WAEB's Defamation Campaign Against DA Jim Martin

Bobby Gunther Walsh, the Lehigh Valley's aging poster boy for crackpot AM radio, is a combination huckster and conspiracy theorist. Between an endless series of commercials and promotions, he parades a series of goofy guests to tell us the sky is falling. Lately, he's been conducting a witch hunt against Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin.

It started in February and will continue today. Walsh uses a guest (I won't name him) who has a vendetta against Martin. "I have multiple pages of documentation that [my guest] provides to back up what he is asserting," Walsh deceptively assures listeners.

He accuses Martin of creating "a culture of corruption and incompetence." He implies falsely that Martin goes easy on drunk drivers because he's a drunk himself. Walsh's guest states, "Maybe there are people in high places in Lehigh County, maybe in the District Attorney's office, who have experience driving drunk and don't think it's that big of a deal." Walsh and his guest even accuse the DA of case-fixing. He encourages listeners to mob courtrooms in an obvious attempt to resurrect lynch mob justice. While passing out pitchforks and torches, they defame a man who has dedicated much of his professional career to criminal justice.

Last Wednesday, police officers from all over the Lehigh Valley were recognized for their efforts in deterring both aggressive and drunk driving. Jim Martin was the person who made these presentations, and then stuck around to hear their concerns. That's pretty strange behavior for someone who goes easy on drunk drivers.

Walsh has never acknowledged the visionary role Martin plays in law enforcement.This includes the creation of a regional crime center that uses the latest information technology advances. This center has solved several homicides and other major crime sprees. Instead of focusing on reality, Walsh defames Martin as a corrupt, crooked, incompetent, case-fixing drunk who goes easy on and cuddles with criminal defendants, especially if they are "young and shapely" blondes. Walsh and his guest have told outright lies, not verifiable facts, about three cases. Let me set the record straight. .

James W. Lauer 

What initially attracted Walsh's guest to this defendant is his last name - Lauer. Walsh's guest think there must be a connection to Phil Lauer, a prominent defense attorney.

Gunther's guest repeatedly asks, "Who does he know?"

There is no relation.

James Lauer has been charged four times with drunk driving. In the most recent episode, he ran a stop sign, T-boned a car, and injured four people, including a pregnant woman. He left the scene, but was apprehended right away, and has been in jail since that day. In addition to driving drunk, Lauer committed an interlock violation, somehow evading a system that authorities installed to keep him from driving drunk.

He is obviously going to get hammered.

But Gunther's guest incredibly warns, "I smell a case fix here."

I smell something, too. Bullshit. The guy has been in the can since the day of the accident, and had no lawyer at his most recent court appearance, months after languishing in jail. Not even a Public Defender. He has been jailed repeatedly for his drinking. If anything, Lauer's record demonstrates a no-nonsense approach to drinking and driving in Lehigh County.

But Walsh's guest claims he has proof that Lauer gets special treatment.

"In 2010, when Mr. Lauer was doing time for his third DUI in Lehigh County prison, they gave him an afternoon furlough to attend a wedding," he charges. "Would they do that for you or me? Who is this guy? Who does he know? You're in prison for your third DUI. They let you out to go to a wedding?"

Walsh starts laughing, creating the impression that authorities let a drunk out of jail to get blasted at a wedding reception.

Here's why this furlough was granted. Lauer's son was getting married. It was just three days prior to parole. He was released for three hours to attend the ceremony itself, not the reception. Moreover, Lauer was drug and alcohol tested when he returned to jail. The courts would do this for any inmate who had a good record in jail. You don't treat people like animals and then expect them to act like humans.

Walsh and his guest know these verifiable facts. They would rather lie so you believe that Lauer is connected..

Amber Washko

Another false claim made by Walsh and his guest is that Martin gives preferential treatment to "young attractive drunk driving women". He cites the pending Washko case as an example. Last May, at what Gunther's guest himself admits is a "tricky intersection" at American Parkway and Dauphin Street, Washko ran into a vehicle being driven by Joseph Hennessey and killed him. Nearly eight months later, she was charged with drunk driving, but not homicide by vehicle.

