Originally thought to be a "miracle mineral" because of its ability to withstand heat, asbestos was used in thousands of products, including most homes and buildings. It was originally used to help people, not hurt them. But some producers, who ultimately became aware of the risks and covered them up, were rightfully sued. That has evolved, over the years, to the point where asbestos litigation itself might be regarded as one of America's major industries. According to The Manhattan Institute,
Asbestos litigation today has come to consist, mainly, of non-sick people, suing in jurisdictions where asbestos litigation is one of the main industries supporting the local economy, claiming compensation for non-existent injuries, often testifying according to prepared scripts with perjurious contents, and often supported by specious medical evidence.With this background, Angelos late last year filed a motion to consolidate 13,000 non-mesothelioma asbestos personal injury lawsuits in Baltimore. Most of these Plaintiffs, of course, are healthy. His reason for seeking consolidation is simple. It's a practice that would place the "efficiency of the court and interest of the plaintiffs in collecting damages over the due process rights of defendants." But it has also provided an unexpected opportunity for disclosure.
According to The Wall Street Journal,
The first discovery was that more than 1,500 claimants were duplicates. Of the remaining 11,383 plaintiffs, nearly 70% had been diagnosed by one or more of the same five doctors. One of the physicians, William Goldiner, diagnosed nearly 50% of the plaintiffs, 77 in one day. When not outputting claims for the tort bar, Dr. Goldiner works as a team doctor for the Baltimore Orioles, which are owned by Peter Angelos. Another doctor, Joseph Kligman, is a former partner of Dr. Goldiner. The other three doctors either prepared reports at Dr. Goldiner's request or relied on his exams.These certainly look like bogus suits in which friendly doctors are helping Mr. Baseball. And that's where McClure works.
This is the shady world in which McClure operates. The question should not be whether he is elected County Executive. The question should be how this outsider, who belongs to no other local organizations, ever got elected to County Council in the first place.
74 comments:
From your picture, his face appears to be a red color and his eyes appear to be a blood-shot color. Is your camera working correctly? If so, he is one ugly and strange colored individual. Maybe he is not human?
Hi Bernie. It's Jim Schlener the union thug among other immature names you have called me in the past. Lamont represents people like me father and my uncle and thousands who worked at Bethlehem Steel. For you to say the things you say about Lamont, you should be ashamed of yourself! If you every worked in that kind of atmosphere you might understand. I can only hope that you never a illnesses like the hard working people of Corporate America. If you would, you might be thankful there are people like Lamont McClure out there.
Hi Bernie. It's Jim Schlener the union thug among other immature names you have called me in the past. Lamont represents people like me father and my uncle and thousands who worked at Bethlehem Steel. For you to say the things you say about Lamont, you should be ashamed of yourself! If you every worked in that kind of atmosphere you might understand. I can only hope that you never have a illnesses like the hard working people of Corporate America. If you would, you might be thankful there are people like Lamont McClure out there.
Oh and we should believe this from a disbarred attorney who lied and ripped his clients off. Really Bernie... Call his profession what you will, but you have no credibility on anything to do with the legal profession or the character of those in that profession.
Lamont must be gaining on John if this is the level you and he have sunk to... Those tracking polls must be very revealing!
What I have done is reported what The Wall Street Journal has noted about the asbestos claims filed my McClure's employer. He and his boss make a living out of suing Corporate America, making it impossible for them to employ people like your father and the thousands who worked at The Bethlehem Steel.
The names I have called you, incidentally, are accurate. You are a union thug who wants McClure in office so you can continue to rape the taxpayer.
Hope you're off the sauce and have stopped beating up women.
Oh like we should believe a drunken fire fighter that was supposed to be on the clock when he smashed up his vehicle. Lie after lie after lie.
What you have done is do nothing but make a fool out of your self. I do have a past and made mistakes. I am only human. I do resent you saying beating up women. You are entitled to your opinion but not the FACTS! But that never stopped you before. Like I said earlier I do have a past and I do Stand for what I believe, unlike you. You are the lowest form of a human being because you throw stones and never ever have your own opinion . I can not believe I am getting into a argument with a idiot.
That is because you are an idiot. Know go try your hand at parallel parking. Only this time try not to hit any telephone polls or parked cars, you hear?
n 2010, your wife was forced to file a PFA against you after a history of abuse that included being kicked and threatened. You never challenged it. She divorced you.
