A high-ranking Bethlehem City official was escorted out of City Hall a few days ago and has yet to return. My understanding is that, after several financial irregularities were uncovered by the City Controller, this person was fired. Police are investigating. Until this person is charged, I decline to name him or her.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
▼
Friday, May 27, 2022
48 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
There is a lot in Bethlehem that is amiss. The residents need to take back their city from the outsiders and the developers and their stooges. Amateur hour at city Hall.
ReplyDeleteThe entire city is amiss. Turnover rate is through the roof. Very low, if any morale. Too many hires from out of town who have no real connection to the city in which the tax payers suffer. That is thanks to certain bosses. Management positions often filled by persons with no experience. How does one who was a motorcycle mechanic become in charge of streets dept? The streets were horrendous during winter storms. Turning a wrench and not having any experience plowing snow sure did not help. Mr Reynolds may wish he was still teaching instead of overseeing a daycare.
DeleteTHE PERSON is not getting charged... THE PERSON was given the option to resign or be charged!
ReplyDeleteGreat, so we’ll never know who took part in creative bookkeeping.
DeleteBut aren't those two totally different scenarios?
DeleteHope it is not like Whitehall because you will never find out what happened to the money or the name of the person responsible.
ReplyDeleteHim or her is presumptuous. It may be they, them, ze, zir, hir, or someone else.
ReplyDeleteThey are filing charges on the Friday of a holiday weekend with the hopes that it is overlooked.
ReplyDeleteThis is just another scenario of politicians with their hands in the cookie jar. As with many of the ugliest of things which happen it will be glossed over. Even if they do get accused and or prosecuted it will be a poultry penalty. And the others surrounding that person will get off. Look at the scenario with Fed ED. There had to be so many involved with his game but only he took the fall. He had to pay $94,000 in restitution and was sentenced to 15 years. If it would have been a common person they would have been screwed for far more. He should have been required to pay every cent back to the city and then some. And all those involved should have shared in the jail time penalty. But we in this country allow for the one fall person to take the blame instead of really rooting out the rot. And most of the time I would presume to say the person who takes the fall is not the real actor but the person stupid enough to take the blame.
ReplyDeleteA poultry penalty? How many chickens or turkeys do you think they will have to pay?
DeleteWhitehall has many problems also starting with the mayor and his problems.
ReplyDeleteWhenever you have a politician involved you will have problems.
ReplyDeletePut the light into the night sky! We need Bernie to investigate and get to the bottom of the Bethlehem cesspool. Missing public funds and NO one charged? Where is the great showman District Attorney???
ReplyDelete" Missing public funds and NO one charged? Where is the great showman District Attorney???"
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that the matter is under investigation and I expect to see someone charged very soon.
"Whenever you have a politician involved you will have problems."
This person is not a politician. Dishonesty appears in all segments of society. This includes commenters who decline to identify themselves. We are alldishinest, so drop the sanctimonious horseshit.
Spell dishonest
DeleteYou have to wonder about all these government workers and politicians. They think it is a like a private company job. They all work with our money. i.e. Tilghman street bridge had a party to open the bridge, get the hell out of the way and open the bridge. Why waste our money and time..... i.e. Ground breaking silver shovels, hard hats and a fake box of dirt for photo ops..... damn it is frustrating.
ReplyDelete"He had to pay $94,000 in restitution and was sentenced to 15 years. If it would have been a common person they would have been screwed for far more. "
ReplyDeleteI disagree with that assessment. Fed Ed received a very harsh sentence. I personally think it was excessive, and I was highly critical of him. Very few people spend that kind of time, even hardened drug dealers.
I see WFMZ is now reporting on this as of 2:06 PM
ReplyDelete"poultry penalty"
ReplyDeletesomeone will call "fowl"
"He had to pay $94,000 in restitution and was sentenced to 15 years."
