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| Barron at Pigs game |
It's a date Easton union activist and resident Susan Eagle will never forget. Her grandson was born that day. While she was in the hospital with her daughter, three juveniles - including Bolivar Pagan - vandalized her home during the course of a burglary.
All of them were caught. Two of them have made restitution. But Pagan owes Eagle $116.66, and it's unlikely she'll ever see it, even though officials know he's in Allentown, where he was arrested last June for driving under suspension.
Fast forward to 2005. Stuart Bonds runs a stop sign on Ferry Street and smashes into a car being driven by Eagle's daughter. He had no insurance and was driving with a suspended license. He was ordered to make $1209.85 in restitution, but gave a false address, and the money's never been collected. It's unlikely Eagle will see a dime of that money, either. Bonds is in Newark, and nobody's in a rush to go get him.
Eagle has been complaining to County officials for years, to no avail. Our Court system is more interested in processing cases than in actually doing justice. So she, and many like her, end up with nothing.
In 2006, over $28.6 million was outstanding in court fines and restitution. Amazingly, instead of issuing bench warrants for these deadbeats, Lamont McClure proposed a collections agency. Compared to a judge, who has the power to imprison you, this is perhaps the most idiotic way to collect from convicted criminals. But it eases the court load, so the hell with justice.
Fittingly, on April Fool's Day, Eagle met Northampton County Controller Steve Barron at some kind of political fundraiser. He promised to help, but has ignored her. According to a conversation with Eagle, "He has completely ignored me from April 1 until today."
During this time, Barron made absolutely no effort to let the administration know about this woman or her plight, and then began ignoring her, too. He must have been shocked to see her in front of County Council on Thursday night, where he was hoping to scare everyone half to death with asbestos claims.
Whether it's asbestos or restitution, none of this has anything to do with Barron's job as Controller.
Unlike Barron, I will tell Ms. Eagle that it's unlikely she'll ever see a dime of the money owed her. That's because our system is designed to process cases, not do justice. Barron von Footinmouth would never have the nerve to tell a judge or probation officer that they blew it, but they do it all the time, unmindful of the reality that to these victims, $100 is a lot of money.
68 comments:
Bernie, I don't think Steve Barron is necessarily evil he is just lazy. Pure and simple, the boy wouldn't know a hard days work if it hit him in the ample backside of his kilt.
He kisses up to countless union people at events but it is always what they can do for him. He is actually more like an immature teenager than an adult.
She is not the first to be snubbed by Barron. He is a big talker but not so much a doer or accomplisher. Ask Don Flad about how he is already looking for a more important person while he shakes your hand.
If it weren't for the county taxpayer this guy would be unemployed.
Barron Von Footinmouth is not required to deal with the public unless they can give him something of value.
That is the code of the lispy dress wearers guild.
Ms. Eagle is obviously not connected enough for SB or should I write BS - that's his main claim to fame
To put this issue into context, historically, before the collection agency, probation officers would have to enforce court orders, which included the collection of fines and restitution. In juvenile court, the collection rate is different because the law allows the court to mandate the parents to pay up to a defined amount.
In the criminal court, there just wasn't enough probation officers to address the workload of collections. It's a huge problem. In addition, the prison was always at capacity. This is where the courts failed us. The courts then absolved themselves by closing out files and transferring the responsibility of collections onto the clerk of courts, criminal division.
Therein lies the problem. The clerk of courts is NOT an enforcement agency. The criminal element in Northampton County knows this, so why should they pay? Then, County Council requested that a collection agency go after delinquent fines and costs. This in and of itself, is not a bad idea, because they get paid upon delivery of performance.
However, we still have the enforcement issue. The collection agency reports to the clerk of courts, criminal division. The courts absolved themselves of their responsibility. The collection agency should report to the courts under the probation department. Until the courts do their job, Ms. Eagle will not see a dime.
Bernie
This entry is so accurate. How many insured drivers have been harmed by hit and run or hit and no insurance run. If someone is hit and then files a claim on their own policy, their rates seem to go up.
Barron may be a tool....but this convoluted effort to somehow pin blame on him doesn't really work.
Taxpayers should not pay any restitution owed these victims. Not sure what Barron could have done anyway. Justice was served. The perp was caught, tried and punished. Part of that punishment was restitution. If the victim is not reimbursed by the perp then he, the perp, is further punished. All in all it is too bad for the victim.
