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Friday, September 11, 2015

Haddad Plea Devastating to Pawlowski

Though lawyers are busy doing damage control, Ramzi Haddad's guilty plea on Thursday to bribery is devastating to Allentown Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski. The Feds call him Public Official #3, although I personally prefer "Fed Ed." It puts him, and not Miked Fleck, at the center of a scheme to defraud both Allentown and its citizens of their right to expect the Mayor's honest services. This is completely contrary to the picture that Pawlowski apologists, and to some extent, The Morning Call, have painted. The plea also demonstrates guilty knowledge, as evidenced by Fed Ed's counter-surveillance measures and instructions that Haddad delete text messages. More than anything, as Dillios noted of Xerxes in The 300, "The god-king has betrayed a fatal flaw: Hubris."

According to the federal government, the sitting Mayor of Allentown did the following:
* He directed certain municipal staff to identify for him individuals and entities who had profited from their dealings with the City of Allentown and who sought favorable treatment from the City of Allentown.

* He directly and through campaign staff, made clear to certain vendors, including that providing him with items of value, including food, drinks, and campaign contributions, was a necessary condition for receiving certain favorable treatment from the City of Allentown.

* He directed municipal staff to take official action favorable to certain actual and potential campaign donors.

* He directed city workers and campaign staff to interact with these vendors, but to avoid creating any records showing the favoritism.

* He insulated himself from exposure by having vendors work through intermediaries.

* He ordered Haddad to pay for his meal expenses.

* He went so far as to conduct sweeps for electronic bugs and periodically purchased "burner phones" to throw off law enforcement, very much like a drug dealer or gang banger.

* He had city staffers instruct Haddad at how to succeed on a zoning appeal.

* He intervened in Haddad's municipal inspections and even promised to "get on" an inspector who was troubling Haddad.

* He had Haddad delete text messages.
Haddad is just one entrepreneur. It's safe to conclude that others will follow. It's quite clear, for example, that the deal to purchase land for nearly three times what it was worth from Abe Atiyeh was very much a part of his scheme to defraud taxpayers of their right to honest services. He knew he could get that deal past his puppets on Council. He knew that there would be no media scrutiny, save for a few activists like Richard Fegley, blogger Michael Molovinsky and Allentown's Iron Lady, Jeanette Eichenwald.. In short, Fed Ed knew that democracy is dead in Allentown.

That's why this federal scrutiny is so important. City Council is far from reform-minded, and actually worked against a proposal to increase transparency at a meeting on Thursday afternoon. But this investigation might inspire citizens to exercise their right to good government by voting.

Pawlowski should resign, but will hold out as long as possible. Once the money for his D.C. lawyers runs out, he'll try to get the best deal he can.

91 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bernie , isn`t Ed an ordained minister?

Anonymous said...

It is not illegal to get a contribution. You should resign your hate blog. One man's word against another. Let's wait fro all the truth before we fall for your "truth".

Anonymous said...

This is awful. What is worse is there is more to come from people who were trusted by all of us to serve us and help us. May they all rot in hell.

Bernie O'Hare said...

12:13, he's a grad of Moody Bible Cpllege and like many outwardly religious people, is a phony.

Anonymous said...

The Miracle That is Allentown turns out to be a fucking criminal enterprise!

Anonymous said...

I was not having sex with the person who was having sex with me.

Anonymous said...

Did you and Lil Mikey Molovinski celebrate with some cold O'Doul's?

The Blanker

Bernie O'Hare said...

Blog Mentor, go back to telling lies about the case you are losing. I checked.

Anonymous said...

Turns out both of the Boy Representatives sang to the Feds.
Won't the Mayor be hurt by the boys betrayal??.!!!!

Anonymous said...

The entire inspection process is rotten to the very core.
Thugs in code happily carried out clearly illegal activities and actions.
Hopefully this probe will clean out that rats nest.
"We were only following orders."
Indictments are certainly in order.
Nail the thugs who did the dirty work on the ground.

Anonymous said...

O'Hare is again gloating but the Mayor's attorney is clear that the Mayor did nothing wrong.

Anonymous said...

Fugly will be our next mayor, blank on it.

