Troll Warning

As regular readers of this blog know, I attract a lot of cRaZies. I'd say these are just jealous people, but it's probably because I'm a little touched myself  Over the weekend, I imposed comment moderation and refused to permit anonymous comments. There's a fellow who comes on this blog regularly, particularly after he's had a few, to attack a local judge. He also attacks the family members of this judge. He's an ugly man who regularly insults the judge with ethnic slurs. Why he uses my blog to do this is a mystery Though he never signs his comments, I know who he is. I am in the process of doing something about him. In the meantime, I refuse to prevent others from commenting on issues as they see fit. If you see something that looks like it is from him or another troll, just ignore it.I will delete the comment promptly. 

State Reps Can Be Trolls, Too

One online commenter, who incidentally supports the shale industry, recently discovered that state representatives can be trolls, too.

Was Judge Koury Wrong To Be Concerned About Online Threat?

George Charles, aka Montikea, is one of those online trolls who hides behind a veil of anonymity to attack other people. According to a report in The Morning Call, he recently stated, in an online comment at that newspaper, that Northampton County Common Pleas Judge Michael Koury "needs to 'get clipped' one night after court's done."

Now Koury screwed up and intimated that the wrong Charles, a prominent and well-respected defense attorney, was responsible for the remark.

But I'll forgive him. A Judge, especially one with school-age children, has every right to be concerned about the possibility of violence. Judges have been murdered by disappointed litigants.

DA John Morganelli, who has pretty thick skin himself, is something of a First Amendment purist. He'll decide whether the remark warrants criminal attention. But without question, the comment is inexcusable.

What do you think?

Troll Attack

Some pretty disgusting comments were posted on this blog yesterday, while I was at a meeting. It's one thing to attack me, but the racist smears directed at my 11 year-old grandson were very hurtful. I like anonymous comments because I often get good tips from them. But because of the trolls, I have no choice but to enable my Disqus comment feature, at least for now. This will reduce the lively exchanges I enjoy, but it will eliminate the trolls. It will give me the IP and ISP of every comment posted, and enables me to block trolls.

Ron Angle, Cigar Thief

I allow anonymous comments here. It allows people like The Banker and others to share their perspectives, without worrying whether it might damage their business. It also allows some government officials to participate in discussions without fear that what they write will haunt them down the road.

But there's a disadvantage, too. It also allows people to launch vicious personal attacks without accepting responsibility for their words. It enables them to spread disinformation.

Northampton County Executive John Stoffa's nonpartisan approach to government, his emphasis on doing the right thing over what is politically expedient, has rankled some, especially within his own party. So his biggest opponents on County Council have been its Democratic representatives. He's been attacked here since I started blogging.

When he ran for re-election, those attacks intensified, both on and off the blog. Seven hundred of his campaign signs were stolen over the course of a single weekend. His primary opponent, Ann McHale, placed her signs within inches of his, effectively preventing the public from seeing them.

In the end, it made no difference. Stoffa easily defeated McHale, even in her own Bethlehem district. She's been bitter ever since.

Doubt me? Take a look at her petty behavior during Council meetings, which you can now see for yourself.

So it should be no surprise to see Stoffa viciously attacked here for just about everything, even on blogs that have nothing to do with him. But yesterday, when I noted that former Exec Jerry Seyfried agreed that Stoffa was right to keep the courthouse open during our snownami last week, I never expected to see him attacked, too.

I was wrong.

Anonymously, the 3 AM troll went after Jerry, claiming that he had only served on Council so that he could get a $20,000 check to write a "history" of the County. "Nice of the taxpayers to give away $20,000 in taxpayer money to Jerry. Just how much debate was held?" In addition, and completely out of the blue, Council Prez Ron Angle is also attacked.

"While at the opening for Cigars International, he stole three cigaRS THAT WERE CLEARLY MARKED FOR DISPLAY ONLY. HE WAS OBSERVED BY MANAGEMENT TAKING THE THREE CIGARS, WHO DECIDED NOT TO MAKE A SCENE, BECAUSE HE IS A PUBLIC FIGURE. Go figure, Angle gets away with shoplifting (STEALING AGAIN)AND HIDES BEHIND HIS OFFICE AS PRESIDENT OF COUNTY COUNCIL."

