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Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Court to Decide Today If Angle Can Remain on Council During Appeal

When Northampton County DA John Morganelli first challenged Ron Angle's right to sit on County Council and Bangor School Board simultaneously, he insisted he had no personal motive. He just wanted courts to "clarify" the law. Of course, that's complete bullshit, and events since Friday demonstrate quite clearly that Morganelli, with a little help from Senior Judge Franciosa, is trying to take Angle out.

Will he succeed? We'll find out at 2:30 PM today. Let me fill you in.

There is little doubt that Morganelli has both a political and personal motive to rid Council of Angle. Angle and his fellow Republicans now control seven of Council's nine seats, making Democrat Lamont McClure, whose wife works for Democrat John Morganelli, very lonely. What's worse, as Council Prez, Angle has actually been getting things done. Democrats desparately want to get rid of him, and if they can't do it at the polls, they'll try government by litigation to upset your will.

If Morganelli were really interested in getting the law clarified, he would have acted twice before. In 2006, when Hellertown Borough Council President Tony Branco was appointed to County Council, Morganelli had no objection and even made robo calls for him. Branco, incidentally, is a Democrat. Last year, when another Democrat, Bangor Mayor Joe Capozzolo, was appointed to succeed the late Wayne Grube, Morganelli voiced no concerns.

Now he's suddenly concerned about the law? Bullshit. It's politics.

It's also personal. Remember political consultant Tom "Scissorhands" Severson? He and Morganelli are big pals. In fact, when Severson was convicted by a jury for his bizarre and threatening behavior towards Ron Angle during a funeral mass, the DA John suddenly became a defense counsel, trying his best to downplay the reality that his friend and political consultant is now a criminal. Things got worse. Severson has nailed with deceptive campaign practices, and went down again.

Morganelli suit's was assigned to Senior Judge Franciosa, a judge of the very same Court that twice refused to recuse itself from Angle's right to hold public office, even though it immediately stepped aside in a Will controversy. On Friday, as expected, Franciosa ruled against Angle. In a rambling, 21-page opinion, Judge Franciosa concedes there is no Pennsylvania decision addressing this point. But in ruling against Angle, Franciosa gives him only ten days to "cure" his violation by resigning from the school board. By Monday, three days were already gone.

Brian Monahan, representing Angle, immediately filed a motion seeking a stay of that order pending appeal. Suddenly, DA Morganelli, who claimed to be interested solely in the law, is opposed and wants to force the issue before it is decided by the Supreme Court. What's even worse, nobody can find Franciosa.

This afternoon, Angle was told he's get a hearing before Franciosa on Friday. Gee, that's nice. If Franciosa refuses to grant the stay, that gives him just one day to appeal and get a ruling from the state Supremes, a practical impossibility. Of course, Angle exploded at this obvious denial of due process.

Now, Judge Francios has agreed to return from wherever he is to hear Angle's request for a stay tomorrow. If he rules against Angle tomorrow, that gives Ron just two business days to seek a stay from the Supreme Court.

Since this is a novel question, why did Franciosa impose a ten day limitation in the first place? He could just have easily provided that a stay would go into effect if an appeal were perfected. His refusal to do that, along with his dragging his feet about a hearing on the stay, is just more evidence of bias.

40 comments:

I'm a taxpayer!! said...

Wow Bernie, now you are on to accusing Judges of wrongdoing. I guess you will stop at nothing to protect the bulldog.

Meanwhile our beloved Council Prez continues to waste taxpayer dollars in fighting a case that he knows very well he is wrong in. He knows it so well because he has been here before.

How can Angle sit and demand job cuts, layoffs, and hiring freezes to say the County money, yet blow loads of taxpayer money and court resources for his own gain?

Between this, the Will, and the lawsuit against his old man I think we have seen the true colors of the bulldog.

Always looking out for number one, and despite his position in council...one in which he is to "represent the people" he continues to look out for himself.

It is a true shame that this is what we have representing us.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Wow Bernie, now you are on to accusing Judges of wrongdoing"

No, I am into telling the truth. Here's the truth.

