LEWISBURG —
LEWISBURG — Political foes are hauling out an old skeleton in an attempt to derail his candidacy for the Republican nomination in the 85th Legislative District, Maurice Brubaker said.
The allegation is that Brubaker was present when then-Union County Commissioner William Haas allegedly illegally tape-recorded a phone conversation regarding a political endorsement with Attorney General Tom Corbett’s chief of staff more than two years ago.
Brubaker and Haas emphatically deny a recording was made and have hired attorneys.
It all began more than two years ago, during the contentious 2007 battle between Union County District Attorney D. Peter Johnson and attorney Andrew Lyons for the Republican nomination in the district attorney race.
Corbett, a Republican and personal friend of Johnson’s, endorsed the incumbent who was running on both tickets.
When Johnson lost the primary, he ran as a Democrat against Lyons in the general election, and won.
“I won’t stoop to the level of the (people behind these) vicious attacks,” Brubaker said Thursday, adding that he believes it’s being waged by someone who supports one of his two rivals, Betsy Snook or Fred Keller, for the GOP nomination May 18.
According to Corbett’s then chief-of-staff Brian Nutt, who is presently serving as campaign spokesman in Corbett’s bid for governor, he received a phone call from Haas prior to the November 2007 election asking the attorney general to withdraw the endorsement of Johnson.
“I explained to (Haas) that I would be the wrong person to talk to and that Tom Corbett was a personal friend of Pete Johnson,” Nutt said Thursday. “I remember that he was not happy about that response.”
According to the October 2007 minutes of the Union County Republican Committee compiled by secretary Carolyn Conner, Haas informed members he called Nutt and recorded the conversation in the presence of others. If so, that would be a violation of the state Wiretapping Act, prohibiting one person from taping another without his knowledge.
Johnson said he was aware of the wiretapping claim, but though he was the county prosecutor, chose not to act.
“Yes, I heard about it,” he said. “But knowing the allegation involved an active commissioner attacking my campaign, I stayed out of it completely.”
On Thursday, Brubaker confirmed he was present when Haas made the call, but vehemently denies it was recorded.
Haas not only disputes recording the call, but denies saying he did it at the October 2007 committee meeting.
“I certainly know the law and no tape recording was ever made. What I said was that I wished I had recorded it,” said Haas, who believes he may have been slandered by others and has hired an attorney.
Conner said she “distinctly” recalls the meeting and Haas’ making the alleged bombshell.
“I knew it potentially could involve an investigation,” she said.
Conner said she included more detail in the meeting minutes than usual as a precaution because she wasn’t sure if an investigation would ensue.
At the next committee meeting, Jan. 24, 2008, the minutes were approved without question. Brubaker, a committee member, was listed as being present and Conner said Haas was there as well.
Brubaker now says he doesn’t recall being aware of the meeting minutes, but would have objected. Haas said he doesn’t remember attending the meeting.
Although the incident has been discussed in the community over the years, the controversy appeared to have died down, Conner said.
That is until the most recent election season, with Brubaker vying against fellow Republicans, Snook and Keller, for state Rep. Russ Fairchild’s seat. Fairchild has endorsed Brubaker.
The candidates met with committee members earlier this year to discuss their positions and a newer member, whom Brubaker would not name, asked about the alleged wiretapping incident with the state Attorney General’s Office.
Brubaker was asked if he was elected to the state Legislature, how would he be able to interact with Corbett, if he’s elected governor.
At the same time the question was raised, Brubaker said, rumors began circulating that he was being investigated for alleged wiretapping.
While denying any illegal activity, Brubaker hired an attorney to check whether an investigation was ongoing.
“We were willing to go down and cooperate,” he said, before learning no inquiries were being made. “The accusation is totally baseless. Taping never took place.”
Nutt said he was told at one point that his 2007 telephone conversation with Haas may have been recorded without his knowledge, but he never pursued the issue.
“For us, it’s not all that big. Tom Corbett stays above local party squabbles,” he said, adding that the gubernatorial candidate wants a united party and will continue to support friends like Johnson and Union County Committee chairman Yvonne Morgan.
Morgan, who supports Snook in the 85th District race, said divisions have arisen between moderate and conservative Republicans on the county committee and that both sides need to work together.
“This is unfortunate, but we have to get behind the people who are elected,” she said.
