About Me

My photo
Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, May 31, 2018

Fed Ed Case - Here Comes the Judge (Updated)

Late last week, Judge Juan R. Sánchez issued a number of one-line orders, scheduling new sentencing dates for five of the lucky 13 ensnared by a federal investigation into political corruption in Allentown. The main target of this investigation, former Allentown Mayor Edwin Pawlowski, has a date with Judge Sánchez on Wednesday, June 27, 11 am, at the Edward N. Cahn U.S. Courthouse in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Attorney Scott Allinson will be sentenced two days later on June 29 at 10 am, also in Allentown. I doubt Allinson will receive a heavy sentence. He's losing his law license. But I have two words of advice for Fed Ed. Rubber underwear.

What about the rest of the defendants?

Patrick Regan of The Efficiency Network has already been sentenced to two years probation, including six months of house arrest.

Consultant Jim Hickey, Northampton County's erstwhile Administrator, has been sentenced to 18 months. He gave a $500 bribe (campaign contribution) for a record that was already public and subject to Right-to-Know. He'll be spending a little over a day in the can for each dollar. To put this in context, Pawlowski had hoped that Jack Rosen, a major Democratic donor, would raise $1 million for his Senate race. Rosen was never prosecuted even though he was the beneficiary of a no-bid cyber-security contract that the City never needed. But Rosen has money. Hickey does not. Hickey is waiting to report while feds weld a Hannibal Lector mask for his mouth. That's what caused most of his problems.

Former Assistant City Solicitor Dale Wiles, who is redeeming himself by selling L-Arginine pills for those among us suffering from erectile dysfunction, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 14, 2 pm.

Four more defendants will be sentenced in early October.

- Mary Ellen Koval, Allentown's erstwhile Controller, faces the music on Tuesday, October 2 at 2 pm.

- Mark Neisser will be sentenced Wednesday, October 3, at 10 am.

- Miked Fleck, back in Easton, has a rendezvous with his destiny on Wednesday, October 3, at 2 pm.

- Matthew McTish, October 4, at 10 am.

I suspect the remaining three defendants will be sentenced at that time as well. They include entrepreneur Ramzi Haddad, meatball gourmand and former city finance director Garret Strathearn, and former managing director Francis Dougherty.

Blogger's Note: He will deny this, but as you may have guessed, Jim Hickey and I are friends It did not start out that way. He was the NorCo Director of Administration when I was part of a group that challenged a $110 million bond. We won, too, but it was a phyrric victory because the County ultimately responded with a $111 million bond. During the course of the litigation, we were arch enemies. Things got nasty, too. But after it was all over, Hickey stopped trying to kill me, although he threw me off the courthouse roof now and then for shits and giggles.

During his days at the county, I recall an incident in which a Deputy Sheriff who kept failing the sergeant's exam furtively slipped him a $500 bribe. Hickey reported the matter. A decision was made not to prosecute the guy, who came from a culture in which this sort of thing happened. But he was fired. If Jim were dirty, he would have kept the $500.

During the years I've known Jim, he has always been honest with me, even when it was to his detriment. But he has a colorful way of putting things, and that is what did him in. I personally believe he never bribed anyone, and in fact had given the $500 contribution before asking for a document that was subject to right-to-know. But Jim has always liked to sound like a badass. So I think a jury would have convicted him. He had a good attorney, but the feds knew this and had filed a motion to disqualify him.  So I understand his plea.

4 pm Update: In the original version of this story, I neglected for some reason to include the sentencing date of Matthew McTish.

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

I suspect once Ed leaves for the big house to do his time on the rockpile, there will be a home for sale on Eleventh Street. You will never see Ed, nor his family in Allentown again.

Anonymous said...

These guys are getting the time for the crime. You can make excuses but this is what happens when you play it close to the edge of legality.

Wasn't Hickey involved in this stuff with Reibman when people went to jail then? Now he is involved with Allentown and Reading and people go to jail again? Sorry but that is a lot of smoke.You do make excuses for people you like, you always have but this is just too much.

You can't praise the feds and judges for nailing Pawlowski and then rip on them for your pal. They did their job and the guilty must be punished.

Anonymous said...

Fleck is the biggest crook in this entire debacle, and he sits, free, until October. This whole case is a farse

Anonymous said...

The biggest crook is the highest ranking elected official who betrayed the public trust. Harshest punishments are always reserved for office holders. Far from "farse," this was a boilerplate prosecution of a crooked elected official. They never get anywhere with a "that guy was worse than I and made me do it" defense. He gets 5-10 and will be out in 2 1/2.

Anonymous said...

Where has Fed Ed been working? You never filled us in.

Anonymous said...

