Lupas familly saga

I have to admit to having corruption fatigue. I still read the stories in the local press but haven't posted about the 3o+ people charged and convicted in the ongoing probe lately. Maybe I'm succumbing to the cynicism of many people I know that have been resigned to the fact that we have been ruled by crooks for a long time and think things will go back to business as usual once the heat is off. All the attention has been on the corrupt public official that have been convicted of taking bribes but now another one of the people paying the bribes has been sentenced to jail.

SCRANTON - ... local engineer Michael J. Pasonick was sentenced to one year prison, a $250,0000 fine and two years probation on federal charges he bribed a school board official.
U.S. District Judge Richard P. Conaboy acknowledged all the good Pasonick has done, including recently opening a food pantry he plans to turn into a soup kitchen, but called his actions "reprehensible." Conaboy also cited Pasonick's cooperation with federal authorities in landing "seven or eight" convictions of public officials," but noted "you were not charged for much of your questionable conduct."

Next up is Bob Mericle. If somebody is taking bribes someone is paying them.

Now longtime Wilkes-Barre Area solicitor is accused of running a ponzi scheme that defrauded at least 30 people who trusted him with their life savings. The victims are being represented by Earnie Preate of all people. I'm not sure what is worse, defrauding us nameless/faceless taxpayers or people you have a relationship with at church or who think of you as a friend.

W-B Area solicitor resigns amid probe

The whole thing started unraveling. Records in the county Prothonotary's Office indicate Lupas has defaulted on three loans since last April, owing more than $300,000 in principal, interest and fees.

Luzerne County Judge David Lupas sounded like an ungrateful child when asked about his father's troubles.
"I haven't talked to my father in some time," the judge said.

Then this bombshell dropped explaining why he hasn't talked to him.

CV:
Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas said in a statement released today that he provided information to authorities investigating his father, attorney Anthony J. Lupas Jr., for allegedly running a multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme.

Wow!

In 2003 Lupas the senior bankrolled Lupas the junior's bid for Luzerne County DA to the the tune of $750,000. You now have to wonder where the money came from.

Lupas tenure as DA was dominated by the Hugo Selinski case. He couldn't get a murder conviction of a guy with 5 bodies in his back yard and repeatedly screwed up on procedural issues in this and other cases. He went on to be a Luzerne County Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and was put in charge of Juvenile Court. While he was the DA many of the abuses that happened under Judge Mark Ciavarella occurred. Lupas and Jackie Mo didn't pay attention to the Juvenile Court

Bob Reilly got Luzerne County contract

Incredible. Admitted criminal former Luzerne County Clerk of Courts Bob Reilly formed a company called Tri-State Chemical March 21, 2011 that was awarded a county contract to provide cleaning supplies valued at $6500 on August 23, 2011. Reilly plead guilty to lying to a FBI agent and was sentenced to probation November 4, 2010. He was originally charged with accepting a bribe from Barton Weidlich but cut a deal with the feds.

Controller Walter Griffith discovered the ownership of the company and has asked the Commissioners to cancel the contract and put it on a no bid list. Various lawyers quoted in the media are not sure if that is possible and Commissioner Chair Maryanne Petrilla points out that the county contracts with thousands of companies. The challenge is to develop a vetting process to prevent this type of thing from happening again if possible. Reilly's lawyer argues that the guy has to make a living.

You have to wonder what this guy is thinking by putting in a bid for county business after disgracing himself. As Michelle Bachman would say, he has a lot of choot-spa.


Commissioners probe how firm owned by former clerk of courts won county contract


Controller wants to void bids from Reilly-owned company

Patte's Sports Bar loses liquor license

Maybe


According to the TL Pat Patte's license has not been renewed but he can appeal the decision and will almost certainly will. I predict that the place will keep it's license even if he loses the appeal by selling the place, on paper anyway, to one of his kids.


To refresh your memories Pat is serving 3 years probation for running a gambling operation out of the place and avoided having the business seized by the Feds by paying a $100,000 fine. As I pointed out earlier it was one of the worst kept secrets for years that you could place a friendly wager on a sporting event at Patte's among other North End bars in Wilkes-Barre. When I was a kid I got an education about the meaning of the point spread in the place.