The Blanker

Anonymous said...

^ Lisa, is that you?

Bernie O'Hare said...

No, it's the Blog Mentor, who is losing the defamation case filed by Martin, but lying about it on Facebook. He now wants people to believe another lie instead of what the US Attorney alleges.

Anonymous said...

V is for Victory.

Anonymous said...

"he's a grad of Moody Bible College and like many outwardly religious people, is a phony."

Just like your buddy.

Anonymous said...

The City Without Limits.......

Anonymous said...

"like many outwardly religious people, is a phony."

Like Ron Angle and his ten commandment show time.

Bill said...

Thank you for your work to keep this issue in the spotlight. The Feds strategy is becoming clear. They will parade vendor after vendor and the testimony will corroborate the allegations. It will get much much harder for Ed to spin it as the process continues. Sadly, I agree with your assessment that he will hang on as long as he can a Mayor. In this way he further damages the city he was elected to represent.

Anonymous said...

Disgraceful

Jamie Kelton said...

Chicago on the Lehigh.

Concerned Allentonian said...

This is only the opening act of what is to come.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know if the weekly prayers meeting are still being conducted at City Hall?

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

But Bernie,
Will any of these people go to jail or will they all receive community service?

Anonymous said...

Blog Mentor is a fucking joke. Everyone treats him like their mentally retarded little brother or something. Just agree and tell him what he wants to hear so he doesn't e-mail your boss about you being "mean" to him. What a moron.

Jim Martin is going to smash Villa in court. It's like him framing "V for Victory" even though the judges ruling was for you guys to shake hands and play nice. Note that Bernie is the only one who actually complied.

Anonymous said...

Interesting plea. Hard to tell if this guy was this guy a victim or conspirator. Any sense of what the implications are for Abe Atiyeh?

Reality Bites said...

If there was a REAL Republican Party in Allentown Politics, the Democrats that run the Mayor's office and City Council would be voted into oblivion.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Actually, V in this instance stands for a man so warped he blatantly lies about the status of his own case on Facebook. Do his "friends" know he is lying to them? Doubtful.

Anonymous said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBzvMLW0ii4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHjlM5A1jME

Anonymous said...

It would appear that in addition to the Mayor and City Council, there are whole departments and department heads that have to be fired. Have to clean this house top to bottom.

Hailstone
Paulus in Building Standards
Hefele in Planning and Zoning

Outside of the bribery and effort to conceal what bothers me most as a taxpayer is seeing the corruption of services. "Getting on" an inspector doing his or her job? Coaching zoning appeals? Are you kidding me?

Anonymous said...

Eds arrogance led to this debacle. He foolishly believed he had statewide popularity. He and Fleck knew they only way they could raise enough money for a statewide campaign was to lean on local donors. He had no base beyond they Lehigh Valley. He was Icarus with a heaping helping of hubris. His inflated ego has brought him crashing down to earth.

Anonymous said...

It will be interesting to see who on city council, and who among his supporters, will step forward and publicly call for Ed's resignation.

That's what honorable people would do in this situation.

It will be just as telling to see who doesn't publicly speak out against Ed, as they might be worried that he will disclose their involvement in the pay-to-play scandal.

Anonymous said...

Will we see any council members go down? You have to figure there was some trickle down here

Anonymous said...

Thanks to you Bernie for your part in keeping the spotlight on Pawlowski. Not being able to trust public officials to do the right thing tears apart the fabric of society.

Anonymous said...

Bernie,

I know that you're tight with Rich Fegley, but Mike Fegley and the Fegley Brew works were very tight with Mike Fleck and Ed Pawlowski. Isn't the Brew works in the NIZ? I know that Fleck loved to brag about his relationship with them and often gathered at both Bethlehem and Allentown restaurants for fundraising, parties, political meetings, etc...As Mike Fegley often went to Mike Fleck's home and office for same.

I don't doubt Rich Fegley's integrity, but I think he may have blinders on.

Anonymous said...

Great reporting by Mr. O'Hare, as always.

And the dominoes fall...

Could anyone list more than two or three (mentally competent) public supporters of Chicago Eddy Pawlowski anymore?

