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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Fed Ed's State of the City and the City's State of Fed Ed

The Morning Call is reporting that all seven Allentown City Council members have agreed to sponsor tonight's resolution calling on Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski to resign. This is despite his own lobbying efforts, which he began last Thursday. Though he's entitled to the presumption of innocence, he lost his legitimacy as a leader as four guilty pleas have rolled in that point directly at him. He needs to resign. For his sake. For his family's sake. For the City's sake.

But he won't.

City employees in some departments are actually under instructions to contact the FBI immediately if Fed Ed or a list of other City officials contact them. Instructions like these tend to paralyze government. If Fed Ed had any regard for city government,he'd stop making himself an issue

But he won't.

He has two children attending public schools. I can only imagine the snide remarks being cast at them. If he cared for his own children, he'd move on.

But he won't.

Fed Ed is in complete denial. His Facebook page makes that clear. He has no source of income aside from his salary as Mayor, so he will continue to draw on that while spending campaign funds to pay his lawyers. Once that well runs draw, he'll have to deal. But he will wait until then.

Amazingly, at a time when he is under a federal microscope and is being asked to resign, he's actually giving a State of the City address on January 29, 11:30 am at Allentown's Renaissance Hotel. This is being sponsored by the Rotary Club, and costs $30. Community and business leaders are expected to be there as well. The urban growth regime in the flesh. I plan to attend, and if i get a chance, ask Fed Ed to resign.

86 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Bernie, you wrote "City employees in some departments are actually under instructions to contact the FBI immediately if Fed Ed or a list of other City officials contact them" Question. Who is on the list of other city officials?

Bernie O'Hare said...

I am working on getting an answer to that very good question.

Anonymous said...

The Mayor has not been charged with nay crime any any agency of law. What makes you think you have the power to make him resign. I am not defending him, I have no idea what may or may not happen but you have been milking this "charges" thing for months.
Are we not innocent until proven guilty? In this case he hasn't even been charged with a crime.

Do you remember any of that from law school.

Dave said...

@02:34

I don't necessarily support Mayor Pawlowski but I'm getting the impression that he's being forced out of his job. Can the FBI at least get some indictments before he's judged guilty and run out of Allentown on a rail?

What exact crimes is he being accused of?

Let us see the evidence.

If it's damable enough, then tar and feather him. The recriminations can always come later.

Anonymous said...

The Mayor is an innocent man.

Anonymous said...

Edgar likes to relish in the misfortune of those on his "enemies list" , Ed is a stalwart statesman too dignified to respond to Booniez scurrilous barbs.

Anonymous said...

I've never seen a more innocent man.

Anonymous said...

Wow. Thirty bucks is a *steal* to see this year's State of the City address and the brouhaha around it. Do you know if tickets will be available at the door? If not, do you know where they're available?

I'm sure there won't be, but wouldn't a Q&A period be great?

-Jeffrey Anthony

Anonymous said...

I think it's about time to give Pawlowski a dose of his own medicine.

He should be jeered, heckled and challenged at every appearance he makes, at council or otherwise. Private organizations like the Rotary who sponsor events that attempt give him a platform of legitimacy should be called out for their complicity. Members of the public should contact such organizations to complain, and (if applicable) drop their membership in such groups.

Pawlowski has been able to inflict his damage to city residents in large part because of complicity by such groups. They should not be able to walk away unscathed, particularly if they're still not willing to distance themselves from Pawlowski.

Pawlowski should be considered toxic and persona non grata. People and groups that still don't get that are part of the problem. Even Pawlowski's flunkies on City Council seem to be getting that.

Anonymous said...

Bernie,
We have dimmig in the lehighcounty da's office and maybe allentown's king will be using the snuka defense that has stiffled justice in the county seat since 1983¿!($ This dimmig just might be the same dimmig that worked for the WWF/WWE to stiffle the WORRIOR from using the patent pending only to reunited after years with the same traveling circus to meet his demmise that has local ties¿!($

Daddona and crew were never charged for the lehighvalleymallgate being the original demmise of the downtown sagga¿!($ As the sands through the hour so are the days of our lives, The anticipation has me sitting on th edge of my seat as is many of the unwashed masses that king palumpa an court jesters wrath has been dealt too because they will not join this circus propgated and re relocated¿!($ Will you be at tonights counsil courtjesters show of the god like politicos perpatrators¿!($
redd for Republican
patent pending

Anonymous said...

