynch for comment but he did not immediately respond. Lynch, from the Northampton area, has told his Facebook followers to stop watching the news and dismissed COVID-19 restrictions as government overreach. Our next task is to get rid of all this candy sitting around the home. View Steve Lynch results in Northampton, PA including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. But Lynch garnered more in-person votes than McClure. Northampton County voters will see a stark contrast between the two executive candidates when they fill out their ballots in the November election. All rights reserved (About Us). Over the weekend, he called for a brute takeover of school boards, not by electoral means, but simply by brute force. Northampton Countys machines malfunctioned in 2019 due to errors by manufacturer ES&S. Its the week of Halloween, McClure said, so youve got a scary guy up there telling misinformation, half-truths and outright lies in order to scare people., McClure did say he is willing to accept the election results whatever the outcome. He said the county has been open about its staffing needs, and that a hiring freeze that predated his administration left Gracedale in a pinch well before the COVID-19 pandemic. Facebook gives people the power to. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Lynch later said his comments were not a call to violence and that he was unfamiliar with how school government functions in Pennsylvania. Please. Whoever emerges from the primary is expected to take on incumbent Lamont McClure. Recent county elections have followed national political trends. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. McClure responded to those claims saying that the county is following its home rule charter, under which the election administrator reports to the county executive, though he couldnt speak to specific methods used before. They dont follow the law! https://t.co/liwSRbg8pE, When this rhetoric ends in tears & blood I hope someone holds him accountable https://t.co/titMU4LB4m, I believe that a Democracy where personal freedoms are valued, has both a RIGHT and an OBLIGATION to defend itself from those who would exploit those freedoms to institute fascism.Lets start with Steve Lynch here#MondayVibes https://t.co/cAiJR4KJXQ, Steve Lynch should be arrested for publicly inciting attacks against government officials & civilians. McClure also said that despite promises from President Joe Biden, the federal government has not formulated a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for nursing homes. 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