1) Two Dems who held municipal office were appointed to sit on Council and Morganelli never lifted a finger against them.

2) One of Morganelli's closest friends and political advisors was convicted twice, mostly because of claims made by Angle.

3) Franciosa was asked twice to recuse himself and refused. He claimed he is just interpreting law, but if he's biased, he's biased.

4) The entiore Court disqualified itself from other matters involving Angle.

5) Morganelli claimed only to be interested in sdetermining the law, but wants Angle to step down before that law is determined by our High Court.

6) Franciosa's order gives Angle just 10 days to make a decision. It was released on a Friday, so that 2 days were killed over the weekend. He makes it impossible for Anglke's lawyers to effectively ask the Supreme Court for a stay pending appeal.

7) Franciosa originally would not hear Angle's request for a stay until Friday, the very last business day possible. He is playing games.

Anonymous said...

Bullshit. The Judge could have ordered Angle off of County council immediately. When he took the oath for the School Board he violated state law and forfeited his County Council position. He actually accommodated Angle by giving HIM 10 days to decide which office he wanted.

Angle does not believe the law applies to him. He is a bully with a bankroll.

Your silly tirade against the judge and Mr. Morganelli besides being tiresome are about as relevant as the arguments by those who claim insiders blew up the twin towers and black helicopters are hovering over our heads right now.

You are really crazy Ohare. Better put on the aluminum foil helmet.

One could make the argument that being the recipient of
Angle food and Angle transportation and an Angle computer, it is YOU who are biased and the one with an agenda.

Terri

Bernie O'Hare said...

3 AM Troll, aka "Terri", Are we cross-dressing today?

The Judge effectively did order Angle off Council immediately, giving him no real time to seek a stay and making himself unavailable for one. Morganelli's true colors are coming through, too. The man who claimed to be interested only in the law suddenly wants Angle off Council after the initial ruling from the court of first guess. He's not interested in the law - he obviously wants Angle off council and that's not gonna' happen.

Voters should decide elections, not judges or DAs.

Anonymous said...

Laws should determine elections, not mobs! You should be especially ashamed as you were once a lawyer and an officer of the court, before your disgraceful fall. You were sworn to uphold the law.

Is rent money so important that now the law is meaningless if a mob screams we want Angle, we want Angle.

What other laws should we toss out if Angle desires?

You of all people should not reference cross-dressing. Still own the dress Jim Onembo caught you and your "date" wearing in the courthouse men's room? You keep calling people trolls. You have become a troll. You can't even remember a time in your life when you had decency and honor. Now you are a grotesque creature groveling and distorting for Angle, "My precious, where is my precious".

Sad! Very sad indeed.

Anonymous said...

"Of course, Angle exploded at this obvious denial of due process."

This statement is quite ironic since Angle is the one trying to violate the county home rule charter, the same home rule charter that you like to claim some people clearly haven't read.

Incidently, when I get a traffic ticket, the officer/district judge don't buy the argument, "but the other people did it too." Wrong is wrong. On the face of it, Angle is in violation of the county charter. He should have been removed from office upon the rendering of the opinion.

Anonymous said...

First, both of you (BO and Terri) are children, chiding one another about crossdressing! Stick to the issue at hand and stop the name calling!

Second, regardless of politics (Morganelli does seem to be selective in his "enforcement" of the law), as a citizen, I do want to know if a representative of government is violating the law or not. If other politicians got away with it (Branco and Cappazzolo), then shame on us!

It's all politics, and that stinks of revenge. That said, I do want my government officials to abide by the law. Even Angle. The law appears to be clear. Pick one or the other. Not both. Then I hope the citizens have long memories of who is doing what and vote for better candidates in the next county election. That includes Morganelli and Angle. The Judge is a Senior Judge and you can't get rid of him, which I find ironic in a democratic society.

Anonymous said...