In 2004, you entered into ARD in Lehigh County after yet another fight with a woman. In fact, that incident should have prevented you from being accepted into ARD now.
It is obvious to me that you are still in denial. Lamont McClure must be proud to you at his side.
Really O'Hare, this is a even lower low for you. Corporate paper and corporate website, really?
You are OK with people that were used by greedy employers, just as you wand Johnny Casino want to see employees kicked out of pensions and benefits.
This is a disgusting piece of trash. Wait until the piece about Callahan and his clan and what information is needed to be brought out.
You won't run it but it will be put out there, then let the public decide.
Once again your support will sink another candidate. Too bad, since Callahan was so close.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting facts. Didn't Schlener just say we are entitled to our own opinions, but not our own facts? Schlener, incidentally, hates Callahan, who terminated him as a result of his misconduct. He's not exactly what I call an unbiased source.
Callahan is bring more baggage to the county than an Italian countess.
I am not Divorced. Find out why. Like always you are full of mis-facts!. 2004 same women jerk! Again know the facts! I have know clue why anyone in their right mind would believe anything you write or say! I am only hear to set the record straight. Something you know nothing about ex-lawyer.
OK... and you are an unbiased source. Please if you are unbiased I am Charlie Dent!
Schlener, the facts are (1) a PFA was filed against you in 2010 bc you are a wife beater; and (2) you went into ARD in 2004 bc you are a woman beater. The fact that it is the same woman does not give you a discount. You are in denial, and are trying to minimize what you have done instead of accepting responsibility for some pretty disgusting conduct. It is certainly true that we all make mistakes and I am an alkie myself. But you can't recover until you start admitting your own mistakes. You have not done that.
Now he must really start to feel like an idiot for trying to have an argument and losing it - both the argument and his temper. Anger management is something in your future. Also, you might need to invest in a feature called spell check. Just putting that out there for ya.
Word on the street is - stay off the street when Schlener is driving!
schlener sipped schnapps in schenectady silently while waiting for a schnitzel last saturday.
Fact Number 1 - You said I was divorced WRONG
Fact Number 2 - Find out the outcome of what happen in 2004 and 2010. Final result! Please do !
Tell the truth but that is highly unlikely because it is not often you do.
We will discuss my employment status later when I have all the facts are in. You will be the first to know. NOT!
Good Night, some people have lives and have to work in the morning!
Was he on sick leave pay while sipping schnapps?
Wow! You must have threatened to beat her up again unless she dropped the case. Too bad the PA State police didn't get called in. They prosecute those kind of alleged crimes regardless if the victim wants to move forward or not. You still need sobriety and anger management. But not until you come to terms that you beat women. And want to feel that kind of power, so you post (anonymously) because you know that you can yell and make claims all you want, but no one will get in your face. Unlike what you do to those poor women ... One word for you - COWARD.8
I know very well that a divorce action was filed, and of memory serves, a decree was entered. In 2004, you went into ARD. In 2010, you did not contest the PFA Order, which lasted an entire year. Those are the facts.
Of course you are fighting your termination. You belong to a public sector union who will challenge this termination and stack the board with arbitrators who rule in ther favor. It's a miscarriage of justice, just like the bogus asbestos claims.
As a matter of FACT, you make the perfect kind of fit for Union Thug. You really matched your traits, talents, and personality proper with your jobs - Union Thug and Coward.
What a sad thing that so many spoiled teabaggers come on here and trash unions. the only reason you have your standard of living is because of the unions of your daddies and grandpa's.
Now the word is out, US workers are not only stupid enough to compete for the bottom rung of the economic ladder but they will defend the very people living the high life, while screwing over them and their children.
Good job Fox, listen well you little old teabaggers, you.
Nobody is trashing unions. I like and admire most private sector unions. But I and others will trash public sector union thugs like Schlener, who prey on taxpayers.
Scathing indictment. The only good lawyer is a....
Wake up McFly. He's a lawyer. He's expected tp be a scumbag - just like you were.
What did Mayor Callahan do before he was the mayor? Was he always a democract or did he switch parties?
Johnny Casino is an independent operator when you get down to it. D or R is really not that relevant anymore. People change parties for various reasons..so what? It's the issues! Judge on that and forget the labels.
good stuff. you go off on asbestos, get it wrong (good job lawyer)and then launch a personal tirade.
