The blog dispute occurring between Bernie O'Hare and myself will certainly not be one of the posts which I repeat in a year or so, it's somewhat embarrassing. However, it is necessary for me to use this venue to set the record straight; Bernie now declares not only was my post of last week on Tony Phillips mean spirited, but I'm dancing on Phillip's grave. Over at O'Hare's blog we go back and forth; me explaining how Bernie double talks and him double talking, until we reached the banned in Boston stage; Bernie announced he will delete my replies, so here's the rest of the debate;
Bernie O'Hare said...
LVCI,
In Pennsylvania, assault includes the battery. In Pa., a person is guilty of assault if he attempts to cause or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another. Even if there is mutual consent, it is an assault.
Police filed no charges. I do not have the police report. From everything I've read, I'm unable to conclude that Tony was guilty of assault. It seems more like self-defense, pushing someone away who launches an assault herself.
Bernie O'Hare said...
LVCI, There is nothing in Jarrett's account that leads me to conclude there was an assault. If someone attacks you and you push the person away, that is NOT an assault. That's why Tony was never charged. Bethlehem police, and many of our local police departments, take allegations of domestic abuse quite seriously.
2:13 PM
Here is what Jarrett Renshaw actually wrote in The Morning Call Sept. 16th
During the investigation, Lopez repeatedly insisted that she was not interested in filing charges and that she just wanted Phillips to pay her medical bills, the police report states.
Police talked to Phillips and he claimed Lopez was physically aggressive with him and she pushed him and then he pushed her to the floor, according to the police report.
Bethlehem Detective Mark DiLuzio said Tuesday the incident is listed on the police report as a simple assault. He said no arrest was ever made.
"We are reopening the investigation because the victim said all she wanted was Phillips to pay her medical records, which he never did." Diluzio said.*
It is not my purpose to print the above news report to rehash this incident between Phillips and the woman, but to show the hypocrisy of O'Hare, who routinely presents distortions as facts rather than concede an error on his part, and accuses anybody who points this out of attacking him.
The biggest damage to Tony in the blogosphere wasn't from my blog, it was from O'Hare. His absurd distortions and contradictions ended up keeping the topic on the front burner all week.
* The Morning Call reported this morning that the Phillips will not face simple assault charges because the statute of limitations has expired.
Careful, MM, or Bernie will delete the link to your blog from his site.
ReplyDeleteNo one must ever tell that the emperor wears no clothes.
I grew up in the 70s with the Goon Era and the Broad Street Bullies. Bench clearing brawls always happen for a reason and can be very entertaining. This has been great!
ReplyDeleteI do think you two guys should have to sit down and have a beer or soda or something for at least five minutes without incident. Then you guys can get back after it tomorrow!
Phillips should be thrilled. He NEVER would have gotten this much ink and resulting name recognition (albeit not so good) without you two guys.
Phillips should be out with a statement today on whether or not he supports the ice hockey arena proposal as reported on the front page today, for example, if I am him and I am serious about being the Mayor.
He could have used the Park issue to get his face in the paper, etc. by taking a stand one way or the other a little while back.
That's part of what makes this "blog war" great, was Phillips ever a 'real' candidate anyway?
BTW - A good nostalgia piece next week would be okay, too, don't forget. I didn't make the 50s and 9 of 10 sixties...
bernie is a lawyer by training, specifically a trial lawyer. trial lawyers specialize in selecting words and phrases ever so carefully to keep the meaning of the truth accessible but not altogether clear. this lack of clarity allows them to use logic tricks and various sequitors to create various other possible truths or versions of the truth. its why two lawyers can do opening/closing arguments, using the same facts and create different realities using those facts. it's all very clever and not terribly difficult to do, but it does require practice.
ReplyDeletebernie's skills are as well, if not more, pronounced than karoly and other trial attorneys. he's good at it. each time he seeks to defend somebody or attack somebody, he makes a law professor very proud of the skills them empart on students. he'll hair-split a definition, omit a detail, offer a comparison or seek an error in his opponent's reasoning to win the fight.
MM, you're not a trained lawyer (I say that in the best possible light). while you are often completely contradictory to what I believe, you don't play games or mince words in what you communicate. you may be wrong (either factually or in your conclussions) but you are honest in what you think. And that is more refreshing that the volumes of information that bernie puts out there.
anon 12:33, yes, i'm also familiar with the techniques you refer to, not sure i'd agree with you about how good bernie is at it.
ReplyDeletebernie's contradictions are often quite apparent. with phillips it was very apparent. i.e., he would condemn phillips if he was married; then had to suggest perhaps phillips had open marriage. he would condemn phillips if he assaulted woman; then had to question dollar amount of medical bill.
i'm not the first messenger bernie has resorted to attacking, nor is this the first time he has attacked me. this behavior of his goes back to april, when he was defending cunningham against a rather innocent comment i made; i dared say that the historic linden st. bridge could have been saved and substantial money in the process.
with the phillips defense bernie has deteriorated beyond all bounds of civility, referring to me as a grave dancer.
i believe bernie's song and dance routine deserved some exposure, and hopefully i've had some success doing it.
last evening i received a comment comparing bernie with another blogger and criticizing both for their attempted dominance over the blogosphere. i did not to publish it, but thanks for the submission.