Perhaps I'm just naiive, but why are they charging to attend the "State of the City" address?

It's a public function and he's the elected Mayor.

This isn't a hockey game.

Anonymous said...

Why are they changing?
You're paying for lunch and the room rental.

Monkey Momma said...

Four people have pled guilty to charges that ALL point directly at Ed Pawlowski. So, yes, he can technically be presumed innocent by a court of law. Citizens, on the other hand, are allowed to use common sense. It's plain to see that the mayor is tainted and cannot possibly govern. The only reason he would continue this job is for his own ego. If he cared about Allentown and the people here, he would resign so the City could attempt to move on from this madness.

The City Charter and it's "strong Mayor" form of government has got to go. Council needs more teeth, legally speaking. And term limits are needed guard against the next potential Mayor for Life.

This business of using campaign donations to fund his legal defense astonishes me. These are the same funds that Ed bribed people to get, and now they're paying for his lawyers? I hope his supporters are satisfied with their investments. These are the same keen business people that are propping up the NIZ...which tells me, these "business people" don't know good business at all. Shula's was just the first to go.

Anonymous said...

It's a Rotary Club event, and while it's open to the public, it's not a "public event".

Anonymous said...

It's not about his ego.
It's about the $$$$$$$.

Anonymous said...

Ed and lawyers are working the best deal possible.

He is a little fish, there are whales in the Valley to be had, and he probably has the goods....

I am sure Ed gave the FBI some stuff to run down, and however that pans out will determine his eventually plea deal, while the crimes are obvious, its all about the
DEAL!

Ed is tooo smart to take the 1st offer from the FBI...

Anonymous said...

Wait till he starts walking down Hamilton Street in a bathrobe and pleads mentally incompetent - he forgets a lot, does not remember all the orders he gave to subordinates, he lied to FBI cause his poor memory was clouded by a mental disorder;

Or will point to Facebook page and State of City speech as part of a delusional pattern....delusional disorder. He does not truly believe he has done wrong, this is no act - the poor man has a disorder..people are out to get him for no reason...

Anonymous said...

What is the estimated burn rate of the campaign/defense funds?

Ray Nemeth Sr said...

QUESTION Is the money gathered for the admission to the speech, being used for the criminal defense of the mayor?

Anonymous said...

"If he wants to fight the good fight, God bless him."
Allentown City Councilwoman, Affa.

You couldn't make this shit up.

Anonymous said...

Charging to hear a state of the city event? really? where is this money going? who makes out on this scam. this admin and this party never cease to amaze me.
I would pay to see fed Ed have a Q and A session with the public, media and local bloggers. lol no I wouldn't.
is this idea of charging people standard procedure or something new to raise cash for a defense fund? I would love to see the list of those whop actually pay for this.

Anonymous said...

THE $30 COVERS LUNCH.
Is that so difficult to understand?

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised the hotel was able to shoehorn this event(SOTC) into the frenetic dining scene of Allentown!

Anonymous said...

Will his former bobblehead boy toy council members and now state representatives be in attendance for support? After all, they do represent the city of corruption and have deep roots from the very start.

Anonymous said...

Who is Ed DeGrace?

Odds B.O. isn't "invited" to see the event? Im saying you have no chance of being let in for the event, Bernie! Good luck though!

Anonymous said...

The Boy Representatives have their own joint fund raiser coming up soon.

Anonymous said...

Ms. Affa will be sitting at the head table.

Anonymous said...

