They stood proudly in the Lackawanna County Stadium sharing their excitement that they just inked a deal to bring the Triple A team of the New York Yankees to to Moosic. But at what cost?

Bob Cordaro & A.J. Munchak are Yankees Fans! Yes, They Really Are! Read the Indictment!

They sat next to each other during Lackawanna Commissioner’s meetings announcing plans of grandeur, many which never panned out. But at what cost?

A.J. Munchak Really Does Love Bob Cordaro - Just Look at that Smile!

The gave actor/director Paul Sorvino taxpayer money to make a movie in Scranton that has yet to be finished. But at what cost?

Paul Sorvino Is Making A Movie. Thanks Lackawanna County for the Money! Too Bad There's No Movie.

They danced the night away and hobnobbed with the area elite at the grand opening of the new Wilkes-Barre / Scranton International Airport. But at what cost?

Everybody's Favorite Public Masturbator, Fomer Congressman Wanker McDade all Smiles at the Opening of the Airport with Bobby at his Side

The sweeping indictment that came down this week on former Lackawanna County Commissioner Robert “Bobby” Cordaro and sitting Commissioner A. J. Munchak should have come at no surprise to anyone. It’s long been rumored, even when the duo was in office, that these two slick politicians were as crooked as the day is long.

If you dare to read through the 50-plus page indictment it reads like a Paul Sorvino treatment for a mob film. Listed are 40-counts including racketeering, fraud, extortion, bribery, money laundering, conspiracy, tax evasion… the only thing missing is murder.

Just as former Luzerne County Commissioner and elitist pretty-boy Todd Vonderheid used a shill in the form of Greg Skrepenak, Bob Cordaro had A. J. The always smiling, friendly teddy bear-like Munchak was Bobby’s best friend because he didn’t know any better. Vonderheid was Skrep’s puppet-master and Cordaro was Munchak’s, and the end result is much the same.

Skrepenak says he didn’t know that accepting a kick-back from someone for a favor was illegal and is now using the stupidity clause to plead himself out of spending time in the big house making license plates. Munchak and Cordaro are following the same course thumbing their noses at the Federal Government and denying culpability on the 40-counts against them.

Munchak, now in the fight of his life, was quoted as saying, “I will be found innocent.” Cordaro, who seemed to funnel most of the money and gifts to himself says through his attorney, “we are not happy this indictment has been brought, but we fully intend to address the charges.” Gee, I wouldn’t be happy with being indicted either, glad to see Bob’s attorney agrees.

In addition to accepting tickets for ball games, a trip to Monte Carlo, an executive producer credit in a yet-to-be-made movie, the team who once ran on a platform of “Moving Lackawanna County Forward,” is now accused of pocketing nearly a half-million dollars in cold, hard cash. I have to give them credit, they were a hell of a lot smarter than Vonderheid and Skrepenak. Cordaro and Munchak got caviar and champagne, the wonder boys of Luzerne County got cheese sandwiches and tap water.

There are several projects in Lackawanna County that need to be looked into to see if these snakes slithered into the pockets of contractors looking for their birth-right…. some I can think of, include:

• The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton International Airport – the new multi-million dollar terminal named after public wanker Joe McDade was laden with “change orders” that quickly drove the cost way over budget. If the project was specced out correctly from the beginning, change orders and cost overruns shouldn’t have happened. (Remember the change order for sidewalks because they were left out of the original proposal?)

• Wing’s Restaurant inside the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton International Airport – owned by Lackawanna County political power-broker Leo Vergnetti, the taxpayers paid for all the equipment in his restaurant and was given the concession rights without putting it out to bid “because he was a tenant in the old terminal for years.” Leo hit the lottery, although I hear business ain’t too good.

• The Lackawanna County Visitors Center at Montage – just why did we need such a palace at the foothill of the Shoppes at Montage?

• The Yankee’s of course – Luzerne County cried “foul ball” from the very beginning when Cordaro shut them out of negotiations after the Phillies pulled out. Bobby single-handedly hammered out the deal to bring the team to town and pledged that the boys from New York would build a “Yankee Village” near the stadium to attract fans by the thousands. We’re lucky we can fill half the stadium on a Saturday afternoon on a beautiful sunny day in July.

• Paul Sorvino – just where did the money go that Lackawanna County gave Paulie to make the movie, “The Trouble with Cali?” According to a recent interview WNEP-TV had with the filmmaker, he needs more money in order to finish it. Don’t expect to see it in a theatre near you anytime soon. I guess that means we won’t get to see “Robert Cordaro – Executive Producer” in the credits either.

