Now That Trump Has Changed Course on ICE, Perhaps His Supporters Should, Too

In response to yet another ICE killing in Minneapolis, this time involving an ICU nurse who was shot in the back, President Donald Trump appears to have recognized that sweeping raids by untrained and masked agents wearing tactical gear are bound to backfire. Stopping someone and demanding proof of citizenship simply because he looks or sounds different is repulsive to freedom-loving Americans. Grabbing 5 year-old kids on their way home from preschool is third-world, something I'd expect to see in North Korea, not Minnesota. Yanking a disabled American citizen out of her car when she is on her way to see her doctor and what we see in a police state. Trump has finally made nice with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and has shuffled ICE boss Greg Bovino back to California, along with numerous of his shoot-first agents with him. Bovino has been replaced by Tom Homan, who favors the Obama approach to illegals as opposed to ICE Barbie's repressive tactics. So those of you who attempted to justify the blatant violations of our Constitution in comments on this blog, perhaps it's time for you to re-evaluate.  I'll agree that illegal immigration was getting out of hand and something had to be done. Perhaps it's time for you to agree that the approach taken by Kristi Noem, who actually bragged about shooting her dog, is completely in-American.   

The Nadeem Qayyum Smear

Nadeem Qayyum was swept into Northampton County Council in November's election. He finished fifth in the race for five at-large seats, with 45,000 votes. It was a blue wave in which every Democrat running for county office won. Though Qayyum finished fifth, he still beat the highest Republican candidate (Sam Elias) by nearly 10,000 votes. It was an outcome that few expected. But as my father told a reporter when he lost a DA's race to Charlie Spaziani, "The people have spoken. ... Fuck 'em!"

To put it mildly, I am leery of Qayyum, a Pakistani immigrant whose understanding of English has been very limited in the conversations I've had with him. Over the past two years, he's been the subject of eight incident reports from Easton police. He was investigated for possible witness intimidation when his wife, the infamous Taiba Sultana, was facing assault charges for domestic violence against her adult son. During his county campaign, he was focused on state issues like the minimum wage, which have nothing to do with county government. 

He missed County Council's first Personnel Committee meeting. That's when Matt Deschler was interviewed as County Council's successor to Chris Spadoni as County Council Solicitor. Deschler was peppered with numerous questions about whether his other roles as a Bethlehem assistant solicitor or as the East Bangor Solicitor presented a potential conflict. He explained that the likelihood of such an occurrence is remote. 

The very next night, when County Council was poised to vote on Deschler's appointment, Qayyum suddenly had the same questions. Because his understanding of English is clearly limited (watch the video), he read a number of questions written in advance. They all related to potential conflicts, and I'm unclear whether he understood a word in each response because he kept asking the same questions. After wasting everyone's time with questions that had been asked and answered the day before, Qayyum voted to support Deschler. 

Based on my limited observations, I'd conclude that Qayyum will be a poor member of County Council. But that is no justification for the smear campaign being orchestrated against him. For weeks, I have been receiving anonymous comments claiming that Qayyum wants to use his wife as his interpreter at Council meetings. Yesterday, I received a text from someone claiming that he had heard from a third party that Qayyum had actually approached a judge for permission to use his wife in that capacity. 

This rumor is completely false and is a designed smear against Qayyum. County Council President Ken Kraft told me that Qayyum has never approached him to ask to use Taiba Sultana as his interpreter. County Executive Tara Zrinski said she has not been approached, but said there are earbud translators out there. I also asked former Exec Lamont McClure, and he doesn't think Qayyum approached him. Finally, President Judge Craig Dally affirms that no judge has been approached. He adds there are co court filings about this topic. 

Basically, parties unknown are running a smear campaign against Qayyum to diminish him before he has even had a chance to get his feet wet. This could be because he's Muslim or Pakistani or Taiba Sultana's husband or a Democratic Socialist. Whatever the reason, it's an ugly falsehood designed to reduce his effectiveness. 

Let him screw up on his own. He needs no help from anyone. He might even surprise us. 

Politicians Exploit ICE Homicide to Raise Funds 24 Hours After His Death

On Saturday, an ICU nurse who was participating in anti-ICE activity was shot and killed by a Border Patrol agents that have turned Minneapolis into a war zone. Without question, Alex Pretti was armed. If you want to make cops nervous, that's the way to do it, even if you have a valid permit. At this point, there's no evidence that Pretti was brandishing his weapon, as Kristi Noem falsely claimed, or that he was intended to "massacre law enforcement," as Border Patrol czar Greg Bovino has stated. In fact, Pretti's gun was removed from a holster by an ICE agent before our masked police opened up and poured 9 or 10 bullets into him. 

Without question, this homicide is yet another tragedy inflicted by poorly trained cowboys who, once again, initially refused to allow a physician to render aid. We've been asked to believe that this was a justifiable homicide by officers who were defending themselves from a domestic terrorist. Like Renee Good. Or a disabled American citizen on her way to her doctor when she was yanked from her car. Or detaining a 5 yo boy on his way home from pre-school. I'm sure they were domestic terrorists, too. Ironically, the same people who vehemently protested about being asked to wear masks during a pandemic see nothing wrong with secret police that is stepping all over our basic fourth and fifth amendment rights. 