An incredulous Walsh asks, "She wasn't even charged with vehicular homicide? ... You're kidding me."

Walsh's guest responds, incorrectly, that this woman was driving too fast, "obviously ran a solid red light," and killed Hennessey as he inched his way into the intersection. He calls the matter a "case-fix in progress", and thinks vehicular homicide charges should have been filed. In a letter to Judge Ford, he complains, "I know a judge can't tell crooked, incompetent, and lazy DA Jim Martin what charges to file."

Police knew Washko was drunk and could have charged her with that right away. But if she pleaded to these charges, they would be unable to charge her with anything more serious even if they later determined that her intoxication was a factor in the crash. You can't try someone twice for the same or even a related crime. Police waited, appropriately, until their investigation was complete before deciding what to charge.

Here are the facts, based on what police found in their own accident reconstruction. Hennessey was ahead of the white stop line that appears on American Parkway at that light. His vehicle was going 15 mph through the red light, and Washko came along at 43 mph. She had the light. Hennessey's vehicle was blocked by an embankment, and when it finally came into view, Washko only had 1.0 seconds to react and attempt to avoid a collision. According to police, it would take a sober person 1.6 seconds to react. That is why Washko was spared vehicular homicide charges. Though she was impaired, it played no role in Hennessey's death.
 
"Is this another example of a shapely (and drunk driving) young female being left off the hook by an enchanted DA Jim Martin?" asks Walsh's guest on his blog, to which Walsh refers listeners repeatedly.

No. You don't automatically charge someone, even a drunk person, with vehicular homicide. There must be evidence that the intoxication played a role in what happened.

Jennifer Gehringer 

In another effort to falsely portray Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin as a prosecutor who looks the other way for "young, shapely blondes," Walsh and his guest point to Jennifer Gehringer. She struck and killed Parkland gym teacher John Toggas in 2008 as he crossed the street near Dorney Park. Though she was intoxicated, she was never charged with vehicular homicide. Just drunk driving.

Outrageous, exclaim Walsh and guest.

Here are the facts they fail to tell listeners. It was around 2 am, dark and Toggas was wearing a black T-shirt and dark shoes. He was drunk himself, and had been arrested earlier that night for drunk driving. He had argued with his wife, and decided to walk 13 miles home, loaded.

Gehringer, driving at or under the speed limit, never saw him. Nor would a sober person.

Walsh and his guest have been feeding a string of lies and distortions to radio listeners. They want to see courtrooms packed with 50-100 people to pressure judges into imposing harsh sentences instead of following the law. Ironically, they may have tainted Washko and Lauer so badly that it will be impossible to try these presumed innocent defendants in Lehigh County. Ex parte contacts have already resulted in the recusal of several judges.

I'd like to see the courtroom packed, too, when Walsh, his guest and Clear Channel are sued for libel. They have no interest in justice, but do have axes to grind.

Crackpot Radio

Bobby Gunther Walsh's WAEB radio show is well-known as a local conservative stronghold. For that reason alone, it is despised and loved. It is a place where Scott Ott, Glenn Eckhart, Hayden Phillips and other right wing officials can get some free advertising. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, I've listened to a few over the years, and sometimes find myself in agreement. But in recent weeks, Gunther has logged interviews with a trifecta of nutbags. People who are so far out there that they ruin whatever conservative or good government message he is trying to convey. Let me give you some of the details.

Heidi Markow. - I first saw her in action outside the Northampton County Courthouse, where she convened a news conference and pep rally to condemn a plea agreement for a wife beater. Along the way, she falsely accused Pennsylvania state troopers of indifference and inaction. As a supposed victim advocate, she substituted her own inexperienced judgment for that of professional prosecutors whose job is to achieve justice, not vengeance.

Ron Shegda. - This dude is so nutty that even the local tea party dumped him. I first became aware of him in 2006, when I saw his "Ron Shegda For Public Office" web page. He has a mentally challenged adult sister who was taken from him, and has lashed out at everyone in Northampton County, from caseworkers to John Stoffa. He also befriended other local whack jobs. When you see all the hate comments directed at Stoffa and former Human Services Director Ross Marcus, you know where some of them are coming from.

