Political guru Mike Fleck, Edwin Pawlowski's campaign manager, was the person behind the attempt to kill the Kim Velez candidacy in Allentown. That effort failed, largely because Steve Barron's Solicitor, Tim Brennan, engaged in bully tactics. A Lehigh County judge corrected that error. I did not really fault Fleck for Brennan's stupidity. But Fleck, who also is running Glenn Reibman's Northampton County Exec race, has sunk to a new low.
The flyer, which I decline to reproduce here, includes a photograph of an obviously drunk John Callahan. For those of you on Planet Krypton, Callahan is one of Reibman's two opponents in the Northampton County Exec race.
But it's a look-alike, not the real Callahan.
This deceit is no surprise from Reibman. After all, he's the Executive who scandalized his office when a top aid was sentenced to federal prison for taking kickbacks on County contracts. Reibman spent more time in fornt of grand juries than he did in his office during his first term. And Mike Fleck is a guy who falsely claimed to be a college graduate when he himself ran for Mayor.
Neither Fleck nor Glenn Reibman is interested in being honest with you.
48 comments:
Well at least Fleck did Easton a huge favor, he stated that hes moving to Allentown!! Mike, the residents of Easton would like to give back to you for all your service. We would like to help you pack....
Why Allentown. Change your mind,mike, move farthernorth.
"he stated that hes moving to Allentown"
hasn't that poor city suffered enough?
Is that Reibman on the right?
No Keep Fleck in Easton. Please. Allentown has enough troubles.
Clearly a desperate act by someone who us so far behind in the polls they have nothing to lose. And don'tstop at critizing Fleck, his wife is just as bad.
651 im sorry, but we will not keep him in Easton. We had him long enough..
651 your absolutely correct, his wife is no better.
Its obvious that Riebman is not the right choice and fleck is a nothing of concern--However calahan is not the right choice either after what he has done to Bethlehem. You can take it to the bank that he will raise taxes in the county just like he did in Bethlehem. Think twice people before you vote. Mcclure might be the best choice either so maybe just maybe we might be better off going with someone completely new.
correction --mcclure might NOT be
Anyone, and maybe I should say everyone, who has voted for a number of years knows this is an act of a desperate candidate. The only time you tarnish your own image by doing negative mailers is when you are trying to raise the negatives of your opponent so they are greater than your negatives. Reibman is so desperate. He is going out as a loser, not only from an elected position but now as a candidate. He is a selfish person who has raped the system, did nothing to improve his image while he was out of office (i.e. charity work) etc., and now wants to get back in office so he can finish what he started. I don't think so.
Enough already. You, yes YOU, were the one running around mockingly calling him "Johnny Casino" and implying all sorts of stuff about Callahan and his family. The mailer has him playing poker too - an image you and Dent carefully constructed.
Its obvious that Riebman is not the right choice and fleck is a nothing of concern--However calahan is not the right choice either after what he has done to Bethlehem. You can take it to the bank that he will raise taxes in the county just like he did in Bethlehem. Think twice people before you vote. Mcclure might be the best choice either so maybe just maybe we might be better off going with someone completely new.
No shit taxes have to be raised. Wake up. Look around.
If it is a FACT that GlenBoy did this, he should withdraw from the campaign. It should be interesting to see if any of the papers editorialize on this mess.
Was this a mailer because I didnt receive it?
It was.
The Johnny Casino persona was created by Bernie and Charlie Dent.
Both detailed what a professional and ethical disaster Callahan was (cover-ups, financial sleight of hand, lies about a variety of issues).
Bernie's a fair-weather attention whore. Charlie's a straight shooter. Charlie told us Callahan is pretty much a lying piece of shit who's lied about any Bethlehem accomplishments and is simply unfit to serve because of regular moral and ethical lapses.
I believe Charlie Dent.
Actually, the Johnny Casino nickname was created by George Wacker, and it's one that Callahan has embraced bc he claims the casino has been a success for Bethlehem, bringing in much needed revenue. You should try to be accurate, even though you can't ID yourself.
I have been fair in my coverage of Callahan. When he was bad, I noted it. When he has been good, I've noted it. And speaking of Charlie Dent, I notice that he no longer criticizes Callahan either.