You can but a lottery ticket a few blocks away or spend your unemployment check 2 miles to the north at the Mohegan Sun but you can't wager that the Patriots will beat the Dolphins by 3.

If you go there on a Monday night you can enjoy a great meal and my friend Jim Dougherty will direct you to the Men's room.


Patte's changed over the years going from a corner bar into a hangout for the local political elite.


I even ran into this guy on election eve in November 2010 at Patte's

Shredder

Local blogger Joe Valenti of Pittston Politics has had some adventures lately. A few weeks ago he made a request under the open records law for some documents from the Wyoming Area School Board and recently learned that the documents he requested had been shredded. I'm surprised that the local newspaper reporters haven't picked up on this yet because they do read the blogs.

Joe has also been subpoenaed in a case involving the Pittston Area School Board and he made a great video in response to that and the Wyoming Area open records officer. He is now digging in the dumpsters of all the Pittston and Wyoming area schools. Good luck.

Skrep gets 2 years

Skrepenak sentenced to 24 months in prison, fine

Shock, tears and a vow to survive

Former Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak showed up in court yesterday to receive his sentence for being a crook clutching a bible. The last few days his lawyer has thrown out all sorts of weak excuses why he shouldn't go to jail.

Go Easy On Me, Judge. I’m Really Likeable, And My Knees Hurt

Judge Richard Conaboy didn't buy any of it and gave him the longest sentence to date in Corruption Junction.

The reaction from his fellow Bond Brother Todd Vonderheid:

“I have no comment.”


The $70,000+ worth of bribes to Skrep must have played a part of the reckless spending and borrowing spree that Skrepenak and Vonderheid went on after they were elected after they helped shoot down the last Home Rule proposal. Trust us, they said.

That worked out well.

Bob Reilly admits he is a liar

Reilly pleads guilty to lying charge

Reilly says he’s guilty of telling lie

But he still denies he broke any laws.

Reilly was originally charged in April with soliciting bribes from Pittston contractor Barton J. Weidlich, who was paid more than $53,000 for 19 no-bid county government construction jobs between July 2006 and December 2008. Most of the work was connected to a records-retention initiative headed by Reilly that remains under federal investigation.

Reilly faced up to 10 years in prison on that charge. But following months of plea negotiations, federal prosecutors replaced the soliciting charge with one of lying to federal agents and Reilly agreed to plead guilty in June.

Weidlich pleaded guilty Wednesday to threatening a grand jury witness in the case. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

Weidlich and Reilly are among more than 30 people charged in an ongoing federal probe of public corruption.

Pizzella sentenced to a Time Out

Another house arrest for an admitted criminal. I hate to bash a judge because you never know when you might end up in front of one but this sentence is ridiculous.

CV: U.S. District Judge James M. Munley ordered Pizzella to serve two years of probation, including five months on house arrest, after a federal prosecutor detailed Pizzella's cooperation in at least seven different investigations. Pizzella must also pay a $10,000 fine.

Pizzella has been singing to the FBI ratting out fellow Wilkes-Barre Area School Board members Brian Dunn and James Height and has provided information about the carpet guy plus the overcharging by Intellecom. The TL story says he was feeding the FBI information about Luzerne County Judges when he was Ann Lokuta's tipstaff.

His attorney conceded Pizzella “can in some respects annoy people” by being brusque. That is an understatement. Judge Munley cited Pizzella's cooperation and "spotless reputation" in deciding not to send him to jail.

Spotless reputation? Are we talking about the same person?


Pizzella, a former Plains Township police officer and township commissioner, has been accused of spousal abuse, punching his father and threatening to kill his daughter. In 1980, police accused Pizzella and a friend of hiring a hitman to break the legs of a political rival.


Pizzella also claims he is in poor health. It seems to be a problem with all the people who have snared in probe here in Corruption Junction. Judge Toole also claims he has a bad back, it must be contageous.


Judge Munley said: “We condemn the conduct. What he was engaged in is outrageous. It’s a throwback” to days when public officials routinely behaved that way, “and it will not be tolerated any more.”

If you don't put people in jail what is the deterrent Judge Munley?

On background I have been told that Frankie Kneecaps will not be allowed to watch Nickelodeon or The Disney Channel while he spends the next 5 months sitting on his duff. As an additional punishment he won't get a graham cracker after recess or a chocolate milk.

