Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA)   September 23, 2005 Section: LOCAL NEWS PHILADELPHIA & ITS SUBURBS Edition: CITY-D Page: B01  Watchdog bitten for premature slam The Committee of Seventy alleged election fraud in a Sept. 13 state House race. It was proven wrong and apologized. Marcia Gelbart INQUIRER STAFF WRITER   In its first public effort under a new leader to show its bigger and sharper teeth, the city's long-time election watchdog group, the Committee of Seventy, seems to have scored an "F."   Led since last year by former Daily News editor Zack Stalberg, the committee galled political and community leaders from Philadelphia's strongest voting neighborhoods by alleging election fraud in a Sept. 13 state House race - and then retracting the charge   Underneath the anger and disappointment that has since spread across some corners of the city's political network is this question: If the Committee of Seventy could not get it right in a teensy election that involved fewer than 4,000 voters, who can be trusted to safeguard a fair process in the 2006 election for governor and U.S. Senate, and the likely fiery mayoral race a year later?   "I don't think it's going to do us a tremendous amount of damage," said Stalberg, hired as executive director last year.   Nonetheless, the blister of his critics was not lost on him. He concedes the committee made a mistake and that its credibility had been "injured somewhat."   Stalberg said, "In this game, as with just about everything else, it's better to be right than wrong."   The flap began when the committee issued a public statement 24 hours after the Sept. 13 election of Democrat Cherelle Parker, 33, to fill a seat in the 200th legislative district, which includes parts of Chestnut Hill, Germantown and Mount Airy.   The statement accused Parker of violating the state election code several times by entering polling places. It also chided her for buying polling-place workers lunch sandwiches.   Local NAACP president Wyatt Mondesire roared with derision.   "Certainly there has to be a better way for your organization to reestablish its credentials now that you have a new executive director," Mondesire wrote the committee.   City Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco, Parker's boss for the last 17 years, led a small protest inside the committee's Center City office.   And rule-conscious poll workers expressed shock that the election they oversaw may have been tainted.   Then came the apology.   In fact, the Committee of Seventy had since learned, Parker had every right to be in every polling place because she had obtained a certificate that certified her as a poll watcher and allowed her to do so. The District Attorney's Office, to which the committee had referred the matter, dismissed the allegations.   "What they need to do is get their own house in order about what the rules are, and be very very clear before they run to the D.A.," Tasco said.   The five-term councilwoman chided the committee for acting selfishly. "They saw this as an opportunity to show people they were onto something."   Charles Gibbs, 22, a Democratic committeeman for three years in Cobbs Creek, said, "Hopefully they can bring about some change in government, but let's not attack issues that should not be attacked."   State Rep. Mark Cohen (D., Phila.) said the committee acted "completely irresponsibly."   Even government reform advocate Mark Stier, organizer of the political group Neighborhood Networks, was a bit riled. "It's unfortunate that the first time out in this new aggressive way that they sort of misfired."   Stalberg has his explanation for the anger.   "If I had to speculate, the idea of an awakened Committee of Seventy is a little bit unnerving to people, and that's somewhere in the equation," he said.   On the matter of candidates' feeding poll workers, Stalberg reiterated his view that it is a bad practice because it creates, at the least, an appearance of trying to influence behavior.   Mondesire, Tasco, Cohen and others said the buying of food for poll workers is a longtime Philadelphia tradition and one that hardly influences election outcomes.   Noting how hard it can be to find poll workers - they earn $95 to $115 on election days - Deputy City Commissioner Edward Schulgen said: "This office would favor any courtesy shown to [them], whether it's a hoagie, or 'nice job, well done.' "   But Brian McDonald, a spokesman for the state's election bureau, said he has never before heard of candidates feeding poll workers.   Neither did lawyer Ross Goldstein with the Maryland Board of Elections, which oversees Baltimore elections. Their election manual, he said, asks poll workers to "bring whatever food or medicine you need for the day."   And in the nation's capital, Kenneth McGhie, general counsel to the District of Columbia Board of Elections, said their poll workers bring their own lunch. "The most I've ever seen is somebody - and it wasn't a candidate - drop off water on a hot day."   Contact staff writer Marcia Gelbart at 215-854-2338 or mgelbart@phillynews.com.