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Monday, June 16, 2014

WAEB's Defamation Campaign Against DA Jim Martin

Bobby Gunther Walsh, the Lehigh Valley's aging poster boy for crackpot AM radio, is a combination huckster and conspiracy theorist. Between an endless series of commercials and promotions, he parades a series of goofy guests to tell us the sky is falling. Lately, he's been conducting a witch hunt against Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin.

It started in February and will continue today. Walsh uses a guest (I won't name him) who has a vendetta against Martin. "I have multiple pages of documentation that [my guest] provides to back up what he is asserting," Walsh deceptively assures listeners.

He accuses Martin of creating "a culture of corruption and incompetence." He implies falsely that Martin goes easy on drunk drivers because he's a drunk himself. Walsh's guest states, "Maybe there are people in high places in Lehigh County, maybe in the District Attorney's office, who have experience driving drunk and don't think it's that big of a deal." Walsh and his guest even accuse the DA of case-fixing. He encourages listeners to mob courtrooms in an obvious attempt to resurrect lynch mob justice. While passing out pitchforks and torches, they defame a man who has dedicated much of his professional career to criminal justice.

Last Wednesday, police officers from all over the Lehigh Valley were recognized for their efforts in deterring both aggressive and drunk driving. Jim Martin was the person who made these presentations, and then stuck around to hear their concerns. That's pretty strange behavior for someone who goes easy on drunk drivers.

Walsh has never acknowledged the visionary role Martin plays in law enforcement.This includes the creation of a regional crime center that uses the latest information technology advances. This center has solved several homicides and other major crime sprees. Instead of focusing on reality, Walsh defames Martin as a corrupt, crooked, incompetent, case-fixing drunk who goes easy on and cuddles with criminal defendants, especially if they are "young and shapely" blondes. Walsh and his guest have told outright lies, not verifiable facts, about three cases. Let me set the record straight. .

James W. Lauer 

What initially attracted Walsh's guest to this defendant is his last name - Lauer. Walsh's guest think there must be a connection to Phil Lauer, a prominent defense attorney.

Gunther's guest repeatedly asks, "Who does he know?"

There is no relation.

James Lauer has been charged four times with drunk driving. In the most recent episode, he ran a stop sign, T-boned a car, and injured four people, including a pregnant woman. He left the scene, but was apprehended right away, and has been in jail since that day. In addition to driving drunk, Lauer committed an interlock violation, somehow evading a system that authorities installed to keep him from driving drunk.

He is obviously going to get hammered.

But Gunther's guest incredibly warns, "I smell a case fix here."

I smell something, too. Bullshit. The guy has been in the can since the day of the accident, and had no lawyer at his most recent court appearance, months after languishing in jail. Not even a Public Defender. He has been jailed repeatedly for his drinking. If anything, Lauer's record demonstrates a no-nonsense approach to drinking and driving in Lehigh County.

But Walsh's guest claims he has proof that Lauer gets special treatment.

"In 2010, when Mr. Lauer was doing time for his third DUI in Lehigh County prison, they gave him an afternoon furlough to attend a wedding," he charges. "Would they do that for you or me? Who is this guy? Who does he know? You're in prison for your third DUI. They let you out to go to a wedding?"

Walsh starts laughing, creating the impression that authorities let a drunk out of jail to get blasted at a wedding reception.

Here's why this furlough was granted. Lauer's son was getting married. It was just three days prior to parole. He was released for three hours to attend the ceremony itself, not the reception. Moreover, Lauer was drug and alcohol tested when he returned to jail. The courts would do this for any inmate who had a good record in jail. You don't treat people like animals and then expect them to act like humans.

Walsh and his guest know these verifiable facts. They would rather lie so you believe that Lauer is connected..

Amber Washko

Another false claim made by Walsh and his guest is that Martin gives preferential treatment to "young attractive drunk driving women". He cites the pending Washko case as an example. Last May, at what Gunther's guest himself admits is a "tricky intersection" at American Parkway and Dauphin Street, Washko ran into a vehicle being driven by Joseph Hennessey and killed him. Nearly eight months later, she was charged with drunk driving, but not homicide by vehicle.

An incredulous Walsh asks, "She wasn't even charged with vehicular homicide? ... You're kidding me."

Walsh's guest responds, incorrectly, that this woman was driving too fast, "obviously ran a solid red light," and killed Hennessey as he inched his way into the intersection. He calls the matter a "case-fix in progress", and thinks vehicular homicide charges should have been filed. In a letter to Judge Ford, he complains, "I know a judge can't tell crooked, incompetent, and lazy DA Jim Martin what charges to file."