For example, what ever happened to the boisterous, foul-mouthed Chicago Eddy attack poodle Ed DeGrace? Radio silence from DeGrace -- coincidentally the former Chair of "Latinos for a New Lehigh Valley", the anonymous donor funded PAC that gave *so very* generously to Chicago Eddy's campaigns. Come to think of it, Julio Guridy was VP of that very same organization. Maybe we should ask him what's happened to DeGrace lately, just, you know, to make sure he's OK and all...

Jeffrey Anthony

Anonymous said...

the brewworks is not in the niz, fyi

Bernie O'Hare said...

The ABW is not a part of the NIZ. The Fegleys all opposed the waste to energy plant although Rich was the most vocal. Your attempt to insert some kind of wedge is ridiculous, what I would expect from someone grasping at straws.

Anonymous said...

Bernie - If Ed did all of this and they already have a guilty plea from a guy who states Ed did all this illegal stuff then WHY?!? Isn't Ed charged with anything?!? Something doesn't sound right? He gets to walk scott free while others go down?

Anonymous said...

"there are whole departments and department heads that have to be fired. Have to clean this house top to bottom."

You are absolutely right, but it is very difficult to fire political hacks that are placed in career service jobs. They usually sue and usually win.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone remember Marion Berry, the Mayor of D.C. Things don't always turn out the way you think they will.

Bernie O'Hare said...

10:31, The feds are building their case, an overwhelming case. If it is just Haddad, it is possible for a good lawyer to raise a reasonabole boubt. If it becomes two, it gets a little harder. Once you have about five or six, along with other corroborating evidence and a former right hand man willing to terstify against you, the case becomes unassailable. It is very likely that unless Fed Ed comes to the table and drops his nonsensical "I did nothing wrong" rants, he will be charged with racketeering as well as tax offenses.

Unknown said...

ABW is in the NIZ. The top two floors (4 & 5) were "separated" to be KOZ properties.

I feel that Pawlowski and Fleck further befriended the Fegleys through my brother Mike. I remember first meeting Mike Fleck at my brother's home during a family birthday party. I have never really liked Pawlowski, he never seemed present, he never wanted to hear what anyone had to say.

As soon as I spoke against the incinerator, everything fell apart with my family and Pawlowski/Fleck.

I feel sorry for Pawlowski's children.

Bernie O'Hare said...

8:58, You will note the information listsa Fed Ed as "Public Official No. 3." No. 1 and 2 are apparently in Reading. I suspect they are looking hard at all public officials close to Pawlowski and Vaughn, as well as the wannabes. But I have heard nothing that in any way implicates anby of them in criminal activity. Unfortunately, it's no crime to be a rubber stamp.

Anonymous said...

There are situations when a municipality wants to see a zoning hearing board approve a certain application, and the municipal officials will actively support it. I don't think a City staff-person (under orders from the Mayor) necessarily did anything wrong in advising an applicant on how best to meet the standards in the law for getting approval from the Zoning Hearing Board.

It is not uncommon in municipalities for an economic development staff-person in a municipality to help an applicant with the Zoning Hearing Board process.

Also, there are situations where a city inspector does get out of control in what they are requiring, or in the delays they cause, and they need to be slapped down by a mayor or supervisor. Anyone who does much construction work can provide examples of that situation. In fact, I've had two contractors in Allentown tell me not to get permits, because it will cost more, delay the process, and not result in a better result. (I did get the permits anyway.)

I don't write this to excuse Pawlowski's actions, but to explain that the staff may have been caught in difficult situations.

Anonymous said...

"You are absolutely right, but it is very difficult to fire political hacks that are placed in career service jobs. They usually sue and usually win."

If I'm the new mayor though, however temporary, first thing I do is get new people in those departments. They are bagmen here.

Hailstone will bail long before she gets even close to being canned. I'd remove Paulus and Hefele if they don't go before. It's the concept of honest services. You can't have taxpayer funded staff sitting at a table coaching Ed's buddies and then leaning on an inspector who's doing an honest job.

You can't pretend these departments can do their jobs in good faith anymore. These department heads could have stood up and said something or quit.