I think it is rather unconscionable that his website is asking for donations, and I saw no indication that his campaign is suspended. Also no mention of a federal investigation into his activities. An observer would think "this guy is GOING SOMEWHERE" in 2016, when in fact he may well be headed to a federal dormitory.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Edgar likes to relish in the misfortune of those on his "enemies list"

The only person who refers to me as "Edgar" is Tricia Mezzacappa. She doesn't give a shit about this issue. She just hates me. Tricia Mezzacappa, pay the $67,400 judgment against you. In a few months we will be getting a court order for your house. I also expect to see a "break and enter" order soon, and I will direct sheriffs to seize everything of value.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Monkey Momma, You make some excellent points. Yes, he is using the same money he collected in the form of bribes to pay his legal expenses. That money could be seized, but I don't think feds will seize what has been paid.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"QUESTION Is the money gathered for the admission to the speech, being used for the criminal defense of the mayor? "

No, it goes to the Rotary Club.

Anonymous said...

IT'S A FREAKING LUNCH.
THE MONEY PAYS FOR THE LUNCH AND THE ROOM.'

Chris Casey said...

He will never surrender. They will have to drag him out of office in chains, if he doesn't barricade the door, take hostages, or threaten to harm himself first. His delusions of innocence are astonishing. I am thinking that I will gain entry to the Rotary club luncheon by posing as a Cyber expert offering to sweep the building for bugs. :-)

Anonymous said...

Meanwhile-


Shula's DOWN.

American Hairlines- Soon to be DOWN.

Moravian Book Store- Circling the drain.

More to come as the blush leaves the rose that is the transformed city...

Anonymous said...

I wonder if City Council could negotiate a severance agreement to get him to resign. I'm thinking 6 months of paid health insurance for his family, for instance.

Anonymous said...

^. Yeah. Right.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Rich, In response to your criticism of the Rotary Club, let me note the following:

1) The club scheduled this many months ago, long before the indictments began to fly.

2) The rotary has hosted this event for many yrs. and is known for it.

3) The rotary is a volunteer organization that does such wonderful things for our community. They are not the enemy. They are a service organization.

Anonymous said...

Should be fun tonight, much better than TV! I sure wish City Council would seek a 3rd party independent legal opinion on the City Controller eligibility issue. Susan Wild is such a partisan, in cahoots with Miked Fleck and Fed Ed all the way. I think Council can really impress the public if they get a 2nd opinion and then appoint the Republican candidate who seems like the most qualified. Glazier, Hoffman and Aguilar are all too closely linked to Pawlowski to provide the public any appearance of independence.

Anonymous said...

Will they all be sharing in the charge cover-up of murder for hire, as well as dictating said ruling cause rule and now the reprehensible orders to destroy private property of the naysayers carried out by his police force. Many would just call them incompetent impotent wannabe militants that are like children playing out cops and robbers in the streets of allentown pa. One and all are in the same corrupt institution working to rid allentown of the cancerous public.
Redd rabbit hole

Anonymous said...

Perhaps the Rotary Club did not think the ferret would still be here. Does his goner still have that stupid politician smile ?

Anonymous said...

Ed is the big fish in this scenario. Even if he got seduced into crossing these lines by Mike Fleck, Fleck seems to have made a pretty good deal for himself.

The apparent fact of the matter is Ed was engaged in high, high level of deceit: when he had City Hall swept for listening devices, when he used burner phones...these weren't things he was forced by Fleck or anyone to do. He wasn't forced into the shakedowns. He wasn't forced into any of it. He made very bad choices, but why? Bill White suggests it was the hubris of thinking he could attain higher office that did him in. The tragic flaw is hubris, but not how Bill means. It's the hubris of thinking oneself above the law, the hubris of ignoring your only job (honest services), of actually contravening it, of shaking people down and thinking you couldn't possibly get caught. It's clear he broke the law, and it's clear that he directed others to, likely under the threat of their jobs in the cases where he that authority.

He's the guy. The developers like Rielly an Jaindl aren't pulling his strings; they'd much rather see him go.

