Angel Cruz strikes back in 180th District primary fight

State Rep. Angel Cruz is going on the attack against critics who say that shady tactics were used in his victory in the Democratic primary election for the state House's 180th District six weeks ago.

Cruz and his attorney made their complaints public yesterday standing in Norris Square Park, across the street from the home of state Sen. Tina Tartaglione.

Cruz claims that Tartaglione; her sister, Deputy City Commissioner Renee Tartaglione-Matos; and their mother, City Commission Chairwoman Marge Tartaglione, have repeatedly targeted him for defeat in the 180th District, which runs from Diamond Street in North Philly to Roosevelt Boulevard in Juniata Park.

Cruz displayed a poster and campaign literature showing that his May 18 rival, Jonathan Ramos, was part of "Team Tartaglione," running with the state senator.

Cruz beat Ramos by 124 votes.

The commission on Thursday issued subpoenas for judges of elections in the 7th Democratic Ward, where Cruz is the elected leader, to testify in hearings today and tomorrow as part of an investigation into the election result.

Cruz said Marge Tartaglione and Renee Tartaglione-Matos, who is married to longtime Cruz nemesis Carlos Matos, the 19th Democratic Ward leader, should play no role in the investigation.

"We believe that this election was done fairly, everything within the rules," said Deborah Cianfrani, Cruz's attorney. "Everything will in fact hold up for review."

Tartaglione-Matos yesterday said Cruz was complaining about a common practice for the commission: using administrative subpoenas to call people in as it investigates complaints. Ramos asked the commission on June 16 to investigate.

"This isn't something new that we just conjured up because the election was close," she said. "Our consciences are clear. We do a good job. We're honest people."

Ramos has also filed a petition in Common Pleas Court, asking for a judge to overturn the election. The state Attorney General's Office is also investigating.

Ramos claims that Cruz and his brother improperly took home overnight tapes that record results from voting machines in two divisions of the 7th Ward, that 72 people who were not registered as Democrats were allowed to vote in the contest, that at least one person who voted was dead and that nine voters claimed that they were given unwanted "assistance" in polling places.

Cianfrani said she planned to ask a Common Pleas Court judge this week to dismiss the petition filed by Ramos and to force the commission to certify the results of the May 18 election.

It was unclear yesterday if anyone subpoenaed by the commission will show up to testify this week. Cianfrani said that a lawyer hired to represent those witnesses has advised them to not attend today's hearing.