A few minutes later, someone - probably the same person who posted the first comment - adds this.

"Can you validate that story...if so let me know so we can go public."

In answer, this anonymous comment appears.

"call Cigars International ask for the manager."

Now, I have no idea what Jerry's history of Northampton County has to do with Stoffa's decision to keep the courthouse open. And the serious accusation directed at Angle has no bearing at all on my original story.

This is what I mean by disinformation. These two anonymous personal attacks have nothing to do with my original story, and were posted just to muddy up Seyfried and Angle.

This is the kind of vicious crap I ordinarily delete, but I thought I would check out both of these claims.

1) Jerry Seyfried enriching himself with $20,000 in taxpayer money.

Jerry was deeply involved in preparing a history of the County's first 200 years, but think it's important that we chronicle the most recent fifty years, while those who were present during the decline and fall of Bethlehem Steel and other industry can still remember it.

In his last act as a member of County Council, he introduced a resolution authorizing $20,000 for that history. (Resolution Number 111-2009). It passed unanimously, and contains language providing that any sum not spent on this history must be returned. I have asked for and obtained a copy of the check, dated December 16, 2009, in the amount of $20,000.

The payee is the Northampton County Historical Society, not Jerry.

I know, I know. There must be some secret deal between Jerry and the Historical Society, which we all know is a front for international jewel thieves.

I never called Jerry. All I can say is that it is very sad when someone besmirches his integrity in a twisted attempt to hurt Stoffa.

2) Ron Angle, Cigar Thief

A few weeks ago, cigar afficiando Ron Angle and WFMZ-TV 69 were both present when Cigars International opened its new headquarters in downtown Bethlehem. "I thought I might get a free cigar and I did. And a good one!" is what Angle told reporter Stephanie Esposito.

The film clip does not show Angle stashing three cigars in his pocket, but we all know how tricky he can be. I decided to call the manager as directed.

When I asked him about Ron, he answered, "If that's the case, then everybody stole cigars. I should be charged as well because I lit one up myself, and I gave Ron a cigar." He later added, "I can confirm no cigars were stolen because they were out there for public consumption."

I also called an employee, who told me he had heard no such rumor, either.

I decided to confront Angle, who told me that he lit up a cigar the second he walked into the place, and someone gave him a cigar on his way out. He told me Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan offered him a box, but he accepts no bribes from Democrats.

"Ron, would you steal a cigar?"

"It would have to be a Cuban," he told me.

Now, it's impossible to prove a negative, but I learned enough to know that the 3 AM troll hates John Stoffa so much he's willing to lie about anyone who might be the least bit friendly to our Exec.

I also know that the $20,000 resolution never appeared in a newspaper, so the 3 AM troll learned about this from someone who was physically present on December 10th, when Council authorized this history. This is most likely a member of Council.

Ann McHale, I know you're still bitter about losing to Stoffa, but it's time to call off your goons. You know who they are because you told me they call you.

George Speros Maniatty for LC Comm'r?

George Speros Maniatty, Jr, is a self-employed accountant and an Allentown Democratic committeeman who rabidly has supported Charles Dertinger, Sam Bennett and Ed Pawlowski. He's also one of the anonymous trolls who tries to disrupt this and other blogs with misinformation and childish taunts. He was outed here in 2007.

No gentle soul, George attaches himself to virtually every Democratic campaign in the Lehigh Valley, but it always ends up a disaster. When he volunteered for Dertinger's congressional campaign, for example, he had to be pulled off phone duty because he was screaming at people. He also volunteered for Pawlowski's first mayoral run until he was eventually exiled. He's also a notorious job seeker known to get quite irate when Democratic officials refuse to hire him.

Other than Ron Angle, he's the only person who former County Commissioners' Chair Percy Dougherty has ever threatened with ejection from a meeting.

And now, he's an applicant for appointment to Bill Leiner's vacant seat on that very board.

Above, you can see a brief video of Maniatty in action during a public meeting.

Incidentally, his myspace profile tells us he's single and looking.