Police knew Washko was drunk and could have charged her with that right away. But if she pleaded to these charges, they would be unable to charge her with anything more serious even if they later determined that her intoxication was a factor in the crash. You can't try someone twice for the same or even a related crime. Police waited, appropriately, until their investigation was complete before deciding what to charge.

Here are the facts, based on what police found in their own accident reconstruction. Hennessey was ahead of the white stop line that appears on American Parkway at that light. His vehicle was going 15 mph through the red light, and Washko came along at 43 mph. She had the light. Hennessey's vehicle was blocked by an embankment, and when it finally came into view, Washko only had 1.0 seconds to react and attempt to avoid a collision. According to police, it would take a sober person 1.6 seconds to react. That is why Washko was spared vehicular homicide charges. Though she was impaired, it played no role in Hennessey's death.
 
"Is this another example of a shapely (and drunk driving) young female being left off the hook by an enchanted DA Jim Martin?" asks Walsh's guest on his blog, to which Walsh refers listeners repeatedly.

No. You don't automatically charge someone, even a drunk person, with vehicular homicide. There must be evidence that the intoxication played a role in what happened.

Jennifer Gehringer 

In another effort to falsely portray Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin as a prosecutor who looks the other way for "young, shapely blondes," Walsh and his guest point to Jennifer Gehringer. She struck and killed Parkland gym teacher John Toggas in 2008 as he crossed the street near Dorney Park. Though she was intoxicated, she was never charged with vehicular homicide. Just drunk driving.

Outrageous, exclaim Walsh and guest.

Here are the facts they fail to tell listeners. It was around 2 am, dark and Toggas was wearing a black T-shirt and dark shoes. He was drunk himself, and had been arrested earlier that night for drunk driving. He had argued with his wife, and decided to walk 13 miles home, loaded.

Gehringer, driving at or under the speed limit, never saw him. Nor would a sober person.

Walsh and his guest have been feeding a string of lies and distortions to radio listeners. They want to see courtrooms packed with 50-100 people to pressure judges into imposing harsh sentences instead of following the law. Ironically, they may have tainted Washko and Lauer so badly that it will be impossible to try these presumed innocent defendants in Lehigh County. Ex parte contacts have already resulted in the recusal of several judges.

I'd like to see the courtroom packed, too, when Walsh, his guest and Clear Channel are sued for libel. They have no interest in justice, but do have axes to grind.

49 comments:

Anonymous said...

If anyone is interested in listening to the shows they can be found in archive at WAEB(v)'s website.

Tune in tomorrow 6/16 at 8:45 AM to hear "fact bombs" go off on the airwaves, the host and guest have an excellent rapport that has many of the show's 50,000+ super voter listeners glued to the radio.

Pusillanimous politicos and pundits beware, there is a new justice warrior that will hold you accountable for your dastardly misdeeds.

Bernie O'Hare said...

These are not "fact bombs", but outright lies and distortions, made knowing they are untrue. For example, Gunther and his guest both know that the Lauer furlough was granted 3 days before parole, was limited to 3 hours, covered only the wedding ceremony itself, and he was D&A tested on his return. They knew it was his son. But both Gunther and his guest led listeners to think that Lauer was being excused to go on a rip.

Gunther and guest claim that Martin went easy on Gehringer bc she is an attractive woman, but fail to tell listeners that the person she hit was himself drunk, was wearing dark clothing and gave her no time to react.

Gunther and guest claim that Washko blew a red light, when the evidence gathered by APD show that she had the light and had no time to react to Hennessey bc he was blocked by an embankment and appears to have been well ahead of the white stop line.

Martin was actually accused of not charging drunk drivers bc he himself is a drunk driver. He was called corrupt and accused of case fixes. This is defamation because it is being done with malice. Gunther and guest know this us untrue, but have axes to grind.

Anonymous said...

Sadly instead of spinning the records he is qualified to do, Goober Walsh has become a local teabagger "talking head" favorite. Hi8s station is none stop right-wing whacko bullshit all day long, so why would he be different.
Bernie, you should do a story on the stories about how Walsh finances his racing "hobby" be free promos on the station with Quid pro quo deals on the back end for his "racing team". The guy is horrible at racing and other drivers can't stand him but he has been at it for years. Word in the3 racing world has always been that he gives out free commercials and on air plugs if they sponsor his car.

The guy holds himself up as some moral crusader but spends a great deal of time with marred women.