The Blog Mentor.- This fellow, whose name can't and won't be mentioned here, believes there's a massive conspiracy against him that includes bloggers, newspapers, TV stations, attorneys, the DA, judges, college professors and a Catholic priest. He actually wishes death on people.

With these three stooges, I have to ask what is wrong with Gunther. What does he have against Human Services and DA Jim Martin? Is he still bitter over his own experience?

What's truly sad is that, despite what Gunther says about being willing to listen to the other side, he knows that Human Services and the DA are unable to discuss cases that are still active. So my conclusion is that he is pursuing a vendetta of his own, just like these guests.

I'm sure it attracts lots of listeners.

But maybe he should get them on Coast to Coast. They'd fit right in with the aliens and anal probes. 

Glenn Eckhart to Discuss LC Budget on WAEB

I stopped listening to WAEB a few years ago, when Bobby Gunther Walsh and John Brinson once stated that they only wanted to hear from people who thought invading Iraq was a terrific idea. Don't tell anybody, but I finally tuned in last week to listen to Allentown watchdog Lou Hershman. He's not in it to help the unions or developers or as a springboard to his next political office. He just cares about the City, and that came across.

Walsh will host Lehigh County Comm'r Glenn Eckhart today.at around 8:45 AM on WAEB 790 AM. (You can livestream it here). Glenn will discuss the 16.!% tax hike looming in Lehigh County.

Northampton County Bulldog Ron Angle has already suggested that Lehigh start some buffalo hunting expeditions at the Trexler Game Preserve,and has offered to be a guide.

WDIY Loses Underwriter, Thanks to Me

I finally got to meet Lehigh Valley Independent's Jonathan Geeting yesterday. Believe it or not, we got along great in person. He's so young!

Geeting and I were Alan Jennings' guests on WDIY (FM 88.1)'s "Lehigh Valley Discourse" to discuss bottom-feeding bloggers. We were joined by State Rep. Joe Brennan, who has actually grown another three feet since the last time I saw him, and that was just a few weeks ago.

Both Jennings and the station manager (a very nice retired English physicist with a beard and everything) looked a little upset. Unbeknown to me, they had been peppered by emails and phone calls complaining about me. I apparently caused more controversy than anyone who had ever darkened their doorway, without even knowing it. The station actually lost an underwriter, simply for having me as a guest.

"Could have been worse, Bern, it could have been two," quipped Joe Brennan.

Jennings and I have different views on many issues. Once, I even portrayed him in a pimp outfit, a point he mentioned a few times. But he refused to be pressured. The same goes for WDIY, even though I had just called this struggling public radio station a foo foo haven.

Now I'm going to have to buy a beret. Or a monocle.

All this happened before the show even started. Who knows how many underwriters have jumped ship now that the show has aired.

Radio Personality Ken Matthews on Pocono Radio Tomorrow

Local radio personality, blogger and event host Ken Matthews has a guest gig on popular Pocono-based, Gary in the Morning radio show tomorrow. You can livestream the show, which starts at 8 AM.

Radio Personality Ken Matthews Has a Blog!

Ken Matthews, a popular Lehigh Valley radio personality, has started a blog. He kept threatening this during his brief stint as a talk-show host on Jolly(?) Joe Timmer's WGPA Sunny 1100 AM, and now he's kept that promise.

As it turns out, he's a natural. But he's got the perfect background for this gig. He's gone through thirty-seven bosses, and has been fired at least seven times. Anybody that screwed up is bound to be a good blogger. His profile tells us he's a father of two boys but is married to only one woman around 17+ years. ("That's how long we've been married - not her age").

Don't tell Ron Angle, but I actually listened to Ken on WGPA. Man, do the ladies love this guy! Even Lisa Boscola was calling this guy out of the blue. I can't quite figure that out because I'm at least ten times better looking. For one thing, I actually have eyebrows. I even speak French and like classical music and perfume and shit like that.

Angle Kicked Off Radio Show Before it Even Airs

We all have our dreams.

I'd like to be a male exotic dancer. Joe Long would like to be a party boss. And Ron Angle would love to be a shock jock.

