Cumberland County commissioner rebukes state committee pledge for next PA GOP Chair

Carlisle, Pennsylvania — Cumberland County Commissioner Gary Eichelberger rebuked state Senator Greg Rothman as the “dirty tricks” guy in a scathing email, addressed to U.S. Senator-elect Dave McCormick, to seemingly tilt his public endorsement of Rothman for Pennsylvania GOP Chairman. The Cumberland County Republican Committee has now pledged all of its state committee votes to county native Rothman.

In the email, dated Dec. 14^th, Eichelberger alleges Rothman is tied to $90,000 in “dark money” to fund what he termed the: “RINO” county commissioner, Kelly Neiderer.

Eichelberger revisits Rothman’s history from a criminal felony he faced, in 1991, relating – ironically – to a fraudulent “smear letter” that Rothman was behind; to several current claims, alleging Rothman “directed .. $90,000 in ‘dark money’ … to fund the campaign” of current, first-term Commissioner Kelly Neiderer.

Decades ago, Rothman’s letter targeted then-county commissioner candidate, William F. Kane, calling him, among other things: “a Democrat in Republican clothing.” The letter bore a bogus return address, and was falsely attributed to the “Conservative Republican Committee,” based in Virginia, according to Patriot-News (PN) archives, resulting in his charge of conspiracy to commit forgery.

His charge has since been expunged; and Rothman was granted a pardon by former Gov. Ed Rendell in January 2011.

Eichelberger turns from Rothman’s criminal history to his personal history with Rothman, calling him the “dirty tricks” guy for political elites including: former state Sen. Pat Vance “whose best friend I defeated for my current position” – a “vendetta has never ended” Eichelberger states. (Eichelberger is referring to Karen Best.)

Eichelberger then drops the bombshell allegation: “Rothman directed approximately 90 thousand dollars in ‘dark money’ he thought was untraceable .. to fund the campaign of the RINO commissioner that has now joined me in our courthouse, and whose sole purpose is to undo every management reform that allowed us to enjoy no-tax increase budgets for the past decade, despite being the fastest-growing county in the state,” he writes.

Eichelberger is referring to the Cumberland County GOP-party endorsed Commissioner Kelly Neiderer. Eichelberger continues his castigation:

“Rothman’s hand-picked candidate has in fact, as pointed out to me by disaffected Republicans, raised property taxes more in the last 10 months, than I did in 20 years (and her “girl power” alliance with the leftist Democrat (Commissioner Jean Foschi) on the board is just getting started).”

Commissioner Eichelberger alludes that more will be exposed: “akin to the abuses of former Dauphin Commissioner Jeff Haste that are now peppering the news pages.”

Eichelberger’s full email text to Senator-elect McCormick can be seen here: