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Monday, July 25, 2016

Fed Ed Lends Fed'l Campaign $21,608 To Pay Lawyers

Allentown Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski's latest federal campaign finance report, due July 15, is finally available for public inspection. You can see it here. It shows that he was aware of the federal freeze on his campaign bank accounts by April 15. He describes it on his report as an "involuntary forfeiture" of $29,371.93, made to The United States Attorney.

This seizure has forced him to dip into his own pocket. He has lent his campaign $12,000 as follows: $7,500 on 4/12; $3,000 on 4/14; $1,500 on 6/22. In addition he has advanced his campaign another $9,608.33, meaning that the total of debts and obligations owed by his committee is $21,608.33.

Why has he has he had to borrow money?

Lawyers, of course.

·        $2,500 to Philly law firm Borum, Burke and DiDonato on 4/28.
·        $2,783.33 to Allentown lawyer Maureen Coggins on 5/12 (She may be representing Lisa Pawlowski).
·        $4,325 to DC law firm Oldaker Group, which was hired as a result of compliance issues with his campaign finance reports.

He's got just $1,589.39 left in what at one time was a $427,000 war chest.

According to another Philly lawyer, Jack McMahon, Fed Ed had no idea whatever that his bank accounts had been frozen until a check bounced. It's pretty clear that he knew in April, when he started borrowing money. McMahon waited until July 11 to file a "Motion to Release Frozen Assets."

The $4,325 payment to Oldaker group, which was hired to insure FEC compliance, is undoubtedly permissible. But the other legal fees are likely improper.

Is the expense one that would exist irrespective of the candidate’s campaign or duties as a federal officeholder? If the answer is Yes, it is a personal expense. Fed Ed is not a federal office holder. The expense would exist regardless of his campaign because the expense is related to a pay-to-play investigation, not his campaign. This is a personal expense, and will likely be disallowed by the FEC.
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12 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 25, 2016 at 6:26 AM

    Slick Eddie is back at it again. This bum needs to be locked up ASAP.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJuly 25, 2016 at 8:36 AM

    Ed may need to get a second job, those credit card charges carry high interest rates and his job as mayor will be stretched by the minimum payments.

    Wonder how well he can sell cars or furniture or appliances ?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Monkey MommaJuly 25, 2016 at 8:58 AM

    So, do you think Pawlowski mislead McMahon? Or is McMahon deliberately playing dumb here??

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJuly 25, 2016 at 9:38 AM

    God please end this.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bernie O'HareJuly 25, 2016 at 11:34 AM

    "So, do you think Pawlowski mislead McMahon? Or is McMahon deliberately playing dumb here??"

    McMahon is a sharp lawyer, but it is clear that Pawlowski knew about the forfeiture in April. That's when he started borrowing. I also believe he is paying for his wife's attorney with money he lent his campaign.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJuly 25, 2016 at 12:27 PM

    Bernie,
    He is still king and his current court jesters are butt circus props put in place to RE:place those corrupted than relocated to a nue circus avenue with in the triboro?! This being the begining implimentation of the infection process too grow and RE:produce?!
    RE:publican redd no party affiliation

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJuly 25, 2016 at 1:53 PM

    The lawyers are like voracious leeches on a wounded water buffalo. It's like watching NatGeo. Human nature is the most brutal example of nature.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousJuly 25, 2016 at 3:21 PM

    It's funny how everyone with a Lehigh Lawyer pled to charges they were probably innocent of. If accepting contributions for future consideration is a crime they better charge the entire Federal Government. Why do you think banks and defense contractors donate millions? What do you think lobbyists do all day? They pay to play...that's how business works in politics. How can a DA take contributions from lawyers and judges and so on and so forth. The list is endless.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousJuly 25, 2016 at 5:54 PM

    In 1996 F.Lee Bailey was arrested for hiding his defendants assets from Federal seizure . Hopefully this isn't the case here.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Robert TrotnerJuly 25, 2016 at 9:47 PM

    The drying up of the finances will bring about the end of Fed Ed's travesty. When money talks, even Fed Ed listens. I think Fed Ed resigns soon.

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousJuly 25, 2016 at 9:53 PM

    The Mayor will not resign. No reason to do so.Wait till He gets paid for all His unused vacation and sick days that people didn't know He accumulated

    ReplyDelete
  12. Julian KernJuly 26, 2016 at 7:31 AM

    I personally think we are getting closer and closer for charges to be brought up on Fed Ed. I was told the FBI was waiting for him to run out of campaign money before they took the case further and charged him with a crime. I think his time is running out.

    ReplyDelete

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