If Angle had to choose between his millions and a low-paid radio talk show, he'd be on the air in a heartbeat. He'd even kiss council goodbye for a good radio gig. Occasionally, Angle does get a program, but it never lasts.

Ron was scheduled as a guest on Bruce Davis' local radio talk show today for thirty minutes. Hey, it's not much, but it's something, right? But get this. When Bossman Long found out, he raised holy hell, citing FCC, CIA, and FBI regs. Davis was forced to withdraw his invitation.

Now we all know Angle has been kicked off every AM radio station in a fifty mile radius. But this is a first. Ron was bounced before he even got started.

Ron shouldn't feel bad. Long was so worried about Angle being on WGPA, which has about seven listeners, that he completely missed Angle earlier this week as a guest on Business Matters.

And that's television, baby!

Oopsie! Maybe I can do a pole dance there in a few weeks.

(Not so) Jolly Joe Timmer for Bill White's Hall of Fame

The other day, a blogger thought he put me in my place when he argued that, unlike him, I've been threatened with libel. Actually, I consider that a compliment. I must be twisted. In the past year, it's happened four times. The four horsemen of my apocalypse include NorCo councilman Lamont McClure, Silkwerks aristocrat Patrick Gray, Taggart Associates and Jolly Joe Timmer. With the exception of (not so) Jolly Joe, it's a pretty distinguished bunch. And I want to thank them because they've really created a lot of interest in this blog and the rest of the local blogosphere.

Of the four, the most vocal critic by far has been (not so) Jolly Joe, owner of WGPA Sunny 1100 AM. You see, I'm pals with Norco Councilman Ron Angle, who humbly refers to himself as the Emperor. He and Timmer fought like cats and dogs when Angle did a talk show at Timmer's station. I tried to stay out of it. I figured this was just two rich guys arguing over dimes and nickels. They do that, you know. That's why they're rich. But what I've seen in the last few months has convinced me that (not so) Jolly Joe possesses all the qualifications for membership in Bill White's esteemed Hall of Fame.

Mind you, I never had a problem with Timmer until a few months ago. I actually liked him. He once gave my grandson some candy and two tickets to the Reading Phillies. I thought we were buds.

But all that changed one day a few months ago. I did Ron's radio show one day so he could stock up on some fish oil. When the show was over, I climbed over boxes of toilet paper, spam, old watches and cat food that the polka king clutters in his throne room. That studio is like a dollar store, but everything is all over the place instead of in aisles. The boxes and junk start along the stairs to the studio. Sometimes I bring a machete.

I would always say hi to the bossman whenever I did Angle's show, and this was no exception. When I finally reached the summit of debris atop a Kotex box, I spotted (not so) Jolly Joe and started waving. He erupted, like Vesuvius, with an obscenity-laced tirade against Angle, his sponsors, his fans and me. We're no good. And he bragged he checks the caller ID at the studio to see who calls Angle. "I'll get him, just you wait and see."

Alrighty then. Cuckoo!

If you've ever listened to Timmer's show, and you probably haven't, you know this is no exaggeration. You've heard him, on the air, identify Angle callers by name and trash them. Then he'll read a few anonymous emails that stroke his massive ego. From there, he rants about Angle sponsors who fall behind on their bills. Because he never names them, the listener is left to wonder whether all of Angle's sponsors are deadbeats. I'm no businessman, but this is no way to draw radio advertisers. And at least once every two days, he moans our state legislature has to do something soon about making the polka, or at least the chicken dance, Pennsylvania's official romp. Property tax reform can wait.

When Ron finally bade farewell to WGPA 1100 AM's listening audience, he tried to go out with class, believe it or not. But class went out the window a few hours later when (not so) Jolly Joe Timmer danced a polka over Ron Angle's grave for two hours. It continued again the next day. I finally turned the dial, but River reports Timmer also had some fun with my pic (who doesn't?) and is considering a libel suit again over a recent blog. Actually, my blog is harmless compared to a Bill White column, which uses the following phrases to describe Timmer and his polka show: "[Timmer was] cackling maniacally ... milestone in weird broadcasting ... [s]urreal as it was the music started getting to me ... ." Hey, (not so) Jolly Joe, sue White! I'm pretty sure his statement about disliking polka music is libel per se.

