Welcome to the Boonies of Northampton County!!
If you want to blog about politics in the LV, you better have thick skin, especially if you're crazy enough to identify yourself. I found that out pretty quickly
the first time I slammed Norco council member Lamont McClure over a
Sunshine Act violation. Not only did he threaten me with libel - now a weekly occurrence - he also made sure everyone knew that I was a drunk lawyer who was suspended. Others made some vague hints about my sexual lifestyle and bathroom habits.
Holy canoli!
I put on a bold front at the time, but I have a confession to make. I was scared shitless. I had never been exposed that way before. And let's face it, I threw the first punch. I brought it on myself.
I was pretty much being shouted into oblivion when suddenly,
Morning Call reporter Paul Mushick pulled my ass out of the ringer.
Apparently, I had been right! Reporters get touchy when it comes to the
Sunshine Act. Mushick, in about three minutes, found violations I had missed myself.
Hooray for our team!
Things got worse for poor Lamont. The
Eye of Mordor, which is how Morning Call columnist and blogger
Bill White insists on being addressed these days, skewered McClure, concluding that
Lamont needs to learn "when to just shut up."
The big bad
Morning Call stuck up for the little guy, doing that
"comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable" thing. Suddenly, my readership had doubled.
Hooray for our team!
Lately, I've been mildly chiding
Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski. Once again, I've ruffled some feathers. The
Eye of Mordor decided to
write a column about it. My sitemeter shot up just like my blood pressure.
From the mayor's comments, it's pretty clear that even he reads this blog. Thanks, Ed! Do me a favor and put in a good word with a few of your friends.
And here's how things work out here in the Blogistan boonies. When hits on one blog increase, they go up on others as well. So it makes little sense to unload those zingers at me on my blog because at least two other blogs are writing much the same thing.
We're like weeds.
According to Mayor Ed, I have no right to write about Allentown.
"Where does [O'Hare] live, in the boonies of Northampton County? Like he really cares about downtown Allentown." He's got me there. I don't live in Allentown. But then again, neither does Bill White or Glenn Kranzley.
They live in the boonies, too. (I was once arrested outside the Kranzley Estate for stealing scrapple. But I had a good lawyer. Not me.)
We folks in the boonies do care about Allentown. We are concerned it is both unsafe and falling apart. But we really are responsible for helping the Queen City succeed. Many of us abandoned her for the 'burbs. That's why Lehigh County residents will shell out up to $1 million in funding for community police. So Ed, you really should listen to us as much as you listen to the players who fill your campaign coffers.
Is it so hard to listen?
Pawlowski also implies I've succumbed to the charms of fellow blogger
Michael Molovinsky. Dude, Molovinsky is
Transylvanian and I noticed long ago that he has no reflection in a mirror. I always wear garlic in his presence. I even carry a few wooden stakes.
Incidentally, I'm also friendly with Allentown council members
Tony Phillips,
Jeanette Eichenwald and
Michael Donovan. They have all demonstrated a sincere concern for Allentown's working poor. They all recognize Allentown's very real crime problem. They listen.
Is it so wrong to listen?
But Mayor Pawlowski, if it makes you happy, I'll move to Allentown. Northampton County Council would spend its entire contingency fund just to get rid of me. If that's not enough, I'm sure
Nazareth Mayor Earl Keller will make up the difference out of his own pocket.
Maybe we could even go to dinner together. I'll buy, and you can cover the tip.
If you want to blog about politics in the LV, you better have thick skin, especially if you're crazy enough to identify yourself. I found that out pretty quickly the first time I slammed Norco council member Lamont McClure over a Sunshine Act violation. Not only did he threaten me with libel - now a weekly occurrence - he also made sure everyone knew that I was a drunk lawyer who was suspended. Others made some vague hints about my sexual lifestyle and bathroom habits.
Bernie: Don't feel bad for not living in Allentown. Roughly 90% of Ed Pawlowski's campaign donations came from outside Allentown. In fact as much as 70% of his campaign donations came from outside the Lehigh Valley. Funny how the $$$ he took from Howard Dean, from the boonies of Vermont.