The newest whack job on his show is not surprise, since that seems to be "goobers" stock in trade.

Just an old disc jockey trying to still be relevant. Or another angry old white man looking to blame others for his wasted life.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I am not going to defame him or discuss his personal life or his business practices or race car driving ability. But he himself is defaming Martin, and I am calling him on it.

Since February, he has hosted a guest with a vendetta, and together, they have called the DA crooked, corrupt, incompetent, a drunk and a case fixer. The supposed evidence comes from three cases, two of which are still pending. Examination of those cases reveals that the public was fed outright lies and distortions.

Anonymous said...

No fan of Walsh. But a guy with your disgraceful past is a bit hard to take when grasping for moral high ground, Bernie.

michael molovinsky said...

i cannot speculate on walsh's motivation for this series of programs, but i can attest to the guests' intentional use of deception and misinformation, being one of his many victims. in my case, the guest falsely accuses me of physically threatening him, actually using a quote. he omits the fact that the quote was made by someone else, in a comment on my blog, and that he takes it out of context. in reality, in addition to constantly sending insulting comments to my blog, he routinely threatens me. gunther walsh has been made aware of this aggression against me, and many other members of the community, but has chosen to ignore it.

Anonymous said...

He is an embarrassment to the community and has been for many years. His anti gay attempts at humor are part of his pathetic arsenal as are his right wing loony tunes theories. Remember when he attempted to "prove" that man never walked on the moon ? His current anti climate change rants prove my point.

FAKINAHSUM said...

50,000+ listeners. That's a bigger joke than walsh. There isn't an agency around that would advise you to spend your advertising money on WAEB. He has become just like his "guest" - just a bitter old man. He lost touch with reality years ago when he started offering up the same old hate on a daily basis. No credibility what so ever.

Anonymous said...

Aww cut it out you limp wristed left winger !

Bernie O'Hare said...

"a guy with your disgraceful past is a bit hard to take"


Then why are you here, taking it?

Anonymous said...

50,000+ listeners? That figure must be a yearly total. It's AM radio,for goodness' sake. Does anyone under the age of 60 even know what AM radio is?

Bernie O'Hare said...

I look at the arbitron ratings. WAEB is the most listened to AM station, but it's ratings are about half those of FM stations.

Guy Williams said...

Just another example of Tit for Tat. Much rather experience the humorous version of Tit For Tat made famous by the comedy legends Laurel and Hardy. Think theres another reason BGW has a hot nut for the DA from his own past public humiliation episode. The public fascination with Dog eat Dog is another popular pastime. Ya gotta love it. BGW makes a living unlike the gang at Fox news. Okay, Back to my favorite soap. As the Stomach Turns

Anonymous said...

Knock it off Guy! Mr. Walsh is highly respected and knows of O'Hare. he think she is a nutty kook. Thank God for conservatives like Mr. Walsh who expose people like O'Hare and Martin.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Thank God for conservatives like Mr. Walsh who expose people like O'Hare and Martin."

Last time I checked, Martin was a conservative and Walsh was a paid huckster. The only persons who have been exposed are Walsh and his guest.

On the air, they have published lies and distortions about three criminal cases. I have set the record straight.

I notew that today, Walsh backed off very quickly wehen his guest started his "corruption" rant. But it's too late. The damage has been done.

Anonymous said...

You Mr. O'Hare will soon ne the topic of Mr. Walsh. Many questions will be asked if pursued. What if some are personal? This is a real national radio show not some two bit blog.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I do not get intimidated easily. But this "You're next" threat is the kind of thing I'd expect. In the meantime, I am writing to Gunther's sponsors, asking them if they really wants to advertise with a radio station who lies about the District Attorney. I can't imagine Altronics being too happy.

Anonymous said...

Stop the hysterics. You have a persecution complex. Mr. Walsh does not even know you exist.

Bernie O'Hare said...

At 1:09, you claim that Walsh is going to feature me next. Then at 1:51, you accuse me of a persecution complex. Get your lies straight.

Anonymous said...

remember when BGW choked his daughter out and caused bleeding around her neck in 2001??

Anonymous said...

Bernie, it seems You are the only one in the lehigh valley thats does'nt know Martin is a drunk,,I have been to many golf outting where Mr. Martin is more than just drunk so stop all the dramatics.....you bottom feeding bullshitter


John

Bernie O'Hare said...

"remember when BGW choked his daughter out and caused bleeding around her neck in 2001??"