Callahan is a rare pol who can take criticism and learn from t. You hat Callahan bc someone else is buttering your bread. You also hate Dent but will use him to suit your purposes, while calling others whores.
The fact is Reibman sent out a dishonest flyer. He has purposely set out to deceive voters. Your anonymous commentary is just more evidence of this deceitful behavior, as well as an attempt to divert attention away from Fleck and Reibman.
I'm with Charlie Dent: Callahan is no damn good for a long list of reasons.
... and that's a reason to use a look-alike who is drunk? Reibman and Fleck just lied to the voters.
Fleck may just be doing his job as a campaign manager for several people but how he does it is sleezy.
He will eventually do something he can't wiggle out of and be in real trouble. Candidates using his service are playing with fire.
Reibman and Fleck finally admitted something. For months they have been telling any and everybody that they were "well ahead in the polls". People well ahead, dont go negative, this speaks volumes.. Reibman and Fleck are No class, bums!!
I have no problem with negativity. Negativity works. Attempting to deceive voters and outright dishonesty does not. Reibman should be ashamed of himself for allowing his consultant to run a dishonest piece. But given his past, should this be a surprise?
Charlie Dent said there's only one way to run a campaign: hard.
He also said Callahan was unworthy of office due to dishonesty and ethical lapses.
I'm with Charlie Dent. Ca;;ahan is no damn good.
Charlie Dent said you run hard or unopposed. Running hard does not mean you become dishonest. That's what Reibman just did. He has proved himself a liar. That's not running hard. That's just stupid. But that's Glenn.
An accusation of being a drunken Democrat is no impediment to winning local office. It's proven quite helpful, in many cases. If it's true that John's a drunk, he will be vigorously defended by this blog and given a no-show job with the state party as a soft landing.
The fact is that Reibman dishonestly used a look-alike picture to misrepresent Callahan to the public. It's dishonest. Why would someone vote for a liar?
Many Callahan supporters will dispute that Dent ran an honest campaign against John. Charlie was very clear.
At any rate, Charlie told us John lied about his Bethlehem record and was of questionable ethics.
I know. It's ancient history from two years ago. I'm with Charlie. Callahan is no damn good.
State one piece of information on the flyer that is a lie Bernie. You are hung up on the so called look-alike picture which doesn't look like Callahan at all. The guy in the picture has a full head of hair and is young.
The actual statements are true.
That was a factual mailer. A new mancrush cannot change the facts, even yours.
One piece of information on the flyer that is a lie is the use of a Callahan look-alike, playing cards and obviously drunk. That is a flat out lie. Reibman will get few votes from people once they discover he lied to hem.
A generic guy picture, used by many pols including Charlie Dent, is hardly "information" Bernie and you know it. Stick to the facts and the facts are correct. Your hatred of Reibman and McClure doesn't make Callahan honest. Sorry, the math is not that simple.
No but this mailer reinforces reibman's dishonesty.
They couldn't find a picture of an intoxicated John...man the Velez thing and this they really are incompetent. Donovan might as well start practicing his inaugural address for the city.
"A generic guy picture"
That was no generic guy picture. This is a lie after the flyer itself. It was a Callahan look-alike, in a flyer about Callahan, depicting him as a drunk and as a gambler.
Now we've got two lies.
Politics is a full contact, hard ball sport. There are lots of people playing dirty. I am presently being accused of playing dirty because I reprinted, verbatim, Scott Ott's own words from his writings.
Like it or not, Mr. Fleck is doing what he is being paid to do. I wish I was getting paid to post about Ott, but I have had much of this stuff for over 4 years and I'm not waiting around anymore to use it to show a candidate needs more scrutiny.
On another note, I do object to people taking shots at Mr. Fleck's wife. That crosses a line.
There's no evidence presented anywhere that Mrs. Fleck had a hand in the Reibman mailer. All three candidates know how hard they could be hit. Buck up and take it, and hit back.
I saw one remark about Fleck's wife, saying she is just as bad as he. I have heard that myself. This is the business she chose, and she gets no special break bc she is a woman, just as she gave no break to Velez.