The only place where Allentown politics really intersects with the NIZ are the appointments made by the State reps and the Mayor of Allentown to ANIZDA, and whatever pressure citizens can put on Council to ensure there is some kind of oversight of ANIZDA (which isn't required by law). But as far as bigger developers needing pay-to-play to access their projects, I just don't see it. City contracts with smaller operators? Yes. Ed is the big fish. Marcel Groen may have been the fish-whisperer. Could Ed roll on Groen over Delta Thermo? Maybe. Even though Groen is a the head of the PA Dems, the bigger "get" is the Mayor of Allentown from a public corruption standpoint.

Anonymous said...

Blog Mentor claims to have breakfast and an inside track on Ed. Says he is totally innocent.

Anonymous said...

Emily Opilo reminds us, twice in two days, that Council can technically go further.

"Council has the power to remove any elected official or department head if it finds that person guilty of "malfeasance in office." The charter defines malfeasance in office as an unlawful act committed willfully by an elected officer in his or her capacity in that position."

That provision, matched with Council's subpoena power, could be the only way to move forward after tonight, at which point it becomes a question of spending City resources to do something parallel to what the FBI is doing. Is that prudent? Some will say no. But if city government really is being crippled by this, it may be necessary.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Those provisions in the wholemeal charters are completely illegal. The only way you can be legally removed from office is by conviction of crime, impeachment or removal by the governor at the request of the Senate. That's it.

Anonymous said...

Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose. Ed has no money, no lawful skills, and no prospects. He knows he's going to federal prison and is focused on cashing as many paychecks as possible and keeping his wife out of the hoosegow. Council can't remove him until he's been determined to have committed an unlawful act. Their no-confidence vote is akin to closing the barn door three years after they opened it and let the horse out.

Gar Pro-Shell-Game said...

Ed Pawlowski will be just fine all the haters love to pile on just because he is a happy self actualized productive elected official.

Anonymous said...

Don't forget to RSVP and attend this gala:

https://www.facebook.com/voteschlossberg/photos/gm.343033312533793/10153494895453495/?type=3&theater

I think it is a black tie affair.

Anonymous said...

Ed, and for that matter his wife, are nobody's victims. Fleck and the Mayor worked hand and glove.
Fran kept some distance but ultimately was aware of the entire setup. He kept the operations end afloat.
Can you say Golf Course? And that's just one example. Fran issued marching orders to the solicitors office and controlled the thugs in Codes.

Anonymous said...

Go FBI

Anonymous said...

Earlier today, I wrote:

"Hey Bernie, you wrote "City employees in some departments are actually under instructions to contact the FBI immediately if Fed Ed or a list of other City officials contact them" Question. Who is on the list of other city officials?"

Bernie O'Hare then wrote

"I am working on getting an answer to that very good question."

Any luck with that answer?

Bernie O'Hare said...

When I have something to add, I will do so. Rome was not built, or tore down, in a day.

Anonymous said...

"Ed Pawlowski will be just fine all the haters love to pile on just because he is a happy self actualized productive elected official."

Agree. We know this because he said so in a burner phone conversation.

Anonymous said...

Any idea if this will pull Topper and Riley into this more?

Anonymous said...

I gotta think that Schlossberg & Schewyer knew from the start years back of how FedEd operated and most likely, saw first hand the crimes being committed and therefore should resign themselves for not stepping up and stopping & or reporting the criminal activity that is now coming to the surface...

Anonymous said...

Checked the Rotary Club Facebook. the event for Fed Ed was added on Jan. 5 2016. What say you?

Anonymous said...

What's up with the CAPS LOCK thing?

And $ 30 for just one lunch???

Wow! Way too rich for the working class's blood. Sounds like a bunch of 1%er Democrats who are completely out of touch with the economic reality for the overwhelming majority of Allentonians, particularly those who live in the neighborhoods that border the "transformative" NIZ.

If I didn't already know how much Democrats care about the poor, how many good intentions Democrats always say they have, I'd be outraged.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the Dems. Can make believe it's an election day and hand out some walking around money so a few hundred people can have a nice lunch on the 29th.

Anonymous said...

The Rotary Club has always been, and remains,
a largely republican organization.
Just sayin'.

