Willie Reynolds Doth Protest Too Much

Willie Reynolds

Willie Reynolds is the Bethlehem City Council President who chaired a supposedly public hearing on Tuesday night concerning the City's proposed rezoning of the 53-acre Martin Tower tract. At a night that was supposed to be for the public, Reynolds allowed Planning Director Darlene Heller to expound on the virtues of a proposed Mixed Use (more like Mixed Up) Ordinance for 2 hours and fifteen minutes. It was nearly three hours before the public, which in this case consisted of many Christmas City shopkeepers, were allowed to speak. For five minutes. He became very indignant when Hotel Bethlehem managing partner Bruce Haines suggested that he and Mike Recchiuti should recuse themselves in this matter because of the money they both received from Martin Towers developers Lew Ronca and Norton Herrick. He threatened to cut anyone off who dared raise the issue again, and attempted to minimized his own role in this matter. I have researched this matter and, if anything, Haines was too kind to Willie. While only he knows if there is any quid pro quo, there's enough of a stench from all the money that he and Recchiuti received to raise eyebrows. To avoid the appearance of impropriety, both should step down.

Just a little over a year ago, Council member Karen Dolan (she now calls herself K Dierdre Dolan) was forced to resign over conflicts of interest that were so blatant that they really were crimes. Before that happened, Bethlehem watchdog Steve Antalics peppered Council members at meeting after meeting with the latest revelations about her abuse of office. Council always responded with stony silence.

But Reynolds dropped that act on Tuesday night when his own ethics were called into question. He eventually cut Haines off, refused to let him respond and launched a bizarre diatribe that included an attack on Mayor Bob Donchez, coupled with a demand that Donchez defend him. He threatened that he would stop any additional speaker who dares to question his integrity "because we all love Bethlehem." He also tried to minimize his own role, noting that the City, and not he, proposed a new zoning ordinance.

Reynolds is full of shit. Campaign contributions from developers Ronca and Herrick came on February 13, February 26 and May 18. They did not magically appear out of thin air. Norton Herrick did not give him $2,000 to ride one of his thoroughbreds. A review of Reynolds' campaign finance makes very clear that 24% of the money he raised came from the Martin Tower developers or the unions who will be doing the work at the site because a CRIZ project requires prevailing wage. In Michael Recchiuti's case, it's even more, at 29% of his total funding.

For those of you wondering why the sole supporter of this Mixed Up ordinance is a Bethlehem Democratic official, now you know.

As for Reynolds's claim that he had little to do with this ordinance, the July 9 minutes of the Planning Commission tell a different story. He was there to promote the developers, earning the legal bribe he was paid. He slammed planners for being "nit-picky" about little things like a third downtown, and said the City needs to find ways to say "Yes." He slammed Mayor Donchez and DCED Director Alicia Karner for not being at the meeting to push for the zoning changes, even though Planning Director Darlene Heller told him she had never seen a Mayor or DCED Director interfere with the Planning Commission, as Reynolds was doing.

Now there's no proof that Reynolds accept $7,500 in exchange for his support of the Martin Tower project. If that kind of proof existed, he'd be in jail. But it was a legal bribe. Though he can't be compelled to recuse himself, he and Mike Recchiuti really should step aside and others untainted by special interests make this call.

On Tuesday night, economist Bill Sheier suggested that this ordinance really should be voted on by the Council coming into power in January, with three new members. Two of the current members of Council are appointees and were not the choice of the people.

Of the three new Council members, Shawn Martell received 13% of his total contributions from Martin Tower developers. He should recuse himself as well. Michael Colon and Olga Negron accepted no donations from these special interests, and would at least make a decision that is their decision, and not the command of some billionaire.

Below is my research. Unlike many of my readers, I generally like Willie and do think he means well and usually handles himself very well. But not on Tuesday.

Willie Reynolds
Pre-Primary 
$1,000 from Lewis Ronca on 2/26/15
$2,000 from Norton Herrick on 2/13
$500 Laborers Local 1174 on 2/4
$1,000 Internat'l Union Operating Engineers on 2/4
$1,000 from IUPAT District 21 on 2/9
$1,000 from IBEW Local 375 on 2/12
$1,000 from Carpenters PAC on 4/26
Total Raised - $33,650
Post-Primary
$1,000 from Lewis Ronca on 5/18/15
Total Raised - $2,270
Total Raised Pre and Post Primary - 35,920
Percentage of donations from Martin Tower Beneficiaries =  24%

Michael Recchiuti
Pre-Primary
$1,000 from Lewis Ronca on 2/26/15
$2,000 from Norton Herrick on 2/26
$500 from IUPAT District 21 on 2/11
$500 from  Internat'l Union Operating Engineers on 4/27
$500 from Carpenters PAC on 4/30
Total Raised - $16,995
Post-Primary
$1,000 from Lewis Ronca on 5/18/15
Total Raised - $2,275
Total Raised Pre and Post Primary - $19,270
Percentage of donations from Martin Tower Beneficiaries - 29% 

Shawn Martell
Pre-Primary 
$500 from Lewis Ronca on 4/20
$1,500 from Norton Herrick on 4/24
Total Raised - $14,883.35
Post-Primary
Total Raised - $700
Total Raised Pre and Post Primary - $15,583.35
Percentage of donations from Martin Tower Beneficiaries - 13%

Michael Colon
Pre-Primary
Total Raised - $5,390
Post-Primary 
Total Raised - $0
Percentage of donations from Martin Tower beneficiaries - 0%

Olga Negron
Pre-Primary
Total Raised - $6,770
Post-Primary
Total Raised - $825
Percentage of donations from Martin Tower beneficiaries - 0%