Let's face it. It's only a matter of time before The Morning Call's Jarrett Renshaw is arrested for setting off illegal fireworks. The Friday night shows put on by the Iron Pigs may bother Allentown City Council VP Michael Donovan, but the explosions detonated by Renshaw have all other elected officials running for cover. His latest front-page story exposes a politically connected firefighter, Richard Gawlick, who lost his job after being caught playing golf on days that he had called off sick. Incidentally, it was Renshaw who first shed light on the sick time abuse by the Queen City fire department.What makes this story very interesting to me is Gawlick's many political connections. For one thing, he's a registered lobbyist for the Pa. Professional Firefighters Association. But when one of State Representative Jennifer Mann's constituents visited her Harrisburg office in March, the person sitting behind the desk was Richard Gawlick.
Is this registered lobbyist on Mann's, or more accurately, the public payroll? If not, should a registered lobbyist be meeting constituents on behalf of a state representative? I did call Gawlick to determine his exact role in her office, and if I ever hear back from him, I'll give you his explanation.
In addition to being a registered lobbyist, Gawlick was at least at one time a Democratic state committeeman. As a County Comm'r candidate in the 2007 municipal race, he drew a respectable 18,004 votes. Allentown watchdog Lou Hershman pulled Gawlick's expense reports yesterday, and reports that Allentown Mayor Edwin Pawlowski gave Gawlick $500 in that race. State Rep. Jennifer Mann threw in another $1,000.
Gawlick has also received smaller sums of money as a "consultant" to the Jennifer Mann campaign.You notice how Jennifer Mann keeps popping up? Custody papers filed in April by Gawlick's wife, Sandra, shed some light on the nature of that consulting relationship. According to Mrs. Gawlick, State Rep. Jennifer Mann is Richard's mistress. It's important to remember that these are only allegations. But according to her petition, when Richard has visitation with their seven year-old son, the boy sleeps on air mattresses in an unheated home. She's also concerned that when Richard attends "dinner dances, gala functions and other public relation events on behalf of his paramour, Jennifer Mann," Richard has unreasonably refused to tell her where their son is staying. On March 20, when Richard and Jennifer Mann attended one of those gala function at DeSales Universty, the boy allegedly stayed with a Mann relative, without the courtesy of notifying Sandra.
Let me repeat that these are only allegations. I also am very reluctant to discuss an elected offiicial's personal life unless it has a direct connection to his or her public life. In this case, it does. Gawlick is a registered lobbyist who apparently works out of Mann's office. For all I know, he may be on the public dole, too.
Fortunately, Pawlowski did the right thing in this instance. I wish I could say the same about Jennifer Mann.
Updated 9:55 AM: Incidentally, when Gawlick ran for County Commissioner, his campaign treasurer was City Council prez Mike D'Amore. Now Gawlick is a union lobbyist while D'Amore is one of the characters involved in the shakedown of non-union T-Mobile.
Updated 10:40 AM: Mann Refuses to Answer Whether Gawlick on Her Staff. - I called State Rep. Jennifer Mann's office for comment on the Gawlick matter. Specifically, I wanted to know whether he was part of her staff, paid or unpaid. Years ago, Mann had told me she'd always answer questions concerning her office. But when I asked to speak to Mann or her Chief of Staff Pete Schweyer, I was instead put in touch with her Director of Communications, Josh Parsons. "We have no comment on that," he said. "Can you at least tell me whether Gawlick is on her staff?" I asked. "We have no comment on that," he answered and hung up.