Poor Skrep

I think the life story of Greg Skrepenak would make a great TV movie. Local boy with athletic talent goes off to a Big 10 school and excels at football then has success in the NFL making big bucks. After his 5 year professional football career he returns home wanting to do good establishing a foundation to spread around his wealth to worthy causes. Then he got involved in local politics and the All-American Boy becomes an admitted criminal who is now apparently broke. This is a tragedy that Shakespeare could have written.

Liz Sichler busted

Until she resigned as the the Vice-Chair of the Luzerne County Republican Party in 2008 Sichler was best known for her hard nosed approach to politics with a particular talent for challenging the nominating petitions of candidates that she opposed.

According to the TL story she was running a Bernie Madoff type ponzi scheme until it unravelled and is now accused of embezzling $2 million from her title search company and the people who trusted her to do the paperwork to buy a new home.

She was a top operative of State Representative Karen Boback before all of this and succeeded in getting James May kicked off the the ballot in 2006. In 2008 she was one of the leaders of the Boback campaign that turned back May's primary challenge then quit politics a few days after the primary after the news broke that the Secret Service was investigating her activities.

Liz was a big contributor to various Republican candidates before she ran out of other peoples money to throw around. She tossed $825 to Karen Boback before the 2008 election and in the 2008 federal elections she dropped 8 grand to her favs including $4600 for Lou Barletta and $3200 to Dan Meusers losing effort.

Note: I'm back

Thom Greco

30 and counting.

Thom Greco is famous for opening food and beverage businesses in Wilkes-Barre with much fanfare only to see the ventures fail shortly afterward. There have been so many I'm not even going to try to list them all.

His latest project is a pizza place at the site of the former Grogg Shop on the corner of N. Main and Union Streets that recently was Gage Restaurant. In the past it was Hacienda Restaurant, Heartbreaks, Harrigan's Irish Pub, Bazookas, Martini Ristorante and Bar, Aprilia's Restaurant and Nono's Restaurant and Bar.

He is presently operating Oysters in the Genetti Hotel and The Mines. Greco also owns residential and commercial rental properties and has been talking about building a fiber optic network using the steam heat pipes for years but that hasn't gone anywhere.

Now he has been snared in the Corruption Junction investigation signing another one of those very vaguely worded plea agreements.

TL: Court documents filed in federal court Thursday said Greco failed to report to authorities his knowledge that an elected official had solicited and accepted a gratuity in exchange for official action. ...Greco, 53, of Wilkes-Barre, had this information between April 2005 and December 2009, court papers say. The court papers do not identify the public official or provide any further details regarding the crime.


Disclosure: I actually worked for him for a short time at the Station nightclub and hotel complex that is now one of the biggest eyesores in Wilkes-Barre. I took the first job offer that came along to get out of that gig. But he came out of that alright when the Luzerne County Commissioners (Skrep, Vondy and Urban) bought that pile of junk but now don't have the money to clean it up. He was partners with the Kornfeld family of The Woodlands fame in that venture. When it went sour he sued them and actually had their cars seized and towed to settle his claims. Guess who towed the cars?

Corruption Junction

A few months ago Capitol Ideas referred to Northeatern Pennsylvania region as "insanity with borders" when talking about all the scandals that have surfaced. Hard to argue with that but it's not exactly a catchy phrase.

I came up with the Juvie Brothers to describe the evil that Judges Michael Conahan and Mark Ciavarella engaged in but the papers settled on "cash for kids." I can't argue with that, at least the scandal hasn't been tagged as some sort of -gate, such as bonusgate. That is just lazy.

So I propose that the ongoing corruption investigation outside of the Juvienile probe in Luzerne/Lackawanna counties be dubbed Corruption Junction.

If you can up with something better you will win a Gort42 hat.

PA only number 8 ????

I can't say that I agree with this but it is state rankings not by county. Those of us that live here in Corruption Junction (Luzerne County) know better.


Website ranks Pennsylvania among top 10 corrupt states

The Daily Beast is using old data from just Philadelphia and doesn't take into account our own Juvie Brothers and the rest of the cast of characters of school board directors and municipal officials not to mention the Bonusgate corruption in Harrisburg.