I’m sure there are plenty more projects and dealings that can be added to the list and it may just be endless.

While the only interaction I’ve had with A. J. Munchak was the exchange of “hellos” at one of his favorite hang outs, Brutico’s in Old Forge, I did have some dealings with Bob Cordaro. The first occurred many years ago when I worked in radio. Bob was always an aspiring broadcaster and for a short time owned a station that I departed from just before he bought it. I later started talking to him about buying that station, but he managed to get way more than it would ever be worth from a religious sect who now uses it to spread their message. I remember telling him, “Bob, if they’re willing to give you that kind of money for that place, take it and run and never look back.”

Several years later when I was looking at moving one of my former companies to Lackawanna County, we had a meeting with Bob, and afterwards I felt like I needed to take a shower. He’s as slick a politician as his slick-backed hair and knows how to talk. It will be interesting to see if his smooth talking and deal making can land him a sweetheart plea deal with the feds.

Both Bobby and A.J. Are facing several hundred years in prison and millions in fines if they are convicted of all the charges against them. But I have my doubts that they will see more than a slap on the wrist. As has been evidenced in Luzerne County, the thieving politicians who have made plea deals so far have bargained down to a few months in prison and virtually nothing in fines as a “thank you” for being cooperative. This could play out in Bob and A.J.’s favor, but let’s hope not.

I recall seeing a television commercial for their last run together where Bob and A.J. were standing in the doorway of one of the trains at Steamtown patting each other on the back for the work they did in their previous term. I can only ask, but at what cost.”

Checking In On The Judge
The plot thickens in the accident investigation surrounding former Luzerne County President Judge, Chester Muroski. The man in the black robe slid off a slippery Route 115 in Bear Creek Township earlier this week damaging his car and taking out a mailbox.

He vehemently denies that he was intoxicated but the media has been all over him since he declared that he had “one, maybe two” drinks at a Kingston bistro shortly before the accident.

In a bizarre twist of events, a second accident occurred today just 100 feet from where Chester had his. Only this time it was fatal. A 39 year old Bear Creek Township woman was killed when she lost control of her SUV and slid into the path of an oncoming car. She died and two people in the other car, one of which was a first grader, is suffering from severe injuries. This proves that winter weather and Route 115 are not a good mix.

WNEP-TV reported earlier today that the judge may be charged with failure to notify police and the owner of “unattended property” that damage was done to such property. The property in this instance was the mailbox that Muroski’s car slid into. According to the report, Chet could face 90 days in jail or a $300 fine.

When I lived on Route 115, PennDot took out my mailbox at least once each winter during snow plowing and I never received a dime from them, and they never told me they smashed my mailbox. If you use reverse logic here, could PennDot fall under this same “unattended property” law?

I don’t think the judge will see jail tame or receive a fine. Everyone should just be thankful that there were no serious injuries and move on.

Jesus Buys Only The Best
On another note, in a story appearing in Friday’s Times Leader, reporter Jerry Lynott has a story on the recent opening of Tony Stella’s Good Fellos in the the former Mayfair Supper Club / Bella Vino / Stultz’s Buffet.

Big Tony closed his long-time establishment in Exeter and moved into the larger space on Route 315 in Pittston late last year. Known for meals running around a C-Note a head, Tony’s got a hell of a lot more tables to fill at his new location than his old, and with prices that high in this economy it will be interesting to see if it was worth the risk of moving. Reviews that I’ve heard so far have been mixed. Those who dined at his Exeter location say this new place “just isn’t the same” while others are thrilled.

I dine at some of the finest restaurants from Palm Beach to Miami every night of the week alongside celebrities and some of America’s wealthiest individuals and I don’t pay a hundred bucks a head for a meal. (My bar bill on the other hand is another story.) I would never expect to pay that kind of money to eat at a place in Pittston, Pennsylvania!

Tony gives some of the credit for his longevity in the restaurant biz to none other than Jesus himself. “I believe in Christ. I buy the best products money can buy and give the best service with a great crew.” Will agnostics like myself be welcome at Good Fellos? Absolutely, after all Tony takes American Express.

Another Goes Down
Finally, word is out that the next indictment has been handed down in the ongoing corruption probe in Luzerne County. Shortly before 3pm today, I received word from several high placed, credible sources that a prominent attorney, who will remain nameless, resigned from his firm and signed a plea deal with Uncle Sam.

