Election fraud in Philadelphia could determine who is the next President. That’s what we’re hearing from analysts war gaming the Electoral College and concluding that the White House could go to the person who wins the Keystone State’s 20 electoral votes. Donald Trump won that state by less than 45,000 votes in 2016, and current polls show the race again being very tight.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ordered extraordinary measures that may favor Joe Biden if the Pennsylvania Democrat Party engages in election fraud, of which it has a very long history. They have prohibited election judges from comparing signatures on absentee ballots with the signatures on voter registration cards. They are requiring that absentee ballots received three days after election day be counted, even without proof they were mailed.

The Trump campaign has raised fears that the election could be stolen in Philadelphia. We saw in Obama’s first election Republican poll watchers being thrown out of polling places that reported hardly any Republican votes, despite contrary voter registration numbers in those precincts.  Poll watchers are again being thrown out of polling places in Philly and being prevented from standing close enough to the counting tables to see what is going on.

These events are transpiring far from Port Townsend, but they may have an historic impact on us and our nation. So I thought I would share a memory of election day in the City of Brotherly Love.

Tommy Foglietta

I worked there as an Assistant District Attorney after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. In 1980 I volunteered for the campaign of Tom Foglietta, who was running for South Philly’s Congressional seat. These are the neighborhoods of Sylvester Stallone’s morning runs in the Rocky films. It was then very much controlled by they Mafia and a powerful Democrat machine. It once elected a dead man on orders from Democrat bosses.

The Italian Mob has lost some of its grip on South Philly as demographics have changed, but it is still in the hands of the Democrat machine.

Michael “Ozzie” Myers

Foglietta’s race was seen as historic. His family had been Republican for generations. He was clean as a whistle. To have any chance of winning he ran as an independent. He was challenging Michael “Ozzie” Myers, the incumbent and the machine’s handpicked man who had been convicted in the Abscam bribery and racketeering sting. Myers was captured on undercover tapes accepting a $50,000 bribe and saying, “Money talks and bullshit walks.”

He was still on the ballot, though he had been kicked out of the U.S. House of Representatives in October while charges were pending. He was eventually convicted. Congressman Myers was a real sweet guy: he had also beaten up a security guard and cashier earlier that year.

I was part of Foglietta’s election integrity team on election day.  We got word our poll watchers had been kicked out of a polling station near the water front. I took a bus there in my 3-piece suit with proof of my authorization to enter and observe. I was blocked at the door by some no-neck guys. I made a fuss and told them I would not leave. In a few minutes about six black cars rolled up and out piled Jimmy Tayoun, a big time South Philly restauranteur and bar owner friendly with the Mafia. Tayoun later went to prison for racketeering.

Jimmy Tayoun

With him was Fat Matt Cianciulli and a bunch of other big Italian guys in track suits. Fat Matt had been a Democrat State Representative who had recently done federal time for voter fraud. He was enormous and it took only one hand for him to push me against a wall.

Fat Matt Cianciulli

Tayoun pressed his face close to mine and gave me one minute before they came after me. So in my Brooks Brother suit I ran as fast as I could towards South Street. A single black car tailed me for a while. Foglietta was crushed in that precinct, but went on to serve in Congress. I got bloody blisters from running in stiff wingtip shoes.

Forty years later it looks like this is still going on. Let’s hope that voter fraud in Philadelphia does not lead to very serious problems for our entire nation. We don’t want these people having any kind of power over us.

Jim Scarantino

Jim Scarantino was the editor and founder of Port Townsend Free Press. He is happy in his new role as just a contributor writing on topics of concern to him. He spent the first 25 years of his professional life as a trial attorney, then launched an online investigative news website that broke several national stories. He is also the author of three crime novels. He resides in Jefferson County. See our “About” page for more information.