By now most followers of Allentown politics know that Ed Pawlowski was found guilty of almost all charges late Thursday afternoon. Although I'm very mindful of my privacy, today I will reveal a personal experience with Ed Pawlowski. I make this revelation not to dwell on my reputation, but as a window on his character. Although his sycophants and others may think that his only fault was his political ambition, they are mistaken. Over the years numerous people were bullied by Pawlowski. Most of them didn't have the voice to speak out.
In 2005, as an independent and the third candidate on the ballot for mayor, I debated Pawlowski and Heydt at the WFMZ studio. After the debate, an audience member told me that Lisa Pawlowski was telling audience members that I was a slumlord. Not hearing it myself, I let it drop. In the beginning of 2008, I conducted a series of SPEAK OUT meetings at an intercity church. A Morning Call reporter told me after the meeting that when she called Pawlowski for comment, he told her that I was just a slumlord. The reality was that I operated buildings between 4th and 12th Streets for decades, without one code violation or tenant complaint. There was absolutely no basis for the untrue slander by Pawlowski, other than a flaw in his character. At the end of 2008 he repeated the falsehood, but this time in front of me and others outside the city council chamber. I asked him how he would feel if I told people that he was a corrupt politician?
Over the years this blog has not concerned itself explicitly with the contributions and corresponding favors which convicted Pawlowski yesterday. My concern has been the consequences and policies, which have compromised our assets, such as the park system. My concern is with the unlevel playing field for small business owners. A comment last night stated that Bernie(O'Hare) and I have been vindicated. Pawlowski will be gone soon, but many people who cooperated with him remain, along with the policies they implemented.
I was never a tenant of yours, but my brother was. The unit he rented was perfectly well maintained, and there was every indication that you were a conscientious landlord. I only interacted with you on one occasion, and you were perfectly reasonable.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Pawlowski is going to prison, and you aren't.
aaron@7:04, thanks for the kind words, but I would ask that nobody else comment on my landlording. This post isn't about my record, but rather pawlowski's treatment of a business owner who he considered a slight thorn in his side. This post is to give testimony to the fact that apart from the federal charges, pawlowski was an everyday bully.
ReplyDeleteAs a strong detractor of Edwin Pawlowski since 2005, I feel vindicated by the jury's decision to find this liar guilty. As a campaign advisor for him in 2005, I personally witnessed his ability to lie and bully people who did not purport to the same standards he ran by. Of course, I left the campaign right before the election, vowing to oppose him at every turn.
ReplyDeleteIn 2013 I assisted the late Micheal Donovan with his campaign. Armed with numerous intelligence reports regarding his questionable campaign fundraising tactics and his staunch anti-public safety record, Mr. Donovan elected to take the high road. I now firmly believe we could have taken "Boss Hogg" down earlier.
In any regards, the FBI stepped in and did what voters couldn't or refused to do. However, I saw this delusional, greedy and maniacal individual, Edwin Pawlowski grow into a bully nobody dare cross. Yesterday, I saw a defeated man who deserved everything he asked for through his actions throughout the years!
I guess it makes sense that the parks have suffered. There are no campaign contributions from trees and creeks.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how the high minded west enders who praised and defended Ed while name calling and parroting Pawlowski's slanders at the few detractors who spoke out feel today. Most likely... smug as always.
ReplyDeleteWell I have no problem expressing the way he and his inspectors treated me and still treating me with their unethical and discriminatory behavior. When it comes to code enforcement matters that the city has caused by doing favors for their buddies.I'm a homeowner and I want to put this public. I've contacted mcall, wfmz, NBC, ABC, and nothing. So it is hard to speak out when you want to. This Mayor and his inspectors cause issues then act like they are innocent and the victims don't know what they are talking about. Well I do know what I'm talking about. The problem is they do not care about anything or anyone but themselves. I feel my rights have been violated by the Mayor and his inspectors. I am one that stands up for my rights!! Now he will have to experience some of what I've been dealing with since 2008.. He allows slumlords to be slumlords. I know first hand. A slumlords property is connected to mine. And the slumlord has a fire hazard garage/junkyard across from me and NO ONE from city officials. Make him clean up that fire hazard.
ReplyDeleteA-Town made national news!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/03/02/democrat-pennsylvania-mayor-convicted-on-corruption-charges.html
The frightening thing is that now we taxpayers and Allentown's teeming dependent class have to chose a Mayor.
ReplyDeleteRemember when a large assortment of losers had a group campaign poster with Chicago Eddy's head expanded to hideous proportions in the upper right hand corner, floating like an untethered Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon? G-d help us, one of those uninspiring non-entities and crookophiles is likely to be Mayor.
With *extremely* rare exceptions (me, to name one of only about seven people), if I know the person's name, I don't want them to be Mayor.
Honestly, I think we should have a lottery.
Pick a name at random from whatever database we use for jury duty, add the further restriction that the person must be *both* a net taxpayer of the productive class *and* a resident of Allentown for three generations or more, and we couldn't possibly do any worse under that arrangement than we're likely to do now.
I'll bet Ed is hoping for a riparian buffer between him and Bubba...
ReplyDeleteThis won't be the first time Allentown will have had an interim Mayor, although it's been 50 years since Mayor Gross died in office. The next local elections won't be until November 2019, although the Mayor's term won't be up until November, 2021.
ReplyDeleteThat will be a long time for whomever is appointed Mayor.
Also, I wouldn't want anyone associated with Pawlowski to be appointed Mayor. Problem is, that leaves out all of the elected officials of the city. The stain on the city is wide and deep.
ReplyDeleteMany of the people employed at City Hall knew of Mr.Pawlowski' tactics over the years but were too fearful to complain as they would have been terminated(fired).
ReplyDeleteWhat about Ed's bullying tactics towards Eugene Mcduffie???? How does Cynthia Mota assault supercede Mr Eugene???? I mean it only happened days before the primary.
ReplyDeleteThere is one more credit-where-credit-is-due mention: I've had the pleasure and privilege of chatting with U.S. Attorney Lew Lappen (nothing at all to do with the Pawlowski case), and I was struck by what a first rate fellow and dedicated and extraordinary public servant he is.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to him and his staff.
How much fun to watch former sycophants like the two State Senators distance themselves. Not sure it matters who runs our cities and counties anymore. I once believed that local government was the most important, but watching McClure in Northampton County at his speech this week one would think that a county is nothing more than a social services agency.
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