tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post6912400898080739730..comments2024-03-28T19:03:28.661-04:00Comments on Lehigh Valley Ramblings: Pay-to-Play Making Bethlehem InroadsBernie O'Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-83327672067785567272015-10-24T01:54:04.452-04:002015-10-24T01:54:04.452-04:00Not necessarily. You can limit contributions like ...Not necessarily. You can limit contributions like 39 other states/Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-61814141259444954272015-10-24T01:49:37.080-04:002015-10-24T01:49:37.080-04:00Without pay to play laws defining exactly what is ...Without pay to play laws defining exactly what is permissible and what is not, makes pay to play activities ambiguous. <br /><br />Lets say a developer says to an elected official, if you vote approval of this ordinance I will contribute X dollars to your campaign, politician agrees and votes for the ordinance - definitely Pay to Play.<br /><br />Now said developer gives money to an elected official, maybe talks about the bright future the community has and hopes to be part of it. An ordinance comes up that is favorable to that developer and the elected official votes in the interests of the developer - not Pay to Play.<br /><br />Why would a developer give the money in the second case? The elected official may have shown support for the type of issues in the past that would have positively affected his type of business. Is this pay to play? Absolutely not. Just because the elected will generally side with a developer does not make that person in the developer's backpocket, that person may genuinely believe that development is the best course for the community.<br /><br />We have a system where money is needed to win elections. If we want to have no question of the ethics of our electeds we have to publicly finance elections. Until then it is the system we have to live with.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-88211451227194228742015-10-20T15:54:40.195-04:002015-10-20T15:54:40.195-04:00That's a "we v. them" mindset. It is...That's a "we v. them" mindset. It is that kind of thinking that leads to most of the prejudices that exist today. Alan is better than this. Pawlowski is not. Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-15892743487329137282015-10-20T15:48:19.306-04:002015-10-20T15:48:19.306-04:00Alan Jennings stated on TV that none of this would...Alan Jennings stated on TV that none of this would be a problem if all the Lehigh Valley municipalities shared their wealth with the cities. He claimed that small minded suburbanites are creating this mess.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-12688677315298513332015-10-20T14:40:43.336-04:002015-10-20T14:40:43.336-04:00Ray is perfect.
A MOR nice guy who won't rock ...Ray is perfect.<br />A MOR nice guy who won't rock the boat .....not even a little bit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-4443572135337345232015-10-20T13:02:30.615-04:002015-10-20T13:02:30.615-04:00"I think the mayor will have resigned by Dece..."I think the mayor will have resigned by December 31 because that's when Haddad will plead guilty and his sentence will largely be determined by how much incriminating evidence on Pawlowski and others he can supply by that date."<br /><br />Someone I talked to recently who is in the Mayor's inner circle, says he expects a guilty plea to a lesser charge and a resignation done in a way that is being orchestrated to allow Council President Ray O'Connell to become Mayor.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-5395512369319536882015-10-20T09:34:14.574-04:002015-10-20T09:34:14.574-04:00"There is no listed amounts for the opposing ...<em>"There is no listed amounts for the opposing side? How much money was donated to the candidates from the merchants on Main St. (The Apollo Grill owners, The Hotel Bethlehem Owners etc. ) and how much money did the merchants of Main St. (The Apollo Grill owners, The Hotel Bethlehem Owners. etc.) make off of functions at their businesses? I know for a fact that Haines held a fundraiser for Donchez at the Hotel B that made tens of thousands of dollars!!!! To be fair, Let the light shine on both sides of the argument!"</em><br /><br />Practically no money is donated by the merchants. $100 here and there from one or two. Of course the merchants make money from events hosted at their venues. They are in business. That is why it is called business. Trying to make this kind of argument is really dishonest if you havelooked at those expense reports. Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-16968092072256186192015-10-20T09:27:26.289-04:002015-10-20T09:27:26.289-04:007:44, Keep telling yourself that. There are alread...7:44, Keep telling yourself that. There are already two criminal informations.Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-88227196175538705732015-10-20T09:24:50.724-04:002015-10-20T09:24:50.724-04:00"have you reached out to new member Martell f...<em>"have you reached out to new member Martell for comment? what is his take on this?"</em><br /><br />I have not. His campaign expense reports speak volumes to me. Had I resided in Bethlehem, i would have voted for him, but I am very unimpressed by the way he raises money. My guess us that he supports the rezoning at Martin Tower. Money speaks. Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-7953758114114172702015-10-20T09:17:57.131-04:002015-10-20T09:17:57.131-04:00Thanks. He sure seems insecure. Thanks. He sure seems insecure. Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-7534446720582900752015-10-20T08:21:26.441-04:002015-10-20T08:21:26.441-04:00" I did not include John Gallagher, a Harrisb..." I did not include John Gallagher, a Harrisburg attorney who plays Santa Claus to nearly everyone."<br /><br />He has nothing to do with the CRIZ. He is the PUC attorney for the City.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-6374500212757175332015-10-20T08:10:02.836-04:002015-10-20T08:10:02.836-04:00Bernie,