Anonymous said...

The creeps at codes know damn well they were engaged in unethical and illegal activity.
There mantra has been "we are only doing what we are told".
Fire them----then prosecute them under the law.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Rich for clearing that up. As I wrote above...I don't doubt your integrity and I absolutely believe you when you say that you believe Pawlowski and Fleck [purposefully] befriended your family through Mike. I've know Mike since college and have known Fleck for many years, too. I simply know what I saw from my side.

Bernie O'Hare said...

10:51, The fact that Pawlowski went to lengths to conceal this kind of involvement is an indication that he and they were doing a bit more than advising an applicant on how best to meet the standards for a successful zoning application.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:37:

Yeah, Barry was re-elected years after that whole crack affair.

Anonymous said...

The cities Managing Director had a special relationship with the worst eliminate in Codes.
He appreciated how they could make noncompliant citizens sweat.
These punks should follow Fran D. off to jail.

Anonymous said...

Fire them and take their pensions.
They are no better than common street punks.

Anonymous said...

Even the housing inspectors are shitting bricks down at Building Standards & Safty.
They've been doing dirt for a long time.
" We were just following order" isn't going to cut it under scrutiny.
Fuck those creeps.

Anonymous said...

I spoke with a housing inspection guy yesterday.
He looked ill.
"Hey," he said several times "we only do what we are told."

Veena Shilla said...

Re: those in denial, I think the mayor is going to federal prison.

Anonymous said...

The rats are leaving the sinking garbage barge.
The weak links are starting to do what's rats always do.
It's going to be ugly.

Anonymous said...

Every minimum security joint could use another drummer and bible study is the number one activity.'
He's going to fit right in.

Anonymous said...

"Veena Shilla" - lol

Anonymous said...

Julio Guidry put it best. People are innocent until proven guilty. The gallows personality of this hate blog is horrific. Let us remember that so far we have one person making a claim. As much as Mr. O'Hare hates Pawlowski that means nothing to the lawyers.
Playing this game on could say who is dating Ms. Hailstone and could there be a connection? You can play this game all day long. It is not proof of anything. Just people playing politics.

Prayer is the answer

Mog Blentor said...

While Bernie's record on election prognostication is only slightly better than the Phillies record this season, it's nonetheless notable that he nailed the criminal justice prognostications on Messycrapper, former Democratic Councilman Gregory, and - so far - the debacle that is Allentown's post-democratic era. I'm off to prepare a dinner of crow with a nice glass of whine that's more bitter than I.

Anonymous said...

Leave poor young Jim Gregory out of this. It has nothing to do with him. He is suffering enough already.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I deleted a comment from "Fletch". Nothing that person posts is wanted here.

Anonymous said...

The lads in Northampton County are sweating this one out because of the deal they signed with Honest Abe and Mayor Gross for the "treatment" center in West Easton.

Anonymous said...

Listening to FedEd or his attorney is like listening to Brady and Kraft saying they never cheated.

The House of Cards always falls

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Anon 10:37:

Yes, but Marion Barry actually DID things for the people o City of Washington, DC.... They loved him despite his failings. We have nothing to show for in A-town but unanswered questions, questionable contracts, debt, a sterile and vibeless downtown, and a reputation that will take YEARS or us to shake off...

Alfonso Todd

Anonymous said...

Prayer is the answer.
Help me Jesus!

Anonymous said...

9:56...

Ran in to Ed DeGrace in a grocery store recently: He tried to make small talk. I smiled and walked away without a word.

Karma is a beautiful thing...

Bernie O'Hare said...

Mezzacappa,you are insane. Stop cluttering this blog with your rants.

Anonymous said...

"Leave poor young Jim Gregory out of this. It has nothing to do with him. He is suffering enough already"

Tricia, you and senior citizen Gregory are criminals and way over the hill. He is only suffering to the extent that he is serving a sentence in State Prison he earned. If he would take responsibility for his sins and repent, he might achieve some true relief. As it is, he won't, and God isn't going to be fooled by his professions of giving himself over.

Anonymous said...

Hailstones daddy will keep her out of jail, barely, just like he got her the job in the first place.