You'd think Timmer, suspenders and all, would be doing cartwheels these days. He just got rid of his nemesis, the evil Ron Angle, and managed to luck into the popular Ken Matthews, at least for a week, for free. Life is good! Tuesday, I was working from home, so I gave Matthews a listen. I liked his self-deprecating humor. No controversy. His edgy topic of the day? "What's a real man?"

That all changed when (not so) Jolly Joe started his own show a few hours later. His topic - "What the hell are blogs?" He claims there's no definition in his hundred year old dictionary, so I guess we don't exist. But then he fessed up that he's actually read both Bill White and me. That's because we've both blogged about (not so) Jolly Joe's favorite topic - him.

In fact, he read Bill's recent post about Ken Matthews nearly verbatim. What he does is read a few sentences, and then adds a remark like "Oh, really?" or "We'll see about that." He never really refutes anything, but guttersnipes whoever criticizes him, and adds a few "heh, heh hehs" and "ho ho hos". And he always promises changes are coming real soon. He even did it Tuesday. I no longer know whether he's talking about the station or some government coup. Maybe that's why he wears a crown.

After listening to him snark bloggers for about a half hour, I called in and read a definition on the air. That shut him up for the day, but he'll be back at it again tomorrow, whining about White and Carpenter for days.

Oh, did I mention Paul Carpenter? He's that other Morning Call columnist, and wrote about Timmer, too. Now Carpenter despises Angle nearly as much as Jolly Joe Long, and was kind to the King of Polka. He even likes polkas. But (not so) Jolly Joe is upset with Carpenter, too. Go figure.

Timmer reminds me of Mr. Krabs from SpongeBob Squarepants. He'd dive down a toilet if a dime fell in the bowl. He hawks shirts and watches from his station. His employees make minimum wage. His radio web page offers to make you a "radio star" with a 55 minute program for just $150. His latest Arbitron ratings? In the basement. And now his main draw is gone. He drummed Angle out, and is still complaining about the situation weeks after he kicked him off the air.

Does this make any sense at all?

It does if you're Bill White Hall of Fame material. Completely illogical reactions. Monumental ego. Trashing listeners and sponsors on the air. He's a cinch.

Update: I've just been informed that I've been nominated to White's illustious Hall of Fame myself. I want to thank Corp-guy, who offers these reasons: "Bernie O'Hare, who uses his blog to target people he hates and through logic only a dis-barred attorney could use try to destroy them. I know you think he is an asset but he is a bitter little man who picks and chooses the so called evil he goes after. Innocent people have been hurt by his cruelty." He's on to me. I graduated from dis-barred attorney logic school.

Ron Angle's Last Radio Show Airs Today

For three years, the Lehigh Valley has had a pretty popular talk radio program on WGPA Sunny 1100 AM. The show broadcasts Monday through Thursday between 8 and 9 AM, and is hosted by the always controversial Ron Angle. Yep, he's the County Councilman. Ron's loud, obnoxious, insensitive, and uses horrible grammar. He's also funny, intelligent, and much more moderate than he pretends. Some call him a populist: others a demagogue. Take your pick. Personally, I like the guy. I can't help it.

Angle's show was one that always got better. As a councilman, he used inside connections to break stories. He attracted loads of local pols from both sides of the aisle, from Charlie Dent to John Stoffa. The Morning Call's Bill White occasionally dropped by, usually after kicking Ron around in one of his columns. His callers have included Lisa Boscola, Snarlin' Arlen, Joe Long and this strange dude from Harrisburg named Bernie Kieklak. But you didn't have to be a somebody to call in. Anyone with a beef could express it. I listened as state reps Rich Grucela and Joe Brennan talked with taxpayers about state house reform, and Northampton County employees had an opportunity to vent their frustrations with county exec Stoffa.

It's been an informative show, and Angle occasionally surrendered the reigns to me as guest host. I usually brought in state reps like Rich Grucela and Joe Brennan because they're both so personable and humorous that all I had to do was answer the phone. I did get in big trouble once - when my guest was Ramona Africa. Alright, twice. I managed to rig a George Bush speech to make him sound even goofier than he does on his own, hard as that may be to believe. A lot of listeners took it seriously, and were outraged to learn I was spoofing them. Alright, I was in trouble pretty much every time I did his show. Who am I kidding?

