Panto's Pseudonyms May Cost Easton

Back in March, I told you that Easton Mayor Sal Panto was using two pseudonyms - Tom18017 and Roverfan73 - to participate in online discussions at Lehigh Valley Live. This is in addition to comments he would post under his own name, often in connection with the same story in which he was using his pseudonyms.

How do I know he was using these pseudonyms? Because like most liars, he's also stupid. Abraham Lincoln once said, "No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.” Panto is proof.

When someone teased him about his moonlighting at Riverview, he started to blow oil about his 80-hour weeks and invited this critic to visit his office. But instead of writing as "Sal Panto," he got mixed up and posted as "roverfan73." In another story about Easton'sparking garage, Panto took it upon himself, as Panto, to correct several errors in the story. Then, when someone complained to him about the construction, he told this person to call his office for an appointment, providing his telephone number as Mayor. But once again, he got confused. Instead of "Sal Panto," this one came out as "tom18017."

Panto used both of these pseudonyms (some believe there were more) to bully people and make all kinds of vicious remarks about others, while simultaneously patting himself on the back as Easton mayor. When posting as panto, he often took others to task for failing to say who they really were. But he was doing it himself!

Panto used LehighValleyLive to create the false impression that others think like him, and to vilify perceived opponents.

After I outed Panto, both here and at Laini Abraham's popular Easton Pa Facebook page, tom18017 and roverfan73 suddenly went Internet-silent. He ignored my request for an explanation and even snubbed activist Dennis Lieb, who raised the topic at a City Council meeting.

He eventually came up with an answer. At a meeting of Easton Democrats, he claimed he had been hacked. Nobody believed him. That explanation itself is an admission of dishonest behavior (setting up false identities) to respond to accusations of ... dishonest behavior.

When I outed Panto, I did so because I was disgusted by his dishonesty. But I dropped the matter, thinking it could never come back to bite him. Well, it just did. All of Panto's Easton cheerleaders will be held accountable for his lies. He has been sued, both individually and in his capacity as Mayor, over the wrongful death of Richard Scheuermann. Whether Easton police acted appropriately or not when they fired at Scheuermann is a question for another day and another venue. But part of the claim relates to Panto's use of the pseudonym tom18017 and roverfan73 to defame Scheuermann's family.

Guess who will be paying for that?

Panto was asked about the use of these pseudonyms by LehighValleyLive, and declined to answer. He can thumb his nose at yours truly, Dennis Lieb and LehighValleyLive, but will eventually have to answer the federal lawsuit.

As Roverfan73 and tom18017, here is what Panto has had to say about several different topics.

Himself: "The man works tirelessly for he city say and night and if he didn't respond you would criticize him for that as well." ... "Wow. the mayor is doing a great job and the naysayers all over him for doing his job. Call it as you want there are laws on the books and he swore an oath to enforce them,,,,,and I say thank you. Downtown looks better and better everyday." ... "We have a very good mayor ..." ... "I believe this mayor is tough on crime." ... "Can the mayor and council run the country??????" ... "We need Mayor Panto for life! Case closed." ... " I guess good government doesn't warrant news coverage."(He also falsely claims to live in the West Ward, and talks about taking his sons to the parks). 

Easton Public Market: "It has been postponed so many times it is ridiculous and I looked in the windows just today and they are no where ready to open." ... "Seems more like a Reading Terminal than a grocery store. So I can buy my meat and seafood there but not the flour and butter to cook them or the bread crumbs or the dish detergent to clean the pots, pans, and dishes. And how does the city get paid back the million dollars they gave to support the project? I hear in addition to that amount there is another million or so on top of that."

Street Crime: "use a gun and it should be a minimum sentence of 30 w/o parole." ... "The courts need to be more aggressive in their setting of bail amounts, especially when guns are found." ... "Blame our liberal courts these dirtbags are arrested by the police and out before the paperwork is done."

Magisterial District Judge Antonia Grifo: "Good thing this guy is going to Corpora because if he was going to Grifo she would have him back out on the streets in no time."