Do your homework before writing such crap.
This material was widely distributed until the 90's.
It's still in many pre-1990's buildings in the valley.
plenty of people still alive today have sawed and otherwise worked with asbestos.
>> some entity MUST be responsible and pay for for damages they caused - this is what you lawyers do???
Hi Bernie, this is John Q. Public. Why anyone would vote for Mr. McClure is beyond me. He doesn't even fulfill his obligations as a member of council. HTF can we expect him to do anything less.
The unio goon proves Bernie's point every time he types and messes up the English language. Typical!
Lamont is a code word for..Entitlement. Give him what he wants or he'll sue you!
You are not mentioning the new Brown Hole law writters and there stealing of monies allocated from the cigerette giants for cancer suffers and childrens health care¿ Theft is theft no matter what kind of paperwork and legal jargon it is covered up with to steal¿
The private sector of legal feilds has overflowed into the public sector and most don't even deserve to be at the same level as used carsalesmen¿ Some but very few have the integrity of our fourfathers¿
redd
8:53, But thanks to a union arbitration, the City will likely be forced to take this unrepentant woman beater back. Maybe "maclure" will find a cabinet spot for him in his new administration.
I am no fan of McClure, but your journalism is boarderline comical. I clicked on all of the links. Here is what they reference:
WSJ: an opinion piece (most of your readers don't have WSJ subscriptions so they will never see what you referenced). Normally, an article by the WSJ is solid, but their opinion/editorial work is so heavily biased toward conservative politics it isn't even credible.
Manhattan Institute: is a right wing think tank
Judicial Hell Holes: is funded by the American Tort Reform Foundation, a group bent on capping all jury awards (not just pain/suffering/punitive).
Bernie, I don't like McClure either, but your journalism on this is horrible. If you want to raise actual claims, you have to have meaningful sources. These aren't even secondary sources based on primary sources. These are opinion pieces with limited facts/figures. McClure has given enough to hang himself. This kind of sad journalism isn't necessary. Frankly, it took a big chunk out of your credibility. I was always willing to hear you out and interested in your thoughts, but this just made me question whether or not I will do so again, at least without huge pause.
There are no saints running for county executive. Human beings do dumb things. Who do you trust at the reins? Think about that..
Ask your friend Jerry if he thinks this is a scam Bernie. Report back and tell us what he says!
9:46, Do you really think I give a shit if someone anonymously tells me I lack credibility? I have provided links to everything I mention here, precisely so that my reader, who I assume is a sentient being, can evaluate what is said for himself.
The reference to the WSJ is a reference that lists facts supporting their editorial contention that the Angelos firm is engaged in a scam. The link to The Manhattan Project is specifically described. That is a right wing think tank, as is Juducial Hell Holes, but I do not make the mistake of assuming a source is wring simply bc its ideology is different than my own. How do you explain the same few doctors being responsible for all those finding without concluding that something is going on?
What you are really trying to say is that my journalism is horrible bc we are all supposed to wink at this scam bc it is politically incorrect for a left leaning person to criticize asbestos litigation.
I prefer to be honest.
This is McClure's law firm. He is an asbestos lawyer. This is what he does. In fact, what I don't mention is that a similar motion to consolidate was made, and denied, in Philadelphia.
I have to agree with the few comments that point out how poorly this post was presented. It stinks as much as when "she who will not be named" writes similar crap about you or others in public office she doesn't like. She too, often gives her posts a title that ends in a question mark. I'm no McClure fan, but everyone would be a lot more impressed if you had provided some documents with his signature attached. You can do better than this.
In other words, I can't write about a possible scam going on in the very firm where he has been employed for 12 years unless I can tie him to it directly? I believe I can, and did.
This doesn't seem to be fair. Would you go after a bus driver for LANTA if you found that a member of the board was handing our free passes to riders? Of course not. He is not that high up in that heirachy to make such decisions. He is a grunt. He gets involved after all the doctors have made the determinations. You are really stretching this one.
It is eminently fair. McClure is no bus driver. He is an asbestos lawyer in a firm that is engaged in the consolidation of 13,000 asbestos claims in Baltimore. His practice includes trips to Baltimore and Washington, so it is possible that he might even be directly involved. He certainly knows how his firm selects its doctors.
