Local Government TV

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Pawlowski Values Votes More Than Public Safety

Back in 2008, Tatamy resident Nancy DiFrancesca was part of an eleven-person drug ring arrested for selling drugs that included methamphetamine, cocaine, hallucinogenic mushrooms, marijuana and Ecstasy. She was even charged with endangering her own children. In December of that year, she was sentenced on reduced charges to a maximum of twelve months in the slammer.

You'll be pleased to know that DiFrancesca is one of the 76 people that Allentown Mayor Edwin Pawlowski reports having paid $100 on election day to visit Allentown neighborhoods, replacing her drug paraphanelia for campaign literature.

DiFrancesca is just one of several people with shady backgrounds that Pawlowski claims, in his amended post election report, to have paid between $100 and $200 to visit Allentown homes on election day. In addition to people who obviously have drug and alcohol problems, Pawlowski reports having sent people who've been charged with theft, criminal mischief and defiant trespass. One of them was charged with robbery, although those charges were later withdrawn. Another was wanted for escape at the very time that he may have been knocking on your door.

Kinda' makes you wonder whether these folks were really distributing campaign literature or casing your joint.

These 76 trombones come from all over the place, from Tamaqua to Brockton to Bath to Bethlehem. But what really hit me were the five names from Easton. One of these Eastonians lived at Lafayette Hotel, a known dive and the other four reportedly lived at Easton's homeless shelter, Safe Harbor.

I spoke with Safe Harbor caseworker Tyler Rogers, who initially told me he had no recollection of anyone working on election day. But when I mentioned the names, he did recall that residents Anthony Finelli, Damien Robinson, Timothy Cumer and William Owens were part of a four-man crew that did go out to distibute some kind of literature somewhere.

Of this crew, only William Owens still resides at Safe Harbor. Robinson has moved to Las Vegas, Cumer has had a drug relapse and Finelli is only seen sporadically. Rogers put me in touch with Owens.

Claiming to be a freind of Pawlowski campaign manager Michael Fleck, Owens tells me he did go to Allentown on election day for the Pawlowski campaign. He knocked on doors, helped people get to the polls. He claims Fleck paid him $100, in cash, at the end of the day, and that he has worked for Fleck before.

"I was cut right out for this," he told me.

Asked whether he was a registered voter, he told me he's registered in Allentown, where he voted for Pawlowski.

"But don't you live in Easton?"

"Yeah, but I'll vote anywhere."

It's nice to know that Easton's homeless helped elect Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski.

I've spoken to a political consultant who tells me Pawlowski uses SEIU "volunteers" on election day to get out the vote, although they are actually paid by the union. Allentown's Bob Romancheck spotted their tent at Walnut Street. Given this heavy union effort, I'm told there should be no need to risk what could happen by hiring the people Fleck used, many of whom have disturbing recent pasts.

Interestingly, Pawlowski's post election finance report fails to show this union support or the payments made to SEIU "volunteers" as an in-kind from the union.

What his report does show is a reckless disregard for the public safety of Allentown citizens. People like the ones I describe below were sent into your neighborhoods and among your children. I've omitted common names like Maria Rodriguez and Rose Martinez, and decided to ignore the traffic offenses on file against most of the people listed. I never looked up the people from Brockton or Tamaqua, or the two people who have no address at all. But what I found reflects an arrogant disregard for your personal security. If Pawlowski's report is to be believed, these people were actually paid to visit your homes.

Melissa Bieber (zip code is 18102)
- Charged in 2007 with robbery, assault and related offenses. She somehow ended up on ARD.

Timothy Cumer:
- Has not responded to 2008 charge of public drunkenness.
- 2008 guilty plea to driving under suspension.

Nancy DiFrancesca: - 2008 charges for conspiracy to manufacture and deliver drugs, and for endangering the welfare of a child. Fresh out of jail, showwas pounding on your doors.

Anthony Fanelli:
- Guilty Plea on 11/9/09 to public drunkenness.
- Found guilty on 4/17/08 of public drunkenness.
- Found guilty on 6/20/06 of driving without insurance, inspection and with a suspended registration.

John Gaal:
- charged with joyriding in 2007.

Timothy Houchin:
- Charged in October with drug dealing.
- 2008 Guilty Plea to criminal mischief, causing pecuniary loss to another.

Lazarus Jones (zip code is 18109)
- charged with escape on 4/17/09. Apparently, was at large when knocking on Allentown doors.
- 2008 guilty plea to failure to disperse, disorderly conduct involving physical contact.
- 2007 guilty plea to defiant trespass.
- 2007 guilty plea to false identification to police officer.
- 2007 guilty plea to disorderly conduct, obscene languaue and gestures
- 2006 guilty pleas to false identification, theft of services.

- 2006 guilty plea to loitering.

Yadira Morales:
- Charged in 2003 with criminal harassment. Summons never could be delivered.

Christopher Peters:
- Charged in January with driving an unregistered vehicle with no inspection.
- Charged on October 20, 2009, with theft and public drunkenness.

Unique Santiago:
- 2007 guilty plea to criminal mischief, resulting in property damage.

