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Wednesday, April 06, 2016

Sentencing For Fed Ed's Men Delayed

Allentown Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski seems to have forgotten about the federal investigation swirling around him, and has even discussed seeking another term as Mayor. But while he remains in denial and his attorneys tap into his campaign warchest, the four people who have already pleaded guilty to bid rigging and bribery have had their sentencing hearings delayed. Ordinarily, a cooperating defendant is not sentenced until the prosecution against the target is complete.

Entrepreneur Ramzi Haddad's was set to be sentenced on April 14. That's been pushed back to July 28, 2016. The same is true of three former City officials who have admitted to depriving the citizens of Allentown to their right to honest services

Mary Ellen Koval, a Controller who had to resign before she was sworn in for her second term, has had  her sentencing postponed from April 19 to July 26, 2016.

Dale Wiles, a former Assistant City Solicitor who now sells vitamins and searches titles, has had his sentencing delayed from March 2 to June 6, 2016.

Garrett Strathearn, the City';s former finance director who now has a public defender, is now scheduled for sentencing on July 27, 2016, instead of the April 14 date originally set.

16 comments:

Robert Trotner said...

Thanks so much for the update, Bernie. These miscreant lackeys must be telling the FBI a whale (Penguin?) of a story. One last question: Do you think the Fed Ed indictment will mean the end of the grand jury investigation, or do you think the grand jury will indict him but continue its investigation? Or do you think the grand jury will hand down indictments of Fed Ed, Fleck, and whomever else all at one shot and then disband?

Anonymous said...

Do you think maybe he's going to skate? It's been too long since we've heard anything, something's fishy.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like deals are being made, testimony for reduced sentences.

Robert Trotner said...

Agreed.

Anonymous said...

Agree, I believe deals are in the works. I also do not think the investigation stops with Pawlowski. There's too much here to for it to stop there and not go at least to Marcel Groen and the PA Democratic Party.

Did anyone see the blurb on Air Products getting out of the waste/energy business?

Robert, great Penguin reference!

The Banker

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Sounds like deals are being made, testimony for reduced sentences."

That will be the argument made by the defense at trial. I doubt anyone gets sentenced until after he and she testifies, and then the extent of that person's cooperation will be made known at sentencing. If someone suddenly becomes forgetful, that will be noted.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Robert Trotner, The grand jury investigating Fed Ed is also reviewing other crimes and will disband when its time is up. Whether it ends with Pawlowski is unknown. My guess is that they wanted him to coooperate and determine if it should end with him or needs to go in other directions. But if he fails to cooperate, it likely will end with him. When he is indicted, Miked Fleck and I believe several others will be indicted as well.

Unknown said...

@7:58 said: "Sounds like deals are being made, testimony for reduced sentences."

I don't think Acosta made a deal for a reduced sentence. Two years in prison for lying about an $1,800 bribe.

Former Reading politician gets prison in FBI probe linked to Allentown

I'm sure there are people in Allentown and the Lehigh Valley that know they have done something similar to Acosta and they too may have already lied to the FBI. You know who you are.

So we wait. Tick tock.

Anonymous said...

But I thought Ellen Koval was the mastermind of all the shenanigans in city hall. Didn't Ed's lawyer say he knew nothing about it? She had to be the person running the shakedown scheme that pumped all those campaign contributions out of people wanting to do business with the city. Hope they throw the book at her.

Allentown Democrat Voter

Anonymous said...

people who take bribes are guilty as are those who gave the bribe.

Anonymous said...

After all of this I would stull vote for Ed Pawlowski over Sam Bennet. Yes, she is that bad.

Anonymous said...

Remember that they did not sentence Rob McCord yet. A lot of this started with him

Bernie O'Hare said...

You are correct.

Anonymous said...

After all of this I would stull vote for Ed Pawlowski over Sam Bennet. Yes, she is that bad.
You would "stull" vote? I would never vote for a criminal. Pawlowski's acts of interest have no relation to Sam BennetT.

Anonymous said...

"But I thought Ellen Koval was the mastermind of all the shenanigans in city hall"
What other than what Ed's lawyer said led you to believe this? I haven't heard anyone else suggest this. From what I read in the informations, Eddy was in this up to his shirt collar.

Anonymous said...

You're right. There are bigger fishes in the sea. The Feds want "Big Ed" and there might be another "tie-in" out there who comes to light. How about these big donations to his campaign from some big money people on the state and regional level that have yet to be explained.