Vince Fumo, one Pennsylvania's more influential politicians, had his staff forge his name, with the help of a notary, to petitions:

Fumo aides tried to submit his nominating papers on Feb. 17, the deadline, without noting the senator's polling place. It was a simple oversight, to be sure, but election officials told Fumo's aides they had to submit a new form, with a new, notarized signature.

That posed a problem for Fumo, who, according to court papers, couldn't sign the second form "because he was unable to be physically present." He had spent at least part of last week vacationing in Florida, although neither he nor aides would say where he was on Feb. 17.

In court papers, Fumo acknowledged that he didn't sign the papers but had given someone else the authority to do so. An aide to Fumo notarized the forms as if Fumo had signed them.

James Tayoun Jr., Fumo's primary opponent, filed a challenge to Fumo's petition on Tuesday, alleging the senator's second signature was "signed by someone else in a fraudulent manner." Tayoun's challenge came just as a state judge granted Fumo's request to order state elections officials to accept a rewritten form - the senator's third. Tayoun is also expected to appeal that decision.

In court papers, Fumo said he made a good-faith effort to comply with election laws and shouldn't be penalized for a mere technicality.

He'll probably get on the ballot because, well, he'll cheat just like NJ Dems did with Laughtenberg. What a scam.