Late last month, both The Express Times and Morning Call told you about Gracedale lawyer Larry Otter's latest request for attorney fees from me and Angle. In that one, he claimed that (1) Northampton County funded our litigation; (2) I was secretly representing the County, even though my law license has been pulled; and (3) I falsely testified. Otter made sure his motion was in the hands of reporters long before I saw it. I had to read a copy provided to a Morning Call reporter.None of these allegations are true, as I explain here.
What the papers failed to tell you is that Otter has a history of filing frivolous claims.
In 2008, Otter was sanctioned by the U.S. District Court of Eastern Pennsylvania with $33,928.05 in fees and $1,508.86 in costs "for relentlessly pursuing baseless litigation." He was later cited for contempt when he failed to pay.
In 2009, Otter was nailed again, this time by the Commonwealth Court, with $80,000 in attorney fees and costs for vexatious, dilatory and obdurate conduct.
He has no malpractice insurance, either.
There Otter be a law.
Papers will now have a chance to tell you the full story about Otter because he's amended his motion, and is seeking to surcharge John Stoffa and his Director of Administration for wasting County money.
It's amazing. I'm secretly representing the County, and the Otter must secretly be the Controller. Even more mind-boggling is that this surcharge is being sought in an Election Code case in which Stoffa and his Director of Administration are not even listed as parties.
Judge Baratta has somehow become aware of Otter's latest, and has scheduled a hearing this Thursday at 9:00 AM.
Four days before the election.
Judge Baratta has also notified John Stoffa and his Director of Administration. In a letter dated May 6, a Friday, Judge Baratta basically tells the County Executive to be in his courtroom this Thursday. "By this letter and the enclosed copy of the Petition, I am providing you with notice should you wish to answer the Petition."
In the meantime, Gracedale Goons are happily serving subpoenas. They tried to serve me in the Elections Office yesterday, where I was pouring over campaign finance reports. I declined to accept it when they refused to provide my witness fee. Gracedale Goon Donna Barney, who lives in Kunkeltown, raced after me as I got into my truck. She tried to jam the subpoena in my window. I repeatedly had to ask her to step away.
"I bet you'd like to run me over," she complained. As I told her at the time, that's the last thing I would want to do to anyone, and that was why I was asking her to step away. I am a terrible driver in the best of circumstances. She was creating a driving hazard. Thankfully, she listened.
A constable subpoenaed Angle's wife as the two of them were loading his truck with manure. "A fitting end to the day," he told me.
Since when do you subpoena parties, anyway? If I'm not in Court, Otter will be the least of my concerns.
I'll be there, and while we're all together, I intend to present a motion of my own.
this thing has reached a level of spite and pettiness that the old bond controversey couldn't approach.
ReplyDeleteAttorney Otter, however, still has a license to practice law,unlike you, an admitted miscreant and a disgrace.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame that Lousy Larry is back in NC again, with his hand out again, looking for cash.
ReplyDeleteAnd then trying to charge Stoffa and Conklin for doing the very jobs they were elected to do. I expect my tax dollars to be used for any type of litigation that comes along when a union mob tackles its government, regardless of who helps who.
I applaud Mr. Stoffa, Mr. O'Hare, Mr. Angle and Mr. Conklin for trying to remove from the ballot , an executive decision, that will impact all residents of NC. The circulators clearly trampled the election laws, over and over and over.
It seems that Gracedale does extend to the budget after all. Larry is not the only one with his hand out.
Their getting desperate because, regardless of the referendum's outcome, they know their boy, the river rat, has been bested by Gentleman John Stoffa.
ReplyDeleteThe best non-insured legal mind they could scrape off the Delaware's banks wrote a resolution that, if passed, grants Gentleman John sweeping authority to do as he likes to protect taxpayers from the financial disaster of continuing to operate Gracedale.
They needed a good lawyer. They ended up with F. Lee Spraint. They've already lost, regardless of the vote's outcome.
They're
ReplyDeleteI think its time for the COAF and the union to follow the commonwealth court decision that was rendered in their favor.
ReplyDeleteThey should be focusing their efforts on forming a non profit foundation that will raise money for gracedale, instead of asking the county to shell out money for an institution that should be sold.
But this would be something credible and productive, so we know thats probably not going to happen.
Mr. Otter, you are wasting the courts' time.
what a great idea ,it's about time the truth in this matter finally gets out.i don't want my tax dollars being used for anyones lawsuit....stoffa and his administration could of simply sat down with these people ,instead you and the administration waged war against the voters and taxpayers.i applaud otter for moving forward on this issue nc should not be in the buisness of funding friends lawsuit's. otter's past problems don't concern me ,he is still a practicing lawyer. i hope we get to the truth.