No, I don't.I remember allegation, and remember that DA Martin dismissed the case.

Bernie O'Hare said...

John,

I am honest about my identity. You are not. It necessarily follows, therefore, that what you claim is dishonest, too. Repeating a lie does not make it true.

Anonymous said...

I heard that show this morning-- WAEB is best station for local news and weather in the mornings...Anyway, I believe I heard Gunther's guest state something about the black boxes in the autos involving the Hennesy case...the guest stated that Joe Hennesey had come to a full stop, while the driver who hit him had not, but since I did not take notes, I can't swear to it. FWIW.

When I moved back to the Valley in 1994, after many years away, WAEB was a nice community radio station. Even my mother liked it. It was the default station in our house, always tuned in on the kitchen radio. Suddenly, it became a cess-pool in 2000. Apparently, that was when Clear Channel took over. Since we lived in Hellertown, and could get good reception, WOR and WABC instantly became the stations that were on in our house. Here in Bethlehem, no such luck. Is is possible that the corporation is somehow encouraging or rewarding the squalor WAEB has become?

Thank God for FM radio...we love WDVR 90.5 FM out of Sergentsville,NJ and sometimes WDIY 88.10 here in Bethlehem.

Anonymous said...

The guest, WAEB, and Clear Channel risk law suits galore.

Anonymous said...

Bernie, is it really defamation if spoken words are factual and in print to be verifiable and redd? Pictures tell the Brown Hole Story, what a million words to print can never make nulified?

redd
patent pending

Anonymous said...

"remember when BGW choked his daughter out and caused bleeding around her neck in 2001??"

He never denied beating on his daughter. She withdrew her complaint after pressure and the police then dropped the charges. Walsh has influential friends including your buddy Dent. Doesn't change the fact that the badly bruised neck on his daughter didn't get that way on its own.

Speaks volumes to his character whether he used his pull to get her as job or not.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"He never denied beating on his daughter. She withdrew her complaint after pressure and the police then dropped the charges."

This is inaccurate. You are making the same mistake that Walsh and his guest make. These are distortions and outright lies. BGW NEVER spoke publicly about this matter. NEVER. He had no obligation to speak. Privately, I know for a fact that he denied it. The charges were not dropped by police, but were nolle prossed by the DA.

"Walsh has influential friends including your buddy Dent"

This is yet another lie. Walsh in fact detests Dent, who is too liberal for him, and rarely has him as a guest for that reason.

Bernie O'Hare said...

6:44, Walsh's guest stated the opposite of what in fact was learned. My rendition is the police rendition, and is accurate. The guest is making things up as he goes along, accusing someone of homicide without having evidence.

Washko certainly has a claim of defamation, too, against both Walsh and his guest.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"we love WDVR 90.5 FM out of Sergentsville,NJ and sometimes WDIY 88.10 here in Bethlehem."

I like WHYY out of Philly. More news and talk. Less music. Not a music fan.

Anonymous said...

Gunter and his "guest" both need to be shipped off somewhere.

Hank_Hill

Bernie O'Hare said...

Yeah, In addition to Jim Martin, both Washko and Gehringer have claims of defamation against Walsh and his guest. both have been falsely accused of homicide.

Bill said...

Someday this long sordid affair will end. Thanks for posting this one, Bernie and for avoiding the mud puddle and focusing on facts.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Bill, I notice that Walsh was much more cautious today than he was in previous shows. But he and his guest have already defamed Washko, Gehringer and Martin. Neither Washko nor Gehringer are public figures and only need to prove negligence to assert a successful libel or false light claim.

Anonymous said...

Walsh is a hate monger. He is a local disgrace. A reason why we are referred to as Pennsyltucky. if I go into a business and WAEB is on or there are advertisements for WAEBI leave and do not come back.

A few years ago a little league coach in Schuylkill County was prosecuted for having his pitcher purposely hit a batter. The coach did not think the batter should have been allowed to play. Walsh attempted to set up a remote broad cast to support the coach. The business owner in Tamaqua threw him off the property. Tamaqua has more class than the Lehigh Valley.

Anonymous said...

"Ain't no sunshine when she's gone"

Anonymous said...

I don't know if this guy is a drunk or not but that red face is a good sign.

Anonymous said...

You know, I am not fan of BGW (he's an idiot) or the blog mentor (he's a bit loopy) but Bernie O'Hare going out of his way to vehemently defend three atrocious drunks is a bit unsavory.

Bernie O'Hare said...

