Protective order against lieutenant governor candidate tossed

HONESDALE (AP) » A judge dismissed a temporary protective order against a candidate for Pennsylvania lieutenant governor on Friday after his attorneys attacked the motivation and credibility of the candidate’s wife, who had testified he was verbally abusive and made threats.

Teddy Daniels claimed vindication after the ruling by President Judge Janine Edwards, telling reporters outside the Wayne County Courthouse, “Justice was served today. I just want to go home and see my son.”

Daniels, 47, is one of nine candidates seeking the GOP nomination in the state’s May 17 primary, running with the endorsement of a leading candidate for governor, Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano.

Daniels’ wife, who had obtained a temporary protection-from-abuse order against Teddy Daniels last week, testified that Daniels was incensed because he believed her family was cooperating in an unflattering magazine story about him. He threatened to “put a bullet” in the head of one of the people he blamed, the woman testified. She said Daniels then told her: “And if I find out you’re in on it, you’re going down too.”

Daniels’ lawyers pointed out the woman had not previously reported the alleged threat, either to police or in her application for a protective order. In court, they suggested she only sought the protective order because Daniels had previously threatened to leave her.

Daniels himself did not testify and did not call any witnesses.

“Our case was proven by cross examination of a witness who lied,” Daniels’ lawyer, Jen Gilliland Vanasdale, told reporters. “Obviously the court believed that, or the court would not have dismissed and denied the protection from abuse.”

Neither Daniels’ wife nor her lawyer had any immediate comment after the court hearing. A phone message was left at the lawyer’s office.

Daniels, who is running for the GOP nomination in this month’s primary, had been was ordered to stay away from his home and forbidden from having any contact with his wife. The temporary order had also given Daniels’ wife temporary custody of their child and forced Daniels to turn over his guns.

In a handwritten petition, the wife told a judge that Daniels, who is 6-foot-4 and 360 pounds, is “always angry at me” and “continuously” curses at her, threatening to kick her and their son out of the house if he loses the campaign. The woman said he stalked her at work, “screaming at me, making me cry” and that his anger toward her has caused her to have panic attacks.

Last August, she said, Daniels grabbed her shirt, pulled her to his face and said, “Don’t you ever speak to me like that,” the petition said. He also threatened to kill the family dog and has made two previous attempts to take his own life, his wife said.

Daniels had claimed the allegations were unfounded and that he was the target of “political terrorism” meant to damage his campaign.