ReplyDeletei call bullshit. The jury determined he broke the law, and the taxpayers' trust, but in not one crime was he ever accused or convicted of putting one nickel in his own pocket. i could cite dozens of cases where politicians committed similar crimes and enriched themselves to the tune of several hundred thousand dollars, and got sentences less than half of Ed P's.
As Bernie said, the sentence was excessively harsh.
Wish Kachmar were Mayor.He would have started to root out nepotism and corruption at city hall
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely
DeleteBernie; We will have to disagree on Fed Ed and his penalty. My assumption is that there was much much much more to everything that went on. You had defended several in the past that were called out for being part of the no bid process and others in the region who benefit of what ed did. So you are tainted to a point.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you it is more then others get but in our court systems there must have been that much more to get more. There have should have more others who got time too and fines too.
Wfmz published his name It appears no charges will be filed, this weekend.
ReplyDeleteBernie,
ReplyDeleteWill the criminal Donald J Trump ever be charged for the many crimes he and his family committed against our great country?
5:17pm- Never. Nobody has the guts to charge a former president. KellyAnne Conway just released her book and she writes that Trump offered her, and almost every one else in his administration, if she wanted a blanket pardon. #SoMuchCorruption
DeleteI would arrest people that were real pricks earlier on weekend.holidays so they Couldn’t get an arraignment .
ReplyDeleteOnce again, Bernie’s sources have proven themselves invaluable. Without a doubt, Bernie’s blog is essential reading — especially for the news outlets asleep at the wheel. Reporters once hunted for stories, but now too many sit on their fannies and wait for a story to come their way. Scary to think what will happen when Bernie turns off his laptop. (I am still amazed, though, that not one outlet jumped on the meth in the courtroom. Old news, yes, but so very important.)
ReplyDeleteI am rejecting comments from people who are unable or unwilling to read and who simplistically slam politicians for alleged crimes committed by a nonpolitician.
ReplyDelete"I would arrest people that were real pricks earlier on weekend.holidays so they Couldn’t get an arraignment ."
ReplyDeleteThe law requires a prompt preliminary arraignment, which is why MDJs are on duty 24/7.
Bernie. I know you post very often on Northampton county govt.. But the city of Bethlehem is much worse when it comes to leadership and morale. It is ashame for tax payers.
ReplyDeleteSpecial penalties for those who violate public trust. They should be severely punished, every time. Pawlowski didn't get anywhere near enough, in the opinion of this taxpayer and law-abiding citizen. He should have received a solid stretch of hard labor, as well. He was a despicable person who did despicable things to public trust in city institutions.
ReplyDeleteThey need to get a forensic audit done by a reputable non Bethlehem CPA. Sivak reported to Evans the Business Administrator ( that paragon of Virtue that had his wife hired as the Parks Director). The Audit should be made public. If a criminal act occurred you do not have the Bethlehem Police investigate. You contact the State Police or the FBI. That is standard SOP . I smell a “rat” in the way this is being handled. Bernie, please stay on top of this. The Morning Call or Express Times will simply cover this up. They are complicit with the corruption. My strong belief is that “financial wrongdoing “ has been a standard at the City for several years. When you “dump” your chief financial officer at a City your problems are not small.
ReplyDeleteBernie, is it possible the Bethlehem solicitor's office in conjunction with Business administrator Evans and DA Houck exercise white privilege to block a prosecution of these criminal acts? Termination and restitution to the city residents will suffice in the name of keeping the facts out of the public spotlight. Multiple levels of failure to supervise/oversight for so many years.
ReplyDeleteBernie I believe Ed was convicted on 45 plus separate charges including multiple counts of conspiracy, bribery, attempted extortion, false statements to federal officials, mail fraud, and wire fraud. So he was imprisoned about 4 months per charge. Really that is pathetic.
ReplyDeleteThere are also articles that the scenario he was convicted of cost Allentown and tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars if not multiple millions of dollars. His restitution should have been at least equal to and probably more then what the area lost.
In addition there should have been a forensic audit of the bidding process for the years he was in office and anyone who benefitted by no-bid contracts or other situation created by ED and his team should have been brought up on charges tried and most likely convicted with subsequent jail time and restitution responsibilities.
