Shapiro's Pay-to- Play Slammed in Montgomery County

People in the Lehigh Valley are waking up to the evils of pay-to-play, which has spawned a federal investigation into political corruption in Allentown and Reading. But not Josh Shapiro. This Democratic candidate for Attorney General has clearly benefited from County vendors. Today, at the Montgomery County Courthouse, Morganelli has called on the County Controller to audit Shapiro's campaign finances:

I am here today in Montgomery County to compare Josh Shapiro's rhetoric to his actions and conduct. I am also here, as a first step, to ask the Montgomery County Controller to look into the relationship between campaign contributions to Commissioner Josh Shapiro from vendors who have been awarded lucrative contracts with Montgomery County. An audit is in order as first step to fully identify all county vendors who have been solicited by Josh Shapiro, and who have dumped thousands of dollars into his campaign coffers either immediately before, or immediately after Shapiro has voted on awarding county contracts to these same vendors.

In this campaign to date, and in the forums we have participated in, Josh Shapiro likes to lecture everyone about ethics and integrity. He brags about his so-called "integrity agenda " for Pennsylvania. He says that he will adopt a gift ban that will forbid an official from accepting even a free cup of coffee so as not to be influenced with respect to his public duties. He says that even if none of the little gifts a public official may accept are intended to influence public policy, that such practises "appear suspect" and must be stopped. He says he will lead by example.

But as I have pointed out in debate after debate, Josh Shapiro does not practise what he preaches. His rhetoric does not match his conduct. He runs around with ethics and integrity on his sleeve, but where is that when it comes to his own conduct? Are the folks of Montgomery County paying attention to what is going on right here under this roof? Are they aware that Josh Shapiro wants to ban state officials from accepting a free cup of coffee, but at the same time, here in Montgomery County, Josh Shapiro has no problem at all soliciting campaign contributions from special interests who he then awards a lucrative county contract. Let's look at the facts:

McCormick Taylor

* February 20, 2015 - $2500 contribution to Shapiro

* March 6, 2015- Shapiro votes for a $400,000 contract award to McCormick Taylor for engineering services

And another $1,000 from a principal of McCormick on March 7,2016

Matt McTish ( McTish, Kunkel Associates)

* June 18,2014- Shapiro makes the motion and votes for $1 million dollar contract for construction inspection services

* February 23, 2015- Shapiro accepts $5,000 from Matt McTish

Exelon Corporation- energy company in Chicago/subsidiary is Constellation Co.

* June 19, 2014- $2.4 million dollar contract awarded

* February 19, 2015- Shapiro accepts $5,000 contribution from Exelon

And more recently, Exelon PAC contributed another $2500 to Shapiro on March 7, 2016.

PECO Energy Co

* October 15, 2015- PECO awarded a $73,896 contract

* October 19,2015- Shapiro accepts $1,000 contribution/ he had previously received a $500 contribution on 1/19/15

Gannet Fleming- engineering services

* February 18,2015- Shapiro accepts a $1,000 contribution

* October 15,2015- Gannet awarded a $285,400 contract

Aetna Inc

* January 15,2015- Aetna awarded a $2 million dollar contract for dental services

* March 20, 2015- Shapiro accepts $2500 fro Aetna PAC

Allan Myers

Between 2012 and 2015 Shapiro accepted $30,000 in campaign contributions from the head of Allan Myers Construction Co. Myers was awarded an $11.5 million contract for highway work in Montgomery County- a contract Shapiro voted to increase by $3.4 million in August of 2014.

The aforesaid information was gathered in about an hour of time comparing campaign finance reports filed by Shapiro with Montgomery County contract awards and minutes of commissioner meetings. Josh Shapiro is worried about a public official accepting a free cup of coffee. He says such an incidental gift "... appears suspect and we must put a stop to it." But he doesn't think this pattern of awarding lucrative contracts to vendors and then either right before or right after having his campaign coffers filled with cash by these vendors is a problem. Josh Shapiro needs to answer to this. Today, I am asking Josh Shapiro to come clean. I am asking him to address this directly, not through some spokesperson or paid mouthpiece. I am asking him to disclose all of the other vendors doing business with Montgomery County that are also depositing campaign cash into his bank account. As I have said, I am also asking the Montgomery County Controller to audit this- to place a big flash light on what Josh Shapiro is doing.

Josh is great at giving lofty speeches and lecturing everyone else on ethics and integrity. Meanwhile, he has hand out to vendors who have to have his vote and support for work in Montgomery County. Josh voted on all these contracts and never once disclosed that he was in bed with these vendors-- that they were giving money to him right before or right after the award of these lucrative contracts. He could have even abstained, but he didn't. This is hypocrisy of the greatest degree. When will Josh address this?? When will the press stop promoting the Josh Shapiro fairytale that he is some kind of boy scout. The truth is, his self described description on his Facebook page as a politician is accurate. He is nothing more than a typical politician. If Josh wants to adopt an "integrity agenda", why doesn't he start here in Montgomery County and ban campaign contributions from vendors doing business with the county? Why doesn't he? Because the rules do not apply to Josh.

Full Disclosure: I support John Morganelli for AG and have made a small contribution.

Updated 10:15 pm:  The Morning Call has picked up on Morganelli's accusations. The Shapiro campaign has responded by claiming that he gave Montgomery County an ethics policy and is fighting patronage. He does not appear to respond to Morganelli's very specific accusations.