"Barron may be a tool....but this convoluted effort to somehow pin blame on him doesn't really work."
Actually, he is to blame for snubbing this lady and not being responsive to her, as I have indicated. He should have (1) told this woman this is beyond the cope of what he does; (2) forwarded her complaint to the administration; and (3) answered her emails.
"Until the courts do their job, Ms. Eagle will not see a dime."
That's the sad reality, and is what Barron should have told Eagle. The people waiting for this small sums are not getting paid the sums gong to our DA and judges. Instead of conducting political rallies for the LV's newest Congressman at the courthouse, the DA could make more of an effort to ensure that victims of crime get what is owed them. Instead, he walks away. And judges, if they really give a shit about justice, should do everything they can to ensure that victims of crime are compensated.
She can't deliver more than one vote and she has no flower bed to stand in.
God, you must be desperate to get Barron for something.
You should remember the old line that says 'when we hate so much, it is something in ourselves that we are hating.'
Um, What I am doing is reporting the story of a woman who appeared before County Council on Thursday night. If you like elected officials who snub their constituents, good for you.
Seriously bernie,
You must be running out of material..Yes, barron should have told her that he couldn't do much and didn't..So then, what did she do? She she contact the administration? Did she Email anyone else? Who else did she follow up with..Funny, if most people don't get a response to an inquiry from someone and it's an important issue to them, they look somewhere else for an answer..It's sad to see what's happened to her but if she wants answers, it's her responsibility to find them...
Seriously, anonymous coward,
This woman did what any citizen should be able to do. She came before the governing body to let them know that an elected official was ignoring her. So it looks like she did exactly what she was supposed to do. But since it makes Barron look bad, you have to trash her. Shame on you. What will happen when Barron starts snubbing you, too?
The courts in Lehigh County are just as bad. The commissioners do nothing to hold them accountable during the budget season either.
We need fewer judges/court criers and more people rounding up the deadbeats.
The wild thing is that other than the probable lengthy response from his Callahan clan solicitor Tim Brennan, how can anyone defend this lazy fat ass.
As a public official you don't blow people off. He should have said, I can't help or let me check and get back to you.
He deemed her not important and blew her off. Now if she were a big Gracedale union activist, he would have come to council with an audience and made a scene counting votes as he went.
The guy is really just a political tool.
Sound like what you did to some people in the past.
Have you paid your judgements?
an elected official who blows off
"anybody" without some kind of help is truly not a public servant!
Does not necessarily have to be their area of responsibllity. If not, get a job where you don't ever have to help anyone if you choose not to do so is my opinion.
Bernie, you spent most of last year telling Barron he should stick to what he's been elected to do. Make your mind up, will ya fella.
"Have you paid your judgements?"
I hat to disappoint you, but no judgments have ever been filed against me. Sorry.
This is exactly the kind of ad hominem nonsense that occurs when I speak the truth about Barron, McClure or any of the Gracedale favorites.
I would point out that the person making this criticism is not me, but one of Barron's constituents, and a union person at that.
"Does not necessarily have to be their area of responsibllity."
Good point, Larry.
"Bernie, you spent most of last year telling Barron he should stick to what he's been elected to do. Make your mind up, will ya fella."
I did, and this is NOT what he's been elected to do. This is something that should be handled by the administration, and by the courts. Barron has again gone beyond his role as Controller.
AAAAWWWWWW! Mrs.Eagle should fess up a little. Just a few months ago she was door knocking in Easton Area for Yetter (the ONLY candidate she would say that supports "saving gracedale")
She had all the Union goons helping her then and Barron was a Good ole Boy,what happened to her network? Yetter too busy now to give her attention or they trying to pass this off because he won't get involved? Her friend with the pig in West Easton must be loving this one.The Pig lady is friends with the goons,Mrs. Eagle should file a police report for" FALSE IMPERSONATION OF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL"give up on looking for attention and drama!Saving Gracedale drama is over!Maybe she should contact her new Congressman.
I am aware of Ms. Eagle's politics. So what? I did not back Yetter, and am fearful for the people in his district. I backed Shana, who is a superior candidate. I support selling Gracedale.
But right is right. No matter who Eagle supported, she is a crime victim, is entitled to restitution and has a right to demand a more responsive government.
