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| Scott Allinson |
Scott Allinson - Pay-to-Play is the "way this shit works." - According to the federal indictment filed earlier this week, Allinson himself has said that his firm receives its legal work, not because the partners are especially gifted, but because they engage in pay-to-play. He is quoted as saying it “isn’t like we are being hired because we are good guys. It’s not the way this shit works.”
He also reportedly throws one helluva' party. Ask the people at Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp.
He's an "economic development lawyer" who managed to get himself installed as the solicitor to numerous public entities that dole out public money.
He was appointed as solicitor to the Northampton County Industrial Development Authority soon after John Brown was elected County Executive, replacing Ed Andres. This decision was prompted by consultant Matt Deibert and others at Integrity Personnel, two of whom are identified in the email that Allinson sent out last week, warning his "old friends" that he was about to be indicted.
Brown also awarded a no-bid $24,000 contract to Integrity for a "strategic assessment" of the County's workforce.
Members of the Industrial Development Authority who opposed Allinson's appointment were given the bum's rush and replaced.
Allinson also represents NorCo's Gaming Board, NorCo General Purpose Authority, NorCo Higher Education Authority, Lehigh’s Economic Advancement Project, NorCo New Jobs Corporation, Bethlehem Economic Development Corporation, Lehigh Valley Regional Loan Pool, Lehigh County Industrial Development Authority, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation and NorCo Industrial Development Authority.
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| Matt Sorrentino |
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| Richard Somach |
Somehow,he represents banks foreclosing on properties while simultaneously representing the County at Sheriff Sales.
Fed Ed and his family are rumored to have used Rich Somach's Florida Keys second home for vacations, although I doubt he'll be making that trip this year. .
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| Ollie Foucek |
Given Allinson's remarks and his law firm's decision to stand behind him, it is irresponsible for any public entity to continue association with that law firm.
Updated 2 pm: In his email to his "old friends," Allinson claimed that "the firm is standing by me and is fully supportive. I expect to work here after charges are filed." Calls from the firm to clients and attorneys on the day before the indictment lead me to believe him. But I have just verified that Allinson's bio and listing have been removed from the NorrisMcLaughlin webpage. After his remarks about his own firm, as quoted in the indictment, I think the lawyers there had little choice. This action would answer my concern about this firm's ties to public entities.
52 comments:
Great reporting Bernie. I wouldn't go near this law firm with a 10' pole. Of course they wouldn't need my business, they're too busy playing with the big wigs and exercising conflicts of interest to their lucrative benefit.
Bernie, this entire thing seems so convoluted. It would appear it may be easier to figure out who is not part of the inner circles than those who are in. This is just amazing.
Crooks!
So Sorrentino was hired by Cunningham as Lehigh County solicitor, then as head of LVEDC, Cunningham hires Allison? Perrucci , you mentioned hired Callahan and we have Gentile who got a major contract from John Stoffa.
Are you going to even bother doing anything on Hiclkey? Your favorite people seem to be enmeshed in this web of insider stuff.
How can you write this story and censor the connections that are there? As much as you want to see Pawlowski drown, you have shown the big picture whether you like it or not.
You drift off topic because of your irrational hatred for John Stoffa (and me) and many of your assertions have nothing to do with anything. That's why I delete you.
I have no sympathy for lawyers who take part in felony criminal activity. They're the worst of the bunch because the know the law.
I am still just stunned at the level and depth of the criminal activity. That was the part of this ..... that was just totally unexpected. One felony is bad enough but fucking 53 of them ?
Honest working people trying to put food on the table and keep their jobs bid on public contracts thinking they have fair opportunity. It is totally unjust that these RFPs do not specify who to contribute to or who to wine and dine so the playing field is level (sarcasm].
The intersecting lines between all these players is just astonishing. Just how many insiders are their in the valley? They all seem to work with one another.
I assume the same would apply to T&M and McTish?
Are you sure about the name of the law firm? It sounds to me like they're from Dewey, Cheatem & Howe.��
The former Bennett dealership land is an empty lot. A symbol of what Dennis Person calls, "the forgotten Allentown."
Somach (I believe) is also solicitor to Lower Macungie Township.
Once upon a time it was rumored that the City of Allentown would purchase and use the old Bennet property. This fell through around the time of the FBI raid.
You were expecting proper ethics from lawyers? How quaint.
Bernie,
Taxpayers do not realize the significance of these above mentioned lawyers who sit on endless boards agreeing among themselves.
"Anonymous said...
The intersecting lines between all these players is just astonishing. Just how many insiders are their in the valley? They all seem to work with one another."
July 28, 2017 at 4:29 AM
Well said.
Often the same attorney from a single practice will be hired by numerous small boroughs and township as their legal counsel. Check it out.
The new Lehigh Street Bennett land is easily worth millions on the open market as it has a magnificent clear sky view.
Quote the RAVEN, " Favoritism"?
Love the way you have a holy war in one article and a Holy war in the other, federal case law numbers 666?
Of course the firm is sticking by Allinson. Can you imagine what he'd be sayin if they didn't? You wouldn't be writing about one lawyer going to jail and losing his license, you'd be writing about many.