ReplyDeleteThe mayor just opened himself up to be served a supersize serving of hypocrisy. What does some guy from Nazareth know? Apparently he has talked to local merchants more often than the mayor and his staff.
ReplyDeletePeople are buying goodbye Bush Calendars, I think we need "Goodbye Ed Pawlowski calendars
Re: "The big bad Morning Call stuck up for the little guy, doing that "comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable" thing."
ReplyDeleteBernie, I'm not so sure this was The Morning Call's motive when they defended you on the Lamont McClure thing. It could have been just opportunism, i.e., they saw an op to stir things up and sell more "newspapers." Same thing yesterday with Bill White's column defending Mayor Pawlowski. Slap Bernie down this time because it will stir things up more than defending you would. It's totally amoral and has nothing to do with fairness or even getting the facts of the story right, in my opinion. And personal experience. This M.O. also fits in with new Tribune (and Morning Call) owner Sam Zell's marching orders to the troops: "give the readers what they want that generates more revenue for us." Had there been a puppy in distress somewhere yesterday, I guarantee you that neither you nor Mayor Pawlowski would have been able to attract The Morning Call's attention.
If it's any consolation, I got slapped down in yesterday's Morning Call too. After commenting at your blog the day before about DA Jim Martin's past run-ins with then Mayor Afflerbach and Police
Chief Kuhns and Martin's current crusade against Judge Steinberg where I noted that "possibly our DA Jim Martin just doesn't play well with others," The Morning Call blew Jimbo a nice wet pre-Valentine's Day kiss by running a large page 2 photo of Jim Martin with Don Cunningham laughing it up like blood brothers at the Hogan's Club and thus disproving my theory. Very clever these MC folks. Don't ever trust them.
Bill,
ReplyDeleteI don't view Bill's column is a defense of Mayor Pawlowski. It got some of the recent criticisms out there. To be honest, the mayor looks a tad foolish. If I look foolish, then White is merely being accurate.
As far as the Lamont story is concerned, don't you think it's possible that the paper occasionally does the right thing? I understand your criticism of many of its editorial policies, but I know many of the people who work there and they are good and honorable people who have ethics.
Is everyone at that paper evil? Think about it.
They really do take the Sunshine Act and Right to Know law very seriously.
Bernie, let's agree to disagree on our respective perceptions of The Morning Call, its good people, and their ethics. We all have had our own personal experiences with them. If you had mine, you might feel as strongly negative towards them as I do. Conversely, I respect your right to perceive them as you do, based on your personal experiences with them.
ReplyDeleteThose are my uncles (and brothers) in that picture. We're from Allentown, thank you very much.
ReplyDeleteBill, If I had experienced what you had experienced, I don't know that I could be doing anything.
ReplyDeleteThose are my uncles (and brothers) in that picture. We're from Allentown, thank you very much.
ReplyDeleteA joke from Hayshaker? And a self-deprecating one at that? I must have taken Thursday's pills today.
"Bill, If I had experienced what you had experienced, I don't know that I could be doing anything."
ReplyDeleteYep. And don't forget, you're not banned from entering The Morning Call's building for raising "excellent questions that deserve to be answered," (investigations editor Tim Darragh's words) on a recent DUI homicide case that fell apart the night before trial.
In my opinion, "good honorable people with ethics" would grant a grieving father's request to have an in-person meeting with them on this topic.
I hope we can agree on this.
We agree. The MC gods should agree to meet you.
ReplyDeleteAs for whether I would be arrested, I don't know. I'm from the boonies and might take a whole day to find the place. It's on east side, right?
"We agree. The MC gods should agree to meet you." -Bernie O'Hare
ReplyDeleteNeat. Thanks. Specifically, managing editor god Dave Erdman. Tell you what, I'll try again today to book a meeting with Dave Erdman and will report back to you. And for those keeping score at home, this will be I believe my 39th polite request for a meeting with Dave Erdman since late September '07 ... film at eleven ... and it could be me in handcuffs (but holding a puppy) stay tuned ...
