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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Monday, February 04, 2013

Panto's Campaign Finance Report Misses Important Details

Sal Panto at Ismael Arcelay Announcement
Easton Mayor Sal "I want a NIZ, too" Panto is more accountable and transparent than most elected officials. But his sloppy 2012 campaign finance report looks like it could have been prepared by Edwin Pawlowski. For many of the contributions, Panto fails to list important and required details, like addresses and occupations of the donors, and the dates on which these contributions were made.

This is not just nitpicking, either. The report as filed is in violation of Pennsylvania's campaign finance disclosure laws.

Speaking of Pawlowski, he gave Sal $1,000 last year. So did a lot of Pawlowski's own crop of donors. NIZ developer J.B. Reilly, a conservative Republican, found it in his heart to give Sal $1,000. Robert Bennett of Bennett Toyota, located in Allentown, gave Panto $1,500. Alan Kessler, who is with the Duane Morris law firm, kicked in $2,500.

There are several other large contributors, and absolutely no explanation about any of them. Not even an address or employer.

In a nonelection year, Panto raised $15,200.06 and spent $10,556.04. He has $9,916.27 left in his treasury.

His campaign manager, Randy Galiotto, told me Panto will file an amended report. He added that Reilly has given to Panto in the past. But not Bennett or a host of other names I usually see associated with King Edwin.

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

So sad Sal doesn`t need Ed.

Bernie O'Hare said...

No he does not. He is a good Mayor, and one of the most accountable elected officials in the Lehigh Valley. This report is not the way he usually handles himself, and I am sure it will be corrected.

He does support the NIZ. In fact, even Callahan supports the NIZ. It was just the size of it that bothered him, along with the possibility that it will hurt Bethlehem.

Anonymous said...

Maybe he has the same tresurer as his buddy Callahan.

Uncle Remus said...

Say it ain't so Sal. Don't tell me we've lost the last honest pol in the valley

Anonymous said...

You say Sal is accountable after filing a report so sloppy, it looks like a deliberate attempt at obfuscation. He's not a good mayor. His town is dangerous and broke and he just robbed his neighbors via commuter tax. Now, his paperwork is as shoddy as his dismal job performance. Stop carrying his ever more fetid water. He's Brennan without the arrest - yet. You'll never learn Bernie.

Bernie O'Hare said...

6:43, The comparison to Joe Brennan is a nice touch. You're disgusting.

Peter J.Cochran said...

To 6;43--Easton City is not dangerous to folks not looking for trouble.Nearly anyone assaulted are people with bad habits, out screwing around with no place to be in the morning, like a job. A couple of corner store hold ups ,but the merchants do do not prepare ,they have a camera installed that aim at HATS and they look like they are shot under water. Who is at fault here?The Mayor? If you do not like this comment ,please SIR, site one example otherwise.

Sal Panto, Jr. said...

Bernie
Mea culpa. I will say sorry for the incomplete report. The addresses were not included true, but certainly the name of the individual or union. You place blame for accepting "Allentown money." Sorry, I don't. Here is why. I am one of the few local elected officials that not only thinks regionally but acts regionally. I am proud of the fact that I have regional support, no need for excuses. The fact that some of these same supporters support Mayor Pawlowski is fine. I make no excuses for supporting Ed and being his friend.

I supported the NIZ, the Rt. 33 interchange and the brownfiled development in south Bethelehem. Why? Becasue the number one priority for this valley is jobs. Jobs created are not limited to that area. Residents of Easton will be able to secure jobs and that makes our city a better city.

Many of these supporters are regional supporters who wanted me to run for County Executive. I chose not to run but they are still supporters and for different reasons. J.B. Reilly happens to be a person I have known for years and serves on the Lafayette Board of Trustees. He has an interest in seeing our city move forward.

Our report was turned in on time but for a few addresses. They will be added in the next few days. But the important information was there and on time.

Lastly, you continue to criticize my attendance at the press conference of "one of Ed's men." I attended becasue I wanted to attend. No one forced me to be there. No one other than the candidate asked me to be there. Mayor Ed has not even mentioned Izzy's name to me. If nothing else I am my own person. And if another Democratic candidate for council asks me to attrend a press conference I will. i give credit to those that place their name on the ballot. It is not easy to place your name where people can take pot shots at you without knowing the facts.

Anonymous said...

Mayor Panto,

I never met you, have little knowledge of your performance in Easton. I do, however, admire your courage in responding here. You are willing to be out in the open, frank, and easily held responsible for your decisions. Very impressive.

Guts are good.

Tricia Mezzacappa said...

Sal,

Nice of you to come on here and post an answer but not needed.

Everyone who reads this blog knows it to be exactly what it is...a vortex of defamation. Clearly a diary of a disasterous person without a soul.

And Bernie here goes a runin' to the courts like a 5 year old cry baby in a skirt, when people attempt to correct the spin, the lies, the omission of facts and the hate.

Seriously Sal, when O'Hare bashes people, their stock goes up, not down.

He is that unreliable, and has zero credibility

Anonymous said...

