We all know what happened in Allentown not all that long ago, when former Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski was charged and eventually convicted of public corruption. For a brief time, it had a chilling effect on campaign contributions. But the Lehigh Valley's pay-to-play culture has gone on far too long to let a few federal bribery prosecutions get in the way. Pay-to-play is back, and with a vengeance. Candidates are spending more now than they ever have.
Years ago, before I even started this blog, I used to be at nearly every county council meeting, asking them to curb he practice by enacting an ordinance that would bar anyone who contributed to a county elected official or candidate from county employment. I also would complain about county vendors who contribute to county candidates and asked for legislation that would bar them from doing business with that county or municipality for a limited period of time after the donation.
I was a real pain in the ass, unmindful of the simple reality that the more you harp on any topic at a public meeting, the less people effective you become. I thought I was dazzling them with my oratory. I was boring them instead.
Though I've stopped haranguing elected officials on this topic, I do remain concerned about county candidates who accept donations from county employees and vendors.
Executive Tara Zrinski presents herself as a grass roots candidate and truly is. Over the years, her finance reports demonstrate that she has a solid base of small and local donors. But when she ran for Executive, she began accepting money from county workers whose further employment with the county would be in her hands. She also accepted donations from two county vendors.
COUNTY EMPLOYEE DONATIONS
Below is a listing of county employees who donated to her 2025 Executive race
• Lamont McClure — $15,000. McClure was Northampton County Executive and supported Zrinski as his successor. After the election, he was appointed a PT Assistant County Solicitor
• Susan Wandalowski — at least $1,090. County Human Services Director.
• Melissa Rudas — at least $1,050. County solicitor.
• Michael Corriere — at least $750. Former county council member and assistant county solicitor.
• Michael Emili — at least $815. County Public Works director.
• Tina Smith — at least $550. County DCED director.
• Stephen Baratta — $500. Northampton County district attorney. (Ironically, Zrinski suggests Baratta had political motives for a Grand Jury report critical of Gracedale when he actually supported her campaign).
• Mary Lou Kaboly — $500. Former county human-resources director.
• Mark Aurand — at least $300. former deputy county controller and now, the county administrator.
• Richard Groff — $500. Now a county election commissioner.
A COUNTY ARCHITECT GIVES $2,000
One contribution has a particularly direct connection to county business. Randy Galiotto contributed $2,000 to Zrinski. He is a principal of Alloy5, the Bethlehem architectural firm selected by Northampton County as project architect for replacement of the Government Center parking deck.
County procurement records identify Alloy5 as the project architect. County Council approved approximately $463,000 in architectural services for the project, but it is important to note that Alloy5 was selected on June 18, 2025, six months before Zrinski was ever elected. but six months after Zrinski's election, County Council unanimously approved a $62,400 increase to Alloy5.
A $10,000 CONTRIBUTION FROM THE FAMILY OF A COUNTY LANDLORD
Another notable contribution came from Nimita Kapoor-Atiyeh, who gave Zrinski $10,000. Kapoor-Atiyeh is the wife of Abe Atiyeh, a local real-estate developer who owns the West Easton work-release facility leased by Northampton County. Thus, a $10,000 personal campaign contribution came from the immediate family of the owner of property being leased by the county.
In addition to the work release center, an Atiyeh company (Ridge Ventures recently agreed to lease a property in Bethlehem Township to the county for a DUI center at a rent of $2,500 a month over a period of 10 years.
These records establish the contribution and the family/property relationship. There is no evidence, aside from the contribution itself, that the contribution was made in exchange for favorable treatment by the county or that the county's lease was affected by it.
These donations are completely legal. I have no reason to believe that Zrinski's decision-making is in any way impacted by those who gave her money, especially because she has a broad base of grass roots support and is actually at odds with a District Attorney who donated to her. But to remove any uncertainty, these typews of contributions should be limited or outright banned.
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