DA John Morganelli: "Finally Morganelli wants to get tough on crime. HMMMM any reason other than it is happening in his beloved Bethlehem. He has been tough on crime to some extent in Easton but rumor has it that Magistrate "easy on crime" Grifo let the ARMED actors that held up the Dollar Store and led police on a massive manhunt -- is it true she let them off the hook and dismissed the case. How dare she do that!!! We need the President Judge and the DA to pull her in and set her straight. I am sure if it was Bethlehem John would do it. Let's get tough on crime in Northampton County."

Judge Sam Murray: "I hope he makes better decisions on the bench than the choice for tip staff. He is a good person but his choices were more political than anything. There were so many good people that helped him. It is a shame he didn't choose one of them. But I hear he had a great reception and rumor is it was all donated by the owner of Riverview Country Club. I wonder if that is true, hope not Seems like more of the same at the county."

Easton Peace Candle: "IT'S SIMPLE THE CANDLE SHOULD BE LIT ON FRIDAY NIGHT --- PERIOD ----- " ... "I also vote for candle lighting on Friday. Does GEDP run this city or the Mayor and City Council?"

Public Education: "I am a former public school teacher and loved the profession. I was never paid what teacher's are paid today." ... " C'mon man if you want a full-time President then pay for it. Teachers should know their history just look at Bethlehem Steel and IR where many of the union bosses were paid to do union business. How did it work out for them?" ... " I rarely see any teachers anymore at extra curricular events unless they are being paid. Many don't even don't live in the area. The union saw to that when they got rid of residency requirements."

Suburban kids: "So you think all suburban kids are angels. Think again. Some of the most disrespectful brats come from the wealthier families who let their kids run wild with little oversight."

Easton Snow Plowing: "I traveled many roads in the townships that were worse than the city's streets. Ask some of the residents who live in developments that weren't even plowed." ... "I have to commend the city if Easton. I had to travel I too other areas today including the suburbs and Bethlehem and Easton's roads were far superior."

NorCo(Central Booking): "Northampton County finally coming into the twenty first century. Several years after LEhigh County but it is appreciated." (Emergency Shelter): "Thank you Mayor "Panto and City Council for doing what the county should be paying for. They are supposed to be the human services division of government but they haven't come into the 21st century. Nothing there has changed in the last 50 years."

Glenn Steckman: "Insiders have told me there was tension between the mayor and Steckman but it was always over Steckman's handling of personnel and the public. No one likes to see a person terminated or resign but the fact is this person should have been let go a long time ago. The only reason he lasted as long as he did is because employees have told me often times that Panto is too loyal and always gave Steckman another chance." ... " I had several dealings with this guy and he was rude and nasty." ... "He needs some humility like the mayor."

Allentown Pay-to-Play: "Ah yes Mr. Stathern, he was good friends of you know who --- Mike Fleck. Why not check their involvement together and what Strathern "treated" Fleck to when Fleck was on Easton Council the first time." ... "No doubt the guilty one is the fleckster. I am sure he promised a lot the mayor didn't know because everything he got in contributions he got more money." ... "This guy was friends with Mike Fleck when he was on easton city council and did some unethical things then.. When he was out of work Fleck got him the job in Allemtown. The Fleckster was the main ingredient in all of this and should be in jail." (I am sure the feds would love to know the details here, Sal. Why not give them call? Maybe they'll call you!)

Bethlehem Street crime: "Gee I thought all of the gangs were in Allentown and Easton. Seems like there is more and more crime in Bethlehem."

Bethlehem taxes:  "Maybe Bob [Donchez] should take some lessons from Sal in Easton. I left Bethlehem and moved to Easton abour 7 years ago and we haven't had a property tax increase nor any loss of sevices. A a matter of fact there has been an increase. esecially in the polioce department, and I live in the West Ward. Bethlehem should be financially sound with all of the development and the casino"

Jeanette Eichenwald: "Does Eichenwald know any other words. All she talks about is the cloud hanging over city hall. Get a life and start working on making Allentown a better place to live instead of pushing the cloud over the Chief of Police. She wants everything tied to the investigation and pay to play and yet no one has been charged or indicted. She has done nothing on council that is positive in any way, shape or form. And just recently she put down Easton. What the heck? And oh, I don't live in Allentown and I don't know the mayor and I don't have any contracts with the city."

Addendum: I mentioned Laini Abraham and just want to take this opportunity to congratulate her on her new role as a Mom.