The Bill Villa Saga Continues

This is the latest installment in the Bill Villa saga. Back in May, this cyber-stalker was convicted of summary criminal harassment before Wind Gap Magistrate Adrianne Masut. He appealed his case to Common Pleas, and it was scheduled for this week. I thought it was today at 8:30 AM. I was wrong. It was actually scheduled for Wednesday.

I was at the courthouse early on Wednesday, blissfully ignorant, until someone called to ask me why I wasn't in court. Apparently, some guy was standing in the hallway, screaming about me an d calling me all sorts of names.

I immediately went down there, to be confronted by a gloating Villa and his attorney, yucking it up, telling me I was too late and that the matter had already been dismissed.

Unbeknown to me, "Father Alex," a Maronite seminarian who lives in D.C., was at the courthouse, too. He apparently had jury duty, after which he was visiting friends from his days as a county employee. Villa spotted him and immediately assumed, incorrectly, that the Padre was there at my request. Villa approached Fr. Alex, extended his hand to shake it. That's nice. But when Father Alex extended his hand in return, 5'2" Villa grabbed it and immediately gave him a forearm to the gut. In the presence of multiple witnesses, he then began shouting that Father Alex is a "piece of shit" who will "burn in hell." He was taunting me, too, but not for long. Security Officer Lance Wheeler ejected both Villa and his lawyer.

I felt an obligation to apologize to the Court for my absence. Fortunately, Judge Stephen Baratta was still considering summary appeals. In open court, I apologized to him and to ADA Mike Thompson, explaining I had been here, but just thought the case was the next day.

Judge Baratta accepted my apology and suggested the case be rescheduled. He requested ADA Thompson to file the appropriate motion, to which Villa will have an opportunity to respond. Because Villa has in no way been prejudiced by my admitted tardiness, I expect the prosecution will continue.

So that's where the matter stands. Villa is by no means cleared, although he seems to think so.

I will not be accepting comments on this subject, which is an ongoing criminal matter. I felt a post was necessary to clear up some disinformation being spewed elsewhere.

Unfortunately, I had requested a witness to appear on my behalf today (he knows who he is), and he took a day of vacation to accommodate me. I've called him to apologize as well.

Finally, I need to apologize to Villa and his attorney for inconveniencing them. This case should be decided on the merits, not my confusion about the court dates.

Bill Villa Convicted of Harassment For Troll Attack on This Blog

Blogger, musician and cyber-stalker Bill Villa was convicted yesterday of criminal harassment for his September 29 troll attack on this and other blogs. Regular readers might recall he spent an entire day spamming this blog with around five hundred identical comments. He effectively shut it down, making interactivity completely impossible. Another two hundred comments were posted on other local blogs, forcing their publishers to enable comment moderation.

Villa had a lawyer, stenographer and copies of hundreds of blog posts. He had everything but the truth. Interestingly, he never testified.

I kept my case short and sweet. Villa's lawyer subjected me to a lengthy cross examination followed by an even lengthier closing argument, reminding the judge this is a criminal case and I had a "lot of nerve" to even be there. My closing lasted about thirty seconds and goes something like this - posting the same comment 500 times on one blog in one day is criminal harassment.

Masut went out to deliberate, came back, and convicted Villa of criminal harassment. Justice was done. He was fined $100 and court costs. There goes his claimed perfect record. He has thirty days to appeal.

I'm sure he will. I'll be there.

Stop Bernie O'Hare

As some of you know, Sheena Villa was a passenger in a car being driven by a drunk driver two years ago. Tragically, she was killed. Her father, Bill Villa, is angry at the world in general and me in particular. Over that time, he has spiraled out of control.

Earlier this month, he claimed two other bloggers and I were submitting comments to his blog as Sheena Villa, "writing from hell." That very thought made me ill. I thought it important to make clear that this charge is completely false. I even took the unusual step, for me, of contacting the Villas and asking that they remove that offensive manufactured charge.

They not only refused, but then began posting my home address. When I asked them to stop this invasion of my personal privacy, they did it even more, with Bill Villa adding this ominous warning, "I'd keep your door dead-bolted 24/7."

