Local Government TV

Friday, August 24, 2012

NorCo Suspends 1st Ass't Public Defender

Last week, I told you that Northampton County's First Assistant Public Defender Anthony Martino is under an ethical cloud, involving the possible misuse of money in private practice.

Anonymous trolls, of course, had to dispute what I posted. "This would be BIG NEWS to most papers, WHY haven't they said it or do they wait for the truth?"

In other words, don't believe it unless you see it in a newspaper. Well, Martino has since been since been suspended by Executive John Stoffa, without pay. He's under criminal investigation by the DA. And, oh yeah, there's now an article in The Morning Call.

By the by, in recent years, Martino has been at the wrong end of numerous tax claims filed by the state and IRS.

Pa Dep't of Revenue:
2007-J-2724, filed 4/11/07 for $10,020.29
2008-J-5257, filed 5/30/08 for $3,866.64
2010-J-14166, filed 12/17/10, for $4,656.94
2011-J-1762, filed 2/24/11, for $6,026.65

IRS:
2004-FT-6381, filed 8/23/04, for $189,065.70
2009-FT-6621, filed 6/29/09, for $50,763.87
2009-FT-8437, filed 8/7/09, for $39,064.92
2009-FT-9946, filed 9/11/09, for $107,187.60
2010-FT-2403, filed 3/12/10, for $21,427.33
2011-FT-8982, filed 9/16/11, for $45,476.98
2012-FT-2119, filed 3/2/12, for $44,185.73
2008-FT-12442, filed 11/24/08, for $26,782.48

It gives me no pleasure to write this story. I know and like Anthony, and consider him an excellent attorney. I feel this must be reported because of his position.

28 comments:

  1. Why don't you write about your own disbarment.... way to throw stones in a glass house

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  2. Geez, what a shocker! It's amazing there's no front page story about a 28 year-old suspension. You're breaking one helluva' story. Now go take your drug cocktail.

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  3. Just write a post about everything that happened and it will never be mentioned again.

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  4. Bernie
    Why haven't you ever told the general public that u are able to be reinstated by the bar association for your past trangressions but you chose not to. I am well aware of your past and you could have been reinstated years ago. C'mon man, vent for once and tell these idiots how wrong they really are. You could have neen reinstated many years ago. Why do you take this abuse?

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  5. Because part of the reinstatement is for him to seek professional help for his addiction. He refuses to do so.

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  6. I've written several posts about my suspension. These morons want me to do it every day, and I refuse to do so. They are not really interested in that, but in deflecting attention away from whatever I do write about. It has not worked since 2006, and will not work now. And yes, I could be re-instated.

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  7. I have been reading LVR for several years now, and actually Bernie has on numerous occasions written of his past, and that he could have been reinstated. Bringing it up is a mere distraction. Ignore them.

    Anyway, Bernie, you "broke" yet another story first. Probably why even your haters can't help but check out your stories. Lots of opinion pieces, but also a lot of stories that help tell the story of the Lehigh Valley--the good, the bad, and the ugly.

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  8. I do not like this story, Lighthouse, but feel the public has a right to know.

    I am going to ignore and delete the distractions.

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  9. Ignore the story by killing the messenger? Anyway, I would guess that this non-lawyer probably has exerted--good or bad, depending on your perspective I suppose--more influence than a lot of area lawyers.

    Not going to waste any more time on this.

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  10. Anonymous said...

    Why don't you write about your own disbarment.... way to throw stones in a glass house

    12:09 AM

    He has. Early and Often.

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  11. Wasn't this guy the solicitor that McClure wanted to can? How did he get appointed pd? Seems shady.

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  12. Bernie,
    You don't have to explain anything to these morons that write on your blog & don't keep to the subject & direct all negativity at you.
    Screw 'em !!

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  13. i thought a person was innocent until proven guilty ?

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  14. 8:59 anon
    Nothing shady. he was re-appointed in feb 2009 by a 5-4 vote of county council. The appointment was dragged out because of the death of Wayne Grube, then the appointment of his widow (who resigned after 1 meeting). By the time the 4 dems and 4 repos finally appointed Capozzolo, 1/5 of the year had passed. The choice was either stick with the guy who was up-to-speed on issues and had been doing it for over a year (Martino), or go with a newbie who would have to brought up-to-speed in the 10 months he would serve(Perucci). Council made the right decision then.

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  15. McClure wanted him canned for all the wrong reasons. He wanted Perucci because he wanted someone he could control. McClure does not have the County's best interest at heart and he never will. It is all about McClure and power. We get to stick it to him when he runs For Exec. He is waving his name around but I understand he doesn't have any support except Morganelli. Little Napoleon and McClure. Now that's a team.