I will have to slip an envelope to Sights on Pennsylvania for pointing out this story. I'll stuff it with 10% of my ad revenue.

Bob Reilly wants to work

Stop your snickering.

TL: But Reilly doesn’t want to receive a pay check for nothing, according to his attorney, Mike Butera....“He doesn’t want to take the pay without working,” said Butera. “We’re hoping he can take leave as clerk of courts and do other clerical work in the office so he can earn his pay.”

Reilly, 57, of Wilkes-Barre, won’t resign because he is maintaining his innocence, Butera said.

“He is not guilty of the charge they have accused him of,” Butera said.

He is no longer listed as a salesman on the used car company website so he needs something to do. I hope one of these cases finally goes to trial. His accuser is Barton Weidlich who has also been indicted for threatening a witness and is a convicted felon.

Mike Sesak has a brief bio of Weidlich

Incarcerated businessman had access at courthouse

Reilly busted

28 and counting

Feds: Reilly took $1,500 in bribes from constructon contrator

The bribery charges filed against Luzerne County Clerk of Courts Robert Reilly today relate to his alleged acceptance of $1,500 in kickbacks from contractor Barton Weidlich for work Weidlich performed in the Clerk of Courts office and another county building, according to an affidavit...


Weidlich said he also paid Reilly kickbacks for work that was performed in a building the county was using for storage located behind Antonio’s Pizza on River Street. All tolled, Weidlich said he paid kickbacks to Reilly five to seven times totaling $1,500.

More Luzerne County corruption

I have to tip my hat to reporters and editors of the Times-Leader and Citizens Voice for keeping us informed of the the latest outrages. I know I can't keep up on it all.


Today we learn that

TL: Luzerne County Clerk of Courts Robert Reilly rejected a plea agreement offered by federal authorities to charges related to the ongoing corruption probe, a source knowledgeable with the investigation said.

I have to say good for him. It's about time that one of these cases actually goes to trial so we can learn who is paying the bribes not just who accepting them. He will probably cave before trial.

The Little Red Wagon company of Wayne, PA is the center of the latest questionable contracting practices or lack of in the county.


County commissioners initially approved payment of $107,000 to LRW. They later voted to extend the contract, but the new terms did not detail what work would be done, set a timeframe or cap for payments. The extension also was never signed by the county.

The original contract was signed in 2005 since then LRW has been paid almost a million dollars for advice on how to put papers in boxes. No change orders or extensions were ever approved by the Commissioners.


Controller Walter Griffith has stopped paying their invoices.


Prothonotary Carolee claims credit for blowing the whistle

Medico: I called feds


Medico Olenginski loudly expressed her concerns about the payments at a Jan. 27 records improvement committee meeting – the first public committee meeting in years.

However, fellow committee members Reilly, Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla and acting Sheriff Charles Guarnieri voted to continue paying LRW, also known as Little Red Wagon, to complete more work. Deputy Treasurer Dominick DePolo, representing Treasurer Michael Morreale, also voted in favor of continuing.


LRW has a website that has client testomnials including this one from Bob Reilly:


"After a lengthy search, I finally found a professional company who understands County government and provides the unique records management services we needed. LRW was able to help many of our offices free up valuable office and storage space and develop easy to follow guidelines for maintaining departmental retention schedules. The Records Improvement Committee and County Departments are extremely pleased with the work they have done. I can depend on LRW to get any job done."

— Robert Reilly, Luzerne County Clerk of Courts

The Sharp Dressed Man sings

SCRANTON - Former Luzerne County official Bill Brace helped federal prosecutors with an investigation of county Clerk of Courts Robert F. Reilly, a government attorney told a federal judge at Brace's sentencing Wednesday.


Brace was sentenced to only 3 months in prison for accepting a$1500 suit from an unnamed contractor because he ratted out used car salesman and Big Ugly's investor Reilly in addition to former Commissioner Greg Skrepnak and former Jury Commissioner Jerry Bonner. Apparently there is no honor among thieves when your own ass is on the line. The feds are also questioning Reilly's involvement with LRW Solutions group that Controller Walter Griffith has stopped paying because of concerns about the company's contract with Luzerne County.

