Pretend Newspaper Distracts and Misinforms Readers on DeNaples

As if on cue, today's version of the Scran'en fairy tales for adults finally includes some local reporting on the DeNaples probe.

As per usual for the hacks on that paper, the droning report contains no news. It is little more than a list of people seen going in and out of the courthouse (most of whom they don't even bother to talk to after their appearance) where the grand jury is examining the local felon's reputed ties to organized crime, alleged lies on his slots application, and purported illegal donations.

But that information is apparently too sensitive for the readers of this pretend newspaper, as the article fails to even detail what the grand jury is investigating.

But, we are accustomed to the wannabe newspaper's inability to master the most basic of journalism skills. It is what they sneak in at the very end of the piece that sums up what talentless imbeciles are running and writing for that piece of tripe.

Typically for this rag, the piece is salted with apologies for DeNaples -- not surprising since this lousy paper has already declared DeNaples clean and they aren't about to let something like a dual Federal/State investigation call their "news reporting" into question.

So, for example, they rush to point out that one of the people testifying before the grand jury won a defamation case against the Wilkes-Barre Citizen's Voice newspaper last year over an article that suggested the witness was linked to the Federal investigation of NEPA's mob. Of course, that was an unrelated investigation, but the mention serves the purpose of watering down the current investigation. What is stunning is what these no-talent rejects from the Weekly World News elected to leave out of their reporting.

Here's what they said:

"In 2006, a Luzerne County judge awarded Mr. Joseph $3.5 million in a defamation suit against The Citizens' Voice and its parent company over stories published in the wake of the federal raids on Mr. Joseph's Mountaintop home and at least one of his businesses."

What they leave out is that the "parent company" of the Voice and the Scran'en pretend newspaper are one in the same. A real reporter would have disclosed that, but, as we have learned before, the Lynett family, which owns the papers, appears to reject journalistic ethics and seem to ensure that the hacks who work for them are either unable to tell the difference or don't care. (An early-morning inquiry to the "reporter" has not been returned.)

How REAL newspapers have covered the story:

Priest, ex-prosecutor go before grand jury, Philly Daily News, 8/30/07
Priest talks to DeNaples grand jury, Allentown Morning Call, 8/30/07
Allies show as grand jury meets, Philly Daily News, 8/30/07
Denaples' priest faces grand jury, Allentown Morning Call, 8/29/07
More connections emerge between grand jury, Pa. casino licensee, Philly Daily News, 8/29/07
5 witnesses testify in DeNaples probe, Allentown Morning Call, 8/29/07
'Independent' panel members remain unknown, Philly Daily News, 8/28/07
Several appear before grand jury over slots, Allentown Morning Call, 8/28/07
Prosecutor in DeNaples probe to resign, sources say, Allentown Morning Call, 8/23/07
DeNaples link prompts Marino to withdraw from mob probe, Allentown Morning Call, 8/21/07
Marino-DeNaples ties led prosecutor to pull out of probe, Allentown Morning Call, 8/20/07
Sources: Mount Airy owner focus of U.S., state investigation, Allentown Morning Call, 8/19/07

UPDATE: Also on the beat:

The DeNaples story blows up while the Scranton Times sleeps, Noertheast PA Media News
The Electric Connection, Truth, Lies & Peace

And a tip 'o the hoagie to GettysBlog for this golden oldie and the apt (especially considering this) Godfather quote:

"The Pope, the Holy Father himself, has this very day blessed Michael Corleone; an' you think you know better than the Pope?"
--Dominic Abbandando
(Michael's PR Advisor, son of Genco) to reporters (Godfather III).

Summary only...

Scran'en Times Ignores DeNaples Probes

The two or tree of you out there who regularly read this space might recall that I've mentioned the apparent lack of ethics and journalistic talent on that pretend newspaper in Scran'en. Like in Trashing the First Amendment, or in A Matter of Integrity, and here, and here, here, too, and, of course, here, among other places.

Having successfully shilled for their bosses' boy in the last Senatorial primary and election, the non-journalists at the Scran'en Times have recently been busy covering up the recurring problems of local felon Louis DeNaples and the joint Federal/State probes into whether he lied on his slots application, has ties to the mob, and illegally contributed money to Rendell and others to grease the slide for his slots application.

Real newspapers have brought us stories on the federal/state probe. Like the Philly paper which recounts grand jury appearances, and the story on the Gaming Board's refusal to identify the "audit committee" which supposedly investigated the allegations of mob ties and found them (surprise) wanting. Readers of the Morning Call were served up intrepid and original coverage of the issues ranging from the revelation of the dual-probe, to the grand jury witnesses, more on the witnesses, the (Scran'en) Federal Prosecutor's close ties with DeNaples, and the US Attorney's subsequent resignation apparently connected to the DeNaples probe.

