Statements issued on Luzerne County Democratic Party member’s censure

A battle of statements has ensued over the Luzerne County Democratic Party Executive Committee’s recent decision to censure Fern Leard for a post she shared on her private Facebook.

Censure is a formal expression of disapproval.

The message Leard had shared on Nov. 2 was posted by Doug Higgins, a Republican candidate for Dallas Township Supervisor. Democrat Liz Martin also appeared on the ballot in that race and ended up winning the seat in the Nov. 4 general election.

Higgins’ post thanked Democratic Luzerne County Council candidate Steve Coslett for sending out a text to more than 3,000 people that included Higgins and his decades of leadership in the community.

According to a screenshot supplied by incoming Democratic County Council member Chris Belles, Leard wrote this when she shared Higgins’ post: “This is what it looks like when you choose people over party!”

Belles had presented the offenses that resulted in Leard’s censure, arguing the action violated state party bylaws.

The party bylaws prohibit county executive committee members from supporting a general election candidate running against a duly nominated Democratic candidate, saying that includes support “by voice,” vote, financial “or otherwise.”

Coslett’s text message support for Higgins was not challenged because he won’t become a member of the party’s executive committee until he takes the oath of office and is seated on Jan. 5.

“At the time I was a candidate and was by no means bound by the executive committee,” Coslett said Monday.

Leard, of Dallas Township, said in a release she was not sorry for sharing a post about a Republican and Democratic candidate supporting each other and issued a statement asserting that “what is unfolding here” is “retaliation,” not accountability.

“This moment matters because democracy doesn’t only erode from external attacks; it also erodes when power is abused from within,” her statement said. “Those who refuse to chase approval from power brokers are seen as dangerous, and rather than reforming the system, this establishment is attempting to silence the very people challenging it.”

Belles, who also will join the party’s executive committee when he is seated on County Council Jan. 5, said Leard was “charged with breaking state party bylaws, because she shared and encouraged a Republican’s social media advertisement.”

“Fern admitted to breaking the bylaws, and said she didn’t believe she did anything wrong. In my opinion, the room must have been feeling the Christmas spirit since they only censured and didn’t remove Fern Leard from the body she betrayed,” Belles said in his own statement.

Leard is on the executive committee because she was the Democratic nominee in the 120th District state representative race in 2024. Republican Brenda Pugh won that seat.

Because Leard was not expelled from the executive committee, she remains a member of the party leadership body with voting rights.

As debate continued, new county Democratic Party Chairwoman Mary Ann Petyak issued a statement Monday about the matter.

During the executive committee’s November meeting, allegations surfaced about Leard supporting a Republican candidate running against a duly nominated Democrat for the same seat, which would be a violation of the party’s bylaws, it said.

At the executive committee’s Dec. 18 meeting, a letter from a voter was read aloud, maintaining that Leard had campaigned at the polls for that Republican on Election Day, Petyak’s statement said.

“Fern denied doing this but confirmed that she had shared a Facebook post entitled ‘Elect Doug Higgins for Dallas Township Supervisor.’ In her post she never clarified that she did not support Higgins, the Republican,” it said.

“While Leard could have been removed from the committee, we voted to censure to express our formal disapproval. When questioned, Leard ultimately acknowledged that her actions violated Democratic bylaws and said she would not do anything like it again,” the statement continued.

“The committee took her statement in good faith; we believed the matter was settled. However, since that meeting, Leard has attempted to try the executive committee in public using the press and social media,” the statement maintains.

Leadership change

Petyak was named the new party chair at the Dec. 18 meeting.

The executive committee also voted to accept the resignations of former party chair Thomas M. Shubilla and vice chair Maryann Velez and prior Fifth District committee member Shannon Groshek, who serves as campaign manager for Leard.

Shubilla had submitted his resignation in November following an executive committee no-confidence vote.

Petyak’s Monday statement said the executive committee did not hold its second meeting of 2025 until September, despite requests from committee members to the former party chair.

“At the November meeting, members held a vote of no confidence — based on the lack of previous meetings, the lack of fundraising and spending issues, campaign problems, and a serious data breach,” Petyak said, noting the vote “passed overwhelmingly.”

Petyak will serve as chair until party committee members elect a chair following the 2026 primary election.

County Democrats elect committee members in the primary — one man and one woman in each of the 186 voting precincts, or a total 372. Those committee members then meet shortly after the primary election is certified to elect the chair.

Born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, Petyak left for college, resided in Brooklyn from 1985 until 2017 and then returned to her family home with her husband, with an interest in political activism.

Since 2018, Petyak, who works in the book publishing field, said she has volunteered to support the party and its candidates in any tasks required, but she never expected to fill the top leadership post.

“It’s an honor and privilege, and I don’t ever forget that,” Petyak said.

She does not plan to seek the seat when committee members must select someone after the primary election.

Megan Kocher also was named chair of the executive committee.

Petyak’s Monday statement strongly encourages Democrats to “see past the personal attacks, misinformation, and finger-pointing, and focus on the serious issues that matter as we head into 2026.”

She cited priorities to recruit and elect committed Democrats and build a strong party that can win elections.

“We strive for unity. But we must hold committee people to a high standard; there must be accountability as well,” it said.