Independent Mayoral candidate Michael Donovan must have thought so as well. I guess he likes to see Latinos recognized, too.
But he was tossed.
That's because the event, which drew over 500 people, was a "purely political event," according to Pawlowski campaign manager Mike Fleck. He told me it is both a fundraiser and an appeal to drive up voter turnout among Allentown's very large Latino population. He indicates that Donovan displayed "a complete lack of respect" by attending the event, festooned in his own political buttons.
"He's having his own event tomorrow night," Fleck tells me.
"You going?"
"Of course not. I doubt he'll get 500 people."
Donovan's account of the event, and his ejection, is below:
The Mayor has advertised for sometime on Facebook a public event celebrating Latinos. So, I thought I might attend knowing that it was the Mayor’s sponsored event, but also reading that it was open to the public. The Mayor does represent the entire city, I thought.
I arrive with a political sticker on my lapel. Asked to take it off, I agree. I am asked, “what if the Mayor came to one of your events?” I respond, “he would be welcomed, and that is how he and I obviously differ.”
I wander into the reception area, and begin a conversation with two acquaintances. A few moments later, I am approached by the Mayor’s consultants again. ”You should leave, quietly.” I chuckle a bit, and say that it is advertised as a public event. After all, the Mayor has held this several times over the last few years when he is not running for the office.
“You should leave,” she said.
I do, but make a note to myself. What is the Mayor afraid of? He has the money. He has the incumbency. He has the contacts. He has the trophy projects to which he can point. He is running for governor. What can he be afraid of?
He does not want to debate me in a sufficiently long, public forum. He can avoid me all he wants.
But he does not want me around him and voters. I wonder why?
His consultant told me a few weeks ago, when I explained that Muhlenberg College Democrats had invited the Mayor and me to a debate function, “we do not like Muhlenberg.” Well some of you know I turned down a 24 minute Business Matters, taped show. I said to the consultant, in that case I’ll go to where I do not like if the Mayor will go to where he does not like.
Nope, he said.
So, I’ll ask again. What is the Mayor afraid of.
We will here more about this and the culture that it represents in Allentown.
Best regards,
Michael
Updated Noon: While this was a political event, it was billed as a "free to the public" event at The Morning Call's Valley 610 blog.
60 comments:
Wow! That is amazing. Of course it is led by Fleck. He doesn't have a clue or where to even find one.
Why the hell isn't Donovan allowed in a public event. Imagine if this was Fleck and Edwin being asked to leave. Would you think the smoke stacks would blow oil and everyone would hear about it?
By the way, I read this account twice. Just to make sure that I was reading what I have just read, correctly. Amazing!
Some people have no class. No matter how you dress them up.
Frankly I am not a Pawlowski fan but I must admit that this was poor taste on the part of Donovan.
11:57pm...check out the ad. When I read it there is no message saying "reserved for the Mayor." If it is to raise funds, say so. In other words, it was a fraudulent ad.
Donovan even took his sticker off when asked. He did not have to do that. The event is presented as a community event.
Everyone knew what it was including Donovan ; don't plead ignorance.
Was it like that even when King Edwin wasn't running for re-election?
Sounds like there isn't any truth in the writing on the poster. I guess they had to be able to read minds? It figures. A politician writes ones thing, but it implies something completely different. Wonder why no one trusts politicians nor holds their feet to the fire.
There will be a lot of people that will have their ears ringing the day "the people" ever take back the government and put "We" back into "the people."
Unfortunately, there are a few people like King Edwin and the Fleckster that think government and politics are a way to make money and move up the social status ladder. They forgot that it is for public service. A politician should love his fellow many and feel a calling to serve others.
It shouldn't be about how all the other people should be serving the politician and how much money is in it for the politician.
America is really going down the toilet. If Donovan doesn't win, I hope he really puts a lot of fear in King Edwin's camp. Kind of looks like he has done that already.
They kind of look really stupid. Like they are trying to run away as fast as they can away from Donovan. They really look like big sissy cry-babies. I would have much more respect from them if they would lose honorably rather than if they won in the fashion that they are heading.
I pity the future of government and how it will affect society within the next decade. Guys like Fleckster, King Edwin, and even Obama to a degree are messing up this country. They do not have a human side or some compassion. They are all about perception and never admitting they are wrong. They rather burn more money than admit they are wrong. How is the computer program for health care running after we the taxpayers spent over $630 million for it. To make matters worse, instead of admitting the government made a mistake and firing someone, they rehire the same sub-par firm and throw more money at it.
If these people ever had to work in the private sector. Life would be much more different.
anon 1:07, we have a winner. Then first to invoke the Obama rule of teabaggers. Everything that you are angry about has its roots with Obama.