I've written several times that ICE is totally out of control and needs to refocus its entire strategy. But what I also hate is to see grubby politicians who lack the basic decency to wait until Pretti is buried before exploiting his death and trying to cash in. I'll give you three examples.

First, a PAC with ties to Kamala Harris began exploiting Pretti's death just hours after he was shot. "Alex Pretti is the limit," pontificated Democratic Youth Wave PAC, hitting people up for $50.

Second, Bernie Sanders exploited Pretti's death in a bombastic email today soliciting money for candidates in Minnesota. He only wants $27.

Finally, and close to him, Taiba Sultana sent a blast email to potential contributors on Sunday under the subject "ICE IS KILLING CEVILIANS [sic]". She announces "Another American Killed by Immigration Enforcement," tries to pin the blame on State Senator Lisa Boscola and then asks you to send her "$150 $250 $550 $1000 or any amount [that] helps us organize, reach voters, and prove that conscience still has a place in politics."

My conscience tells me that you don't exploit the murder of a fellow human being 24 hours after his death.

She finishes her email with "Because Pennsylvanian[sic] deserve better.

You certainly deserve someone better than Sultana in Harrisburg.

NorCo's Gracedale Nursing Home Will Need County Contribution for 2025

In late November, former NorCo Council mewmber John Brown predicted that Gracedale, the county-owned nursing home, would require a contribution of $10-15 million from the general fund to balance its books for last year. Was he right? Well, at Thursday evening's County Council meeting, Executive Tara Zrinski conceded that a county contribution would be needed.

Zrinski was presenting a detailed report on the county, department-by-department. When it came to Gracedale, she stated that the county is "working" on eight new hires to reduce dependence on expensive nursing provided by outside agencies.

She went on to say that "we've actually showed some real fiscal progress in so far as the medical aid pending Medicare [I think she means Medicare and Medicaid], pending dollars, is almost double the anticipated reimbursement for Medicaid. So that means the annual loss, and whatever we have to make for a county contribution, is half of what we expected."

Nobody asked her what that annual loss actually is.

The County's proposed 2026 budget (the adopted budget has yet to be posted online) anticipates about $105 million in revenue this year from property taxes. A shortfall at the home would be paid from the revenue generated by property taxes.

The census at Gracedale was recently below the 520 it needs to be in order to brake even.

CPA Selected as NorCo's New Controller

For the first time since the inception of Home Rule, Northampton County's Controller is a certified public accountant. Timothy A Brezinski, who resides in Hanover Tp and is the Controller of Comprehensive Pain Center in Allentown, was chosen in the first round of voting for four applicants. Voting for him were Council President Ken Kraft and Council members Jeff Warren, Kelly Keegan, Jason Boulette and Theresa Fadem. Brezinski fills the vacancy created when Tara Zrinski resigned from that office to assume her new role as county executive. The vote was conducted after public interviews of all four candidates.

The salary for this position is $85,0000. 

Of the remaining three candidates, former NorCo Council member John Cusick, who lost the Controller election to Zrinski, received votes from Lori Vargo Heffner, Dave Dolland and Tom Giovanni. During his tenure on County Council, Cusick displayed a deep understanding of both the Home Rule Charter and county finance. But he's a Republican and would be filling an elected position previously held by a Democrat. Though the Home Rule Charter is silent on this point, several Council members in the past, notably Kraft, have maintained that vacancies should be filled by a person who belongs to the same party as the person who resigned. 

A third candidate, Leo Atkinson, is heavily involved in the Lehigh Valley Democratic Socialists of America, He received one vote from Nadeem Qayyum, who also is involved in that organization. Atkinson was Executive Zrinski's campaign treasurer. 

A fourth applicant, controls engineer and farmer Thomas Frumpkin, received no votes. 

Brezinsky is a 1983 graduate of St. Bonaventure University. He has extensive experience with audits in both the public and private sector. For some strange reason, he is passionate about accounting. He complimented the staff in the Controller's office as "very professional," and told Council he has reviewed the audits they post online. He added that they came through a peer review with "glowing colors" just last year. 

He said he especially likes to do sewage authority audits, so he's perfect for Northampton County. 

NorCo Council Votes Unanimously To Appoint Matt Deschler as its New Solicitor

I told you yesterday that NorCo Council interviewed Matt Deschler to take over for Chris Spadoni, who is stepping down to open an Italian bakery in Greenland. Deschler went through the ringer and was peppered with numerous questions despite being a superbly qualified attorney. Strangely, at last night's Council meeting, he had to run the gauntlet again, answering pretty much the same questions posed the previous day. I would have changed my answers to throw them off. All's well that ends well. He received the appointment and votes of all nine Council members. 

NorCo New Exec, Tara Zrinksi, Updates NorC's New County Council on What the County is Doing

In her first report as NorCo's new Executive, Tara Zrinski provided NorCo's new County Council with an exhaustive report about just what is going on. Instead of pious platitudes, she hammered away with fact after fact about just what the county is doing. Here's a summary. 