If that isn't enough Judge Munley dropped this bomb


Brace's criminal conduct went beyond the suit and his position in county government...
Munley, summarizing a confidential pre-sentence report, said Brace accepted $800 per month from another company over a two-year span after he led the firm's officials to believe he could secure them business with the City of Wilkes-Barre, his employer for 31 years before he joined Reilly's office in 2001.

More about that later.

Patte's Sports Bar

Pat is down in the Bahama's on a long planned trip and the Fed's are trying to seize his bar using forfeiture laws that are also used in drug cases that have been abused in many cases. He hasn't been convicted of anything yet but they are already trying to grab his property. No matter what your political stripe is you should find this action to be outrageous.

A Facebook group has popped up supporting him and the website he is accused of running is still online. Willtobet requires a login and password that I have never been privy to.

I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!

One of worst kept secrets in these parts is that you could make a friendly wager on sporting events at Patte's Sports Bar in the North End of Wilkes-Barre. When I was a little boy my dad would take me there occasionally on a Saturday afternoon for a burger and a soda to watch a baseball or football game. Listening to the chatter of the patrons I remember asking him "what is a point spread?"

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When I was a kid the place was just another corner bar that was later renovated and expanded and over the years the clientèle expaned from just the local working stiffs to include the who's who of the local Democratic Party. That seemed to accelerate after the closing of Aldino's Manor in East End.

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The owner Patrick Patte and an employee have now been charged with what amounts to bookmaking. The TL story suggest that they were wiretapped. I have seen many local politico's there over the years and many of them are now under indictment or copped a plea. It looks like they are all singing to the Feds trying to save their own asses and will give up a name no matter how unrelated to the government corruption that has been going on forever.

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A crime is a crime but you can legally gamble a few miles to the north at the casino in Plains that used to be called Pocono Downs. I think that the thing that should be investigated is how his kid got the job as the Coughlin High School football coach.

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The Blogfather wasn't impressed by the food or the atmosphere. I think the food is good and I always enjoy talking politics.

High Anxiety

Poor Sam Hyder, he just couldn't take it anymore. Despite being a martial arts expert and possibly the most well trained employee in the history of Luzerne County who has travelled all over the USA to gain knowledge on how to be the best deputy warden of a county lockup he could be he just couldn't deal with people whispering mean things about him at church.

He has been on paid leave until the County Salary Board eliminated funding for his position in a cost cutting move.

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Hyder has filed the fourth workman's compensation claim in his career. This only the second one with Luzerne County when he previously got beat up triyng to break up a fight in the jail and the other two had to do with injuries in a warehouse. Greg Skrepnak brought him back after his traumatic experience at the jail.

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He made some wild accusations at his workman's comp hearing including receiving death threats from a motorcycle gang and alleged that Luzerne County Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla was out to get him, participating in an autopsy against his will and being responsible for a suicide.

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To add his stress level Luzerne County Controller Walter Griffith says the numbers don't add up as far as his vacation and sick pay claims and refuses to pay him any more money

Frank Pizzella pleads guilty of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States

With all the election horse race news lately I have been remiss in covering the latest in the ongoing Luzerne County corruption scandals.

TL: Wilkes-Barre Area School Board President Frank Pizzella Jr., charged with passing a bribe onto another school board member, has signed a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.

I'm actually disappointed in Frankie kneecaps. He vowed to fight the charges and go to trial just last week and wanted the names of his accusers. I wanted a trial so we could start learning the names of the other people involved. Former reformer Christine Katsock must be heartbroken


In other corruption news:


SCRANTON – The sentencing for former Wilkes-Barre Area School Board member James Height on charges he accepted a bribe has been continued until March 9.



Oliveri sentenced to 366 days in prison

And the big one

Former commissioner Skrepenak pleads guilty to bribery charge

Greg Skrepenak said he didn't know what he did was wrong at the time but realizes it now. Another reason to end the corporate welfare programs known as Keystone Opportunity Zones (KOZ) and Tax increment financing (TIF). I think that Skrep and former Commissioner Todd Vonderheid are guilty of a worse transgression, doubling the County debt because they wouldn't raise taxes because of political reasons. Now taxes are being raised because of their mismanagement and the rampant corruption.




Property tax up 15 %