On another note, I have no problem with negative campaigning. I do have a problem with outright lies. Fleck and Reibman used a Callahan look-alike who was obviously drunk, to deceive voters. That's pretty stipid, especially from a candidate whose top guy went to jail bc he is a liar.
Let me add that it would be pretty easy to come up with a Reibman look-alike. That would be Nosferatu, and would be close to the truth. But he won't do that bc unlike Reibman, he has personal integrity.
Bernie, there are plently of cellphone pictures of a tipsy John Callahan. You have posedt a few over the years yourself. Some even have a woman close by.
By the way, we all know he drinks, he drinks and how do you know he is not a gambler. Actually you may be a political schill but you don't really know the guy at all. Stop taking Jim Hickey at his word. He is also a political player.
Actually, I haven't. The closest thing I have is a picture of him kissing a mug.
If we all know he drinks, as you insist, then why not post a picture of the real Callahan? Perhaps those rumors are all overstated and he actually spends his weekends with his kids. Perhaps you were unable to find a picture to support all the stories and thus used a look-alike.
Basically, Glenn Reibman is a liar who deceived the voters.
Incidentally, as someone who is a drunk and was once a liar, I'll take the drunk any day of the week.
Sorry Bernie--I dis-agree--Liars will always get found out and their lies will catch up to them--Drunks are another thing. I have no use for drunks--They ruin more lives than just their own and unless they get help early on, it will only get worse. they will aliniate people all around them and cause all kinds of problems; the kind of problems the others don't need. I'm sure you know what i'm talking about. Having said all that i still commend you on for your sobrority and straightening yourself out. keep up the good work and after reading about the drunks and liars thats are running for this office; I think its time to start a write-in campain to ellect the mayor of easton Sal Panto. Who's all for that???/
I have been fair in my coverage of Callahan. When he was bad, I noted it. When he has been good, I've noted it.
Nonsense. You hammered Callahan relentlessly. Now that he could be potentially buttering your bread (or buying you a new laptop), you kiss his ass. Do you think your readers are that dumb?
Your poof policy of dissent proves that you do.
Charlie Dent said you run hard or unopposed. Running hard does not mean you become dishonest. That's what Reibman just did. He has proved himself a liar. That's not running hard. That's just stupid. But that's Glenn.
Please! You and Representative Dent hammered the story of Callahan's brother (!) and implied that the mayor got him out of a drunk driving charge. Don'y act as if you didn't wallow in the mud with Dent. You embarrassed yourself and now you are kissing Callahan's ass? Have you no shame?
My report was based on the acts as i knew them. I used no Callahan look-alikes. It was honest work.
Reibman's flyer is a flat out lie. He uses a Callahan lookalike to project him, as a drunk bc, despite all the stories, nobody seems to have a picture of a drunk Callahan. This speaks volumes about what we can expect from Reibman should voters put him in a second time. He obviously has no integrity, and is not above lying.
"Stop taking Jim Hickey at his word."
NO ONE should do that. he's sketchy...
"On another note, I do object to people taking shots at Mr. Fleck's wife. That crosses a line. "
bullshit. she crossed the line by working for her husband, designing his mail, and now sending out patently false emails on behalf of reibman.
I also think she is responsible for many of the anonymous shots on this blog. Not a nice person.
Anon 8:19. Yes lets all push for a write in of tax and crime Panto. What planet do you live on? He is no better than the current three. Maybe one of them will give you a job.
PANTO??? You have got to be kidding. No thanks!
Panto bashing, must be Mrs. Fleck. She still believes her hubby should be the mayor. Hahaha what a joke!!!
Mike Fleck is the second coming of Mike Solomon. He'll end up the ame way, too. He'll get so full of himself, and so greedy that he'll push the boundaries of legality and end up getting caught and make a bunch of pols and labor unions look like fools for ever listening to anything he says. Just another home grown sleaze bag attached to Reibman. And Lehigh Valley pols and unions fall for Fleck's self-promoting con job like a bunch of mindless sheep. This is exactly why the Lehigh Valley will always be a backwater in PA politics.
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