Congratulations bagger, you are the winner. Your complementary tin foil hat is in the mail. Just watch out for the black helicopters.
thjey are watching.
Fleck is nothing but a Mike Solomon wannabe. King Edwin better bone up on local political history. When a political office holder hooks up with a slime bag like Fleck (or, in the case of Glenn Reibman a few years ago, with Solomon) it isn't long before the consultant is running the pol and using the campaign to promote himself. That usually progresses to something more criminally corrupt as opposed to only ethically corrupt. Then people go to jail. This will happen with Fleck. Bet on it.
The campaign led by Fleck is already full of corruption, we saw that in the primary election. Poll workers were being PAID by Fleck. We know this because one of our volunteers was approached by one of their paid workers and asked how much he was getting paid, when told he was a volunteer the guy actually gave him the phone number to Flecks office - so he could sign up to get paid (for the other side).
The corruption in the campaigns led by Pawlowski and his unethical (everyone remember his backed antics to have Velez removed from the ballot because she posed a threat to his precious Guridy?) bafoon will continue to do this until they are stopped...
First of all I find it difficult to even comment to any of you posting as Anonymous - come out from behind the cloak of protection of the internet and show your faces. If you can't/won't do that - don't expect anyone to take you seriously.
Secondly - to those of you who think this was "classless" on Donovan's part... I beg to differ - what this was was ballsy. This man is willing to walk in to the freaking LIONS DEN for the citizens of this city. Versus be a coward behind his bafoons/campaign managers and refuse to even DEBATE the opposing candidate. THAT is classless...
Everyone also seems to forget that whatever the "purpose" behind this event - it was promoted as a public event, not a closed campaign rally. As a Public event hosted by the Mayor of the city - why isn't everyone welcome?
I also want to point out that the Mayor's consultants bullied their way into West End Octoberfest last weekend without a reservation and claimed they had permission to take a reserved spot. They (not surprisingly) tried to take the Food & Water watch space. The organizers eventually acquiesced to their bullying and gave them a spot across the way - I wonder if they actually paid? someone should ask the organizers...
http://blogs.mcall.com/valley610/2013/10/latino-leaders-to-be-honored-by-allentown-mayor.html
Enough said. Even advertised as public event in mcall article
That's weird - I work downtown on Hamilton and with a primarily Latino group. We didn't know anything about this event. Nobody came by to invite the folks that work downtown, that's for sure.
I only read the paper online, and I didn't see this ad while clicking through the "front" page articles, the "local" articles and the opinions pages.
In any event, it is a little strange that Donovan attended the event. However, he is a resident of the city, and it did say FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. I think this could have been handled much better than Fleck handled it.
The Mayor has to keep anyone away from Him that might expose his corrupt administration.Case in point Mr. Feglet ordered ejected from the Council Meeting.
I deleted a few comments form the Blog Mentor. Donovan is on his hit list, along with about 1,000 others. he will continue posting bc he pretty much has no life and it gives him a break from rolling on the floor, foaming at the mouth. I will delete them. Just ignore him and his comments. I know Pawlowski does.
I lost all respect for the blog mentor when he started picking on parents that lost children. Then he picked on that Moravian college student. And then he started picking on that priest. He has no morals or class. He is starting to look like an angry old washed up drunk. That's on a good day. I am so glad that I moved out of that neighborhood.
Pawlowski's internal polling must be showing the gap narrowing when he starts adopting "brown shirt" tactics.
Please note - the event was paid for by the Friends of Pawlowski. The event was advertised by the Lehigh County Demos. Other Democratic candidates for Office left their signs to be picked up. Surely the event must be reported on the financial statement for the Friends of Pawlowski.
Muller was there, O'Connell was there, Hendricks was there, Davis was there, Mota was there, But I did not see Guridy, not that he came later.
Did O'Connell thank the mayor for getting his son a job? His votes sure say thank you.
Nothing like buying some votes
Bernie,
"Did O'Connell thank the mayor for getting his son a job? His votes sure say thank you." That is a cheap shot and you know it! His son got that job on his own merit. Also, I am sure Pawlowski was real happy when Ray O'Connell voted against the incinerator project... every single time.
It should be noted that the comments from "Gina" are from Gina Blevins. Gina is Alfons Todd III's partner. So she is a little biased to say the least.
4:26, I disagree. O'Connell never responded to my request about what the hell was going on. That indicates both a lack of transparency and guilt. He formerly was at least questioning the Mayor. But after his son got the job, all he says is "Baaaaaa."
"So she is a little biased to say the least."
Unlike the anonymous commenter ... to say the least.
Didn't peg's son get a job in Northampton?
No.
Bernie, You seem to forget that Ray does not need to respond to you in anyway shape or fashion. You are not a constituent of his as you do only not live in the city of Allentown you don't even live in Lehigh county.
