Whitehall Board Chair Simulates Cutting Hozza's Throat (UPDATE)

This violates the Flag Code

Embarrassed that Whitehall Mayor Ed Hozza would dare allow the local Syrian community to celebrate their Independence Day after he had already said No, Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski decided to get even. If he really gave a shit about them, he might try to eliminate the increasingly serious problem of veteran homelessness in Allentown instead of forming yet another "task force"that will do nothing. But veterans have their uses, something that Lucius Cornelius Sulla and Gaius Julius Caesar proved when they marched on Rome. Pawlowski, through his paid consultants, rounded up a bunch of veterans and had them march into Whitehall Township's Municipal Building for a meeting that was, by all accounts, ugly. This is because Board President Linda Snyder, a supporter of Hozza's primary opponent, played her part well. Not only did she ignore the occupancy limit set by the fire department, but she actually encouraged physical violence, according to a detailed report at WFMZ-TV69.

Hozza's big offense, from everything I'm able to gather, is that he took down the POW-MIA flag - the same flag he takes home to wash - at the one-flagpole municipal complex so that Syrian Americans could honor their own country. By all accounts, it was down no more than an hour as the Syrian flag was hoisted underneath the Stars and Stripes. This might be a violation of the Flag Code, but the Supreme Court has ruled that no punitive measures may be taken for violations.

The First Amendment happens to be a little more important.

Angry veterans poured in on Monday night, and Hozza's claim that he meant no offense were of no consequence.

As unpleasant as all this sounds, none of the veterans threatened violence. That came from Board President Linda Snyder.

According to reporter Randy Kraft's account, "At one point, as people were yelling at Hozza, Snyder ran her finger across her throat, simulating someone’s throat being cut."

I called around today, and several people who were at that meeting witnessed this astonishingly crude behavior by one elected official towards another.

Mayor Hozza may have made a mistake in lowering the POW-MIA flag, but that pales in comparison  to the suggestion that his throat be slit. There were three police officers at that meeting. if any one of them saw it, Snyder should be charged with harassment.

Updated 3:37 pm: Snyder gives Express Times hollow throat-slitting explanation. - The Express Times now has a story about the ugly meeting in Whitehall Township on Monday night. In her initial story, reporter Precious Petty made no mention of a throat-slitting hand gesture, likely because she never witnessed it.  But she did note that "Snyder was just as worked up as some of the veterans on hand and did some shouting and interrupting of her own."

Snyder denies making a throat-slitting gesture. "Something like that would never enter my mind," she told Petty. "I know better than that. I've been around too many years."

She is claiming now that she was attempting top cut people off, but as Petty notes in her original report, Snyder was actually whipping up people herself, while simultaneously shouting down those who disagreed with her.

Her explanation rings hollow.

The Express Times has uploaded some of the photos taken of the throat-slitting gesture. I have those as well, and at least one person has video of the incident.

Pawlowski's Whitehall Takeover

Ed Hozza, Jr.

Yesterday, Allentown blogger Michael Molovinsky slammed Mayor Edwin Pawlowski over his attempts to subvert democracy in Allentown, with campaigns funded by Harrisburg PACs whose reports are usually unavailable until after the election, when it no longer matters.Actually, the attempt has already succeeded. Allentown is no longer a democracy, but an urban growth regime in which politicians and select businessmen co-opt each other while The Morning Call waves pom poms and tells us all is well. King Edwin hopes to extend his empire to Whitehall, but someone is standing in his way. Whitehall Mayor Ed Hozza, Jr.

Hozza, a fellow Democrat, has been a good Mayor who actually has reduced Whitehall's debt from an all-time high of approximately $8 million when he first assumed office. In five years, the Township will be debt free. His tight grip on manpower has also resulted in $2 million in savings every year.

But Hozza sinned. Whitehall Township and Hozza opposed Allentown's NIZ, especially when it was drawn up so that J.B. Reilly could legally steal the EIT of Whitehall residents who work there. He can only steal their businesses.  Whitehall also had a problem with Allentown's water and sewer lease, wondering why their ratepayers should have to help Allentown dig itself out of its own pension hole. But what really pissed King Edwin off is that Whitehall dared oppose Pawlowski plans for a digital billboard at Jordan Park, which straddles Whitehall.

So just as he unleashed J.B. Reilly and others on Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan's quest to become NorCo Executive and basically ruined good government here for the next three years, he's trying to destroy Whitehall. He's backing Jerry Palagonia, a former cop known mostly for multiple suspensions as well a criminal prosecution for obstruction, against Hozza.

When The Morning Call asked Pawlowski whether he was planning a takeover in Whitehall, he denied it. "I think it's absolutely ridiculous," he told a reporter, "We're focused on the city of Allentown. The last thing we need to do is think about Whitehall."

The pre-primary reports are in, and pretty much prove that Pawloski is full of shit.

Be vewy, vewy quiet.

I'm Hozza huntin.'

He's also using the newspapers and unsuspecting veterans to smear Hozza.

Palagonia's pre-primary shows that he's raised $20.460 in his bid to become Whitehall's next Mayor. This includes the following contributions:

• $4,000 from Pawlwoski's warchest.
• $1,500 from Pawlowski controlled unions.
• $500 from Pawlowski puppet Joe Davis.
• $6,000 from billboard magnate Abe Atiyeh.
• $2,000 from electrician Manhill Makhoul.
• $1,000 from municipal consultant Jim Hickey.
• $1,000 from contractor Sean Boyle.
• $1000 from J.B. Reilly's ""Citizens for Urban Renewal."

It's no secret that Whitehall is going to have to replace its antiquated police department soon. Some of the buzzards in the urban growth regime circling above want a piece of that pie. For Atiyeh, it's payback over the billboard. For Pawlowski, it's about control. He thinks he can command who leads Whitehall, and that the voters there are stupid enough to do as he says.

In stark contrast to Palagonia, Hozza's pre-primary indicates that most of the $16,485 he raised comes from small, $100 contributions, from people who actually live in Whitehall. The larger contributions come from himself, family and a friend.

Pawlowski's campaign manager, Mike Fleck, has a political consulting business called H Street Strategies. H Street has been paid $18,100 by Palagonia's campaign. H Street also hired former Morning Call reporter Daryl Nerl.

Soon after Nerl was hired, uncomplimentary stories about Hozza began appearing in The Morning Call. Nerl has been spinning them. I know this because he tried to spin me over asbestos-gate, a goofy story about Hozza sanding a floor inside some bomb shelter and accidentally setting off an alarm. I was offered copies of a police report, which should have been confidential, as well as a statement from none other than Palagonia.

Admittedly, as a bottom-feeding blogger, I have low standards. But I stop short of shilling for the urban growth regime.

I prefer democracy, as shitty as it is, over some oligarchy including King Edwin and rich bastards whose primary interest is their own wallet.

Whitehall 19th Safest City in US, Sez Safewise

Safewise has rated Whitehall Township #19 in its latest rundown of the "Top 100 Safest Cities in the U.S." Here's what it says: "Right next door to Allentown, Whitehall originated as a hunting reserve. Safety in this leafy suburb begins with a considerable body of community-based programs like 'PREMISE ALERT' and neighborhood watch-like programs that provide services such as self-defense courses."

Population: 13,936.
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.79
Property Crimes per 1,000: 3.59

I called Mayor Ed Hozza for his reaction, but he was on night patrol.