I did not hear of any of the no=bid awardees having anything done to them.
"Bernie, is it possible the Bethlehem solicitor's office in conjunction with Business administrator Evans and DA Houck exercise white privilege to block a prosecution of these criminal acts? Termination and restitution to the city residents will suffice in the name of keeping the facts out of the public spotlight. Multiple levels of failure to supervise/oversight for so many years."
ReplyDeleteGive me a break. First, Spivak is being charged. Second, this matter now is in the public spotlight. Third, neither Bethlehem's Solicitor nor its Business Manager are consulted concerning prosecutorial decisions made by the DA. Fourth,it is my understanding that these irregularities were caught by the City Controller, so there was oversight. What you fail to grasp is that thieves and liars come in all shapes and forms. Some are politicians. Some are city employees. Some are regular churchgoers. Some are not. Some are people like you and me. It's a condition of our humanity.
Given the regular nature of Bethlehem's tax hikes, there is little doubt in my mind that city finances are mismanaged. That's no indication of criminal mismanagement, just incompetence. And I got news for you. Even in the best run business or government, there are always going to be thieves. That's why we have controllers and auditors.
". If a criminal act occurred you do not have the Bethlehem Police investigate. You contact the State Police or the FBI. That is standard SOP"
ReplyDeleteSo you bring in the FBI to investigate a state crime? I don't think so. I think your knowledge of "standard SOP," whatever that is, is just a tad flawed. I also see no conflict in BPD investigating a crime by a city employee. If it were a police officer or an elected official, my thinking would change. I see no issue with the way this is and has been handled.
Something is rotten in Denmark.
ReplyDeleteRumors around City Hall have it that he pocketed some money from selling city property, possibly old computers, and old cell phones. It happened during the Donchez admin and was caught earlier this year.
ReplyDeleteSadly, after eight years of Silent Bob and now Mayor Fredo, Bethlehem is a city in a vice. Its's residents are caught between inexperienced city leadership and carpetbaggers, developers and money, money and money. Bethlehem leadership is determined to stick as many apartment buildings as possible on every square foot of land. Only high-end eateries are allowed. They want to change th every nature of Bethlehem. The streets are now dragstrips of legal and illegal vehicles. The mayor can't or won't enforce basic laws in fear of losing his woke credentials from the far-left progressives he serves. The city council is ether incompetent or has closed their eyes to what is happening to the city. I do pray they will look at what is happening. Not everyone lives in the historic sections or the high-end apartments or homes.
ReplyDeleteInexperienced city leadership. Comment of the year.
Delete8:38 AM - Pardons for what, exactly?
ReplyDelete10am: "Pardons for what, exactly?"
DeleteI don't know, probably criminal and other treasonous acts. In her defense, she states that she declined his generous offer. But, obviously Trump believed that his administration needed them for one reason or another.
BTW, she also states that Trump lost the election fairly and that Trump knew that.
Donald Trump is similar to Don King, except that Trump has crazier hair, a worse business sense and no moral compass.
DeleteTrump was trying to pardon people for any and all crimes they committed. Although he had to pull that in because of the laws. Here is a link to whose he felt were acceptable to pardon.
ReplyDeleteIt is an interesting read
https://www.justice.gov/pardon/pardons-granted-president-donald-j-trump-2017-2021
"In the waning days of his presidency, Conway also writes that, during a discussion with Trump on pardons and clemency, he turned to her and asked, 'Do you want one?'"
ReplyDelete“Do you know something I don’t?” Conway reportedly asked, “Why would I need a pardon?” to which Trump replied, “Because they go after everyone, honey. It doesn’t matter."
How long before this admin removes the nickname “Christmas City” due to its Christian ties and not being inclusive to other beliefs?
ReplyDeleteWhat are you talking about? They have a new administration in the works and actually have an inclusion specialist. Did you not see the raising of the gay pride flag?
Delete