Peter Sinclair:
- Charged by Bethlehem police in 2005 with simple assault and harassment, but never served.

Harold Tillman
- 2004 guilty plea to defiant trespass.

When small businesses like the Dalton family's Allentown Vision Center experience two break-ins and two attempted burglaries over the course of this month alone, you'd think King Ed would be a little more sensitive to his crime-weary citizens.

38 comments:

  1. Let's talk about you Bernie! Where are you on the scale of unmentionables?

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  2. Yes, and what candidate in his right mind would send someone like me to terrorize people? Excepting Angle?

    That's my point. This just makes no sense to me.

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  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  4. I have deleted an OT rant aimed at Stoffa and Angle and accusing me of being a hypocrite, etc.

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  5. The Fleckster strikes again! Good luck West Ward residents. Hopefully, next time you will vote.

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  6. Did the post perchance offer an insight you don't want public. That is usually how you handle dissent!

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  7. Man Bernie, I have read some ridiculous posts on here over the years, but this one takes that cake. Was Pawlowski stupid of paying people (anyone) to work on election day for an election he had in the bag by a landslide? yeah, sure. But this is just some weird kind of fear mongering.

    None of those people were escaped prisoners, so attacking them for their past criminal behavior is besides the point. Plenty of businesses hire ex-cons for jobs that require working with the public, and more should. Your suggestion that someone isn't qualified for a short-term, one-off, unskilled labor job because they have a criminal history or are homeless is just in poor taste.

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  8. Yep, Bernie, you have sunk to a new low. Should people who have made mistakes never be given a second chance? Have some decency.

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  9. Where is the local news media on the gang of 76. Who was the crew leader in charge of where they should put the door knockers to elect the democrat slate. You mentioned in a prior post of the cars a local car dealer provided to ED. Since I believe you mentioned TEN where provided, who used the other nine, should that of been listed in Campaign report. i Believe Brnie there is a bigger story here and i hope you can get the local news media involved. Possibly this is why ED is fighting the morning call not to release his emails and schedule the past four years.

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  10. I guess some people want to live in the land of OZ. Here's a news flash, ALLENTOWN IS NOT the gleaming CITY on the Hill it once was. ED may not be wholly responsible, but he is the guy currently behind the curtain that you aren't supposed to pay attention to.

    And Fleckie? Ever wonder if he and the Allentown blog monster are buddies? Some of us do.

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  11. You are such a hypocrite. You have a shady past and push for campaigns all the time.

    Why are you not attacking Cunningham, your crush?? He had people out on election day handing out literature door to door. They looked pretty shady, too. (Maybe it was you??).

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  12. we should never allow anyone with a criminal record to ever engage in any work, particularly unskilled labor, ever again.

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  13. Frankly, I am shocked at the supporters of Pawlowski here. I mean, honestly. Known criminals walking the streets, peddling Pawlowski's literature??? Why would Ed even feel a need to do this when his margin of victory was already known to be huge?

    Although, some of the characters Bernie has listed might be the ONLY folks willing to go into certain parts of Allentown, and only for $100 or more.

    As a law abiding citizen, however, I find it outrageous and offensive that a vote is worth more than my safety.

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  14. B-E-R-N O-H-A-R-E
    =
    S-O-R-E L-O-S-E-R

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  15. How did Pawlowski get such a list?
    Do Ds share drug addicts for hire with each other? This is very sad
    to read. In fairness, a reporter should ask the mayor about this issue to get his side of the story.

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  16. u mentioned in a prior post of the cars a local car dealer provided to ED. Since I believe you mentioned TEN where provided, who used the other nine, should that of been listed in Campaign report. i Believe Brnie there is a bigger story here and i hope you can get the local news media involved. Possibly this is why ED is fighting the morning call not to release his emails and schedule the past four years.

    5:52 AM


    This is worth investigating.

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  17. wow! for a guy that didn't need to do any ground work on election day, this is just funny. At least we knwo that pawlowski isn't arrogant enough to pull the plugs on his election day efforts. Paranoid, perhaps, but not arrogant.

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  18. Ever been charged with a crime Bernie?

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  19. "None of those people were escaped prisoners, so attacking them for their past criminal behavior is besides the point."

    Actually, one of the persons listed was wanted for escape, and at the time he was knocking on A-town doors.

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  20. "Should people who have made mistakes never be given a second chance?"

    Sure, but you don't send people who are currently wanted for escape to knock on people's doors. You are irresposible if you send people charged with robbery and theft, drug sales and endangering children into residential neighborhoods.

    The fact that pawlowski would do this reflects a callous disregrad for the safety of A-town citizens, and explains why he is so reluctant to hire cops.

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  21. I don't believe that some of these people knocked on a single door.
    We all deserve second chances, and I don't think you can realistically require a candidate to do background checks on walk up volunteers.


    The Dems bring in out of staters all the time for canvassing, would you really want to know or guess at some of those backgrounds? Not everybody is an upstanding citizen.

    Conversely, I know of one republican canvasser who threw blood on woman in front of an abortion clinic. She was proud of herself. I wouldn't want knocking at my front door.

    Both sides use whatever nuts drop from the tree of liberty to get their message across.

