While You Were Distracted: 2 Democratic Mayors From PA Arrested By FBI Today

While the media was focused on a transgender strawman attempt at white knighting, directly contradicting the recommendations of the top Military Generals and Admirals in the United States, another major story was occurring that received little to no attention whatsoever.

Two prominent Pennsylvania Democrat mayors were indicted as a result of a Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into an alleged pay-to-play corruption scheme.

First and foremost, Allentown, Pennsylvania, Mayor Ed Pawlowski (Democrat) was charged with a total of 14 counts relating to running a pay-to-play scheme, and other offenses pertaining to conspiracy to accept and offer bribes.

Not to be outdone by a fellow party member, another prominent Reading Mayor, Vaughn Spencer (Democrat) “essentially put up a ‘for sale’ sign in front of their city halls to sell city work to the highest bidder,” according to the United States Attorney for Eastern Pennsylvania, Louis Lappen.

Pawlowski himself is accused of being involved in the sale of city contracts. He and other democrats had managed to direct the bids for delinquent city tax collections, which local and county government officials then ascertain to the winner, to his personally hand selected and chosen firms.

During today's minutely covered news conference, Lappen said that Pawlowski and Spencer are alleged to have “brazenly and repeatedly sold off city contracts” for personal profits.

Apparently the FBI believes that where there is smoke, there must be fire, because both Democrats are now charged with the crimes

During the press conference Lappen also highlighted one specific incident, claiming that Pawlowski allegedly solicited personal and corporate contributions to his gubernatorial campaign from two unnamed companies that were bidding to collect delinquent taxes for the city.

<a href="http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-nws-allentown-mayor-ed-pawlowski-indictment-unsealed-fbi-20170725-story.html">The Morning Call reports:</a>

<i>“Disappointed that the company that had held the contract “had not done anything for him” in the past, Pawlowski, through an intermediary, let the new bidder, identified in documents as Company No. 4, know that in addition to the donation, he wanted Philadelphia Eagles playoff tickets, the documents say.”</i>

<i>“On Jan. 4, 2014, Pawlowski went to dinner and the game, courtesy of Company No. 4 and a law firm that was helping the company with its bid, the documents say.”</i>

<i>“That month, Pawlowski allegedly directed then-finance Director Garret “Gary” Strathearn to give the delinquent tax collection contract, worth an estimated $3 million, to Company No. 4. City records show that contract was awarded to Northeast Revenue Service of Wilkes-Barre, one of about two dozen entities on the initial subpoena served on Allentown City Hall on July 2, 2015.”</i>

<i>“The example highlights the scheme that Lappen said was put into motion with four major Allentown contracts with an estimated total value of about $9.5 million.”</i>

<a href="http://insider.foxnews.com/2017/07/26/fbi-pay-play-probe-pennsylvania-allentown-pawlowski-reading-spencer-indicted">Fox News reports:</a>

<i>“Officials allegedly had bidding scores changed, to the benefit of a particular bidder, according to Lappen and the indictment.”</i>

<i>“Lappen said Pawlowski wanted to direct that 2013 contract to a company that provided “a steady stream of benefits” to him, which included campaign contributions and Philadelphia Eagles tickets.”</i>

<i>“The indictment said that Pawlowski later attended a 2014 Eagles playoff game and ate dinner at a pricey steakhouse, courtesy of a “Company #4” payment.”</i>

<i>“Spencer is accused of bribery, conspiracy, and honest services fraud along with other Reading officials, according to the indictment.”</i>

<i>“In what Lappen called an “astounding act of irony,” Spencer allegedly pressured City Council President Francisco Acosta (D) to introduce a bill repealing an anti-corruption statute.”</i>

<i>“$1800 was later allegedly donated to Acosta’s wife Rebecca, who was running for a judgeship.”</i>

<i>“Mike Fleck, who managed Spencer’s mayoral campaign and also assisted Pawlowski, was also charged in the probe.”</i>

Reports say that Mayor Pawlowski is seeking a fourth term in office in November, although this may put a nail in that coffin for good

The new FBI charges against him include conspiracy to commit mail fraud, bribery and solicitation, extortion under color of official right, mail fraud, wire fraud, and finally honest services mail fraud.

The former Reading Mayor Vaughn Spencer, who also used Pawlowski’s former campaign manager and best friend Mike Fleck’s consulting firm to run his campaign; has also been charged.

Involved in those charges are several others including Rebecca Acosta, who is a Reading School Board member and wife of former Reading City Council President Francisco Acosta, who also has previously pleaded guilty in a similar corruption case in Reading and is currently serving a two-year sentence in federal prison.

Fleck has already pleaded guilty in the case and also recorded conversations with Pawlowski for the FBI, as an informant, to secure these new indictments.

<strong>Credit to @FreedomParadox1 for tipping me off to this story, where I began to research more and found the crucial story the media has swept under the rug, or, they tried to.</strong>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Allentown PA<br>Mayor indicted?!<br><br>Like and share —&gt; @<br><br>Visit us 👉🏼 <a href="https://t.co/Fy2QwgDVJ3">https://t.co/Fy2QwgDVJ3</a> <a href="https://t.co/cTotzJHIig">https://t.co/cTotzJHIig</a></p>&mdash; TheFreedomParadox (@freedomparadox1) <a href="https://twitter.com/freedomparadox1/status/889973605295169536">July 25, 2017</a></blockquote>

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Source:

http://freedomoutpost.com/fbi-indicts-2-pennsylvania-democrat-mayors-in-pay-to-play-probe/