Letter to the Editor: A look at outside influence in East Pennsboro municipal election

For 250 years, American voters have embraced the idea of self-governance and rejected outside influences in their local elections. Our community is no different. 

During the primary election in the spring of 2025, it was reported that Silver Spring Township Supervisor candidates Don Sokolowski and Atreia Sindiri were taking “dark money” from outside of the township. This money was sourced from a political action committee based in Virginia. It didn’t matter that they had placed thousands of yard signs in the township or sent out a dozen mailers to the residents. The voters had rejected their campaign once they learned of this out-of-state influence. The more than $25,000 that was spent to elect these candidates that election cycle went up in smoke.

We are not immune to outside influences in East Pennsboro Township. 

This election cycle, the East Pennsboro Democratic Club raised a significant amount of money to elect their candidates for Township’s Board of Commissioners. These candidates include Jon DeMartyn, Patti Gilbert, and Matthew Franchak. Their contributions helped pay for two mass mailers that were sent to residents that were filled with lies and mischaracterizations against the current township commissioners running for re-election.

The East Pennsboro Democratic Club’s 2025 2nd Friday Pre-Election campaign finance report reveals a significant contribution: a $10,000 donation from a committee called “Kane For Senate,” based in Havertown, PA—a suburb just outside of Philadelphia.

This connection becomes clear when you look at their Democratic candidate for township commissioner, Matthew Franchak. According to Franchak’s bio on eastpenndems.org, he “currently serves as policy director for state Senator John Kane.”

Pennsylvania State Senator John Kane (D) serves in Pennsylvania’s 9th District which covers Chester and Delaware counties just outside of the Democrat stronghold of Philadelphia. He is a longtime labor leader and is opposed to legislation that protects women’s sports from male athletes. Is it fair to say that his policy director—a role that serves as the chief architect and strategist for a senator’s legislative agenda—would have similar views?

With this significant contribution, it is clear that Democrat Senator Kane is attempting to shape local politics within East Pennsboro Township. There is an interest in bringing Philadelphia values into our conservative-leaning town. 

On Tuesday, November 4, East Pennsboro residents must reject the notion of outside influences, and outside campaign money, in our township. 

Michael W Zarcone, East Pennsboro Township