Cognetti has history of opportunism
Editor: Gov. Shapiro tried to paint a false veneer on Paige Cognetti when he declared in Wyoming that she “cares deeply about NEPA,” but reality shows she’s a master class opportunist adept at using her position and the people who’ve supported her as stepping stones to advance her political ambitions.
Cognetti served less than a year on the Scranton School Board before jumping ship to take a job at the Auditor General’s office. She left the board scrambling to meet a balanced budget deadline less than three weeks away, but wouldn’t stay on to help. Her departure speech reeked of inauthenticity and feigned motives that her new job allowed her to help all students and school districts use taxpayer money wisely, but astute observers believe she left to make connections at the seat of political power in Harrisburg. She held the audit position only months before abandoning those lofty job promises to run for mayor.
As mayor during COVID, Cognetti coerced churches into closing on Easter Sunday without any legal authority, going as far in a virtual townhall to say “Don’t have a church service this weekend. Please don’t make my police have to go out and tell you guys to stop.”
And where was Paige when a blizzard hit Scranton? In Washington, D.C. to burnish her political profile at a Mayor’s Conference which is D.C. code for “schmoozefest.” The snow cleanup was a disaster and her lack of a viable backup plan showed she’s clueless. Another example of Cognetti ignoring her mayoral duties played out at a City Council meeting where a councilman expressed frustration that she hasn’t addressed the city’s long overdue need for a dedicated ambulance service.
Portland Paige “cares deeply” alright, about herself.
Andrew Massimilian, Ransom Twp.