Now she will be anonymously attacked by the very people she supported.
"Sound like what you did to some people in the past."
Cuckoo.
You are correct Bernie she is a crime victim, but she should complain to members of the Court Administration not Barron or council,they have deaf ears when they are not seeking re-election this year.Perhaps a press conference at Northampton County Courthouse and "INVITE" All Snubbers to attend!
I agree. This is a problem, and I don't think CC has dealt with it effectively. They have referred restitution victims to the admin, but the admin is essentially powerless. It is up to the Courts and DA to start protecting crime victims. I will look into this.
I agree. This is a problem, and I don't think CC has dealt with it effectively. They have referred restitution victims to the admin, but the admin is essentially powerless. It is up to the Courts and DA to start protecting crime victims. I will look into this.
I flip my girly man dress in your face!
I thought the sequence on these things is to file a complaint at the District Judge level. Summons the person to court, if they are a no show, the judgement is made against them in their absence. You then file for $90 a announcement of a sherrifs sale. The people go into that persons home or business and assess the real property, make a list of items exceeding the cost. They post the date in the paper and sell the property to pay off the debt.
In this case it would be a quart of milk a dozen eggs and a half pound of American cheese.
I must say this one of the poorer stories you have posted , and I can see through the B.S. to know why you did it.
So I am correct in assuming these are county court cases Bernie?
What? You expect us to do *something* once you elect us? Man, you guys are so particular.
Yours,
Nearly everybody in the Obama Administration
Bernie, I'm confused. If this is NOT what he was elected to do, why are you castigating him for not doing it?
The whole post is such a stretch.
Mrs. Eagle's politics are, of course, her own business, but if you were interested in any kind of context here, you might have mentioned them. Given that you knew. And given that, with that knowledge, some people might see people scratching each other's back in furtherance of a shared agendum.
I read this post and felt your readers deserve some additional facts you failed to mention. The impression you leave is that I met this woman, promised results to her I could not deliver and then blew her off. This is simply not true.
My first contact with Ms. Eagle was 4/1/2011 when she provided me details to follow up on. I wanted to share my e-mail with your readers:
In a message dated 4/2/2011 8:14:29 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, SBarron@northamptoncounty.org writes:
Susan,
It was great meeting you last evening. I will talk to Leigh Ann Fisher on Monday about this and see what we can resolve. No worries. While I can't promise I'll get you the money any faster at least you'll have the most accurate and up to date information.
I'll do my best and try and make sure the PO and or courts work hard to get the money to you as fast as they can.
All the Best,
Stephen J. Barron, Jr.
You will note I clearly state that I can’t promise I will get her money any faster. I did make contact with Leigh Ann Fisher as well as folks in the Northampton County Sheriff’s Department to see what could be done.
The last e-mail I received from Ms. Eagle was on 5/31/2011 and I felt I had done everything I could to put her in contact with those who could work with her.
I was not contacted again until the evening of 1/3/12 and intended to follow up after making inquiries about the status of this matter. This was immediately before the 1/5/12 Council meeting.
I sympathize with Ms. Eagle. It is a difficult situation and sadly there are far too many county residents in the same situation.
However, to say that I promised more than I could deliver or did nothing is not true at all.
Sincerely,
Stephen J. Barron, Jr.
Northampton County Controller
Not to be funny, but I wouldn't go to JCPenney's to complain that Macy's has bad prices. If the problem is in the Courts, why wouldn't she go to Court Administration. Not the controller's office. Elected official or not, if he would have got involved, people would be quick to say that it's outside of his office's duties. Which it is.
Thanks for clearing that up Mr. Barron.
I hate a whisper down the alley campaign.
"That's because our system is designed to process cases, not do justice."
Well put. This is also why the phony "drug war" is just a jobs program with steady volume and should be immediately abandoned. Every new law creates a new class of criminals and ensures lots of work for the law enforcement and wasteful courts.
So it seems the crime victim wasn't snubbed by Steve Barron after all. The question must now be asked if all your sources are as unreliable?
Hopefully your buddy Owens, whose paper can be hit by printing such unsourced bile as this, will think twice before parroting your blog again.
This was another blatant attempt at character assassinatin. Even the diehard Barron haters are running away from this one.
Bernie at 7.52
looks like Barron's 3 for 3.