The dapper dude often seen in his high priced luxury car sporting a George Hamilton-like tan while a young blonde with fake breasts hangs off his side, is ready to face stark reality. His next court appearance will be not as the one defending, but the one looking to be defended.

Let your fingers do the walking through the yellow pages under “Attorneys At Law” and draw your own conclusion as to who the latest gangster is from the description above – or wait till the story hits the news.

Just remember you heard it here first and if you followed me on Twitter or Facebook you would have heard about it even sooner!

Maybe Tony Stella could put a good word in for Mr. Attorney with Jesus. He’s gonna need all the help he can get.

He almost made it.

“He” is former Luzerne County President Judge and now Senior Judge, Chester Muroski and he almost made it into retirement without making headlines. But slick roads and “one, maybe two” drinks did him in.

I was going to let Chester’s moment in the spotlight pass by. After all, this is the guy who was left to clean up the mess after former judges turned scumbag gangsters, Mark Ciaverella and Michael Conahan, joined the ranks of criminals and were thrown off the bench in what the media calls the “Kids for Cash Scandal.” But the reporters and talk show hosts in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton are having a field day with this one, and in my opinion are going overboard. It’s almost like they haven’t had any courthouse arrests to report and talk on, so they manufacture a news story where one doesn’t exist.

Here’s the story in a nutshell. Chet got done swearing in the Courtdale mayor. After taking the oath, the judge heads over to Bistro on the Ave in Kingston to celebrate with what he said was “one, maybe two” drinks. On the way home his car slides off the road on an icy Route 115 in Bear Creek and takes out a mailbox. A passer-by spots the car off the road, calls 911 and after 15 or so minutes takes the judge to his home leaving the car there. In the mean time the police come, write their report and the car is taken to a garage for repair. (For the exact timeline of events, see this article.)

Having lived in Bear Creek for a few years I experienced many a harrowing drive up and down the mountain in the winter. I once did a complete 360 in an all-wheel-drive BMW sedan with just a thin cover of snow on the road. It’s a dangerous stretch of pavement that is steep, windy and not taken care of very well in the winter, but for those who live up there it’s the only way in and out of Dodge.

I believe Chester’s story, and for the record, I don’t know him, never met him and I doubt he knows me. If I thought there was any special treatment given to him by any law enforcement agency, I’d be all over it like stink on a monkey (where did that expression come from?), but I just don’t get all the attention that’s focused on a simple weather related auto accident..

I don’t buy the accusations that he was drunk behind the wheel. If he’s telling the truth, and I sincerely believe he is, “one, maybe two” drinks isn’t enough to make one so impaired that they can’t drive. One or two martini’s doesn’t impair me, but six or more, and I’ll hand over the keys.

I remember one sunny summer afternoon, I’m sitting in my house in Bear Creek when out of the blue I hear a loud bang and look out front and my mailbox was gone and a car was wrapped around a tree in my neighbor’s front yard. The driver was killed, suicide if I remember correctly, and the story never made it past an obituary in the paper two days later. I also recall many, and I mean MANY, cars landing in my front yard on a snowy morning and not one made headlines. Muroski slides off an icy road and we’ve got panic in the streets.

Maybe something else will come out later, but I doubt it. Like I said earlier, with the lack of arrests in the courthouse the past couple weeks, the news outlets are looking for stories of politicos that they can trump up to get people to listen to their talk show, watch their newscast and buy their papers.

He almost made it.

If the snow didn’t come and the roads weren’t slick, Chester Muroski would have slid into history as the judge credited with righting the ship right before the M.S. Luzerne County Justice was getting ready to sink below the horizon. Instead he slid into a mailbox and the village idiots lit their torches and stormed the streets hunting for a witch who just isn’t there.

January 7, 2010 – As an update to this story, the Times Leader reports:

BEAR CREEK TWP. – A woman was killed in a two vehicle crash on state Route 115 Thursday morning, state police at Wyoming said.

The name of the woman has not been released pending notification of family.

Trooper Tom Kelly said two vehicles, a Subaru and a Ford Escape, collided on Route 115, near Pittston Boulevard at about 8:40 a.m.

Kelly said the Subaru was traveling north on Route 115 and slid on black ice into the southbound lane where it collided into the Ford Escape.

A woman and a 7-year old child in the Ford were taken to area hospitals, Kelly said.

Several trucks from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation were seen spreading salt on Route 115.