Was it a great show? No. Goofy sound effects and dreary music prevented that from happening, and Angle can be unfair to callers. But it was local, informative, and the best political talk you'd hear in the Lehigh Valley.

Angle was at his best when he'd bring on an underfunded candidate trying to get a message out to voters, whether it was Russ Shade on the left or Bonnie Dodge on the right. And Angle condemned and called very public attention to a few of the many smear campaigns orchestrated by campaign consultant Tom Severson at Precision Marketing.

Today, that show comes to an end.

Polka King Jolly Joe Timmer and Angle have been feuding for nearly two years. Angle's salary was first cut, then eliminated. His air time was reduced from two hours to one. Engineer Mark Thomas, under Timmer's instructions, has also been running a repeater every time Angle strays into dangerous territory. If you know Ron, you know the station burned out a few. They made Ron sound like a gerbil. Even Angle's sponsors were subjected to that treatment.

Thomas lied about censoring Angle for weeks, even to me, but finally fessed up yesterday.

Today, when the show ends, we all lose. No other forum offered such easy access to local leaders. I know a lot of you hate the guy. He inspires that type of reaction. And he'll be the first to admit his own shortcomings. But in the end, he always stood up for the little guy. That makes him a small d democrat in my book, and that means more to me than party affiliation.

Bloggin' on WGPA 1100 AM on Thursday With Ron Angle

I'll be bloggin' on WGPA Sunny 1000 AM between 8 and 9:30 AM on Thursday with the Emperor, Ron Angle. This is your chance to insult two of the Lehigh Valley's biggest assholes at the same time! You can call in at 610-866-8074, livestream the show, or post comments here, and I'll try to read them on the air.

I'll be asking Ron what he thinks about Cunnigham's tax break for servicemen, and will want to know how Ron can support a huge payraise for lawclerks while many other courthouse workers are forced to survive on a pittance. Ron thinks I just have a "hot nut for the judges," and doesn't think council should interfere in judicial decisions about their own personnel.

But what we end up talking about is always decided by the people who call in.

Northampton Voting Registrar's Lawyer Also Represented Local Dems

I told you earlier today about Larry Otter, and his representation of Voting Registrar Deborah DePaul. The county never hired him. H.R.H. DePaul denies retaining him as well. So who got this Bucks County lawyer involved?

Ron Angle has an answer. On his WGPA 1100 AM radio talk show this morning, he suggests Larry Otter and Northampton County Democratic chair Joe Long are quite friendly. And Otter did not suddenly call H.R.H. DePaul out of the blue from Doylestown. That would be an unethical direct solicitation.

A few years ago, Joe Long and Northampton County Democrats sued eighteen local communities over campaign sign rules. Guess who represented them? Larry Otter.

Is this how H.R.H. DePaul shows us she's impartial?

Stoffa's Argument for Reassessment

"Paying tax is the price you pay for living in this country. We have to keep it as fair as possible."

That was John Stoffa's brief, yet accurate, justification for reassessment Monday on Ron Angle's WGPA 1100 AM radio talk show. We've been demanding property tax reform for years, but no one wants it on a county level. Every caller opposed reassessment, encouraged by Ron. Every caller but me. I disguised myself as Jolly Joe Timmer, until Angle got wise and cut me off.

Are you a tenant or a homeowner?

Tenant.

Ah ha. Then what the hell do you know, you bleeding heart commie pinko piece of ....

Why are folks afraid of something intended to promote equal taxation? There has been no reassessment in twelve years. Stoffa knows his proposal is unpopular, but is determined. "I didn't take this job to be the most politically popular county executive ever. It's the right thing to do."

Rather than rejecting the idea outright, council could actually help Stoffa (and the rest of us) by making sure reassessment itself is done in the fairest way. The idea of using a computer program to do this job does not thrill me. But it does need to get done, and soon.