There is no listed amounts for the oppo...Bernie, <br /> There is no listed amounts for the opposing side? How much money was donated to the candidates from the merchants on Main St. (The Apollo Grill owners, The Hotel Bethlehem Owners etc. ) and how much money did the merchants of Main St. (The Apollo Grill owners, The Hotel Bethlehem Owners. etc.) make off of functions at their businesses? I know for a fact that Haines held a fundraiser for Donchez at the Hotel B that made tens of thousands of dollars!!!! To be fair, Let the light shine on both sides of the argument!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-54611411013470821732015-10-20T08:01:21.270-04:002015-10-20T08:01:21.270-04:00so it appears that Dudley do right donchez could b...so it appears that Dudley do right donchez could be on the take. Based on the lack of results of his asleep at the wheel so called administration he's not earning his keep. What significant progress has been made in the city since 1 January 2014? How many full I time jobs have been secured? Oh, wait some fortunate folk have gotten smoke detectors.<br /><br />The donors should ask for their money back and the citizens should demand action.Maggie Mae Masonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-57410381342545141322015-10-20T07:58:43.568-04:002015-10-20T07:58:43.568-04:00Tge FBI and the grand jury will move when the time...Tge FBI and the grand jury will move when the time is ripe. It may surprise people to know that the FBI is vigourously pursuing pay to play cases all over the country for the first time in our history. I believe what is going on now is extended discussions between DOJ and prospective defendants to see who will cut a deal and who will be left standing when the music stops. I think the mayor will have resigned by December 31 because that's when Haddad will plead guilty and his sentence will largely be determined by how much incriminating evidence on Pawlowski and others he can supply by that date.<br /><br />Robert Trotnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09125814026822005564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-35239740748083312092015-10-20T07:44:15.164-04:002015-10-20T07:44:15.164-04:00I'm starting to think that the Allentown FBI i...I'm starting to think that the Allentown FBI investigation is a mix between the Milton Street investigation and the Luke Ravenstahl investigation. In the Milton Street case it was he who got in trouble and not the Mayor. I would consider Mike Fleck the Milton Street in this case. The FBI also investigated Luke Ravenstahl, former Pittsburgh mayor, for years, chasing him out of office however they never charged him with a crime. <br />FBI just keeps adding names to a list........REALLY?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-54918582298348246472015-10-20T05:10:11.008-04:002015-10-20T05:10:11.008-04:00Bernie,
have you reached out to new member Martel...Bernie,<br /><br />have you reached out to new member Martell for comment? what is his take on this?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-61547262775310474132015-10-20T00:41:54.735-04:002015-10-20T00:41:54.735-04:00I purposely kept the figures low by not including ...I purposely kept the figures low by not including contributions from most law firms, most of whom are almost certainly connected to these developers. I did include Boyle. I did not include John Gallagher, a Harrisburg attorney who plays Santa Claus to nearly everyone. I did not include contributions to John Callahan, who was running for County office, but did include his contribution to his brother bc his own campaign warchest was full of contributions from these developers and their associates. I also included contributions from the trade unions. Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-32136474883690209012015-10-20T00:32:38.525-04:002015-10-20T00:32:38.525-04:00Bernie. Your figures are off. I believe donchez is...Bernie. Your figures are off. I believe donchez is closer to 50% once you consider Boyle is building 3rd street and and the lobbyist who rep companies who benefit. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-23435797105063891412015-10-20T00:23:16.555-04:002015-10-20T00:23:16.555-04:00Bethlehem posts its finance reports. Bethlehem posts its finance reports. Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-19234843205996945762015-10-20T00:15:45.293-04:002015-10-20T00:15:45.293-04:00This is why those campaign reports need to be on l...This is why those campaign reports need to be on line. If Lehigh County can do it , certainly Northampton can. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com