I attempted to reason with Trollvilla, arguing, "I have both your home address and phone number. I could easily publish it for the world to see, and make sure to publish it when you're in NYC. Of course, I won't do that. But you think nothing of repeatedly posting my home address despite two requests that you remove it."

Now, Villa is publicly proclaiming "O'Hare published a threat about our home address that inadvertently (oopsie) revealed he may be stalking and staking out our residence ..."

This is just another bogus charge by a very sick man, who wants the whole world to join him in "STOPPING BERNIE O'HARE."

That makes me feel so special.

I certainly made no threat, and merely asked that Villa stop posting my home address on his blog, noting I would not do that to him.

Now excuse me while I go buy a dead bolt.

Apologies For Comment Moderation

My apologies. I enabled comment moderation for about an hour today, something I hated to do. Bill Villa had posted the same pair of comments about thirty-five times. As quickly as I could delete them, he would put them back up. It was impossible to write, so I enabled moderation briefly.

Villa regularly hijacks blog threads to make off topic remarks or to attack people on his growing enemies' list. He uses his name, but also posts anonymously and uses sock puppets like Hogan, Broadway Jim, Joshua T, foo foo, etc. What's even worse is that he misappropriates the names of others who post here. Lately, he's assumed the identity of a Catholic priest. He posted as a cleric on his wife's blog and at The Morning Call readers' forum.

None of this is really worth a post here. I'm telling you about it anyway because of something else - a startling accusation Villa made tonight on his wife's blog, Lehigh Valley Somebody. (A link is at the left sidebar). Villa's daughter, Sheena, was tragically killed two years ago while riding as a passenger in a car driven by a person who was drunk. Villa accuses three bloggers, including me, of impersonating his deceased daughter. Here's the claim, in all its glory.

O'Hare is a sellout of the lowest order.

And a muzzler of opinions that threaten his ambitions.

That's why O'Hare and Molovinsky and Najarian moderate comments at their blogs.

To muzzle people in advance.

We moderate comments here to block these 3 stooges from commenting anonymously as my deceased daughter Sheena "writing from hell."

Big Difference..

This is sad. Of course, it's false and disgustingly reckless. I might add that I've never seen a comment anywhere that purported to be from Sheena Villa. I also know Michael Molovinsky and Dave Najarian Najarian well enough to know they would never even think such a thing. Reading that vile statement really upsets me, and I have to deny Villa's claim publicly.

Now let me tell you the real reason Villa enabled comment moderation. He did so in in August. It had nothing to do with his daughter. When he was in the middle of hijacking this blog, I decided to take his OT comments and put them back on his wife's blog. Villa was forced to delete his own comments and moderate ... himself.

Villa currently faces a criminal harassment prosecution.

Anonymous Commenters Welcome, But I "Out" Trolls

My Comments Policy

You are welcome to comment anonymously here. Some of you have good reason to fear retribution if your identities are disclosed. Without anonymity, we'd all be deprived of your inside insights. Others among you may own small businesses, where it is never a good idea to voice strong opinions. A few of you may even wish to remain anonymous simply to protect your children's identity.

Whatever the reason, I am more interested in the message than the messenger. I respect the preference of many genuine commenters for pseudonymity and will protect their privacy. On the other hand, I have and will out people who hide behind the veil of anonymity to launch nasty personal attacks. I'll also out public officials and corporations who attempt to mislead readers.

I'm about to do it again.

These sinners violate the Daily Whackjob's Fourth Commandment: "If you feel like you can’t say something using your real name or your usual screen name, then you probably shouldn’t say it." Violations inevitably lead to the Sixth Commandment: "Don’t be surprised when anonymous commenters/bloggers get outed after making fools of themselves."

A Few Outed Trolls

Over the past two years, I've outed a few such fools. One of them is George Speros Maniatty, Jr, an anonymous troll who constantly tries to ruin meaningful discussion with misinformation and childish taunts. He's an Allentown Democratic committeeman and rabid Sam Bennett supporter. But candidates keep George at arm's length because his sleazy antics can get them in trouble. George's myspace profile tells us he's single and looking. I'm already taken, so he's reduced to friends like "Ivana Fukalot."