I think you make a great case as to why local public entities should dump the law firm. It's incestuous. But what can Valley residents do to help make that happen?
It would be helpful to know who the person at each public entity is who has the authority to fire the firm.
The reason a single legal firm or a single engineering firm hired by many of the same local government entities to enforce regulations is that it creates an unfair playing field, eliminating opportunities for others.
"I think you make a great case as to why local public entities should dump the law firm. It's incestuous. But what can Valley residents do to help make that happen?"
Attend local council, workshop, planning and zoning meetings. Community volunteers take turns. One may only need to attend a meeting every three months. Post meeting results, who said what, on a local blog. Probably Bernie can tell readers how many times he has been the only person in an audience and that's because he's a reporter covering the meeting.
Great job Bernie! This is a poster for the Good Old Boys Club that has entrenched themselves into every board, municipal and private, and actually run things in the Lehigh Valley. These back channel controlling thieves suck the living life out of every taxpayer and enjoy the wealthy life created by their conspiring actions.
The rot goes deep, deep,deep.
Throw the book at the entire dirty criminal gang.
All of them.
Every single one.
JAIL!!!
Great Job Bernie!
The dismantling of the "good ol' boys network" is long overdue. These people only serve themselves and in doing so they damage the potential of the region and it's residents.
VERY SHAMEFUL!
Keep up the good work... let's flush out the bad NOW!
6:35, that's a goood thing. These attorneys are essentially specialists.
Allinson and Pawlowski are stone cold public liars.
Both Pawlowski's.
I feel sorry for their children.
I feel sorry for our town.
I am fascinated watching hardcore liars in shameless.
I wonder if his sentence will be in the 775 year range as is FedEd's?
"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers".
I believe you are being unfair to many great attorneys. If there is a bad apple in a law firm, you should not automatically tarnish every attorney in the firm with a broad brush.
Also, I do not believe J. B. Reilly owns North Star. CitiCenter is one of North Star's clients.
The Shakespeare quote "First thing we do is let's kill all of the lawyers" is totally taken out of context. The line is said by a scheming conspirator who is trying to grab power. He wants to kill off of of the lawyers because they understand the rule of law and would be able to obstruct his conspiracy.
Bernie,
You've nailed this issue squarely. Solid reporting, and there is much more to expose on the conflict of interest front if you care to keep digging.
Charle, I have read Shakespeare and am well aware the quote in question is taken out of context. But you have taken my post out of context.
Scott Allinson has trashed the very firm standing behind him as being engaged in pay to play. They very clearly are. He goes one step further and assails their professional competence. At least right now, that firm has chosen to stand by a partner who has implied that they are all crooks. If they refuse to dump him, they in essence admit he's right.
Under these circumstances, it would be completely irresponsible for any municipal entity to continue doing business with that firm.
It is precisely why that Shakespearean quote is so often used.
When is the article on James Hickey coming? That would be an interesting read.
Another good catch, Bernie.
I say this not to flatter you, but I honestly believe the nefarious activities of the Chicago Eddy gang may not have come to the attention of the public -- and, in turn, the authorities -- without your efforts as a citizen-journalist.
The Norris Firm removed Scott Allinson's bio from the Firm Website. Wonder if they are still supporting him?
Thanks for pointing this out. By continuing to employ him, the firm was in effect ratifying his implication that they are all corrupt. This decision answers my concern about the firm. Otherwise, I think most municipalities would be forced to terminate their contracts with these lawyers. I take no pleasure in seeing Allinson forced out, but he has to learn that words have consequences.
It is also possible that the law firm;s partners did not know the extent of the charges and evidence against Allinson until they read the indictment on Wed.
Great journalism. Better than Mcall could ever write.
Do you think the same thing (FBI, etc) is about to come down on Northampton Co?
It seems like there are a lot of apples falling around that tree!
No.
With all the clients brand names being sited on this blog, just how convuluted does the evil onez penned power pointialismz working out for all?
What is amazing to me is how little these otherwise accomplished people pay out for those city contracts. A couple of thousand dollars (just a few billable hours for most law firms) will only buy Pawlowski a couple of commercials on a Philly or Pittsburgh tv station during a statewide campaign.
all the players are some of the top politicians. Read the MC today and the reconnections to Cunningham were amazing. So many others as well. Love how Fleck got Muller elected and Muller immediately threw him under the bus, just like his endorsement of Pawlowski.
Ties to John Brown too? He and His cronies should be the next to go!!!!!?!
As 8:30am suggested, the attorneys mentioned in this post always struck me as being part of the "new old guard" that has their hands in everything and are the ones that really run things around here behind the scenes. Sort of like the old Bethlehem Steel execs of the 1980s and 1990s that have since died off or moved south, or the LV Partnership types.
The LV Partnership was a fucking joke.
The rot runs deep deep deep.
"Lock him up."
All o fths4e economic agencies are jokes. Just job creators for the people working there. They all take credit for the same things. Now that a joke.
FedEd also used Chamber guy Tony's Florida home for vacations.
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