PA Supreme Court boots Corbett challenger from primary ballot

After great effort and considerable expense, the Pennsylvania Republican Party has successfully removed from the May 20 primary ballot on a legal technicality a challenger to Gov. Corbett who stood no chance of winning the election.

Voting 5-2, the state Supreme Court today ruled that the nomination of Bob Guzzardi, an Ardmore businessman, was fatally flawed because he filed his statement of financial interests with the Department of State but failed to also file it with the state Ethics Commission.

Guzzardi took the ruling with resignation.

"During the course of this campaign I have learned that I am not in control," he said. "I will find out what comes next for me. What happens is supposed to happen and there is something for me to learn."

The ruling overturns an April 15 state Commonwealth Court ruling that kept Guzzardi on the ballot.

Two Supreme Court justices, Max Baer and Debra McCloskey Todd, dissented in the ruling, saying a Department of State employee told Guzzardi he did not have to file with the Ethics Commission.

The state Republican Party helped organize the court challenge, filed by four people who hold party positions across the state.  Guzzardi last week estimated that the party spent more than $60,000 to challenge him.  Megan Sweeney, a spokeswoman for the state GOP, said "we're not going to be commenting on specifics" when asked how much was spent on the challenge.