Readers of the Scran'en paper can be forgiven for their force-fed ignorance. The boys up there at the pretend newspaper couldn't bring themselves to send a reporter out to cover the big local story. Instead, their readers got a little mention in a bland AP wire report touting that the US Attorney had vouched for DeNaples, and a brief mention of the probes in one article focusing on Billy D'Elia, the admitted mob guy who is facing trial on several charges and who is one of several sources in the DeNaples probe.

But the good folk up there in NEPA can be forgiven for thinking that DeNaples is the victim here because they know that their good and honorable journalists at the Scran'en Times have already looked into all of that and pronounced DeNaples clean as the whistle. This because the Scran'en Times served up one of the most blatant of their patented BJ pieces, this one called Denaples: Mob Links Simply Don't Add Up.

(Image Credit: DeNaples, Allentown Morning Call / August 18, 2007)

Summary only...

DeNaple's US Attorney Pal to Step Down

More smoke . . . .

The Morning Call is reporting tonight that the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Thomas Marino, is resigning.

It was recently revealed that Marino was listed as a reference for convicted felon and reputed mob connected slots applicant Louis DeNaples. Marino then recused himself from a Federal probe into DeNaples' alleged illegal contributions by to Rendell, and into DeNaples purported ties to organized crime.

What is unclear from the reports is how long it took Marino to recuse himself from the investigation of his long-time friend. (But, it's gotta give you a warm and fuzzy to realize that the chief Federal law enforcement official in the Middle District has a long-standing friendship with a convicted felon who has long been reputedly associated with the largest organized crime family in his District.)

It was reported last year that, between 2000 and 2005, DeNaples and affiliates contributed over a million bucks to Rendell and Bob Mellow, among others, who were instrumental in naming folk to the gaming board that eventually awarded DeNaples his slots license. Earlier this week, citizens groups filed ethics complaints against one of those board members, whose law firm represented DeNaples and another slots applicant.

Marino was reportedly on the chopping block last year. His resignation could be in preparation for a run at Chris Carney. That'll give the voters in PA's 10th an interesting choice -- friend of convicted felon and "alleged" mob figure versus just another lying politician.

Summary only...

Home

A relative just sent me a link to this article on our old neighborhood which appeared in the Times while I was away. (The Times also produced a video companion to the story.)

I scampered on those streets, played in the playgrounds, and never, ever, felt scared or threatened, not for one single solitary minute. I never saw any violence on the streets or in the playgrounds, never saw anyone pull a knife or a gun, never even heard a gunshot in the night.

Everyone around me -- the other poor Irish, the Germans, the Puerto Ricans -- were just part of the neighborhood. The grown-ups looked out for other people's kids and everyone greeted everyone else by name when they passed on the street (and the kids always said "Mr." or "Mrs."). It was more of a neighborhood than most suburban neighborhoods that I've lived in during the five decades since. It didn't need cleaning up. A hand up, maybe. Instead, they cut the guts out of it and killed the spirit of the place to make way for the Starbucks and fern bars and their wealthy patrons.

Summary only...

Ethics Complaint Filed Against Casino Lawyer

A couple of citizen-watchdog organizations have filed a formal complaint with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's Disciplinary Counsel, seeking an investigation of former Gaming Control Board Chairman Thomas "Tad" Decker, Stephen A. Cozen, and seven other Cozen O'Connor attorneys. They allege a slew of conflicts of interest and violations of Pennsylvania's Rules of Professional Conduct for licensed attorneys.

Cozen O'Connor represents Louis DeNaples, owner of the Mt. Airy Resort and Casino. DeNaples is the subject of Federal and State probes into potential illegal campaign contributions to Decker's college-friend (Rendell) and Denaples' alleged affiliation with William "Big Billy" D'Elia, the purported head of the Bufalino crime family in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Decker worked for Cozen O'Connor as a managing partner until Rendell made him chair of the newly formed Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board in 2004. Decker left the Board earlier this month and took over the reigns at Cozen O'Connor as President/CEO. Cozen O'Connor represents SugarHouse Casino, as well as DeNaples. (The law prohibits former board members from representing applicants before the board for two years.)

