VansOpinion - WAS ZOZ ZAPPED BY LAWYERS, LOBBYISTS AND LIARS?

The Lancaster County Primary election of 2002 is history and political pundits and analysts are studying results. Those who won are celebrating and those who were eliminated are trying to decide what they might have done differently to win. I suggest you purchase a copy of a book recently published by ex-District Court Judge and ex-Sheriff (Lawyer) Sam Van Pelt entitled "What Psalm Singing Son-of-a-Bitch Said That" and you will get a major clue as to how elections are "engineered" by lawyers in Lancaster County. Deb Schorr is a nice person, but clearly less qualified to be a County Commissioner than Paul Zoz, but Deb's hubby is a attorney in ex-Governor Charley Thone's law firm, and thus, she had an edge in the race.

"It is no secret, what Lawyers can do, they've done to others, they'll do to you." Contrary to what many today might believe, not all lawyers are liars, but a good many are adept at bending the truth to suit a particular purpose, for that is the essence of "trial law." Practically all who are admitted to "The Bar" are top notch "word craftsmen" (or should I say "craft persons"), because such is an art which must be mastered early on in their careers if they are to become successful. Really good lawyers are persuasive and usually not at all hesitant to use pressure and word-power-advantage to get an opponent to "see things their way." Applying such information to the race between Schorr and Zoz, I believe, reveals secrets about the campaign strategy which Zapped Zoz.

Deb Schorr is a nice person, neat lady, a good Mom and, like Paul Zoz, a registered Republican. Deb's heavy campaign artillery was her husband Mark, an ambitious attorney in the law firm which includes former governor/congressman/lobbyist Charles Thone. Many wondered if Mark Schorr actually practiced much law during the campaign as there was a good deal of evidence he spent considerable time working to get his wife elected.

John Lyon (J.L.) Spray, Lancaster County Republican Party Chairman - a lawyer - working relentlessly using his insider advantage as a party official to convert Zoz supporters to Schorr supporters was definitely a factor in the campaign. Mark Schorr's spreading mis-information calculated to poison Paul's political wells by telling many Zoz was "too Catholic" and a "single issue (Pro-Life) candidate" was, in my opinion and that of many, cheap gutter politics, far beneath the dignity of Deb. It was indeed a shame Deb, a genuine lady, had no way of controlling overly zealous attorneys or keeping them from their seedy doings. It should not be over looked that attorney Reginald Kuhn, Deb's campaign treasurer, was and is a law partner of Spray's.

It was startling to note ex-Senator LaVon Crosby, who with her late attorney husband Robert were two of the strongest supporters of the Pro-Life movement in Nebraska, ignored the facts Deb Schorr did not subscribe fully to the Republican Party Platform regarding the sanctity of life, and was not endorsed by Nebraska Right to Life. Such notwithstanding, Crosby supported Schorr over Zoz who was endorsed by all Pro-Life groups. According to Zoz, he was told by Crosby she would stay "neutral" in the primary. Perhaps Mrs. Crosby's memory has slipped a bit with age. Perhaps it was because she is somewhat of a surrogate "Mom" to the attorneys in Robert's firm, that the "lawyer connection" was able to turn her from a "neutral" position to one who endorsed the female candidate in the commissioner race who was surrounded by women active in the "Pro-Choice" movement. This was a significant factor in the race, due to the respect many have for LaVon Crosby and her late husband. The lawyer-leverage prevailed over the long established and publicly professed religious beliefs of Bob and LaVon Crosby.

I was told by a staff member in the office of Senator Chuck Hagel, another highly respected Republican, that he wrote a letter regarding Deb and commending her as a candidate. However, Hagel's office staff refused to confirm or deny such was an outright endorsement of the candidate. Once again, lawyers, apparently took license to use a statement in the letter, apparently out of context, to fabricate an endorsement and published same. Since most Republicans hold Hagel in high esteem, and since what appeared to be an endorsement appeared in the local newspaper, once again, crafty lawyers gave Zoz another "blow below the belt."

Icing in Schorr's campaign cake was the endorsement of Kathy Campbell who OUTRIGHT LIED to Paul and others about her role in the contested party primary. According to Zoz, Campbell personally promised him and told several others she would remain "neutral" until after the primary. But what's the surprise here. Campbell, in my opinion, has never been hesitant to use the office she is vacating to further her own self-serving agenda. Down deep (no pun intended) Kathy wants to be Mayor of Lincoln and is working in that direction. Remember, Kathy has proven her word is no good, so when she denies having her eye on Don Wesely's seat, consider her established "honesty track record." Kathy is carefully working to create "Clones" in several public offices. You can be sure she will be calling in "political markers" in the forthcoming mayoral race in 2003. More, much more, on that subject later.

Finally, it would be hard to find a better "WRITE-IN" name than ZOZ in the general election where all voters in Lancaster County get to choose, not just Republicans in one district. Something to think about. And, according to our former secretary of state and chief election official for nearly a quarter of a century, it could be done. Perhaps the calorically challenged lady hasn't sung just yet!