Billions of dollars afor this "industry disgrace" has been set up for victims of these "for profit any cost" industries who neglected to tell their workers about the cancer causing product. These industries set up this fund. It is the least they can do for their victims. People are dying from cancer because of their neglect. Please don't put a twist on this issue.
Hit piece on McClure ordered by Callahan. Problem for Johnny Casino is he is slipping in polls. The more people learn about him the less they want to vote for him.
You have your orders, destroy the other guys. Sad situation.
Industry disgrace? The people being sued now are not the actual producers, but companies that just used the product. Even the ABA recognizes a need for some kind of limitation on this mass tort litigation.
A friend of mine just had his asbestos filled lung removed and my other friend died before he knew about the asbestos in his lungs. Luckily, an autopsy disclosed the asbestos and his young family is now getting some financial compensation from these violators. Sorry Bernie, McClure gets my smpathy on this one. I'm still not voting for him.
http://acocktailparty.com/in-the-know/internationalnews/obamas-social-security-ponzi-scheme-wsj-opinion/
Using your logic on the verocity of the sourcing, the article above can fairly be used to substantial the claim the WSJ labels Social Security as a ponzi scheme.
Using editorial or opinion pieces as a basis for sourcing is terrible. The information contained is included to further a point, not to give a whole picture.
McClure is a joke. His election would be a disaster, but your sourcing approach is why blogging is laughable as a news source. There is nothing in any of your sources that pass muster as independent information. Hell, Paul Carpenter and Bill White can't even get away with this crap. But go ahead thinking you are doing a service. The only service you are providing is to further marginalize bloggers from being considered credible news sources.
Hey Bernie... How did that call to Jerry Seyfried go? Does he think this is a scam?
Did Seyfried help Bernie slam McClure?
11:45, The facts recited in the WSJ substantiate the claim that Obama is in fact funding benefits with current checks as opposed to previous payments made. It is, in fact, a Ponzi scheme. So your example more or less defeats your argument.
11:55, I do not run my posts by anyone.
11:37, The average asbestos claimant is not sick, but the bankruptcies that have resulted from asbestos litigation has led to the loss of 60,000 jobs. There are at least 8,400 defendants, most of whom had little to do with asbestos. What asbestos lawyers like McClure try to do is mex in lots of unimpaired plaintiffs with a few sick ones.
www.instituteforlegalreform.com
BOH- you called the WSJ piece a "report". Intentionally misleading!
And I'm a Callahan supporter.
And people don't identify themselves because you attacks them
Mesothilieoma has a latency period of between 15 and 40 years. Sometimes, the spouse of a worker is affected as she deals with the worker's clothing when he needs them laundered. I know quite a few men and women who were adversely affected by this disease.
Many US companies continued to use asbestos even after they learned of the health risks. These companies deserve every penalty they receive. They continue to pay for their sins through the asbestos fund, which then tries to compensate the many innocent victims. It's only right Bernie.
If the Angelos firm did not do this, someone else surely would have.
VOR
Just to be clear on the ancillary issue: Social Security is most certainly a Ponzi scheme.
If you don't accept the reasons why, then you must accept the alternative explanation, which is that SS is a welfare/transfer program since its IOUs were rolled into the general fund in the 90s.
SS is politically untouchable and isn't going anywhere. But let's be honest about its liquidity.
No one knows what went on with Mr. & Mrs. Schlener behind closed doors. I can however assure you that woman like Ms Schlener only hurt woman who are truly abused & in need of protection. She abused the system. Speaking about abuse let’s talk about abuse of power…John Callahan abused his power as Mayor when his brother in law ran a car into a police car seriously injuring the officer. Who paid for the police car to be repaired? Who paid the officers mecial bills for the serious injuries he sustained? I’m guessing it was us, the taxpayers! Who was that woman who’s car he was driving…we all know it was not his wife. Why was he not taken immedialy to the DUI center? So you can speak about abuse all what…there are two sides to every story and abuse comes in many shapes & forms.
Lastly Bernie, a man of your character should have a bit more of a thicker skin….your apparent hatred for a person is VERY unbecoming & clearly evident.
I say BRAVO to Mr. McClure for fighting for the people. At least he is not a disgraced disbarred attorney running a BLOG!
There are two sets of Asbestos cases. One for those people who acquired canceer as a result of working with asbestos who still must live with the affects of this disease or died. The other cases for people who have been impacted by asbestos but have not as yet contacted cancer.
