Updated: Luis Campos Out at NorCo?

Luis Campos

According to inside sources, NorCo Director of Administration Luis Campos was escorted out of the courthouse Friday afternoon and is no longer employed by the County. Attempts to reach Campos and Executive John Brown have been unsuccessful. Human Resources Director Amy Trapp declined comment for now, indicating that this is a personnel matter.

If the rumor is true, and all indications are that it is, I suspect this was a hatchet job by Deputy Administrator Cathy Allen.

Last week, when Council decided they have to confirm "Acting Director" promotions, she complained that this could cause a problem for her.

And it will. She's a high school graduate whose only real experience before coming to the County was in running a two-person insurance office, and she was one of them.

In stark contrast, Campos is a graduate of both Muhlenberg College ('99) and Lehigh University ('01) and has a Master's Degree in Political Science. He has experience in both the public and private sector.

In the public sector, he worked in the Small Business Administration, and worked in Governor Rendell's Office of Administration as well as the Budget office.

In the private sector, he first worked as a realtor for Zaworski Homes, selling new homes for his family's business between 2000 and 2008, when the Great Recession hit. From there, Campos went to work in sales for First Priority Pay, a payroll services company based in Hoboken, N.J.

His employment at First Priority lasted only two years. The two principals in that firm, Northampton County residents Jose Figueroa and Carlos Chorro, defrauded clients of almost $1 million and failed to pay $400,000 in taxes. They were sentenced in 2012.

Campos' mother, Lilliam Zaworski, spent roughly six months in federal prison for failing to pay $130,000 in taxes over a three-year period, using the money to instead purchase luxury goods and services.

There is no evidence that Campos was involved in any way in that or any criminal scheme. In fact, he continued doing payroll sales for another three years, this time for Electronic Commerce, Inc.

Before being appointed by Brown,  Campos was employed as a sales manager by RestoreCore, a company that specializes in fire damage, water and smoke damage, as well as disaster planning.

He is the Chair of the LV Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. His family immigrated to the United States after President Reagan relaxed  immigration rules in 1986.

He was confirmed by an 8-0 vote of Council in July 2014.

Will Council vote to appoint Cathy Allen Acting Director? The Democrats and Hayden Phillips are likely Nos. Phillips might persuade Matt Dietz. Peg Ferraro is a likely Yes because she believes in giving the Executive great deference. Glenn Geissinger and Mat Benol are likely Yes votes because they are both very much team players and have no wish to embarrass an Exec running for Auditor General. John Cusick and Seth Vaughn will do whatever they perceive to be in their own interest.

I was just starting to like Luis.

Blogger's Note: Updated 6:35 pm.