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  16. I am no Mclure fan, but it looks like his assessment was spot on with this guy: and now he's in a heap of trouble. The guy should not have been solicitor. Given the timing, it seems some of his bad practice happened while serving as solicitor. Mclure was probably stupid lucky, but he was right that that martino shouldnt have been solicitor. My comment about something being shady was in regard to no long being solicitor but somehow landing a gig as public defender.

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  17. Like a fortune teller, if you throw enough crap against the wall some of it sticks. This was one of the many rumors O'Hare hears and it stuck. The papers still tend to wait for confirmation.

    McClure knew about issues and wanted to drop him as the solicitor and O'Hare praised Marino. Of course that was to attack Mr. McClure.

    Now the O'Hare teabaggers claim McClure wanted him gone for the "wrong reasons". So even if someone you hate wants to do the "right thing", you haters still find a way to discredit him. That is the O'Hare creedo.

    Maybe Lamont wasn't trying to embarras the guy or get his ego stroked like O'Hare lives on.

    You are all hypocrites.

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  18. McClueless is a board certified asshole. But he got this one right.

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  19. So Bo is disbarred and an alcoholic. He admits it openly. Never has tried to hide it.

    So what that tell you? Like him or not - at least he's honest.

    The anon cowards can not recognize that fact as they are blind to the reality of the truth.

    One can only pity their mindless existence as their lack of self esteem only fuels their own worthlessness.

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  20. "Now the O'Hare teabaggers claim McClure wanted him gone for the "wrong reasons". So even if someone you hate wants to do the "right thing", you haters still find a way to discredit him. That is the O'Hare creedo.

    Maybe Lamont wasn't trying to embarras the guy or get his ego stroked like O'Hare lives on.

    You are all hypocrites.

    2:15 PM"

    Bullshit. If McPoppinfresh had these details then, he certainly would have used them. If you think otherwise, you've not been paying attention.

    That things turned out as doughboy said they would is not the point. This "vindication", such that it is, is of no value when contrasted with his long running pathetic performance on the public stage.

    As for the attacks on Bernie, we all know the story. To the extent that it is any of our fucking business, we've elected to put it in perspective, and we aren't here entrusting our estate planning to him. We are discussing, debating and spouting off on topics and events the guy has done the hard work to bring to light when the local inept and corrupt rags can't and won't.

    If your retort to every post is gonna be, "Yeah, but you were disbarred 28 years ago", then you are an intellectual dweeb and a pussy to boot. Fuck off, asshole.

    And, yes BO, the profanity is called for with this jitbag.

    -Clem

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  21. Yes local officials are very good at deverting attention away from the true dirt. Alentown man leaps to his death on hamiton st americus hotel as a city block is burning from sasauges burning on the stove. What exploded the house next door that had forclosure sticker on it filled gas that was turned of at the curb box? Only the blind can't see the effort to cover trax to shift attention of the public.

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  22. Hey Clem did you ever say "jitbag" when you were Ron Angle?

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  23. Ron is not Clem dude or dudette. Ron doesnt blog. Didnt you get the email?

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  24. Clem has been accused of being several people - me, Ron Angle, Jr, and now, Ron Angle himself.

    I do not play the game that others play and post anonymously or under made up names. I think that type of conduct is deceptive and an insult to my readers. Ron Angle does not know how to turn on a computer or use one. Ron, Jr. does, but has absolutely no interest in politics. So these anonymous accusations are just that - anonymous accusations that lack any credibility.

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  25. Deflections, Bernie, by those who know I'm right about them and their dependence on the nanny-state.

    As, I've posted before, I am just a middle class schmoe represented by McPoppinfresh and the Stepford reps Marcia Hahn and Charlie Dent.

    When my kids are out of school and no longer subject to retaliation for the sins of their father, "Clem" will no longer be necessary.

    If I WAS Ron, though, and I had his resources and time, I don't think I could ride off into the sunset like he has. I'd be pulling a Soros/Koch brothers act on the local level. The one area he could have most impact would be the school districts. If he and maybe a few well-healed others, with no other agenda than to do the right thing and stop the troughfeeders from raping our children's future, they could start something big. They could find and fund right-minded folks (like me in a few years) to sit on the school boards of NORCO, the process of reform could begin from within.

    So, as our man Angle doesn't read your blog or get on the PC and, contrary to the teet suckers here, I've never met the man, maybe you could pass on my idea for his next great adventure...

    -Clem

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

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  27. I am deleting all comments that anonymously attack Clem. If you want to claim he is someone, you'll have to ID yourself.

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