It is indeed a concern for some people to find that their lungs are coated with some material and find that they have reduced breathing capacity. The Boiler House at the Bethlehem Steel was filled with the stuff. And here I am not talking about smokers. There are non smokers showing these symptoms.
Of course, not all steelworkers developed these symptoms and sometimes smokers never were affected as if smoking kept the the floating asbestos particles out of their mouth or nose.
But in any case a lot of steelworkers saw their pensions reduced when the PGBC took over their pensions from the Bethlehem Steel. Some of these people are still paying back benefits received over a ll month period after the PGBC announced it would take over the pension system but had not yet adjusted the benefit. It did it retroactivity. And of course, if these steelworkers did not come reemployed with a company that paid their health care that had to get their health care through an expensive cobra insurance first sponsored by the International Steel Group and then Mittal Arcelior.
"No one knows what went on with Mr. & Mrs. Schlener behind closed doors. I can however assure you that woman like Ms Schlener only hurt woman who are truly abused & in need of protection"
Let's see. ARD in 2004 for simple assault. A PFA in 2010 for wife beating. I think we all know what went on, and just like a wife beater, you blame the abused woman.
"John Callahan abused his power as Mayor when his brother in law ran a car into a police car seriously injuring the officer."
I raised every question about that incident and every question was answered. While I have questions about the injured police officer, there simply was no contact between Callahan and police. I have the records. I also spoke to the then Comm'r, who tells me he rec'd no requests with regard to this matter. Try something else.
"BOH- you called the WSJ piece a "report". Intentionally misleading!"
My exact words were "According to the Wall Street Journal" with a link. There was no misleading of any kind, intentionally or otherwise.
VOR, The fact that some people were adversely affected by this disease is no justification for allowing suits by people with no impairment at all. Let those who are impaired sue.
BOH
Your exact words:"But according to a recent Wall Street Journal report, it's a scam"
It's not a report it's an opinion piece
I stand corrected. But you know it is an opinion piece bc of the link from my blog. And it's an opinion piece that includes factual observations.
In their efforts to down play this piece and to down play the endorsement by the newspaper, the McClure group demonstrates their vitriol. They exhibit how nasty they really are. And most importantly, they demonstrate how their candidate is not only an one trick pony but how he has no good redeeming qualities. He is perfect not for this office but for U.S. Senate.
Who was the Commissioner during the Callahan cover up - same guy looking to stay Sheriff if Callahan wins. Pretty coincidental
That decision is made by the Exec, judges and Council.
What is remarkable to me is while Steve Barron was running around calling Federal Officials about the asbestos everywhere at Gracedale and the Court House and costing the taxpayers thousands of dollars Mc Clure remained silent. He knew Barron was nuts but was smart enough to stay out of it.
Now there is a name that I haven't heard of in a while. He kind of fell off the face of the earth. I would hate to see what it looked like wherever he landed. He is the hand behind the curtain. He is working all the strings, levers, and pulleys. He needed this time away from the spotlight.
Barron the Great Wiz!
BOH 10:06
you stand corrected? its a link to an opinion piece? an opinion piece with "factual observations"?
You are in deep denial
Bewarned readers! BOH is telling you not to trust what he says cause you can look up the links to his twisted observations
If Jim Schlenr is a woman beater what's the hottie he is with now doing with him? Saw her at debate. Smokin' to say the least. Never thuight he could get anythign close to that. HOT DAM MAN she must not know what a thug he really is. Maybe she likey?
Saw Jim I'm a union boss a few weeks back with al stunner. He didn't introduce me to her so I doubt the vixion is his girlfriend. If we're talking about the same person witch I think we are i will bet my non union paycheck there not a couple. Anybody got her number?
Jim Schlener here! She is me girlfriend and she knows the truth about everything. fact is that you and Bernie know nothing about the truth or want to know the facts! Non union guy, I will bet your minimum wage non union salary and shitty benefits against everything I own! Lets go tuff guy. Jim Schlener 610.217.5123. Fake people like you make me sick. You are the coward. Lets talk!!
And have the balls non union guy to ask my girlfriend for a cig with two othe girls that you think you are my friend. Loser! I was in the same room as you fake, scum, snake, coward and someone that will never stand on something on your own. !!!! What a waste of life you are !
Jim Schlener
You POS coward scab !
BTW Call me big man 610-217-5123
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