Wow Bernie,
It looks like your victim wasnt victimized....As usual, when it comes to barron, you go off half cocked and again, as usual, you are proven wrong..Talk about cowardly..Maybe you should check the facts before attacking someone..
In his self-disclosed e-mail to Ms. Eagle, Barron writes "I'll do my best and try and make sure the PO and or courts work hard to get the money to you as fast as they can." That was a promise he made and did not keep. He mentions talking to Leigh Ann Fisher of Court Services but who did he actually contact in the parole office or courts, and how aggressively did he pursue this promise? Maybe that is why she is upset with him. He made a promise he couldn't keep since as even his supporters have commented, these actions were "outside of his office's duties."
anon 5:16 makes a great point. The self serving alleged email Barron produces is just a semi-polite kiss off. He mentioned something and that was it. He meant to get back to her but... If he were honest he would have told her I will bring it up but "doubt" I can make it happen. He wants votes so bad he makes veiled promises instead of just being truthful and saying, sorry I can't make a difference.
Yeah real good job and the check is in the mail. Damage control by Senor Pantalones
Barron's e-mail will be quite straightforward to anyone who doesn't need to stretch the facts to find the usual Barron guilty verdict.
5.16 and 5.27 are the ones doing the damage limitation, in spite of this always being a threadbare accusation and one that is now clearly shown to be without any merit.
Tweedledee and Tweedledum are inventing scenarios and psycholgical profiles worthy of a Hollywood epic. Good for them that they have something, because clearly Barron has all the facts of the matter on his side.
I have just been informed that 5.16and 5.27 are, in fact, the same person. My apologies, Bernie.
all this hate and negative vibes. really, children, take your meds. kiss and make up, feel the love and move on
"While I can't promise I'll get you the money any faster at least you'll have the most accurate and up to date information.
I'll do my best and try and make sure the PO and or courts work hard to get the money to you as fast as they can."
Jesus H! My nom de blog is apparently well earned. In the above excerpt, I provide proof that I said I'd get her the money - just not any faster - right before I promise to get her the dough as fast as possible - right before I blow her off because I'm a bullshitting idiot who just wanted a crime victim's vote.
No worries! Vote union!
Warm regards,
BvF
In the e-mail Barron tells Eagle that he can't get her the money any faster than she would otherwise get it. It all seems so clearcut. It is clearcut. The Barron haters, including Barron hater in chief BOH, should now revert to the first rule of hole.
Tim has to protect his job. Such is the way of the long dems
Bernie could you please explain how this is any different then the victims that you represented and swindled them out of their fair share. They were victims Bernie that deserved everything, and got nothing because of you. You blamed it on the booz. What's to blame for the way you still act now ?
maryann
I was not going to respond to Mr. Barrons message but feel at this point I have no choice, I have sent numerous email to Mr Barron 5/5/2011 at 5:43:30 AM EST, 5/31/2011 5:47:55 AM EST and again on 1/2/2012 8:37:10 PM not one of these emails was even acknowledged by Mr Barron his response to me on Thursday at the council meeting was that he did'nt respond to me because he didnt have anything to tell me. why because he had done nothing further about the issue or because he was simply blowing me off quite simply if I had recieved a response in regard to my inquaries I would most likely not have been at the County Council meeting. If you tell a citizen you are going to do something then do it and at the very least acknowledge them when they call or email you this is all I was asking for and this is not what I recieved. as for the person who thinks I should spend my own hard worked for money to go after these 2 individuals I think not the County Court issued a judgement against these 2 it is the countys responsibilty to collect on it I have provided alot of information to the county on both of these individuals it was easy to find and they should have been able to find it also, but in my opinion someone is not doing there job. for every month that either of these 2 defendants don't pay they are telling the county F You and they know the county will do nothing about it and they are right I would like to addresss Anonymous @ 11:33 AM I have no idea what you are talking about someone in west easton with a Pig i know of no one who has a pig as far as Mr Yetter I have never even discussed this matter with him nor have I asked for his help in this matter so if you would like to explain yourself I am willing to listen.
Mr. Barron, Thanks to Mrs. Eagle, we know you are being deceptive, like most opportunistic politicians.