I remember Sal taking a serious beating because he called you a friend during the graced ale issue.

Anonymous said...

Tricia,

any names you mention turn to poison...

Bernie O'Hare said...

Sal, I do give you credit for being accountable. But I do not give your credit for supporting Izzy, who is himself a very bad candidate who was forced to resign from the Human Relations Comm'n. The fact that he is a Democrat is no absolution in my book. I do not support a report that fails to indicate the addresses ofd employers of some very large contributors. If we are to follow the mony, we must be able to connect the dots. I appreciate your willingness to amend your report.

11:10 should sign his comment.

Asd for Mezzacappa, she is what she is.

Sal did not call me a friend. He was, however, attacked by the phonies at the Gracedale bblog, inv\cluding the Fah\ke Rev, who lied and claimed he voted for Sal when he, in fact, lives in Forks Tp.

Anonymous said...

Campaigns are expensive. I have had millions of people beg me to run for all the mayor positions and the two county executive psoitions but I have declined. They still want to give me money becauee I am a great person and a true leader who would put Lincoln to shame.

Is it wrong of me to accept contributions from the people who beg to give them to me? I think not. I need the money to get my message out.

J. Christ

Bernie O'Hare said...

"J.B. Reilly happens to be a person I have known for years and serves on the Lafayette Board of Trustees. He has an interest in seeing our city move forward."

To the extent it helps his investments, I'd agree. But it is nonsense to suggest that a businessman like Reilly is in this for anything other than himself. He gives money to people who he thinks will help his bottom line. I do not fault him. That is his world. But I do fault a government that allows businessmen to buy politicians, even when the politician is someone I like and admire.

"Lastly, you continue to criticize my attendance at the press conference of "one of Ed's men." I attended becasue I wanted to attend. No one forced me to be there. No one other than the candidate asked me to be there. Mayor Ed has not even mentioned Izzy's name to me.

Actually, Sal, I do not think I called you one of Ed's men, and know you better. I do criticize your Arcelay endorsement as a monumental misjudgment in which your main argument seemed to be that voters should pick him bc he is Hispanic. It's a racist argument. Had you said people should vote for me bc I am white, I think you'd have to hide on top of the Peace Candle.

If you look at his campaign you'd see that he (1) embellishes his political past; (2) was forced to resign from the Human Relations Comm's for trying to force the Reading School District to hire him; and (3) knows absolutely nothing about county government.

This is a guy you support? The last thing we need is a guy who can't be honest about himself and who used his position to enrich himself.

I do appreciate your willingness to come on this blog and deal with the anonymous assholes who take shots without identifying themselves.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Mea culpa. I will say sorry for the incomplete report."

You are absolved. Three Hail Marys and two Our Fathers. Now go and sin no more.

Sal Panto, Jr. said...

Bernie
JB Reilly has no developments in Easton, I certainly wished he did. You can say what you want about the person, I know him and know of his reputation in all of his projects. He is one of the most respected developers I know. His two residential projects in Palmer Township are first class and you can ask the people who live there. My acceptance of his donation had to do with his true belief that Northampton County is lagging and needs leadership and he felt I could provide that and for his confidence in me I am appreciative. He has served Lafayette well and gets nothing in return. So it's not just about his projects.

Why didn't you mention that my camapign isn't about pay for play and the very names you mentioned prove that. They have no ties to Easton other than wanting to help good candidates get elected and re-elected. Business owners have a lot to lose when the valley goes down so they have a vested interest in those candidates they feel are the most competent. Or why didn't you mention of all of the candidates for executive positions our campaign uses the least amount of money and uses old fashioned grass root campaigning to win.

I truly laugh when I hear the negative comments about donors especially business people giving money to candidates. DUH could it be because they are interested in good goevernment. Not all business people have an agenda nor do all candidates. But it does take money to win. And the candidates that usually complain about donors are the ones jealous becasue they are so ineffective that they can't get anyone to invest in them thereby investing in their government.

As you know, the Executive race will be hard for me to get involved in but it was interesting that my good friend John Callahan got a pass from you on this on. As I recall his report wasn't even filed and you just accepted a health related reason. I think he has a paid staff on this campaign. John is an extremely credable candidate but I probably won't be actively involved in that primary. Glenn Reibman and others are in the race. My report only lacked addresses.

I never faulted you for being at Izzy's press conference. Again, he is placing his name out there and the voters will decide, not me and you and i know you know that.

I was also appreciative of your positive comments when my name was being tossed around for Executive.

And as for the person commenting on the commuter tax, your $5.19 per week goes directly to the pension deficit and you should get involved in the issue becasue it is coming to your state and your local government very soon. this is not just a city problem.

Anonymous said...

F you, Sal. I make $28k and you're in my wallet with your fing commuter tax. F you. Your old man dodn't pay his taxes and you want mine like I'm some rich guy. You POS phony deadbeat.

Anonymous said...

Sal..what's up with Rock Church? When is the city gonna shut that rat hole operation down? Have they paid anything on their tax bill lately or let you inspect their slum apartments?

