Lawmaker's aide quits over blog

HARRISBURG - A top aide to state Sen. Lisa Boscola of Northampton County said yesterday he had submitted his resignation because of his profanity-laced remarks on a blog about U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent and a potential Democratic challenger.

However, Boscola said she had not accepted the resignation of the aide, Bernard J. Kieklak, her Harrisburg chief of staff, and wanted to talk to him first, the Morning Call newspaper of Allentown reported on its Web site.

In an e-mail to the Associated Press, Kieklak said he was a "liability" to Boscola, who is considered a potential Democratic candidate for Congress in 2008.

"I made it clear to the senator early this morning that I regret this incident reflected on her in any way and I am resigning," Kieklak wrote.

In an interview in the Senate chamber, Boscola said that Kieklak's language was inappropriate and vulgar, and that she had suspended him without pay.

"People are looking at it like I said it," Boscola said.

Initially, Kieklak defended his writings as a private citizen exercising his First Amendment rights, according to an article in yesterday's editions of the Morning Call, which first reported the blog entries.

Kieklak's comments were posted Friday on the blog "Lehigh Valley Ramblings."