ReplyDeleteTHE FOLLOWING EXCERPT WAS TAKEN FROM THE URBAN DICTIONARY AND DESCRIBES LARRY OTTER
ReplyDeleteroachin
this is basically a bum, you know your friend that always comes around and don't have a job but always wants a bite of your food one of your beers or cigarettes and possibly your drugs if you have any, basically like a roach that lives in your house they are hard to get rid of and never contribute to any kind of cause
Quit ya roachin and get a job!
LARRY, CHOOSE CLIENTS THAT CAN PAY YOUR FEE AND STOP TRYING TO GRUB FROM US HARDWORKING TAXPAYERS
"this thing has reached a level of spite and pettiness that the old bond controversey couldn't approach."
ReplyDeleteFrom time to time, tempers flared, but people got over it. I was a vocal bond opponent, but still voted for people who supported it bc I knew they were only doing what they thought was right.
Hey Bernie, why don't you release some info about your past as an attorney. I think it would totally outweigh Otter's when it comes to wrongdoing, remember that is why you were disbarred. Oh and don't blame it on your alcoholism, that is just an excuse for what you did! Remember, those that live in glass houses should not throw stones.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 9:43Am
ReplyDeleteMaybe we need to take a good solid look at your past.
The term "those that live in glass houses shouldnt throw stones" really refers to those people who try to hide facts about themselves while engaging in antagonistic behavior against others.
ReplyDeleteI have seen Bernie admit, time and again he is a suspended lawyer, and does not try to hide it from anyone.
I think this post is most appropriate for people who post insulting comments about others while using an anonymous domain so no one will know their identity.
The people who live in glass houses, but always throw stones are many of the gracedale goons, who smear people, but are too timid to sign their names to what they write.
They are too embarrassed to sign their names to a propaganda campaign which pits the elderly against a bloated union benefits program which is so outrageous, and not found anywhere in the real world.
"Hey Bernie, why don't you release some info about your past as an attorney."
ReplyDeleteMy 1986 legal suspension is the subject of near daily comments. I have never hidden from it and have discussed it on numerous occasions, and have signed m own name when I've done it. And whether you like it or not, alcoholism is the reason for the behavior that led to the suspension.
An otter’s gonna do what otters do – spraint, spawn, dig deeper for his grub (now reaching for the deeper pocket of the Northampton County taxpayer. None of this surprises me. That said, I am appalled that Judge Baratta decided to schedule this for optimal political impact – looking for all that press right before an election. Please – what couldn’t wait until after the Primary election? This is the same Judge who said the entire Gracedale argument was nothing but politics and now he is deliberately scheduling this hearing to further a political agenda. Shame on him and shame on our president judge for allowing the Northampton county courts to try to influence voter opinion. As taxpayers what recourse do we have when our judges start using the county court system to promote a political agenda?
ReplyDeleteWhen Baratta isn't wrist slapping serious criminals, he's busy working half days at being just another political hack with poor judicial temperament. He's just another goon.
ReplyDeleteAm I missing something here? The lawsuits were tossed by commonwealth court...
ReplyDeleteWhat is the frenzy for? Does it really matter who gave info to whom when the county already lost that battle?
This seems like a silly, childish effort to clog the court system with nonsense. Any help that was given by the county to O'Hare is moot because the county lost!
Enough now!
I am not really sure what this union is attempting to gain from all of this. They refused the $6million give back, and then walked through snow and ice all winter to get signatures and stop the sale.
ReplyDeleteSo if they stop the sale, they are going to be back at the exact same point they were before. The $6 million giveback. If no giveback, out go the jobs.
What are they trying to accomplish? A fine for the county exec? Thats not going to affect the gracedale issue at all.
This whole thing is a Fecking disgrace.
ReplyDeleteBernie are you involved with this one? Hope its not more a waste of your time.
ReplyDeleteYep. Otter is going after me, Angle, John Stoffa, John Conklin and other "unnamed co-conspirators."
ReplyDeleteWow Bernie, you sure do know how to dramatize things!
ReplyDeleteLet's see. I'm accused of lying under oath, unauthorized practice of law, and being part of a conspiracy to misappropriate county assets. Stoffa and Conklin, who are not even parties, are being dragged in and forced to hire their own attorneys. Otter is claiming this is Bonusgate and is telling 69 that people could go to jail. A judge scheduled a hearing, with next to no notice, and right before the election. And I'm being overly dramatic? Give me a break.
ReplyDeleteSounds like Angle's constant carping about how seven or eight people from the copunty should be in jail. He even accused a prominent Republiclican of fixing a deal with the AG at the time.
ReplyDeleteFunny story, and true, the Republican gentleman with as much money as Angle, sued Ronnie boys ass and old Angle had to pay a settlement.
Guess Otter is doing the same as Ron Angle, they are two of a kind. One a river rat the other just a rat. Right Bernie.