Reibman, Hickey, Solomon. 111 million dollar Bond issue and only Solomon goes to gael. They doled this money out to their friends in return for campaign donations and votes. The County went 111 million in debt and the taxpayer pays the tab. Tell me again, where did that 111 million go?

Marshall said...

Hickey was, is and always will be dirty. Your mancrush can not reverse that.

Anonymous said...

I think Pawlowski will get 10-15 years. He will also have a tough time sleeping around the third week of June.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Wasn't Hickey involved in this stuff with Reibman when people went to jail then? Now he is involved with Allentown and Reading and people go to jail again? Sorry but that is a lot of smoke.You do make excuses for people you like, you always have but this is just too much."

One person went to jail then - Mike Solomon. There was no conspiracy. Reibman was an aggressive fund raiser, to be sure, but Fed Ed took things to another level. Also, despite my differences with Reibman concerning the bond or his adinistration, I always considered him a gentleman and man of honor.

"The County went 111 million in debt and the taxpayer pays the tab. Tell me again, where did that 111 million go?"

None of it was spent illegally. None. I followed that very closely, as did a R council.

"You can't praise the feds and judges for nailing Pawlowski and then rip on them for your pal. They did their job and the guilty must be punished."

Sure i can. I was fairly critical of the US atty's office over its handling of this matter. I have no quarrel with the FBI. But the US Atty delayed taking action for far too long. Its lead prosecutor quit before the matter was over so he could run for DA. The third set of prosecutors assigned went after city officials and small fish while letting the bigger fish like Rosen get away. You have to wonder about that. I get them going after Hickey over a $500 contribution, but Rosen was going to raise $1 million for Fed Ed. There was actually much more evidence against him.

"Hickey was, is and always will be dirty. Your mancrush can not reverse that"

I freely admit my bias so that my readers can judge for themselves. It's why I have avoided writing specifically about Hickey until now. It's true that I am loyal to friends. In some quarters that is regarded as a character defect. I am pointing it out for all to see.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Resorting to these ad hominem diminishes you and validates me, so thanks.

Anonymous said...

So which Atty. is Ed working for?

Bernie O'Hare said...

I have been unable to confirm that rumor.

Anonymous said...

A lot of not so nice stuff back with Reibman according to some old employees.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Yes, there are stories, but every one I looked at ended up being just that - a story. Believe me, if I had any real evidence that he was up to no good, I would have blown the whistle. Ron Angle, Wayne Grubb, Kathy Roberts and Cheryl Corsa got the hall rolling on Solomon, but it never went beyond him. I was quite the activist in those days, but never saw anything I considered criminal.

Carl said...

Anything on Matt McTish sentencing?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Sorry, I neglected to include McTish. 10/4 at 10 am.

Anonymous said...

Yeah Baby !(Nice work Jimmy Breslin)

Anonymous said...

CNN Breaking News: Trump to pardon Ed Pawlowski

Theresa M said...

Bernie is more loyal to his friends than Roseanne to her cast !

X said...

Bernie,
There was no mention of the mancave remodel at the trial. Will the two covering one another asses be able to collect monatarialy when the 11th street property is sold. That was pay to play the hound from hell way, there is a residence that went missing on Fulton street.
My thought are did that even make it to lehigh county courts or was it qwashed at the magisterial level.

Anonymous said...

What about the Northampton County romances. Everyone was and some still talk about them.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Try that again in English. Everyone was what? What county romance? If you are referring to Hickey and me, I broke it off when I found out he is married. If you are referring to my romances with all the hot woman , the rumors are all true. I was and remain a slut.

Anonymous said...

Bernie has game !

Anonymous said...

Not so funny Bernie. Maybe the woman's husband didn't think it was so funny, did your buddy wonder.

Anonymous said...

And the other scumbag, Ruchlewiecz gets nothing??!! This is a travesty!! Any company who uses Ruchlewiecz for “consulting” should have their collective heads and books examined!!
—-Mother Jones

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Not so funny Bernie. Maybe the woman's husband didn't think it was so funny, did your buddy wonder."

You are anonymously making accusations you know you can't back up. There is no truth to them, which explains why you hide behind a veil of anonymity.

Anonymous said...

Bernie, Did you say Fleck was back in the Valley? Really? What is he doing for a living? Just curious.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I gave heard he is at a furniture store in P-burg, but have not seen him there.

Anonymous said...

The Mayor will probably get a suspended sentence and community time and a large fine. I doubt he will go to prison.

Anonymous said...

What happened at the west Easton crazy hearing?

Bernie O'Hare said...

4:15, he will get at least 10 years, possibly more.

Bernie O'Hare said...

6:21, Tricia Mezzacappa was given 10 days to respond to West Easton's discovery and ordered to pay West Easton's attorney fees.