Morganelli is a bitter little loser. This case is likely a loser, as soon as it gets out of its local, incestuous cradle. Franciosa is the Severson version of a judge. Whether or not you like Angle, Franciosa's thuggish behavior in this case is just and enlargement of the stain his career has left on Walnut Street, where there have been many admirable judges.

Anonymous said...

You sound like a wife standing by her man. Cry me a river.
Angle has screwed alot of people over the years. Karma is a bitch.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Terri" = 3:53 = 3 AM Troll.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"The law appears to be clear. Pick one or the other. Not both. "

If the law is so clear, why does it take Franciosa 21 pages to decide it? The law is by no means clear at all.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Incidently, when I get a traffic ticket, the officer/district judge don't buy the argument, "but the other people did it too."

That's a poor argument. If uou can establish that the law is selectivelty enforced, you will get a case dismissed.

Chris Casey said...

I will cede the point that the law has not been applied fairly by John Morganelli.
But that doesn't deny the fact that Angle IS In violation of the Charter.
The PA Supremes are currently constituted 5 to 4 R.
Does that mean they will find a way to rule in Ron's favor if it gets to them?
Our State House reps have known about this letgal conundrum for how long? But have not addressed it.
Ron is forcing the issue. I don't like legislatingg from the bench. Maybe we should be chastising our legislative branch for dropping the ball here as well?

Anonymous said...

When D's held county seats and other elected positions, where was John M.? When they sat for months without the DA responding, why?

Now that an R with bad a bad attitude sits on dual seats, John moves quickly.

Selective enforcement + personal history = Abuse of POWER! I hope civil rights lawyers are sniffing around this.... and fast!!!!!!

Bernie O'Hare said...

"But that doesn't deny the fact that Angle IS In violation of the Charter."

That ptrovision of the hRC has been found unconstitutional in other cases. A state legislator actually sat as a county council member for 4 months before stepping down, just to build up his pension. That was this year. Nobody sued. But Angle, because he is Angle, is being persecuted by a political prosecutor and a compliant judge who refused to step down.

Anonymous said...

Morganelli is all poopy pants because he can't get elected to anything else, while the Bulldog can be elected to multiple seats at simultaneously.

That, and he's mad at God Himself for giving Johnny the worst hair, EVAH!

Anonymous said...

Angle would never leave County Council and I'm sure Morganelli knows that..So what's the angle for him if he still has to deal with Ron..Your argument makes no sense, Bernie..Angle will never win the appeal and shouldn't have run for both in the first place..Morganelli is right on this one..

Anonymous said...

Maybe Bangor SD will drop the ridiculous random drug testing crusade and save tax dollars now that Angle is out.

Anonymous said...

Is this 2:30 hearing open to the public?

Anonymous said...

The "hipocrisy" that circulates in the Northampton County Government Center is epitome of all. Here we have a guy like Ron Angle that is known for throwing stones and using the law to benefit him, but, when told by the law to do something, he immediately cries foul. He rants and antics do nothing more than make Northampton County a laughing stock of government and the poster child for how NOT to run government. Whether he is trespassing at local government meetings or berating others in public, this fellow is simply trouble and is doing nothing to promote good civil government. I hope that he is ordered to follow the law and serve in one capacity or the other. I also hope that the County attempts to recoup its legal fees in dealing with this non-sense.

Anonymous said...

"Franciosa was asked twice to recuse himself and refused. He claimed he is just interpreting law, but if he's biased, he's biased."

Who the hell are you to call someone biased? You are the one that should recuse yourself of anything Angle.

You have some nerve referring to someone as biased. That may be the funniest thing I have heard all day.

Anonymous said...

This does appear to be personal for Morganelli, although I think it's quite nervy for Ron to insist on both seats. I am one of those people who like Ron Angle, especially because he speaks out even when it's not popular to do so.

However, WHAT IN THE TARNATION is a smart man like Angle using an idiot like Monahan? I thought Angle was smart, but his choice of counsel causes me pause!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
"This does appear to be personal for Morganelli, although I think it's quite nervy for Ron to insist on both seats."

