Dear Editor:

Jerry Knowles recently claimed he was for open, fair and honest campaigns for state representative. Yet, his first official campaign action was to retain a lawyer to have my son thrown off the ballot. I understand that is politics as usual but when it rises to the level of personal attacks regarding the petition I circulated for my son, that sinks to a new low.Jerry had the audacity to question my integrity in having my petitions notarized. He made a claim that at my feeble age of 80 years old, that I was unable to travel to my attorney's office in Pottsville to have my petition notarized (even though the office is across the hall from where I received my radiation treatments for cancer).First, to be clear, I am 74 years old - not 80. And secondly, despite my age, I am active in our family business and my community, despite what Jerry feels is "an advanced age".So is this what a clean and honest campaign is? Bullying, intimidation and baseless threats? I was raised to believe that this is the United States of America, where anyone can grow up to run for office and the people are free to support whom they wish.I am sure there will be more underhanded and dirty tricks played; but I just felt that I had to clear the air to defend myself and my family's integrity and to defend the thousands of active and capable senior citizens in the 124th.Carolyn PadoraTamaqua