Bloggin' on WGPA 1100 AM with Ron Angle

I'll be bloggin' on WGPA Sunny 1000 AM between 8 and 10 AM this morning with the Emperor, Ron Angle. Any and all insults are welcome. I haven't been called an asshole for a few days. You can call in at 610-866-8074, livestream the show, or post comments here, and I'll try to read them on the air.

I'll be talking about Northampton County elections problems, and I have a little surprise to unveil about Advanced Voting Solutions.

Bloggin' on WGPA 1100 AM With Rich Grucela & Joe Brennan

State representatives Rich Grucela and Joe Brennan will be today's guests on WGPA 1100 AM between 8 and 10 AM. Rich is a seasoned veteran while Joe is a freshman. Both of these affable Democrats certainly heard the message delivered by voters in November. Voters want open and responsive government. It's a message they themselves have preached.

The house leadership? That's another story. For the first time since 1994, the state house is democratic. Yet the first piece of legislation drafted by Dem leader DeWeese is an expansion of slots into other forms of gaming. Is this what voters wanted?

I'll be asking Joe and Rich to talk about what they, and not DeWeese, hope to accomplish in the state house next year. Reforms aimed at ghost voting? Meaningful lobbyist regulation? Per diems? Campaign finance reform? Property tax reform? Expansion of the Sunshine Act?

Feel free to call in between 8 and 10AM. You can livestream, and your calls are welcome at 610-866-8074. You can even post comments or questions here and I'll read them to Rich and Joe while we're on the air.

Bloggin' on WGPA 1100 AM With Young Republican Julian Stolz

I'll be bloggin' on WGPA 1100 AM today between 8 and 10 AM. During the first hour, I'll be joined by a fellow blogger. LVDem? MadBatter? GreendogDem? NakedLehighCountyBlogger? Nah. They give some song and dance about how "important" it is they preserve their anonymity. The truth? They fear my searing logic.

Chris "Blue Collar" Casey, founder of TrueDems, is an exception. He's no creampuff. He wants to come on the air, dressed like a leprechaun in spandex, and do some goofy step dancing. I'm sorry but Riverdance is the best proof yet that we Irish are idiots. It might interfere with all the chickendancers at WGPA. Also, I just can't seem to get through to Chris that no one will actually see his step dancing on the radio. They'll just hear some clicking noise and the sound of splitting pants.

So my guest is Republican Julian Stolz, a fellow blogger who publishes Right from Lehigh County. Julian represents the future of Lehigh Valley politics. He's a co-founder of the last remaining Young Republicans chapter in Lehigh County. He interned for State Senator Rob Wonderling in 2005 and was Desales University's Campus Chair for Santorum's failed reelection bid.

Now he's in the running for the East Penn School Board. But most important, today is his birthday!

I'd like to ask him how local Republicans have managed to keep a stranglehold in western Lehigh Valley while losing everywhere else. Maybe we can pick up a pointer or two.

Feel free to call in with your insults on Thursday between 8 and 10AM. You can livestream, and your calls are welcome at 610-866-8074. You can even post your comments here and I'll read them on the air.

Update: Many thanks to Julian Stolz, a very well-spoken and intelligent guest with interesting views. We obviously disagree on a number of important issues, but I really admire any young person who takes an interest in open and accountable government. I certainly would vote for him as a member of the East Penn School Board.

Bloggin' on WGPA 1100 AM without Ron Angle

For the second time this week, I'm guest hosting Ron Angle's WGPA 1100 AM's talk show. Northampton County's open space initiative and Bethlehem's casino license are hot topics right now, but I suspect listeners will be surprised Thursday to learn that Angle has been given his walking papers by Grinchy Timmer. And I intend to talk about it.

You, too, can call in with your insults on Thursday between 8 and 10AM. Who knows? Grouchy Joe Timmer might want to hire you as Angle's replacement! You can livestream, and your calls are welcome at 610-866-8074. You can also post your comments here and I'll read them on the air. I'm told I'll have a mystery caller, and it's not Ron Angle.

Update: The comments from Tuesday's show are on this post. Somehow, I deleted Tuesday's post when preparing this one, but was able to save your comments. Feel free to add as you wish.

Did Angle Just do his Last Radio Talk Show on WGPA 1100 AM?