Francis Dougherty may not be so fortunate.
If he can't make arrangements with the FBI he's going to have to leave his hairpiece at home doing any stays at Camp Fed,
Even at a Minimum Security joint he will be in Protective Custody.

Anonymous said...

Federal Minimum Security lockup is the best a homosexual detainee can get in America.
It won't be fun, but Fran should do ok.

Bernie O'Hare said...

The sexual orientation of any of these people is irrelevant. People like you, who anonymously salivate over the prospects of someone going to jail, are no better than the people you deride.

Anonymous said...

Sarah Hailstone ( a straight woman) was a political favor in a way way over her head from day one.
She is the Cynthia Mota of this administrations cabinet. Only Izzy is more clueless than Ms. Hailstone.
She does, however, do what she is told.
Jail?
Unlikely.

Anonymous said...

When a public official cheats intimates and lies while holding the sacred trust, and they get caught, yeah, I happy to see there rotten behinds shuffled off to jail.
I'm old fashioned that way.

Anonymous said...

Bernie,

"He directed certain municipal staff to identify for him individuals and entities who had profited from their dealings with the City of Allentown and who sought favorable treatment from the City of Allentown."

Do I remember correctly that the Morning Call ran an article many months ago on the subject of Pawlowski fundraising aggressively from people who do business with the City?

Anonymous said...

the city of allentown is $10,000,000 in debt...

Julian Kern said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
I spoke with a housing inspection guy yesterday.
He looked ill.
"Hey," he said several times "we only do what we are told."

12:38 PM

I know that isn't totally true. Might be true for that particular inspector but I have spoke to someone who was Joe Clark's right hand person years ago and this person told me how Joe Clark would pay off inspectors to overlook code violations for his properties. This person doesn't want to talk to the Feds though because this person was involved with handing over the money to the inspectors and this person is afraid to speak unfortunately.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"When a public official cheats intimates and lies while holding the sacred trust, and they get caught, yeah, I happy to see there rotten behinds shuffled off to jail.
I'm old fashioned that way."


No you're not. What you are is an anonymous coward salivating over things you know nothing about. People like yuou are just as bas or worse than the ones you deride. I don't care that we agree about the corruption in local government. The fact that Ramzi Haddad entered a plea to bribery does not mean that Dougherty or Hailstone or housing inspectors are goin to jail. When you put two and two together and come up with five, you are over-reaching and make all Pawlowski critics look bad. I'd prefer that anonymous cowards like you would just crawl under a rock.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"They hurt people I love.
Fuck them."


You say from behind a veil. It;s sad how few people are out there who have the basic integrity to say who they are. Anyone with guts?

Anonymous said...

8:13
No.

Anonymous said...

You say that from the safety of Naz?
Aren't you the soul of courage and integrity?

Anonymous said...

No as well.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Please, I put my name next to plenty of criticism in Nazareth and Northampton County. And there are people with integrity i Allentown who sign their name. Rich Fegley, Tom Hahn, Dennis Pearson, Bill Stauffer, etc. I don't mind the anonymity, but when you cowards start launching attacks at people who are not even a part of this investigation, you diminish the legitimate criticism. You are cowards.

Anonymous said...

Last winter we implored you to consider Allentown.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I have written plenty about Allentown. I have broken many of the stories about what goes on. But more of you need to grow a spine.

Anonymous said...

$10 million in debt? Piece of cake / drop in the bucket...

Anonymous said...

Is anyone checking the quid-pro-quo relationship between the mayor and insurance broker BSI who secretly got the City's insurance contract in December 2015 without any bids? It caused an uproar with the Unions who fought back. The mayor then forced the HR Director out as the sacrificial lamb.

Anonymous said...

Bernie,
I have been saying through print that the RICO act will be used to break up the notorious hamilton street gang o thugs and there hostel take over tactiks employeed¿!($ The crimes against Allentowns humanity commited by the very people elected and appointed, mainly the childrens children not even conseived in the largest medicaid fraud ponzie scheem propogated epicentralized as palumpadomegate¿!($

redd
patent pending

Anonymous said...

Our hard working mayor is an honest man who's faith in the system has been shaken.