The people who elected him would expect nothing less than him standing up to such a slimy political stunt.

Anonymous said...

"The people who elected him would expect nothing less than him standing up to such a slimy political stunt."

I think they also expect him to follow the law, which says clearly that you can only hold one elected office at a time in Norco.

Anonymous said...

So to recap ... you have a politician (Angle) and a politician (Morganelli) fighting in court in front of a politician (I mean Judge, I mean politician) and it becomes a big clusterf#$k of personal/political agendas. Is it surprising? NO!!!

Both these guys have used the system for years to push whatever their personal agenda at the time happened to be. They waste time, money, and energy, all while embarrassing themselves in public and wasting taxpayer money.

Bernie, I know it must be hard seeing your two girlfriends fighting in public(and apparently you have a much bigger thing for Angle than you do Morganelli), but stop trying to act like this is now some big immoral thing they are doing. I repeat:

THEY BOTH ABUSE THE SYSTEM FOR THEIR OWN PERSONAL AGENDAS AND HAVE FOR YEARS.

As soon as you come to grips with this you can come to peace with the situation. And please do it fast as you just seem so sad and pathetic in your blind defense of Angle.

Anonymous said...

Using All Capital Letters is Impolite

Bernie O'Hare said...

I am deleting a comment by the3 AM troll, aka "Terri", aka "Sam", which makes vulgar homosexual comments.

Anonymous said...

Berneie. Here is a straight forward question. Has Ron Angle ever acted out of a personal or political motive?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Yes, he can be very partisan at times. But he is not the DA.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for answering half of the question. As for the other half, has he ever used his public office to advance his personal interests and grudges against individuals.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I did answer your question completely. We all act out of personal interest. But I am aware of no occasion in which he ever used his elected office for personal reasons. I've seen all kinds of false accusations from Anglephobes like you, but all that proves is that he scares you, probably bc you were used to using public office for personal gain until he came along. I can think of a few. Michael Solomon's kickbacks, Vince Dominach's wife-swapping on the county dime, the Bob Daday "unemployment", the goofy lease to campaign contributor Roscioli, the goofy Shiloh lease, the pool parties in the middle of a huirricaine, etc.

All those good times have ended, and largely bc of Angle.

No wonder you're afraid to ID yourself.

eckville press said...

Section 101. Elected Officials:

The elected officials shall be the (9) members of the County Council, the County Executive, the Controller, and the District Attorney.

Section 104. General Prohibitions:

During his term of office no elected official shall hold any other elective public office or hold other employment with the County for which he receives compensation. During his term of office no elected official, EXCEPT ANY MEMBER OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL, shall serve as an official, other than as a candidate of a political party.

So in the end, Ron wins.

Anonymous said...

I guess the Stoffa deal with Abe Atiyah is just a deal.

Anonymous said...

By the way check into the Roscioli lease and who really set it up and approved it.

Are you afraid of the truth

Anonymous said...

You are a "vulgar homosexual joke", what a hypocritical bullshitter you are.

Ace of Spades

Anonymous said...

"By the way check into the Roscioli lease and who really set it up and approved it.

Are you afraid of the truth"


oh, this should be interesting...

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:41, I agree. I have heard this was an inside deal that Reibman wasn't even aware of. What did you hear?

Anonymous said...

"Anon 6:41, I agree. I have heard this was an inside deal that Reibman wasn't even aware of. What did you hear?"

i was being ironic. but don't let that stop you. please remove your tinfoil hat and continue.

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:25, there are no secrets in the governemnt center only illusion of secrets. Everyone knows who is porking whom and who signed what papers.

We are quiet and behind the scenes but we know more than you think, so contemplate that under your tinfoil hat.

Anonymous said...

"Anon 6:25, there are no secrets in the governemnt center only illusion of secrets. Everyone knows who is porking whom and who signed what papers.

We are quiet and behind the scenes but we know more than you think, so contemplate that under your tinfoil hat."

more likely you're just bitter, grey, people.