Published Tuesday, May 25, 1999 State police issued a report last week that did not name Robert Felesky of West Middlesex but said the husband of a candidate was stopped at 11:20 p.m. May 17 -- the eve of the primary election -- and found with other candidates' election signs in his vehicle.
The Feleskys deny any wrongdoing, though they have talked to a lawyer. No charges were filed as of Monday, though state police and the district attorney's office are investigating.
"It's nerve-racking to us,'' Mrs. Felesky said Monday, adding that the family hopes to leave Thursday on a vacation planned since fall.
Felesky's vehicle was spotted parked on state Route 318 in Lackawannock Township near Western Reserve Hill and when the state trooper stopped to investigate, he noticed the signs in the back, police said.
The signs belonged to the Republican candidates for recorder, Rhonda I. McClelland of Grove City and Judy Keeley Canon of Hermitage, police said.
Mrs. Felesky said those signs as well as signs for Democratic commissioner candidates Michael Nashtock and Kenneth Ammann were collected.
Mrs. Felesky said her husband was collecting signs that had been thrown down by road crews cutting grass as a favor to the other candidates.
"It's quite common (for him) to do this,'' she said, adding her husband was collecting the signs after 11 p.m. because he didn't have time earlier in the day.
All but a couple of Ammann's signs were able to be returned election day to the candidates or their campaigns, she said.
There were two more of (Ammann's) on 318 but I said we're not touching them," Mrs. Felesky said.
Mrs. McClelland said Trooper Terence Whalen, who had been on his way home, called her at midnight Monday and asked her if she knew Robert Felesky. She said she only knew of him.
The trooper "asked if there would be any reason he'd be driving around with a bunch of my signs in his vehicle ... he thought at first maybe he was working for me.
"The funny thing is we had just left that road,'' she said. "We knew there were lots of signs missing -- everyone's."
Mrs. McClelland said she and her husband Terry had just gotten home that night from putting signs up at polling places.
"We put them up late because we were told they would be stolen otherwise,'' she said, noting that a Grove City woman told her she had taken a yard sign inside to protect it from pranksters.
Mrs. McClelland said none of her large signs, which cost $30, were taken. Her small ones, which cost $3 each, were the ones in Felesky's possession, police said.
She said she and Mrs. Canon talked with Mercer County Sheriff William Romine and District Attorney James Epstein on election day.
Mrs. Felesky said the allegation that he was stealing the signs is ludicrous.
"Let's face it,'' she said, "I didn't have opposition in the primary.''
Mrs. Felesky, a recorder with 24 years of experience, and Mrs. McClelland will vie for the office in the fall.
Romine has said anyone found to have taken political signs will be charged with theft.