Anonymous said...

Sal,

Instead of coming off as an asshole and mocking $5.19 think again. Maybe I am a single mother working two jobs and can't even see my kids go on the bus instead to fix the problems of people falling asleep at the helm and paying those damn pensions that you do a lot of talking about. Any of that money go to the Cuvo settlement or the death of the police officer shot in headquarters? If it is only $5.19 that you bray about, how about you pay it?

Anonymous said...

That family has a history of deadbeating. Sal can afford $5. His clan's defaulted on far more than that. What a hateful politician he is.

Anonymous said...

Sal steals. It's in the genes.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Hi Sal,

Please ignore the anonymous hate posted by cowards. We'll have to talk sometime.

1. I certainly agree with your assessment that Reilly is a respected developer. His work has always been first rate, and I have actually complimented his TOA developments. But so what? He's a businessman. He is not giving you money bc he feels sorry for Easton or thinks NC is lagging behind (which it isn't).He is giving you money bc he thinks it might help him. Who knows? If Easton gets a mini-NIZ or Keystone Investment Zonei hear being discussed in H-burg, he's opened the door with you. If he cared about the little people, he'd never participate in a scheme that deprive our children - our most precious asset - of the books and other tools they need to learn. They have to play basketball under the streetlights, when they can in Allentown, as bullets whiz by. In the meantime, JB Reilly has an indoor court at his mansion. The day he invites inner city youth to play there, I might change my opinion of him. And that opinion is that he is a conservative R out to become a billionaire. He is not evil, but is not interested in good government.

2. I generally agree that you avoid pay-to-play. You rely on page after age of grass roots support, and I suspect that $50 check may mean more to you than the $1,000 from Reilly. If I failed to make that clear, I am wrong and then I must say mea culpa.

You're a very good Mayor, but I have a reputation to maintain as a bottom-feeding blogger, damn it. So throw me a frickin' bone. When I see a report with a few minor errors, I have to pounce. Not much else out there. It's all you gave me. Next time, please try to give me a better scandal.

Bernie O'Hare said...

To the Anons, please leave Sal's family out of this. As an elected official, he has to take some heat, but I would ask that he ignore the anonymous personal attacks on his family of all things. Haters gotta' hate.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Go take your drug cocktail.

Anonymous said...

Sal came off like a real asshole on his commuter tax comments. He's gone native and represents everything most people hate about slimy pols. He's not a good mayor. His town is crime-ridden and so saddled with debt that he's started taking money from those he doesn't govern.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I agree with your resentment about the commuter tax, but would ask you what is your solution? How would you fin the pension mess? Legally?

Panto is a good mayor. I work in Easton every day and have seen the changes. Actually, he is a great mayor.

It's too bad you won't sign your name. What does that say about you?

Anonymous said...

If you care so much about Sal's Easton, you would not be supporting Stoffa's goofy idea to take 250 county employees out of the city and sticking them in the middle of an Industrial Park. Noice of the Cointy to kick the old county seat in the ass.

Antoher triumph of the Stoffa Abomination

Bernie O'Hare said...

Take your drug cocktail and go to bed. You can troll all day tomorrow.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"it was interesting that my good friend John Callahan got a pass from you on this on. As I recall his report wasn't even filed and you just accepted a health related reason."

For some reason, I don't think you can call John Callahan your "good friend" if you make this kind of snark at him. If Randy Galiotto or whoever fills out your report was sick and you missed the filing date for that reason, I would certainly understand. I'd even understand it if it happened to Pawlowski. When you, of all people, attempt to make an issue of this nonissue, you just demean yourself. And incidentally, I had that from three different people, including the Mayor himself. He offered to give me his spread sheets. Give that a rest and look to your own house.

Anonymous said...

Listen up Sal, Bernie has a new patron and his name is John Callahan. All is good.

Sal Panto, Jr. said...

Bernie
Yes I would like to ignore the Anon cowards but you know me.....and I am not going to let them post mis-informaiton on the internet. Anon Coward 8:47P and 9:58P you speak ill of my father and that I will not stand for.....Check the dockets --- all money due was paid! IN FULL! We didn't walk away from any of the obligations.

Anonymous said...

Mayor Panto,

Exactly right. Either we fight back, or the crap continues, and we lose. Losing is NOT an option.

Again, well done!

(I am a staunch conservative, registered Republican)

Bernie O'Hare said...

Sal, They are anonymous cowards who intensify their attacks at someone when he's good. You know the flak is always heaviest when you're over the target.

Anonymous said...

Are you going to give us the dirt on Pawlowski and all the money floating around the stinking niz ??

Anonymous said...

Lehigh county NIZ AND Lehigh county reports?

Bernie O'Hare said...

I'll get there, but NC is always my first priority.

Anonymous said...

Sal, how do you feel about NIZ opportunities for all Municipalities? Do you think the next one should be exclusive to one municipality. If there are restrictions, what should be the discriminators? Thanks.

Anonymous said...

There will be no more NIZ's. However York is getting something similar soon.