Thankfully, I am not a resident of Allentown and was not contacting him as a constituent. I was contacting him as someone who writes stories read by 5,000 LV residents every week day. Some of them even live in Allentown. Don't be so foolish. Does "Ray" know where the MC or ET reporters who write about him live? He had an obligation as an elected official to answer my question concerning his son's employment in the very City he represents, and just how he got his job from Pawlowski, and how he started pushing pawlowski's agenda right after his son got that job. That reflects on both O'Connell and the mayor who wants to be a Governor.
This is where your ego gets in the way, you are not a professional journalist. You are a blogger, and nothing more than a bona fide conspiracy theorist. Just because his son, a Penn State grad with a degree in IT, was hired by the city to work in its IT Department you automatically believe that favoritism is involved. You have zero facts, just speculation. It is that speculation of a conspiracy is why you are not a professional journalist but just simply a blogger.
That was kinda' the whole point of writing to him and calling him. His failure to answer tells me all I need to know about him ... and Pawlowski. Though you pretend you want to look down your nose at what I do, here you are on a Saturday night. This blog has won awards for 2 years straight as best political blog in the LV, and I received a journalism award just last year from the Pa. Newspaper Ass'n for my NIZ stories.
I think it's safe to call O'Connell out for what he is, a Pawlowski flunkie. You're even worse bc you anonymously defend these assholes, knowing they are bad for democracy.
God help Allentown with people like you running interference for King Edwin.
You won a blog "contest" on who could get the most anonymous votes a the MC site. Congrats... oh you also did not show up to receive that award. MM did, and he tossed into the trash for you. "Bernie didn't attend the award ceremony last evening, but I volunteered to take his prize. If he acts quickly, he might still find it. It's in a city trash container near 6th and Chew." - Michael Molovinsky
Seems you are sooooo proud of your "award"
The blog awards mean very little, but the Keystone Press Award means quite a bit. The person you claim is not a journalist was recognized for journalism in a competition that was judged by journalists from another state. Now go back to rolling around on the floor and foaming at the mouth . All you are doing is giving people more reasons to vote out King Edwin.
Lets us remind your readers of your opinon of your "award" through your words posted on 3/12/12.
"Last year, The Morning Call ran a supposed "best" blog contest, in which anyone who was logged in could cast a vote in every category, every day. A quick glance at Technorati would reveal the most widely read blogs. But that was irrelevant. This was a way for a struggling newspaper to increase its registered users and the all important ad revenue that follows....It was a bullshit contest, but it's time to drive up that ad revenue again. Never mind that newspapers lose $7 of print ad revenue for every $1 they gain in new digital revenue. Hence, a new Best of Blogs contest. This time, like last time, no attention is paid to the actual nominees. One blog - Lehigh Valley Running Scene - has been entered twice in the Fitness category"
I already said the blog awards mean little, but the journalism award means a lot to me and validates what I do. I'll take it over the anonymous rant of a hate-filled cRaZy who delights in wishing evil on others. But please stay on Ray O'Connell and how he never answered how his son got that job with Pawlowski, how his sent went for months or a year with no job, how he started supporting Pawlowski after his son got that job. Only City residents can ask whether a man who wants to be governor is a crook? Only City residents have a right to ask about nepotism?
Please write about how it's none of my business some more, so that more people begin to ask question about how O'Connell's son got that job.
How he supported Pawlowski after his son got the job? I am pretty sure going against the incinerator project is not going along with Pawlowski. But you can spin anyway you can. That is what bloggers do.
You and I both know that he opposed the incinerator BEFORE his son was hired by King Edwin. You should at least try to be honest, although a person who can't sign his name already demonstrates dishonesty.
I'm biased because Alfonso is my partner? I assure you that I'm a big girl, with my own very successful career and above average IQ and Courage, both of which most of these anonymous posters lack... Alfonso doesn't think for me, I'm pretty tenacious on my own. The fact is, asking Donovan to leave showed for the second time they see him as a threat. The first show of their hand was the Refusal of a public debate. What is Fleck afraid of?
I am pretty sure that Donovan refused a debate on Business Matter And I know say Gina will say it was because it was not fair. Cry me a river. Donovan wants to do a debate on his terms. But guess what he is not the incumbent. So instead of getting face time he is holding his breath, stamping his feet and taking his ball home. Second thing, the flyer clearly says Paid for by friends of Pawlowski, that his obviously Pawlowski's campaign. If for one second Donovan wants to convince us that he did know it was a political event, then he is really naive or just stupid. Either way, it does not matter. If people like Gina, and the rest of campaign that worked for the city council slate are behind Donovan being the Mayor(and they are), the result will be the same. A blood bath.
