Allentown's Election Is About Integrity, Not Politics

In the dawn of this nation's history, when British regulars and Hessian mercenaries had George Washington on his heels, Zions's Church in Northamptontown became the hiding place of the Liberty Bell, one of our most important symbols. Residents in that small community could be trusted. They were patriots who would resist tyranny and had already driven William Allen's loyalist family out of town. These true freedom fighters were the original inhabitants of what eventually became known as Allentown. They took a stand. Will that continue on Tuesday?

Will the voters speak out against the tyranny of a vindictive Mayor who has embroiled the entire city in a cauldron of political corruption? Will the voters finally say No to a false prophet who beats his chest about kindness while bullying truly Godly men like Eugene McDuffie, to say nothing of others? Will the dark clouds that have resulted in seven guilty pleas finally be lifted, or will Allentown continue with a paranoid man who sweeps his office for electronic bugs and uses burner phones? Will Allentown finally install someone who cares about public safety or a man who laughs at a fire department whose operating budget he has slashed by 65% since 2008?

We'll know Tuesday night.

A cornucopia of mayoral candidates, both Democrat and Republican, are in this race. I prefer Ray O'Connell, a man who understands the symbiotic relationship between the struggling city and its distressed school district. But there's much positive to be said for most of the candidates running. Thiel has business acumen. Garcia and Jones offer real ethnic diversity. Bennett has connections to small businesses and nonprofits, and knows people  in Harrisburg and Washington. Siegel brings intelligence and youthful exuberance.

They have their differences, but all but Nat Hyman and Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski have something in common. They bring integrity. As the sign outside Rick Orloski's office says, Vote Integrity. It is time for the citizens of Allentown to rise up again and say No to tyranny and political corruption.

Hyman's False Advertising

Hyman lacks the integrity needed to be a decent Mayor. Former Department of Community and Economic Development Director Betsy Morris Levin, on her Facebook page, states he was operating a building with multiple people living and working inside, but Fed Ed gave him a pass and protected him back in 2007.

What Levin has to say is troubling, but I'd want to hear from him before condemning him. But now there is additional evidence of his dishonesty, coming directly from Hyman himself.  

It's an ad with a pic of Hyman talking to firefighters, apparently directing their efforts in battling some blaze. Wherever that is, it isn't in Allentown. .

Local 302 Allentown International Association of Firefighters has made no endorsement in the Mayoral race. Imagine their surprise when they saw this Hyman ad of him talking to Cetronia Volunteer Fire Company firefighters, who apparently have no problem jeopardizing their nonprofit status in South Whitehall Township by allowing themselves to be used for partisan political purposes

Brilliant, guys!

So far as I know,and I spoke to several Allentown firefighters, Hyman has never reached out to or discussed any issues with them. He is just using their public safety crisis to propel himself into the Republican candidate's spot on May 16th.

This is dishonest behavior, and should disqualify Hyman from serious consideration by anyone interested in integrity in government.

The real Fed Ed

The other candidate who lacks integrity is Public Official No.3, incumbent Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski. The real Fed Ed is far removed from the amiable if long-winded man delivering those lengthy power points. He is in fact malicious and vindictive, as those who know him can attest. Ask Candida Affa, a person who refuses to be intimidated by anyone, why she no longer supports Fed Ed. Ask Cynthia Mota whether he went after her one evening after she refused to vote the way he wanted. Ask the small businesses he shut down on pretexts. Ask the elderly lady who wanted to have a yard sale now and then for pin money. Ask Jeremy Warmkessel, a decorated firefighter who Fed Ed attempted to silence with bully tactics in a recent exchange.

This is all Fed Ed.

None of this has anything to do with Miked Fleck, the supposed mastermind of political corruption in Allentown, or any of the six others who have pleaded guilty to offenses that include bribery and bid-rigging.

I was particularly stuck and saddened at how Fed Ed bullied Eugene McDuffie earlier this month, as I told you on Friday. McDuffie is a saintly and gentle man, a person who I think has been touched by the hand of God. Jews and Muslims would call him righteous. Buddhists would say he's achieved enlightenment. We Catholics would say it's the Holy Spirit. He has spent his adult life caring for troubled teens and the homeless. Eugene is an announced City Council candidate, but only to bring attention to his bigger mission. He has spent no money. He has no money to spend. He has no intention of winning any political race. But he's been making the rounds in his one and only suit, wearing only the one pair of red shoes he can afford. He has continued his push to help troubled teens and the homeless.

Sir Sly would say,

"It feels good to be running from the Devil,
Another breath and I'm up another level.
It feels good to be up above the clouds.
It feels good for the first time in a long time, now."

Fed Ed bashed Eugene for doing God's work. I told you Eugene's story because it shows Fed Ed without his make up. He's a bully with no integrity. Amazingly, while under investigation for political corruption, he also used his city offices to play politics, which is a theft of public services. This is the height of arrogance. His mean streak has been corroborated by so many others that I would be writing until Tuesday if I listed every incident over the past 12 years.

Eugene McDuffie Story Criticism

Allentown blogger Michael Molovinsky, whose blog is called Molovinsky on Allentown, spent the crucial week before that City's most important election in its history, talking abut anything but Allentown. He disparaged some poor fellow who was turned away from a tea party event featuring Pam Geller. He complained about being called dour and the lack of media coverage given to him when he ran for Mayor in 2005. He complained about comedians who dare to criticize Donald Trump. He condemned the removal of Confederate monuments in New Orleans  

It's his blog and he can write what he wants. But he has no right to dictate my topics. He has taken me to task for telling Eugene McDuffie's story. He notes that newspapers wrote no story, which implies that there is no story to write. Based on that logic, he should probably stop writing. I base my publishing decisions on what I think readers ought to know. They ought to know that Fed Ed continues to be a bully.

Molovinsky implied that McDuffie engaged in a political stunt and outright accuses me of playing politics, along with several candidates who commented on my blog or appeared at McDuffie's news conference.

As I explained, this is about integrity, not politics Eugene McDuffie, who was scarred by abusive parents and spent years on the streets of New York City, felt bound to speak out. So did I.