Nazareth Mayor's Resignation Should Be Condition of ARD

On Friday, from Bluff City, TN, in what appears to be his seventh out-of-state trip this year, Nazareth Mayor Carl Strye stopped long enough to post this Facebook entry concerning his ARD application.

"The news is out, I have applied for the ARD program. All though [sic] I will not comment yet, I want to take this time to thank all of my family, friends and the numerous supporters for supporting me through this very awkward time in my life. Again thank you! I love all of you, I love this borough and appreciate everyone's love and support."

He's making no comment. He minimizes criminal behavior as nothing more than a "very awkward time" in his life. He also wants you to know he loves all of you, as well as Nazareth, like Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski loves Allentown. If either of those so-called leaders had even the slightest regard for their communities, they would have resigned long ago. They both need to resign now.

Fed Ed is enmeshed in a federal political corruption investigation, and will almost certainly be indicted by the end of the year. Strye is a thief who admitted to an investigating Grand Jury that he skimmed $8,000 from illegal gambling operations at Vigilance Hose, where he was the "responsible officer."

Just as there are those who say we need to be erecting a statue to Fed Ed, Strye has a large number of local cheerleaders. His Facebook post resulted in 187 "likes" and 13 "loves" from people that include Dave Mattei (State House candidate), Stephanie Varone (Main Street Manager), Don Keller (Nazareth's retired engineer), Fiorella Reginelli-Mirabito (Bath Mayor) and Brian Regn (Nazareth Borough Council). Jeremy Setzer writes, "This isn't a big deal, it's not like you deleted 33,000 emails." David Sevi philosophizes, "Shit happens." Sandy Kromer Eggert tells Strye "it takes courage" to seek ARD. Joey Murante invents a "#screwthehaters" hashtags. Some of these people are drinking or gambling buddies. A few may be real friends. Most obviously have agendas.

Unlike Jeremy Setzer, I know that it's a pretty big deal when a sitting Mayor is charged with a third degree felony involving dishonesty and the theft of funds entrusted to him. When he admits his criminal behavior to an Investigating Grand Jury, that's a disqualifying big deal. He needs to resign, and that should be a condition of ARD.

ARD (Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition) is a special program for first offenders. Its primary purpose is the prompt disposition of charges, eliminating the need for costly and time consuming trials and other court proceedings in minor matters. But it is not a program for sweeping away unpleasant truths about elected officials.

Contrary to what Strye thinks, it is not he or his lawyer who files the motion. That is completely within the discretion of the District Attorney. And even if Morganelli files such a motion, the final decision is up to the Court.

The Stoudt ARD Experience

Morganelli has some experience to draw upon in Nazareth.  ARD was granted once before, in 2013, to an elected official - Nazareth Borough Council member Larry Stoudt. He is a bartender at the American Legion, which like many Nazareth clubs, is a hotbed of illegal gambling and who knows what else. He demanded Nazareth police to check out a suspected rat at the clubs. Chief Thomas Trachta refused, and after the third time, went to the Pennsylvania State Police. Because of his age, his veteran status and the widespread belief that Stoudt would never seek office again, he was placed on ARD.

Stoudt not only sought re-election, but still tends bar at the same club caught up in periodic gambling raids. Amazingly, he convinced the rest of Council to unanimously vote last year for a $52,900 gaming grant from the Commonwealth Financing Agency at the very same American Legion where he wanted local cops to rat out an informer. This is a private social club, and is of absolutely no benefit to the Borough, unless you like to gamble. The club has been cited seven times since 2000 for illegal gambling, sales to nonmembers and visibly intoxicated persons and dummy records. In 2013, the very year Stoudt was placed on ARD, the club was cited three times.

After being placed on ARD, Stoudt engaged in a clear conflict of interest in violation of the state Ethics Act. His fellow Council members, who themselves are well aware of this conflict, voted for the grant anyway.  On July 1, the Commonwealth Financing Agency granted $48,000 of the grant request while denying Bethlehem Township funding for a police car.

So ARD for Stoudt was a failure.

Vigilance Hose and Strye

While Stoudt essentially laughed off obstruction charges, Carl Strye was watching from Vigilance Hose, yet another Nazareth Club with a tradition of illegal gambling. He was the "responsible officer" at the Vig, which during his tenure was raided seven times for gambling machines and sales to nonmembers. The club was fined $1,000, $1,000, $100, $400, $400 and $600. Its license was also suspended once.

Either shortly before or after being appointed Mayor, Strye skimmed $8,000 from gambling operations at the Vig in 2013. His lifestyle certainly supports the conclusion that he has stolen far more in his years the Vig. White collar crime is extremely difficult to prove, but Detective John Casciano never hesitated at the painstaking task of putting together the evidence, helped by a John Morganelli Investigating Grand Jury.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Strye admitted his theft in testimony to the Grand Jury.

Retaliation Against Local Police

As you might imagine, Larry Stoudt was enraged at the indignity of being caught in misusing the authority of his office. He, along with other Council members, did what they could to weaken the police force. The best way to accomplish that is by keeping full-timers at a bare minimum. Officer Freddy Lahovski, arguably one of the best cops in the Lehigh Valley, was illegally fired. He was reinstated with nearly two years of backpay. He then sued and was given $440,000 to walk away. Another full-timer, Steve Schleig, was harassed repeatedly in an effort to force him to quit. He sued, too. So did a third police officer, Adam Shimer, a veteran from Nazareth who always wanted to be a cop in Nazareth.

After a series of raids in 2015, which ultimately led to Strye, the social clubs got together and were able to out the undercover officer responsible. Carl Strye was one of the insiders making sure that the identity of this person was disclosed at a Super Bowl Party held at Holy Family. But the fun was just beginning.

One Nazareth cop, despite being dumped on from every direction, was sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. That cop is Freddy Lahovski. He got the DA's office involved.

When Lahovski was paid $440,000 to walk away earlier this year, Strye thought his troubles were finally over. They were just beginning, as he later discovered.

Strye's Lack of Remorse

Far more troubling than the theft charges is Strye's complete lack of remorse, as evidenced by his Facebook comments and in statements to The Express Times. He lied to me in several email exchanges, denying he had even been to the Grand Jury or that he ever engaged in skimming. After being charged, he incredibly told reporters that he could still run the police department with a "left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing" bullshit argument. He even complained that he wanted this kept "in house," out of the public eye. There was no apology for letting the community down. No shame.

I have told you all along that Strye would cry for ARD. But now the DA has a track record of what happens when ARD is handed out like candy to an elected official. Stoudt never displayed an ounce of remorse, and is up to his eyeballs doing exactly what got him in trouble in the first place. Because of his complete unwillingness to accept responsibility, Strye should be denied participation in this program unless he resigns as Mayor. He was voted into office when most people had no idea he was a thief and was heavily involved in Nazareth's illegal gambling. Allowing him to remain in office is a slap across the face of every voter.

Stoudt and Strye then have done their level best to weed out good cops. They want a culture of corruption.

Morganelli and the courts can prevent this from happening.

This is precisely what erodes public confidence in government. Strye needs to "suck it up, cupcake!" and resign.