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  22. What's a few more psychos on our streets? Pawlowski values money more than anything. He's out of this town the moment he is out of office. The only Public safety in this town is to travel in packs and carry a firearm.

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  23. No shock here at Headquarters East.

    Yawn.

    How 'bout them 'Pigs...

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  24. Ed did it all wrong-he could have turn this into a win-win situation. What he should have done was hired people with outstanding warrents. After they were all done handing out his stuff, they reported back to get their "$100" at a specific location. There the cops are already to pick them up and cart them off to jail. So you kill 2 birds with one stone- get out your message and in the mean time clean up the streets of Allentown.

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  25. "Asked whether he was a registered voter, he told me he's registered in Allentown, where he voted for Pawlowski.

    "But don't you live in Easton?"

    "Yeah, but I'll vote anywhere."


    THIS was a classic punchline....


    Alfonso Todd

    ALFONSO TODD & ASSOCIATES

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  26. Were these people hired to work the polls or simply drop lit?

    You may recall several weeks ago I noted that a guy named Gino commissioned a women from Allentown named Gracie to work the polls for Dent. She was clearly disadvantaged and did not know one single fact about Dent. She was offered $50 for working 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM. Meanwhile others were given $100 during his primary write-in. Clearly she was doing it for the money. I saw Gracie a few months ago pushing a cart on Hamilton……she was never paid.

    I am not defending this practice, however, maybe getting day workers is more common than you think.

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  27. These people were knocking on doors, handing ot literature, and helping people get to the polls. I could understand a campaign using a disadvantaged person, but not someone who is wantd for escape. Not someone who just got out of jail. Generall, i think any campain that uses people who are not themselves informed, is an insult to the people who are voting. I would have the same criticism of the use of Gracie.

    I just don't see how this furthers democracy in any substantive way.

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  28. FYI Bernie people who "just walk out of jail" have the legal right to vote in this state, why in your mind do they not have the right to work for a candidate? They also have the right to earn a day's wage and they also have the right to not have you posting their past on the internet.

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  29. That's where you're wrong. They have no right to prevent me from pointing out that they are what they are. they have n right to prevent me from pointing out that a mayor who sends them to people's homes, has no regard for the people he supposedly represents.

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  30. Bernie, it's my understanding that you have legal issues in your past. I don't mean to bring them up except to say, are you a danger to knock on someone's door or drop a piece of lit at a door?

    On another note, you may have the legal right to broadcast someone's rap sheet, but is it really moral when they committed no crime, except trying to get an honest day's pay?

    Furthermore, shouldn't our public servants give people a second chance?

    If you want to "go after" a public official that you do not like, that is one thing, but to publically go after people who were just trying to earn an honest day's pay it just not right.

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  31. I'm not going after them, but ther person who hired them. It is reckless and irresposnible to send a person wanted for escape to knock on neighborhood doors. It is downright crazy to send people just released from prison into A-town homes.

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  32. I'm not going after them, but ther person who hired them. It is reckless and irresposnible to send a person wanted for escape to knock on neighborhood doors. It is downright crazy to send people just released from prison into A-town homes.

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  33. If that was your intent, even though I don't agree with you on this issue at all, but if that was your intent not to go after the people themselves, then you could have listed the crimes and withheld the names. To do otherwise is not right.

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  34. Had I not listed the names, with the appropriate links, you would be claiming I made the whole thing up. And incidentally, what they did is a matter of public record, just as my own past is a matter of public record.

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  35. We will never agree on this. I am many others think what you did here goes too far and is not decent. That's too bad too Bernie, because you could really have something so much more here with this blog, if you just took a moment to think before you type.

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  36. I am very comfortable with what I wrote, and believe the public has a right to know just who Pawlowski is sending to knock on your doors.

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  37. "Anonymous said...

    Yep, Bernie, you have sunk to a new low. Should people who have made mistakes never be given a second chance? Have some decency."

    Yes, let's give drug addicted drug addicts who transport their children on their drug deal while being drugged more chances. You call for decency?

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  38. Ok here goes from a Citizen of Allentown or the subburbs anyhow how dare this happen. What happen to the good old days when you got punished for what you done. OOOPPss lets give these criminals a slap on the hand and oooopppssss maybe they will change NOT and I knwo what I am talking about I used to be married to a drug dealer They do not change. Only a very small few. So how dare this happen in my neighborhood. Put them in jail let them earn their rights back just like in the good old days. Having a child involved well I hope that child is not with that person and is in good hands. If they let that one slide then I am really worried on how corrupt this world has become. What next legalizing drugs and giving them to the little ones too and getting away with it. Makes me really worried for my grndkids. They already do not punish child molesters enough and now to see the endagring of a child just getting away with it. Look up Lehigh Valley and see what is going on. I could see them cleaning streets or going to schools to talk about drugs with a chaperone and earing the right to be citizens but this is just totally totally wrong. And may I ad a very big pet peeve on mine since I knew a girls years ago that went to jail just for giving someone an envelope never did drugs a day in her life but babysat and for her aunt handed over an envelope without knowing what was in it just advice of aunt and got two years of jail time. THIS IS WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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