The fatal accident happened about 100 yards north from where Luzerne County Senior Judge Chester Muroski said he slid off Route 115 and into mailboxes Monday night.

Route 115 in both northbound and southbound lanes of travel between Old East End Boulevard is closed to traffic.

Ok, so I’m a couple days late bidding 2009 a fond farewell.

Well, it’s not a “fond” farewell. It’s more like good riddance, thank God it’s over and lets move on.

The year that just passed is one that contained moments I’d like to remember and moments I pray to forget. I sold one of my businesses which relieved me of a great deal of stress while at the same time dealing with the end of a 16-year relationship that forced me to start my life anew.

Always up for a challenge, I faced what was thrown at me head-on, recreating myself every step of the way. I took on a new role in the company I helped build over the last seven years, one with less responsibility so I can one again enjoy what I do.

I bought a new home and started a new life in south Florida where the weather is warmer, my mood is better and my productivity is, well… up. I kept my home in Scranton and rack up the frequent flyer miles traveling back and forth each week to spend a few days in the office and to enjoy the company of my two Chihuahua’s who haven’t made the move to Florida yet.

I refinanced my mortgage from some crazy rate in the high 7′s to something around 5. I was told that I was acting “responsible” by doing that, so it made me feel good, and it leaves me with more money at the end of the month to squander on vices such as…. well, let’s not go there.

I still didn’t get to the dentist for this toothache that has plagued me since after Thanksgiving. I’m still waiting for the dentist to respond to the “Contact Us” form I submitted on his website and the note I posted on his Facebook page. I have an iPhone and since every phone call I make or receive with AT&T gets disconnected, so I have to resort to other means of communication. So when my upper right molar falls out due to rot, I’ll blame Apple.

I enjoyed blogging about all the corruption in Luzerne County that was finally brought to light in 2009. It makes me happy to see people like Greg Skrepenak, Jeff Piazza and all these other small-time gangsters who think they’re Al Capone get caught with their fingers up their ass. I’m still waiting for one person in particular to get nabbed, who will remain nameless, but those close to me know exactly who he is.

I’m looking forward to 2010 to see how many more skanky women will say they got their hands on Tiger Wood’s club. I’m scared to see just how bad President Obama is going to wreck the health care system, which makes me want to get this tooth looked at even sooner. I’m not looking forward to the day when the terrorists finally do carry out another attack on the United States. We dodged a big bullet on Christmas Day because of multiple failures in the government, and being a man of very little faith, I don’t feel all that safe knowing a plane almost got blown up because warning signs were ignored for months.

It’s time to move forward.

Time to forget the mistakes of the past and concentrate on not making them again in the future.

So start working on that.

As for me, I’m still going to be the crazy, miserable, son-of-a-bitch you’ve come to know and love/hate. After all, everybody can’t buy into this “new year – new you” crap you know!

The Big Boy Ain't Smiling Today!

According to the criminal complaint, Skrep took five-grand in return for supporting the creation of a tax increment district that benefited the developer building a project in Jenkins Township. Who is that developers? Well, the Citizens Voice says it’s none other than Anthony Trombetta. The same guy Skrep bought his townhome from and the same guy who built the development Skrep is living in. Hmmm, very convenient ain’t it?

Trombetta has been a key figure in this corruption probe for a while now. Contracts that his technology company, Intellacom, Inc., have had with school districts have suddenly been put under the microscope by the feds. So far Tony T hasn’t been charged with anything, but it certainly appears as if the walls are closing in on him.

You may remember a few weeks ago, Trombetta’s short order cook at his failed Portofino Restaurant, Jeff Piazza, pled guilty to corruption. That plea came in connection with technology contracts that were doctored up so that Jeffie could get a good kickback to feather his nest. Anyone care to guess who those contracts were with? (Read about Jeff’s plea in this blog post from December 4th.)

Skrepenak expresses remorse for failing.

He now calls upon God for forgiveness.

He said he didn’t think what he did was wrong.

Typical reactions from a loser.

Lets just hope they have an orange jumpsuit that fits him.

Judge Muroski held a press conference a few minutes ago to explain the procedure for selecting a replacement commissioner to fill the seat which is now empty after Greg Skrepenak resigned. Seems luck had run out for Skrep. Skrep’s close associates already signed plea deals and it was only a matter of time before Uncle Sam nabbed him as well.