It probably will be, and that is bc Allentown is no longer a democracy. It is instead an urban growth regime in which favored businesses and politicians co-opt each other and buy the vote. If you prefer an oligarchy ruled by a junta with pawlowski and J.B Reilly, God bless you.
for the record, bernie's MC award being photographed in a city trash container was a carefully staged photo stunt. in reality, the plaque was kept in the same condition in which i received it. however, it should be noted the obsession which the Blog Mentor demonstrates in researching and finding these quotes. it should also be noted that he no longer is given exclusive blogger interviews with the mayor. apparently, the Blog torMentor's,( with now over 60 people on his enemy list, including ministers, priests, and judges,) mental illness is too much to be associated with.
Didn't residents receive invitations to this event?
Anon 946 a 20 minute taped, in front of a limited audience and EDITED appearance with the mayor on Business Matters is not a DEBATE. TI is biased and everyone knows that. Debates should be both PUBLIC and UNEDITED. Donovan didn't turn down a debate he turned down an appearance on The Tony Show.
Anon 322 I confidently stand six feet tall, at least i can reach the top shelf in the supermarket, can you?
Anon 730 I am proud to share that Alfonso Todd is my partner in business and life.
Gina I deleted the two comments that obviously have come from the Blog Mentor, and will delete new ones as they come. Looks like he's decided he better drop making an issue of Pawlowski's decision to hire a City Council member's son. And he ws doing so well at making Hizzoner look like a crook!
Bernie thanks. He amuses me... If couldn't tell by my short joke lol
The fact remains that Business Matters is the wrong forum and moderation for an unbiased public debate. How much money has Tony given to friends of Pawlowski do you know?
Gina, I never added it up, but he always gives to the Mayor, and has a very high opinion of him. They are friends. There is not a mean bone in Tony's body, but having him moderate a debate between king Edwin and Donovan would be like having me moderate a debate between Stoffa and anyone else.
I did get your short joke.
It's known that they are friends, so anyone with an ounce of common sense knows its a stacked deck and god knows what the editing would look like! I would love to see them debate in a real debate forum!
Or if somebody like Rob Vaughn agreed to pinch hit.
MM, Even I have stopped looking at his blog, and I try to look at them all. I was running out of soap for all the showers I need when I read his hate. He is reduced to posting here anonymously and sending you anonymous comments. No politician wishes to be associated with him bc he is poison.
Pawlowski is a joke. He couldnt lead the Polish American String Band down Hamilton St. let alone be the Governor.
I do occasionally look at his blog. I do this simply to remind myself that I need to continue to pray for him. I do this because I fear that his mental illness will result in him to cause Himself or someone else harm.
Keep making fun of family member O'Hare. You are pond scum
Anon 7:26, no, I don't believe residents received invites to the event. I work downtown with a group of Latinos, and many of them live downtown. None of them knew about the event. We frequently walk downtown on Hamilton to grab a bite to eat, and I just don't remember seeing any fliers anywhere. I wouldn't expect a personal mailing to each resident, but I would expect fliers dropped at local downtown businesses. Nothing. I guess the event was for the "public" they invited.
An OT comment from Tricia Mezzacappa, bragging about how my damages claim against her will fail, has been deleted.
Another sad case of mental health issues...
but on to the topic at hand, I was thinking today that we have to figure out a way to force the mayor's hand to debate.... this is bordering on ridiculous.
You're not going to get a debate, Gina, I'm sorry to say.
That's probably true, Bernie - but so freaking unacceptable... It just is.
That it is unlikely that the mayor would concede to an actual, live debate with Mr Donovan should tell the voters all they need to know. This administration has time in and time out shown total disregard for the citizens views. He does not want an open discussion on the future of our city. Our citizens deserve an open discussion on our future as well as the choices we have in this Mayoral election.
Donovan is just a trouble making blowhard. He may impress the young co-eds at Cedar Crest but not real adults.
Bill, I agree.
Donovan posted last night that there will be no debate officially - the mayor (apparently with his tight schedule in running for Governor) doesn't have "time" for a public debate.
It should be illegal to run for two offices simultaneously. How is the city of Allentown to have his undivided attention while he is kissing butt for governorship?
I'm not too concerned with someone running for two offices (albeit a year apart). What I don't like is someone intending to run for another office and keeping it a secret while they run for another office.
Obama only served a small part of his senate term while he planned to run for Prez.
Also, the probability of winning the gov spot is very unlikely.
1014. LOL. Interest how you make reference to Obama while Sen Ted Cruz who took office on Jan 3, 2013 is already leading a possible run for Presidency.
Sen. Rubio elected is another junior Senator who is actively reading the tea leaves on a possible run.
Right, wrong, or indifferent, this is not unique.
Post a Comment