Administration

• Election preparations are underway for this year's midterms.

• Letters are going out to permanent mail‑in voters to confirm their preferences. (People like me, who prefers to vote by mail, will get one.)

• Precinct redistricting in progress, with expansions in high‑growth areas and consolidations in low‑population boroughs. (Lower Nazareth will be expanding.

• Nomination Petitions for the 2026 primary can circulate on February 17.

Emergency Management / 911

• P25 radio system installation progressing.

• Director Todd Weaver is retiring, and the county is looking for a new permanent director.

  Risk Management

• Monitoring open and pending claims against the county

• Completed liability insurance application with County Commr's Ass'n of Pa (CCAP, not to be confused with CCP).

Human Resources

• Supports onboarding of new employees as well as benefits, leave and pensions.

• Recently conducted testing and interviews for deputy sheriffs, 911 telecom, and corrections officers.

Human Services

• Developmental Programs: 20th anniversary event on March 25.

• Aging: Outstanding Senior Award ceremony on April 23.

• Drug & Alcohol: Narcan trainings scheduled throughout 2026.

• Veterans Affairs: Implementing a new suicide‑risk assessment tool in 2026.

• Gracedale: Hiring efforts underway; reducing reliance on agency nurses; improved Medicaid reimbursement outlook.

Community & Economic Development

• Issuing FY 2026 grants across multiple programs.

• Preparing for grant workshops.

• Planning for First Day event and county festival.

• Advancing affordable housing projects and digital literacy initiatives.

Fiscal Affairs

• Closing 2025 books by February.

• W‑2s distributed.

• 2026 tax bills mailed.

• Streamlining procurement and reducing P‑card usage.

Corrections

• Current population: 470 inmates.

• 19 correctional officer vacancies; new academy begins Feb. 16.

• Passed all state inspection requirements; compliant through 2027.

• Facility upgrades ongoing; strong partnership with PrimeCare for addiction treatment.

Public Works

• Government Center parking deck demolition planned for summer; 12–18 month rebuild.

• Bridge #15 replacement nearly complete; paving to resume in spring.

• Parks & Recreation preparing annual report and updating key planning documents.

• Facilities preparing for winter storm operations; nurses at Gracedale planning overnight stays.

Court Services

• Increase in probate estates and marriage licenses (Valentine’s Day).

• Archives retrieved an 1872 document found in an office drawer.

• Space constraints across courthouse offices; exploring options but no easy solutions.

Criminal & Civil Divisions

• Managing year‑end financials, staffing transitions, and process improvements.

Sheriff’s Office

• Continuing security, transport, and licensing duties. Extremely helpful to Zrinski as she toured county offices.

• Preparing for collective bargaining negotiations.

Coroner’s Office

• High caseload; three autopsies pending.

• New optional CT‑scan program for non‑forensic cases being finalized.

NorCo Council Asks Tough Questions in First Committee Meetings

 I'd be tempted to believe that NorCo Exec Tara Zrinski would have an easy time with NorCo Council. After November's election, there's only one Republican left. But after yesterday's Personnel and Finance Committee meetings, I'd say that Zrinski is going to have to do a good job of justifying what she wants to do or she's going to run into trouble. Yesterday, she presented a proposal to switch around two of the political appointments allotted to the Executive branch for a communications director and an inmate re-entry specialist. Council was confused because she failed to make clear at the onset that these are political appointments permitted under the Home Rule Charter. 

Zrinski was also peppered with questions about whether there was money in the budget for these appointments (Dave Holland) and was asked for detailed descriptions of the jobs (Jason Boulette). 

County Council was respectful and it's clear they want her to succeed. But they are providing oversight instead of a rubber stamp.

And that's a positive sign.  

 

Matt Deschler Considered as NorCo Council's New Solicitor

A life-long Bethlehemite and well-respected attorney is under consideration as Northampton County Council's new Solicitor. Matt Deschler, a Liberty High and University of Pa grad, was interviewed by Council's Personnel Committee yesterday afternoon. Council will vote on his appointment tonight. 

Deschler, currently a partner at a Bethlehem law firm, is a 2011 magna cum laude grad of Temple Law School who started his legal career as a Clerk to former Judge Tony Beltrami. He has an extensive municipal law practice. He has been an Assistant Solicitor in Bethlehem since 2014, is Borough Solicitor in East Bangor, alternate zoning Solicitor in Salisbury Tp and zoning Solicitor in Hanover Tp. 

This involvement with these municipalities led Council member Dave Holland to ask Deschler whether he might be conflicted at times. "I don't foresee many issues," responded Deschler. His municipal work appears to be focused on land use matters, with which county government has no involvement. He agreed that some instances of a possible conflict may arise but suggested approaching it on a "case-by-case" basis. 

Under the Home Rule Charter, the County Solicitor is prohibited from serving in any other municipality, but there is no such bar for County Council Solicitors. 

If appointed, Deschler's salary will be $72,580 per annum. It is a part-time position for someone who will give it a full-time effort. I have often seen him doing legal research in the law library. Chris Spadoni, his predecessor, told me, "That's cheating."