The next few days will prove to be interesting as more details emerge on what exactly the dumb jock did besides never show up for work. Judge Muroski gave those interested in applying for the commissioner seat until Monday at 4pm to apply. Filling this seat is important as the county hasn’t passed a budget and time is running out. Without a third commissioner, the key vote to approve the budget can’t be approved.

The Times Leader provided a great service by streaming the press conference live on their site this afternoon. It’s exciting to see them embrace technology. While watching the press conference, I couldn’t help but notice the smile on Commissioner Steve Urban’s face:

That smile just says “sweet, sweet justice!”

I also happened to see WILK’s own Sue Henry packing up a microphone before heading out of the courthouse, or “ding dome” as she calls it. Nice to see ya Sue!

Dirty Dougie of Reliance Drive in Wilkes-Barre. #22 on the Federal Government's Hit Parade.

Thursday, that number rose to 22 with the former director of Human Resources, Doug Richards admitting that he took a bribe from an unnamed contractor in order to get a contract with the county. If you recall Richards is the snake who just a few weeks ago tried to slither out of the courthouse under the guise that he was “taking a job in the private sector.”

That was until Maryanne Petrilla started asking questions.

Dirty Dougie seems to have a connection with contracts awarded to Continental Consultants Group, Inc. and B & M Investigations, Inc of New York. Continental landed a no-bid contract to oversee payments made to former county employees who remained on as consultants for the county for some type of flood cleanup project. B & M was hired to do background checks on employees and also prepare a $35,000 report that outlined pre-employment procedures the county should follow. The report however has been written with invisible ink and transparent paper, because nobody has seen it.

When Petrilla started questioning Dirty Dougie over these contracts, he suddenly got a case of the quiets and refused to talk. Maryanne then showed him the door and canned his ass. Once Elvis left the building the feds came in and started digging through his office finding all kinds of interesting dirt that obviously led to his arrest.

I’m going to start referring to the 22 people nabbed so far, as whores. Because that’s just what they are. You’ve got a school board member whoring himself out for free carpet. Bill Brace whored himself out for a custom tailored suit. Three judges and a whole bunch of other criminals whored themselves out for cash. I’m going to suggest that the county Building & Grounds department leaves the red lights that are shining on the courthouse for the holidays left on year round. It only seems fitting!

But who should be the madam?

We all knew it was coming.

I wrote about it, news outlets fed the speculation, talk radio lines were buzzing and it was all just a matter of time.

“It” was the guilty plea entered by yet another Luzerne County Judge. The third gangster judge, and the 20th person, to be charged in the ongoing federal corruption probe currently being conducted in Luzerne County. This time, it was Michael Toole.

If you recall, Toole made headlines a few weeks ago when he cleared his court schedule for the rest of the year in order to take “vacation.” When his calendar was suddenly empty speculation ran rampant, “Could he be next?”

Like I said, we all knew it was coming.

According to arrest papers, Toole “secretly communicated with an attorney to determine who that attorney wished to have appointed as a neutral arbitrator in an underinsured motorist case.” The attorney, who I’m told is a prominent ambulance chaser but is only identified as “Participant #1,” gave Toole free use of a New Jersey beach house without disclosing that when assigned the case.

Your dis-honor is also charged with tax evasion for failing to report a $30,000 “referral fee” he received from another unnamed attorney. Referral fee? For a judge? Can someone spell “conflict of interest?”
Toole can spend up to 23 years in the lock-up for his shenanigans while on the bench. I say, send him away today.

Toole joins fellow gangster judges Mark “Scooch” Ciavarella and Michael “Big Mike” Conahan in the Corrupt Judges Hall of Fame. Scooch and Big Mike have pled guilty to accepting cash in return for locking up juveniles in detention centers they were getting kickbacks from.

One thing that bothers me in the Toole case is that Toole signed the plea agreement in late September, however, he still presided over cases until he was officially charged today. Something seems wrong with that? Who allowed a judge, who we can now call a criminal, to continue to hear court cases after he plead guilty to these charges?

I happened to listen to a local radio talk show today where a few Toole supporters (can you believe there are such people?) called in to say, “Mike’s a nice guy.” I couldn’t believe what I was listening to! The guy is a gangster. Gangsters aren’t nice guys.

There is not one person in the world who can justify the actions of these three men who were elected to uphold the laws which are the foundation of this nation’s justice system. They wielded power that is reserved for only a select few and they used that power for unjust enrichment.

Their crimes were based on greed.

Their punishment will be based on the guidelines they used to sentence by.

And ain’t that ironic.