The ethics complaint lists a variety of asserted conflicts of interest, including:

* During Decker's tenure, Cozen O'Connor represented SugarHouse in several matters before the Supreme Court and possibly administrative proceedings before the PGCB.
* On the same day as Decker stepped down as Chairman of the PGCB, he returned to a raise and promotion at Cozen O'Connor which continues to represent two casinos with business before the PGCB.
* Decker only recused himself from the final vote on SugarHouse, but presided over the deliberations regarding the site selection of all 12 casino licenses, including SugarHouse Casino.
* Decker neglected to recuse himself from voting and deliberating on the four other Philadelphia casino applicants, and hence he was still able to influence the outcome of the vote.
* Decker continued to direct the defense of the Gaming Control Board's licensing decisions before the state Supreme Court, despite outstanding questions regarding his continuing ties to Cozen O'Connor.
* After hiring Tad Decker, Cozen O'Connor became ineligible to represent SugarHouse and Mount Airy Lodge. By continuing to do so, Cozen O'Connor and Tad Decker are in violation of the Supreme Court's Rules of Professional Conduct for licensed attorneys.

The complainants are awaiting word on whether their complaint will be investigated. (Poisonally, I don't think they ought to hold their breaths.)

Summary only...

E-Voting Nightmare

Another warm and fuzzy moment brought to you by the people who stole the last election while you were watching Florida: Voting machines in Ohio permit officials to match voters to their votes.

Summary only...

Gore Beats the Field in Michigan

Michigan voters prefer Gore, Thompson. Meanwhile, Hillary is preparing to fight the next war.

Summary only...

While You Were Sleeping

Thought that Commodus and his Grey Eminence had shot the wad on no-bids? Think again. No-bid contract awards have tripled since 2000, with an increase of $60 Billion in the last year alone.

Summary only...

Less Income, Again

With but one exception, American income has grown each year since WW II. Commodus, and his band of cronies, criminals, and incompetents, have managed the economy with skill enough to ensure that everyone but the rich suffer. For the fifth year running, American average income has declined over the previous year. The destruction of America's economic engine is seen in some quarters as the lurking true legacy of our era's Commodus. There's a shit storm looming, more powerful than any of your umbrellas.

Summary only...

DeNaples Facing Two Probes

On the way to the Stadium on Sunday, I stopped in the local convenience store to pick up coffee and noted the headline in the intrepid Morning Call, screaming that the slots king cum garbage king turned banker and (oh, okay) "alleged" mob figure, Louis DeNaples, was facing Federal and State probes into whether he illegally gave money to Rendell in order to boost his slots chances.

What a shocker! The guy with the worst plan for a slots casino in the Poconos, in the worst location, who has turned it over to his dentist daughter to run, might have won the license because of the money he doled out?

Our two faithful readers will recognize that story. What will happen next? Well, what normally happens to the wealthy and well connected, especially in the pristine politics of Pennsylvania?

Hey, he's just another family man trying to make good -- give the guy a break.

Summary only...

Relax. You're among friends.

That was the theme of my week away -- the first in countless years. The week was pointless, as it was intended to be. Relaxation was the goal of the time spent at one of those infamous Poconos resorts. By the end of the stay, I couldn't even force myself to walk any faster than a very leisurely stroll. Capping the week, Saturday evening was an intimate party of 9500 friends taking in a wonderful Ratdog/Allman Brothers show in the Poconos, followed quick on by a trip to the City to watch a thrilling game at the Stadium as the Yanks posted yet another win to move within four of Boston.

Having not read a newspaper, nor turned on a TV, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the Despicable Cretin had to let his Potemkin architect go home. And, I was not surprised to hear that, after winning four elections for the D.C. by nuzzling the religious crowd and presenting the wondering boy as a born again crusader, we learn that the little shit was a non-believer all along. Ummmm, I betcha that little dose of reality is making the christianistas feel all warm and fuzzy about surrendering their asses to the D.C. ramrod all these years.

Well, looks like it is time to get back to work . . . .

Summary only...

ABFS Will Return

Around August 20, until then, me and the Iraqi government are going to the beach . . . .

Summary only...

Mellow Not the Guy the Dems Want

Bob Mellow is considering a run for Gubbenor on 2010.

It wouldn't take much digging to scrape the covers off this guy.

Summary only...

Smarter than I look . . . or lucky

Thanks to Wilkes-Barre poliblogger Danny Bauder for reminding me just how prescient, or just dumb and lucky, I can be. It was just a smidgen over a year ago that I commented on his blog about how the recently-destroyed Hazleton anti-tolerance ordnance was likely to be eviscerated on preemption grounds. I'd forgotten about that until Danny sent me the link to my little note.

From the Court's smackdown(page 186): We find for the plaintiffs on Count I of the complaint. Federal law pre-empts IIRA and RO. The ordinances disrupt a well-established federal scheme for regulating the presence and employment of immigrants in the United States. They violate the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution and are unconstitutional.

Heh heh. Just like a broken clock . . . .

Summary only...

It's Jerry Week

For a great essay on Jerry, check out Kiko's House.

Summary only...