Head of Delco GOP: Twardy should quit

Facing pressure from Haverford Republican Committee members worried over the role the township's GOP chairman, George Twardy, played in the controversial development and sale of Haverford State Hospital, the county's GOP chief said yesterday that Twardy should quit.

Tom Judge, Delaware County GOP chairman, called for Twardy to "resign and step down from politics." A call to Twardy's law office was not returned.

A state grand jury last week reported that Twardy and Haverford Commissioner Fred Charles Moran held secret meetings, ignored state public-information laws, didn't vote on key decisions, leaked inside information to a favored developer, and authorized a $600,000 payment to an influential law firm without a public vote.

Twardy has not been charged, but Moran was charged with bribery and released on $10,000 unsecured bail. Earlier this week, Moran declared he would fight the charges.

Judge yesterday stopped short of asking Moran to resign.

Asked why he did not also call on Moran to resign, Judge said he had "no jurisdiction as far as Moran is concerned." Judge said he did not know all the details of Moran's case and did not want to comment further.

Judge noted that Republicans on the board had approached the district attorney and asked for the investigation of the hospital sale and development.

"Just because one person has caused a problem doesn't mean the whole party is tainted," said Judge.

The current development plan for the hospital property, would devote 40 acres to residential use, including 100 carriage homes and 198 condominiums; 124 acres to passive open space, natural woodlands and hiking and biking trails; and 45 acres to sports fields and public roads.