Bernie O'Hare said...

When it was planned and when it was placed on Facebook are completely different questions.

Anonymous said...

Allentown is a fucking joke,cops do not walk the beat.Fed Ed allows the idiot Mayor of NYC to look smart.

Anonymous said...

"The Rotary Club has always been, and remains, a largely republican organization"

Cool. Glad that's been sorted out. Now, exactly how many Republicans who hold elected office have been charged with crimes, like the loyal Democrat fall gal Mary Ellen Koval?

Anonymous said...

Why does the corrupt Democrat Mayor Pawlowski not choose a location to host his little lunch which would be realistically more affordable for the overwhelming majority of his very own electoral constituency?

Anonymous said...

Ed Pawlowski is a Rotarian.

Anonymous said...

Pawlowski is in Washington DC tonight on our dime at mayors conference. WOW

Anonymous said...

The Mayor has not been charged with any crimes, People are innocent until proven guilty. In his case he has not been charged. That must be the class O'Hare skipped in law school.

Anonymous said...

"Cool. Glad that's been sorted out. Now, exactly how many Republicans who hold elected office have been charged with crimes, like the loyal Democrat fall gal Mary Ellen Koval?"

They just pay the Democrats to do their bidding when their boys are out of office. It is a natural ecosystem. The dumb-dumbs just sit back and buy the Party myth.

You betcha!!!

Anonymous said...

Rumor is councilman glazier is next controller; same old stuff, he is one of ed,s crew, took pay to play cash

Anonymous said...

Glazier was the one that said he found no issues with the contracting process Allentown was using. Does he still feel the same after the 3rd and 4th guilty plea?

Anonymous said...

This person Glazer he b everywhere

Anonymous said...

If person glazer become control is now a council open

Anonymous said...

I cant believe what I am watching here on the city hall feed . idiots in this city want a statue for fed ed. like I said. the party loves voters like this person ..good lord...no wonder these criminals have no fear of being voted out.

Anonymous said...

These pawlowski supporters cannot be called assholes,assholes are useful!

Anonymous said...

oh my God. No wonder it is a one party rule is this POS city. The mayor could rob a bank , be on video , but as long as the restaurant guy got his back in day and the business lady got hers from the city, they look the other way in regards to crimes? wtf is up here .useful idiots to say the least. these are the same people who will vote for hillary despite her crimes and character flaws. funny how they all have the same thought process and have the same talking points.

the guy wants council to answer if they voted for fed ed? not only did they all vote , but some of their kids got city jobs.

freaking disgusting people.

Anonymous said...

love the tranny who spoke about a halloween parade. i love democracy !

Anonymous said...

i see BOH in the house !!! thank you for showing up. get up there and ask a question, especially the one he erased from his facebook.

Anonymous said...

The Dems. Are'nt so much a political party, more like a cult.

Anonymous said...

Just saw a feed of center square on ch.69. You could hold machine gun practice and not hurt anybody.

Anonymous said...

@8:23PM Exactly! The first woman, "a writer and a vet, and we hosted a party for Fed Ed" was the tops. SHE doesn't see anything he is accused of as "that bad". She's fucking blind, just like the people you cited. At least she made reference to alleged bad acts - these people just acted like the sun rises and sets on him, and he can do no wrong. Wake the hell up.

Anonymous said...

"Brother"...another blemish.

Anonymous said...

Somebitch is watching gay porn in a hotel room in DC, one last hurrah on the taxpayer dime...

Anonymous said...

Ed d will be starring in gay porn on the inside.

Anonymous said...

Somewhere in Allentown there must be an asshole magnet.

Anonymous said...

When is FedEd's episode scheduled for "American Greed"?

Anonymous said...

The third largest municipality in the commonwealth.
Destroy deserves national attention.

Anonymous said...

Maybe he'll hook up with another Chicago pol, Rod Blagojevich. He's 3 years in on a 14 year sentence.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if Ed has started drinking again....

Hopefully he'll be making jailhouse hooch soon.