" ... for those keeping score at home, this will be I believe my 39th polite request for a meeting with Dave Erdman since late September '07 ..."
ReplyDeleteFirst they ignore you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they fight you.
Then you win. -Gandhi
Mr. Erdman, would you have some time to meet with me on Monday, February 18? Or another day next week? Or the week after that? I'm flexible.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to discuss my "excellent questions that deserve to be answered" (Morning Call Investigations Editor Tim Darragh's words) regarding a recent DUI homicide case that fell apart the night before trial to the amazingly good fortune benefit of the homicidal drunk driver criminal defendant-- i.e., he'll serve 18 months in county jail instead of the 3 to 6 years in a state penitentiary that is our state's mandatory minimum sentence for the crime he committed. And this was one, terrific, sticks out like a sore thumb 11th hour deal when considering that this particular criminal defendant had scored a 2nd DUI after committing vehicular homicide while DUI.
Although you've told me in an e-mail dated 1/15/08 that The Morning Call has thoroughly investigated my "excellent questions that deserve to be answered," I know this isn't true, because I know The Morning Call did not interview one of the major players in this behind the scenes investigation-- a local political blogger who interviewed the judge in this case.
As you know, what this judge told the political blogger had happened with DA Jim Martin's case the night before trial was a totally different story from what DA Jim Martin's office told the victim's family had happened to their case.
So it looks like DA Jim Martin's office may have lied to the judge, lied to the victim's family, and lied about Lehigh Valley Hospital's blood evidence, the night before trial.
Mr. Erdman, since the "excellent questions" you've allegedly "investigated thoroughly" were my excellent questions, I'd like to know the answers you've received from the relevant parties that you're so thoroughly satisfied with.
And while I understand (via an e-mail from Tribune NYC attorney Kay Murray) that The Morning Call is under no obligation to tell me anything, I ask that you do tell me what you know ... and I ask this as a grieving father who has valid reasons to believe that DA Jim Martin prosecuted the homicidal drunk driver who killed my daughter Sheena equally as unenthusiastically as he prosecuted this more recent DUI homicide defendant.
You see, I believe there's a demonstrable pattern here.
As I've stated to you in my previous 39 polite requests for a meeting with you, if I'm wrong about DA Jim Martin having "fixed" this recent DUI homicide case that's unrelated to my daughter's case (except in its parallel ease of outcome for both criminal defendants), please help me to see where I'm wrong and I swear on my daughter Sheena's ashes that I'll apologize to you and your Morning Call colleagues for my persistence and I'll never ask you for a meeting on this topic again.
Thank you as always for your consideration.
Best Regards,
Sheena's Dad, Bill Villa
Nice picture of Joe Long and lamont McClure as kids. Plastic surgery has come a lomg way, hasn't it?!LOL
ReplyDeleteHi Bernie -
ReplyDeleteAs an Allentown resident, I am glad you are bringing up issues related to our town. Please continue to share your whit and sarcasm. I would offer $10 to the Move Bernie to Allentown fund, but we need to talk if you are going to continue to take Scrapple. That is a serious offense around these parts.
Bernie,
ReplyDeleteThe Mayor must have a handbook about how to deal with critics.
Hmm.... Democrat critic?.... non-resident? Oh, he has no right to talk about Allentown because he doesn't even live here.
Hmm... resident critic?.... Different political party?.... Oh, they have no right to talk about Allentown because they are just being partisan.
Hmm... resident critic?.... Same party?..... Oh, they have no right to talk, must be ridiculed in the public and within the Allentown Democrat Party, and they must be destroyed at the earliest election cycle possible.
Ever notice he discredits the messengers and NEVER deals with the questions?
I believe Bill made that pretty clear. One could just as easily say, "Ed is a carpetbagger from Chicago. What does he care about A-town?" He looked a little silly.
ReplyDeleteBernie, I see that you understand what i meant when I wrote that Ed P had to get past his Midwestern stubborn streak. He has lived here less than 7 years, you have lived here all your life. And he's calling you a carpetbagger? Pot, meet kettle.
ReplyDelete