May 13, 2002 By Sean M. Cavanagh 5 min read

In the last two Fayette County commissioner meetings Commissioner Vince Vicites has gone on the attack and accused me of being a political ally with Fred Lebder. Why? I would have to say self-preservation, paranoia, and an intense obsession with Lebder.

To the casual observer you might say to yourself, well, there they go again.

To the astute observer if you look below the surface, you would see not just a little piece of ice floating on top of the ocean, but a massive iceberg ready to cause big problems if struck by your ship.

Vicites has made some major league mistakes lately. His hidden and covert political persona does not want the public to focus on him and his self-created problems so he comes up with fiction to draw attention from the issues at hand.

The technical political terms are called create a diversion, put up a smokescreen or execute the classic attack defense.

Mr. Vicites’ defense of his political ally Tom Williams who lied to receive employment from the Fayette County transportation office was 100 percent wrong.

It was also wrong to try and find another position for his friend when the truth was he never dealt with the issue.

Did the guy have the education requirements to get the job or didn’t he? He didn’t. In a moment of desperation, he also put up the “we might get sued” smokescreen.

Mr. Vicites’ stand for his other political ally, Joe Malispina, a Washington Township committee man was also wrong.

You cannot defend the indefensible, commissioner. In your own words, he made an honest mistake.

His mistake was he signed three pieces of paper stating that he lived in three different voting districts.

Judge Warman and Judge Wagner rightfully tossed out the petitions due to the Malispina’s own signature. Another Vicites tall tale.

On another issue, Mr. Vicites stood outside the courthouse and endorsed Alan Kukovich for lieutenant governor along with the other elected officials in the courthouse.

When I hosted a party for Bob Casey, there was Mr. Vicites waving a Wagner sign, introducing him to as many people as possible, and he even tried to convince me to let Mr. Wagner speak.

I said no way. If Kukovich wasn’t going to speak, neither was Wagner. That clearly was the fair and ethical thing to do.

With this activity Vince is establishing a pattern of treachery and deceitfulness which is called disloyalty. He does one thing and says another.

With these self-imposed blunders, Vicites in a desperate attempt decided to go on the attack by creating a diversion and saying that I am with Fred Lebder, cleverly trying to take attention away from himself.

It is a well-known fact that Vicites owes his political life in Fayette County to Fred Lebder. As they say, Fred put his pants on him.

Vicites career was spawned by a political patronage job he received as the solid waste director to bring him back from Harrisburg. They got him his job.

He then was Lebder’s running mate in 1991. Vicites lost. Then Lebder again backed Vicites with the Democratic machine and he won along with myself on Nov. 7, 1995.

Again he ran in 1999 and was backed by Lebder with one of the most vicious attack campaigns in recent history. I was the recipient of their attacks.

In fact, they hit me from every direction, but I weathered the storm with the support of a lot of good people.

The question is what have I ever benefited from Lebder? Nothing, except for the purchase of a ticket from one of my fundraisers for $100.

Vince, what have you benefited from Fred Lebder? Everything.

On many occasions I heard Vince say, “I learned every trick in the book from Fred, he taught me well, I know his every move, I know how he thinks.”

Now Vicites is trying to implement what he learned from his master. Now, they are at war, and it is Vicites who is obsessed with his mentor to the point of sheer and absolute terror of the man.

This is not leadership. This is someone who constantly looks over his shoulder and worries. We have been elected for 6 and a half years and all Vicites can do is talk about the past and Fred Lebder.

Vince, your diversion tactics and circus tricks at commissioner meetings ain’t gonna fly no more.

If there were an award for the Napoleon complex (control the world syndrome) in Fayette County Vince Vicites would be the clear winner.

With his lessons learned from his mentor, does he want to become the next political boss?

I believe that I have taken on the tough issues of economic development and job creation, I’ve taken on the special interest in this county.

I smoked out the housing authority scandal, the voter fraud scandal, the planning office scandal and its mismanagement along with the Fayette County Tax Claim Bureau.

These issues are fundamental to good government in Fayette County.

Now, we have job application fraud and once again I uncovered it while Vicites tried to cover for his political ally.

I am the one who holds this county accountable and I hope I’ve earned your trust.

Without a doubt I’ve made some powerful enemies along the way.

These formidable enemies and special interests groups oppose me for the same reasons the common man supports me.

Because of the tenaciousness and hard work of a lot of good Fayette County people, our county is poised for many good things to come.

Join the fight.

Sean M. Cavanagh is a Fayette County commissioner.