I actually had no intentions of running for Mayor of Gettysburg this year. This was due to health reasons. But when I saw that no other Republican was running, I felt it was my duty and moral obligation to step up and at least try. I was at the Saturday protests for five months. I witnessed some of the most vile, filthy, and vulgar garbage that I was constantly having to deal with. I sent “Right to Know” forms to the borough. I sent emails to the president, manager, and several other people in the borough that went unanswered. I called the Secret Service due to the threatening signs. I called the Gettysburg Police Department that (in an email I was told no one ever called them). I reached out to State Reps. I filed complaints with the borough that did absolutely nothing. My last ditch effort to try and help the local businesses and tourists was the Code Enforcement officer. Although, he did respond, he told me, “If you do observe clear safety violations, you are welcome to document them and provide them to the myself or to the Gettysburg Police Department for review.” When I told him that I and several other people called the GPD and that there was no record of it, he didn’t answer me. He just ignored me on that issue. Oh wait, it gets better!!!

He also stated: “We have addressed terms of the permits. However, please understand that the other matters you mention such as signs with offensive language, political viewpoints, and demonstrations fall under protected speech as outlined in the U.S. Constitution and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As such, the Borough does not have the authority to restrict these expressions solely based on their content.”

My response, “Then why does it say on the permit, “no profanity”? Doesn’t that seem like a total waste of time to have that on there? And there are absolutely things that are NOT protected under free speech. Is “All Republicans Must Die?” protected? Is “8647” protected?” 

They don’t even follow the terms of their own permits!!! Round and round it went with the same result, nothing! But let’s get something straight. I never said to stop the protests. I said to stop the permit violations that were disrupting the town that even Mayor Frealing knew about. This in turn, adversely affected the local businesses and tourism. The mayor could have taken a few Saturdays to inspect the terms of the permit and if violated, she could have reported them to the Code Enforcement officer. But being a Liberal Democrat, she didn’t. It is my understanding the entire Borough Council are Liberal Democrats. There is one Republican who I believe will win his seat. So, that is fantastic.

I also had to file a formal complaint against a few members of the Adams County Republican Committee. This complaint does include other people who suffered the same type of attack. If you are going to tell the world you coached me and that I refused to listen to you, please make sure you have met me in person first. Please make sure you know I have read any posts you have sent as well. I never met this man. I never spoke to him. I never received any messages or posts. Yet, according to him, I refused to listen to him and the other two mentioned in the complaint. But what he told a business owner who was going to help with my campaign, was enough for her and her employee to pull their support. I was then left with no choice but to file a complaint, especially when two other people stepped forward with what they have also been through.

I have learned some very distressing lessons over the last several months. The hardest one of all is that the Democrats in this town are absolutely united, and the Republicans are not. In many ways, personal opinions come before the party. I did not follow the committee in regard to the protests. I followed my own heart and mind. I did what I needed to do, to try and help the local businesses. But it didn’t mean I wasn’t qualified to be mayor. They even removed me as a write in for mayor on their website. However, it came to the point where I couldn’t stand to look at the profanity, threats, lies, and hate at the protests. The poison was slowly overtaking me, and I was getting emotionally and mentally sick from it. My eyes have been opened to the corruption in this town. Perhaps, at some point, Republicans will finally have enough of it and start to work together. In the event there is a “special election” for mayor before the next term, I will run. I do not know how a Democrat can run on a Republican ballot. But that is exactly what the current mayor has done. The ONLY reason, and I mean the ONLY reason I will vote for Rita Frealing, is because she will not put the Gettysburg Police Department under the scrutiny of the borough council and manager. I feel restructuring the duties of the mayor will do a great disservice to this town for future elections. Not to mention, the GPD having to be micromanaged. If you are in the Borough of Gettysburg, I would ask you to please vote wisely in this election in a few weeks. A Democrat will win as Mayor of Gettysburg and quite frankly he or she deserves to.

Thank you to those who did believe in me. I am sorry it wasn’t to be for this term. But there again, in the event of a special election, I will run. If not, I have four years to prepare for the next election after this one. There is a great deal of work to do amongst the Republicans in this town. I think many are afraid to speak out for fear of retaliation. I am still your voice. I am still fighting the fight. But for now, right or wrong, the Democrats do deserve to win as they understand unity!

Respectfully,

Juliana Love