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Friday, April 01, 2011

Where The Hell Is John Morganelli When We Need Him?

At this time last year, Northampton County DA John Morganelli was immersed in quo warranto litigation against Ron Angle, challenging the Bulldog's right to sit on Bangor School Board and Northampton County Council simultaneously. Angle was forced to give up his seat on the school board or have Judge Franciosa remove him from Northampton County Council.

Council member Lamont McClure had earlier mouthed to Angle, "you're going down." And sure enough, the quo warranto was a smashing success. John Morganelli was just doing his job, he claimed. Nothing personal. I'm sure that the $20,000 Morganelli received last year from McClure employer Peter G. Angelos had nothing to do with it.

But where is John now? Bangor Borough Council appointed environmental activist Anna Maria Caldara to its Borough Authority last December, but they refuse to seat her. These shit experts contend that the Borough's governing body has acted illegally.

Yesterday afternoon, before a scheduled meeting of the Bangor Borough Authority, Caldara was handed an envelope containing two letters: one from the Authority; and another from Pa. State Municipal Authorities Association. "The former stated that I would not be seated until they heard from the State Ethics Committee. The latter gave a statute about when Authority members can be elected, but was open to debate if read carefully."

Caldara decided to go anyway. "To symbolize my legally elected position but unfilled seat, I am placing my empty chair alongside the Authority members for the duration of this meeting. I will stand behind it."

I did not go myself, but Caldara sent this email: "Ten members of the public attended. I brought out several points about pollution which would have been swept under the carpet otherwise (for example: 'site stabilization' means spreading the piles of toxic soil on the ground.) ... There will be stories in The Morning Call and the Express-Times tomorrow."

John Morganelli, shouldn't you be filing a quo warranto against someone?
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5 comments:

  1. DaveApril 1, 2011 at 7:05 AM

    Thanks for running this story Bernie. As a boro council person that voted for Ms. Caldara..legally..I am exasperated with the mind set of this Authority. They should all resign for letting this go on under their watch of the public trust. It's obstructionist and mean spirited and the tax payers of Bangor are footing the legal bills to pursue this sham of justice.

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  2. DaveApril 1, 2011 at 8:43 AM

    Even Joe Cap likes this lady and respects her knowledge and expertise in all things environmental. Why wouldn't you want her to be on an Authority with the resume she has? Sheer stupidity..

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  3. AnonymousApril 1, 2011 at 9:33 AM

    What does Joe Cap have to do with it. I thought he was not involved.

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  4. AnonymousApril 2, 2011 at 3:39 AM

    Joe Cap is another Angle puppet. who cares what he thinks.

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  5. AnonymousApril 5, 2011 at 9:29 PM

    Wrong on both counts. Many people look to him for leadership. Even Dave seems to be grudgingly looking to Joe for direction.

    dan

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