8:29 and 8:35 are obviously Gunther's guest. Note the attempt to justify lies and distortion bc these folks are drunks. Walsh and his guest have defamed these so-called drunks by claiming they are murderers. They have defamed these people and Jim Martin by falsely claiming he is crooked, corrupt, a drunk and a case-fixer who purposely goes easy on drunk drivers, even if they are killers, if they are attractive. That is an outrageous lie and I have pointed out why it is an outrageous lie. Walsh and his guest should be sued. Enough is enough.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Bernie O'Hare said...

I have deleted a defamatory comment, from Henry Schaadt, directed at Gunther. Schaadt is too afraid to Identify himself, but I will identify him. Schaadt is an ally of both Mezzacappa and Walsh's guest, and they both use him to troll this blog. I know WAEB is following this thread, and it should interest them to know that Henry Schaadt (he did live in the Easton area).is attempting to defame Walsh here.

Anonymous said...

9:20 - I posted at 8:35 and I am not the blog mentor. I'm just a normal guy who does not take kindly to drunk drivers and am not willing to give them a pass. There is absolutely NO excuse to drive drunk and then not face justice. I'm sorry that you think these people are "so-called" drunks when a scientific measure determined that they were indeed drunk. Why do you defend them? There is no defense. I drink but I sure as don't get behind the wheel when doing so.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I suspect you are the blog mentor bc he is famous for denying that he posts the comments he does. I do not defend the drunken driver nor do i suggest there should be no punishment. In fact, in the Gehringer case, she went to jail for a first offense with no ARD. Washko and Lauer are so-called drunks bc they have yet to plead to anything. in this country, we have something called a presumption of innocence. You might want to check into that one day.

What I find totally disgusting are a radio host and his guest who defame Jim Martin (corrupt, drunk, case-fixer) and who place people like Washko and gehringer in a false light by accusing them of homicide, with absolutely no factual basis whatsoever. they publishes a series of lies and outright distortions.

That is what should bother you. but you are Walsh's guest.

Anonymous said...

WEll, I won't be able to convince you that I am not the blog mentor. That's OK. I agree with most of what you say in this last post however I don't believe due process is needed if your blood alcohol level was over the legal limit AND you were involved in a motor vehicle crash. What exactly would youy plead innocent to? That the police set you up? Possible. I think all drunk drivers should get jail time on the first offense. Perhaps then people will actually take it seriously.

Bernie O'Hare said...

3:26, This blog first posted Monday. Only people with agendas, like the Blog Mentor, would be back now. First, let me clarify that this post is about defamation, not drunk driving. It is about a radio host and guest who told outrageous lies. They have called people murderers who are at worse drunk drivers. Second, this is still the United States of America. People are still presumed innocent and have the right to a fair impartial trial before their peers, with the assistance of a lawyer, before being called a criminal. Third, the fact that police accuse someone of having a high BAC does not mean it is so. There could be many reasons why that figure is wrong. Fourt, in just about every county in this state, nobody goes to jail the first time pulled over for DUI.They get ARD. If you think everyone should go to jail, then every DA in the state should be replaced. You are spouting nonsense that would send many people you admire to jail. But go ahead and do that.

Anonymous said...

Points taken.

But I don't care if people "I admire" go to jail. Drunk driving should not be condoned. ARD condones it by telling those convicted that there is no serious penalty. And if killing someone under the influence, no matter the circumstance, does not result in jail time, that is a bad thing. I wonder if one of those people were under the influence of a drug like heroin if the outcomes would still be ARD.

By the way, I revisit this thread because the comments and topic interest me.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I disagree. DUIs make up a large proportion of the criminal caseload. Invariably it is a person who made a mistake that night. Maybe he had one too many at a party. Maybe she is too thin for that extra glass of wine. It does not take a lot of booze to get to 0.08. Most of the time, the embarrassment of the arrest is punishment enough. These are not criminals, and most are never seen again. ARD is a special program designed precisely for this kind of nonviolent first offender. In the case of an accident involving a death, it is likely unavailable. But i see no reason why a DUI should be treated more harshly than someone caught with a small amount of weed or someone who shoplifts.

Anonymous said...

BGW is neither funny, relevant or interesting. In fact, he is boring. The endless commercials and promotions are more entertaining than him.

Almost as bad is his sidekick Dan Holzman. It is embarrassing and painstaking listening to him do the 'news' on there without stammering and stumbling over every other sentence. I have never heard him go through a newscast without messing up at least 2-3 times. That station is a joke.

Anonymous said...

A couple injured and a couple dead. No big deal