Northampton County Councilman and radio shock jock Ron Angle called me after his show on WGPA 1100 AM today. He sounded a little despondent, and told me station owner Jolly Joe Timmer gave him his ten day notice today. Since Angle is taking time off for the holidays, this could mean his last show was today.

"Ho! Ho! Ho! His name is Jolly Joe.

Ho! Ho! Ho! It's off the show you go."

It might surprise you to know this, but I don't think Angle likes anything more than hosting a radio talk show, even on a small AM radio station with a Cinderella license. If he had a choice between a position on council or talk radio, he'd choose talk radio. If he had a choice between his millions and talk radio, he'd pick talk radio.

And Angle's show made Timmer around eighty thousand dollars last year. But Timmer and Angle have been tangling for months, and Ron loves to instigate. And Jolly Joe just ain't all that jolly. He's still grousing at Bill White, and on the air, after a fairly innocuous column that gave his station some free advertising.

The irony of all this is that Democrats may have the last word on Angle's show. I'm guest-hosting the next few days. Next Thursday's show will tentative include state representatives Joe Brennan and Rich Grucela, and they're both Democrats.

John Stoffa Listens to Northampton County Workers on Radio Talk Show

It's something Glenn Reibman would never do. Today, Northampton County Exec John Stoffa was kind enough to come on Ron Angle's controversial WGPA 1100 AM talk show. And he did so only one day after I stated he's had long enough to negotiate contracts with his underpaid workforce.

What he made clear, at least to me, is that he does care and is doing his best to rectify a situation that has been ten years in the making. He listened patiently to calls from frustrated courthouse workers and taxpayers, and made clear that he wants county workers to get a living wage. Next year, the county's antiquated salary structure will get a much-needed overhaul. Stoffa agreed the county's workforce is his top priority.

I expect Northampton county workers will finally get a living wage. It may not happen as quickly as I would like, but it will happen.

Norco Exec John Stoffa Taking Angle to Talk Radio Woodshed

Northampton County Exec John Stoffa claims Ron Angle has been spreading cowshit on his radio show instead of on his farm. Tomorrow, Stoffa will confront Angle on his WGPA 1100 AM talk show between 8 and 10 AM. I've been asked to referee the dispute, but I honestly need a break after two rather intense days. I get enough people mad at me just from blogging. You can livestream, and your calls are welcome at 610-866-8074.

I sure hope the concerns of underpaid and long-neglected courthouse workers are addressed.

Once again, for all bloggers out there, I'll be guest-hosting a week of shows on December 21, 26, 27 & 29. If any of you who want to come on right wing airwaves, just drop me a line - BOHare5948@aol.com.

Correction: I've just been informed that Stoffa has no intention of spanking Angle. He's after me instead. He wants to clarify the situation regarding Northampton County workers, and has told Angle I had better be there. I'll come, but I'm wearing rubber underwear.

Bloggin' on WGPA 1100 AM With the Anti-Blogger, Ron Angle

On Wednesday, Ron Angle will continue his frontal assault against bloggers on his WGPA 1100 AM talk show from 8 to 10 AM. You can livestream, and your calls are welcome at 610-866-8074. Yesterday's show prompted lots of comments like this: "Attempting to have an intelligent conversation with Ron Angle is like trying to convince a pig it is beautiful while laying in pigcrap and mud." But MadBatter actually likes Ron, "because HE IS A MISERABLE BASTARD! I hope he is on the board until he dies, because we need good government types, regardless of political party."

Angle intends to announce legislation decriminalizing any assaults or acts of violence against bloggers. In fact, he's toying with the idea of an annual hunting season to thin out the herd. Incidentally, I got a close look at the back of his neck yesterday, and I swear I saw the numbers 666.

In addition to the silliness, I'm hoping we can deal with some real issues. Yesterday's conversation with Congressman Charlie Dent about Northampton County election irregularities, for example, prompted a lively discussion with local party boss Joe Long about the need for reform. And Joe Long actually continued that discussion on this blog.

Feel free to call in, or post your comments here, and I'll try to get them on the air. And for all bloggers out there, I'll be guest-hosting a week of shows starting December 26. If any of you who want to come on right wing airwaves, just drop me a line - BOHare5948@aol.com.