LV Building Trades Prez Allegedly Assaults Fleck Brother-in-Law Over FBI Investigation

The Express Times has an interesting story, but I need to fill in the blanks. It is reporting that James Reilly assaulted Brendan Hansbury at Hellertown's Braveheart Highland Pub earlier this month Reilly allegedly accused Hansbury of ratting him out in connection with the FBI investigation into Fed Ed's pay-to-play practices.

Here's what the story fails to mention. Jim Reilly, who has always been the picture of decorum at public meetings, is actually the President of the Lehigh Valley Building Trades. Brendan Hansbury is Miked Fleck's brother-in-law. Fleck's wife Allison was originally a Hansbury.

At least these guys had the common decency to fight inside a Gaelic bar.

Eichenwald Joins Mazziotti's Pay-to-Play Push Back

Jeanette Eichenwald and Vic Mazziotti

Earlier this week, I told you that Commissioner Vic Mazziotti is introducing a pay-to-play ban in Lehigh County. He introduced his legislation on Wednesday night, and is "confident" that it will pass. With some luck, it might even spread. Jeanette Eichenwald, an Allentown City Council member whom I like to call the Iron Lady because of her firm resolve, read over Mazziotti's outline, liked what she saw and intends to introduce it in Allentown. She was in Lehigh County's audience on Wednesday when Mazziotti made his pitch. And Vic will be sitting with the unwashed masses when Eichenwald presents this ban to Pawlowski's Puppets next week.

Democrat Eichenwald and Republican Mazziotti stood together yesterday outside the Lehigh County government center, to discuss their proposal. From a few floors above, I was sure Executive Tom Muller might drop a few water balloons, especially since I was there. But he spared us. For all I know, he might even agree with this proposal.

Mazziotti stated that, in reaction to what appears to be an intensive federal pay-to-play practices, he has been approached by many members of the public who are "sick," "amazed" and "distraught." He explained that they "look for elected officials to respond. They're tired of hearing crickets." Hence his legislation.

For her part, Eichenwald stated she is "honored" to be part of a solution "that transcends party affiliation." Se called it a Win, Win, Win. Vendors would win because they no longer will fell obligated to make contributions as a cost of doing business. Citizens will win because they will see better goods and services. Elected officials will win because they can concentrate on good government.

Of course, this law can be avoided by funneling money to a few PACs and letting them make the contributions. Mazziotti agreed, but added, "There's a way around just about every law out there."

Both Eichenwald and Mazziotti would like to see a statewide solution, but Mazziotti stated that people want action now. Eichenwald stressed that the ban being proposed survived a court challenge in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court  They both argued that doing nothing is no longer an option.

Mazziotti, a sometimes fire-breathing conservative, quoted from John F. Kennedy. "The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in time of moral crisis preserve their neutrality." Kennedy was referring to Dante's Inferno, in which Dante passes by a group of dead souls meandering outside the gates of Hell. They are barred from entering either heaven or Hell because they never chose sides, making them distasteful to both God and Satan.

Mike Schware, a Lehigh County Commissioner like Mazziotti, appears to have taken a side.

Ron Beitler, a Lower Macungie Commissioner who I finally had the privilege to meet, was also at the news conference. He is considering similar legislation in his Township.

This legislation has also made its east of Route 33 and is being considered by several members of NorCo Council. There are even some members of the business community who are considering a pledge to curtail the amounts of money currently being poured into political coffers.

But some refuse to take sides. Despite an invitation from Eichenwald, no other member of Allentown City Council attended the news conference. Are they the lost souls mentioned by Virgil?

And he to me: "This miserable way
is taken by the sorry souls of those
who lived without disgrace and without praise.
They now commingle with the coward angels,
the company of those who were not rebels
nor faithful to their God, but stood apart.
The heavens, that their beauty not be lessened,
have cast them out, nor will deep Hell receive them -
even the wicked cannot glory in them."

Updated 10 am: Hozza also takes aim at pay to play, as reported in The Whitehall-Coplay Press. The Morning Call reports what could only be called tepid support from Pawlowski's Puppets. One member, Daryl Hendricks, ridiculously suggests it could interfere with the federal investigation.

Mazziotti's Pay-to-Play Ban - First Step in Erasing the Stench

Vic Mazziotti

Lehigh County Commissioner Vic Mazziotti's pay-to-play proposal, which I told you about yesterday, is outlined below. He called local campaign finance a "moral crisis" in which "we have an obligation to do something." He considers his proposal "a first step in trying to erase the stench and and stain left my Mike Fleck and those who worked with him."

Admitting he's only one person, he asserted that "I'm still one person" and intends to advocate for campaign finance reform beyond Lehigh County. In addition to making a presentation at Lehigh county's Board on Wednesday, he will also bring his proposal to Allentown's City Council at their next meeting and even intends to ask the NIZ Board to implement it. "I'm going to push it," he insisted. "I'm going to push it real hard."

Mazziotti explained that the "hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who do nothing."

Will Northampton County take up this matter, too? I've spoken to some Council members, who seem interested in Mazziotti's proposal, or at least some form of it.

I asked NorCo Council to consider pay-to-play reforms in the early 2000s. It was supported by Ron Angle, Joe Brennan, and believe it or not, Wayne Grube. But it never went anywhere because Council was concerned that state campaign finance laws might trump a local government's ability to regulate campaign finance.

That question was answered after Philadelphia adopted its own campaign finance laws, and the state supreme court sustained it against a complaint filed by unions and luminaries like Chaka Fattah.

So there is nothing holding anyone back now, except for the lure of money.

Lehigh County Pay-to-Play Outline