1:03, You have no idea what you are talking about. None. If a person is ordered to pay restitution in a criminal case, and refuses to do so, a judge can order him picked up and jailed. Yet judges let it go and let ineffective collections agencies handle it. This is wrong, and I will be following up on it very soon, so get ready to tune in somewhere else.
Maryann at 9:00 is MaryAnn Schmoyer, one of the Gracedale people. She's an expert on swindling, and is about to swindle the County out of some money to "preserve" her farm. In response to her irrelevant personal attack at me,
1) I never swindled a soul. The ethical breaches I committed nearly three decades ago were not the result of lucre or malice, but a feeling that I could do anything when I was drinking. I have explained this several times. How much more shameful is someone like you, who acts despicably with no aid from alcohol.
2) The purpose of this post is to cast a spotlight on the victims of people who are hurt by the dregs of society, then ignored by elected officials who are only looking for votes.
3) The way I act now is to cast spotlights on hypocrites like you and barron.
"why wouldn't she go to Court Administration. Not the controller's office"
Here's an even better question. Why didn't the Controller tell her this is where she needed to go?
"If this is NOT what he was elected to do, why are you castigating him for not doing it?"
Because Barron did not put her in touch with the people who could help her and led her to believe he would do his best to "make sure the PO and or courts work hard to get the money to you as fast as they can."
He's a phony.
I think we all know who the phony is Bernie... Moving on!
"So I am correct in assuming these are county court cases Bernie? "
Yes, Spike, these are two county court cases.
"I think we all know who the phony is Bernie... Moving on!"
The damage control machine is working OT. Hey, had Barron just answered Ms. Eagle, she'd have had no complaint. Better yet, he should have referred her to the people who know what they are doing.
This is McCarthyism at it's best. Attack the public figure for an invented offence, then call him a liar when, forced to try and defend his reputation,his version of events don'tr match up to the new invented truth.
It is a disgusting tactic not truly effectively used since Watergate-even the swiftboating tactic, while assuming a partisan low IQ audience, did operate on a kernel of truth which could be twisted. This is just good old fashioned Nixonian fabrication and collusion.
What I really did was cast a public spotlight on a political Controller who exceeded his authority yet again, and who then failed to help a taxpayer in need, even to the point of ignoring her emails, after promising to "make sure the PO and or courts work hard to get the money to you as fast as they can."
Barron is doing his best to shine the shit, but it's still shit.
Excellent point 10:41..Also true that this plays to a low IQ, trailer park Republican audience.Looking at most of the comments, it appears this blog is overflowing with them.
I see. Now, in addition to attacking me, you are attacking my readers. Need I remind you that Susan Eagle, the crime victim snubbed by Mr. Barron, is herself a union sympathizer?
This is a perfect example of why Steve Barron is not fit for office : he has such terrible judgement. All of this could have been avoided if he had made the referal to the adminstration. He is the controller for God sake. Doesnt he know that he and or his office should not get involved in these issues ?
Bernie, your comments form 10:14 on, are spot on target. Barron loves to play the big time pol. He leads people to beleive he has all kind of political pull and power. His own workers think he is a joke. This may come from his long dem indoctrination of superiority.
He has been observed in action gladhanding and giving the flaccid, "I'll check it out". He can't just tell it like it is. He even has the Gracedale people conned that he did some special audit on Gracedale that Stoffa wouldn't use or he couldn't get the report put out. I asked around and some people very pro Gracedale couldn't think of one new thing he brought to the table to help Gracedale other than to be made to look foolish by Ron Angle. As he was said to have remarked to one person, the union liked that, regarding some comments he made. The guy is the definition of bullshit.
Susan, sorry but you are obviously not important enough in the union structure to have any use as a campaign worker or vote hustler, therefore you get no real help.
Your best bet would be to try and get a reporter to do a story or look into it. The courts hate openness in the kingdom of robes, ask Bernie. If Barron had half the political brain he thinks he has he would have advised that from the beginning.
At least you are smart enough to call his bluff. Good Luck.
Sadly Mr. Pagan will NEVER pay anything to anyone. I arrested Mr. Pagan more then a year ago on fines and costs owed to the District Court here in Easton and he made no attempt to pay or even want to make an arrangement with the Judge or court to pay. He was jailed by the 2 courts he owed for fines and costs and that was that.
Fred Schoenenberger
State Constable,
Wilson Boro Northampton Co.
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