I outed Northampton County council member Lamont McClure when he disingenuously tried to pass himself off as a normal "man on the street", who was gathering information about county government on the basis of what he reads in The Express Times. I even outed an astroturf blog being paid by AT&T to manipulate public opinion about net neutrality. In both of those cases, there was a dishonest attempt to manipulate public opinion.

You can be a troll, too!

Local blogger Chris Casey thinks my comments policy is just horrible, repeatedly calls me a blog Nazi (without having the guts to mention me by name) and ridiculously complains my comments policy is the reason no one ever comments on his blog. Waaah. He even goes so far as to recommend you all rush out right away to buy anonymous surfing software so that you can all be trolls, too. I've got news for Casey. Anyone, including him, who thinks anonymity gives him a license to launch vicious personal attacks, is eventually going to be outed.

This brings me to the latest troll, a person who first appeared in January, when I wrote about Allentown Mayor Pawlowski's strong-arm tactics against a 75 year-old woman who dared conduct yard sales outside her Turner Street home. Lagata8484 exploded with a vicious diatribe aimed at Lázaro Fuentes (with an á, damn it!), Michael Molovinsky, Scott Armstrong and yours truly.

The words that never hurt you

Bernie: "is only known to his bellyaching companions and the leaders in business and commerce and government dont take him seriously as he is annoying and very small."

Molovinsky: "was ridiculed and trounced when he took himself seriously and made a run for mayor, the city has spoken loudly that no one knows how his mind works nor cares."

Armstrong: "is ever present at city council meetings bitching about stuff that no one else seems to care about. He is a case study for bad style and has a pit bull mind on a french poodle face and a voice that makes God cringe."

Fuentes: "Lazaro's Hispanic Chamber may be down to 2 members soon, him and his wife , as he is a hispanic version of Scott. The chamber has no presence in the latino community or any where else, it has as much credibility as Lazaro's degree from Columbia University. What a joke the lot of you are."

Intimidation Tactics a Pawlowski Standard

According to Scott Armstrong, these intimidation tactics are standard fare from Pawlowski's horde. He should know. Sycophants have attempted to intimidate Armstrong with love notes like this:

"I heard you on WAEB the other morning. You certainly have a big mouth. Instead of flapping your gums, why don't just keep sucking cocks? We in the neighborhood know exactly what you do, and to whom you do it. We are watching every move you make. We wonder what the members of Allentown City Council, would think of you, if they only knew. The next time you attend a Council Meeting, you are going to be exposed, for what you are. A cock sucker.
Have a great day, From all us"

And this:

"Hey, Blow anyone today? You know who we are!! TaTa, You, neighbor on the corner."

Verbal intimidation is one thing, but it extends to physical threats, too. Armstrong tells me "my car was vandalized with an M-80, and it was keyed countless times. The phone would ring when I entered the house and when I picked it up the caller would hang up; this happened routinely and was meant to send a message. My back door bell was rung in the middle of the night. My phone would ring at all hours with no one on the other end."

Armstrong is by no means alone. I've noticed myself that the standard response to any criticism of Mayor Pawlowski is an anonymous personal attack. But I had decided to ignore Lagata8484.

Until last week. That's when he posted a comment that snarked Lázaro's wife, calling her a "rice and beans" eater. I tried ignoring that, but can't.

Pawlowski Troll is Edward DeGrace

Lagata8484 is actually Edward DeGrace, described by Scott Armstrong as a Pawlowski apologist. "He's part of the city machine and will do what he has to do to make sure the machine succeeds." DeGrace, who actually hails from Cape Verde, is a Democratic activist who worked for Pawlowski's 2005 mayoral campaign. I tried calling him at his home last night, but this Air Products-employed intimidator was too scared to get on the phone. Morning Call archives paint him as a "community activist" who has even had a few op-eds published. He's also a Pawlowski bully who lacks the courage to be accountable for what he writes.

It matters very little to me if someone wants to attack me or talk about my alcoholism or legal suspension or weight or adult film career. And I appreciate people who disagree with me. I already know what I think and think we all benefit from different points of view. But when someone uses anonymity to attack other people, they're already doing something stupid. After that, it's only a matter of time.