Federal Pay-to-Play Investigation Wider Than Allentown, Reading

Back in July, I told you how I thought the federal investigation into pay-to-play in Allentown and reading got its start. That's because Federal District Court Judge John E. Jones III seemed to be in no hurry to impose sentence against a state official who pleaded guilty shaking down vendors for campaign contributions. I speculated then that McCord was obviously providing prosecutors with useful information. His attorney admitted as much to the press at the time of McCord's February guilty plea. "In the fullness of time . . . you will have a lot to write about."

That prediction has come true.

At the current time, a status conference for McCord is scheduled for October.

We also now know, thanks to The Philadelphia Inquirer, that both McCord and Governor Ed Rendell's former chief of staff, John Estey, were wearing wires. Estey, who was at one time earning $736,000 a year from the Hershey Trust, embezzled $20,000 given to him by the FBI for illegal contributions.

It's unclear how extensively Estey was used. But according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, McCord recorded 2,000 phone conversations.

On February 3, 2014, Pawlowski bowed out of the Governor's race, claiming that his "time and focus needs to be concentrated on the continued revitalization of Allentown." He immediately endorsed Rob McCord, who was standing by his side along with several Pawlowski puppets like State Reps. Mike Schlossberg and Pete Schweyer. McCord said that Pawlowski would play a "vital role" in the McCord administration. That very day, Pawlowski gave McCord $10,000 of other people's money from his Governor PAC, and sweetened the pot with another $5,000 on May 8, 2014.

Fleck's business client, Abe Atiyeh, provided McCord with $1,000 worth of billboard advertising. His political client, Reading Mayor Vaughn Spencer, provided McCord with a $7,000 campaign mailer and GOTV efforts.

Miked Fleck, who had already earned $33,500 from Pawlowski, now started billing McCord. He was paid $42,301.19 for his services between February 6, 2014 and May 18, 2014.

Representing two gubernatorial candidates, Fleck had raked in $75,801.19.

McCord did manage to pick up some Lehigh Valley support in a March visit. Easton Mayor Sal Panto, a Pawlowski and Fleck ally, gleefully bashed now Governor Wolf, claiming that “Democrats want someone who wants to work and earn a paycheck.” Later that day, Fed Ed took McCord on a tour of his realm at the Allentown's Farmers Market, using Schlossberg as a flunkie to carry the food bestowed upon the duo. According to reporter John Micek, who was shadowing them that day, both Pawlowski and Schlossberg "will ramble on about [McCord's] wonderfulness if they’re asked."

McCord's shakedowns began in recorded telephone calls he placed between April 18 and May 6, 2014.

Though Fed Ed is the big fish to people in the Lehigh Valley, this appears to be a far-ranging investigation into pay-to-play. It could extend well beyond Allentown, and seems to be focused on Democrats.