http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b2_5auditside.6223668jan15,0,893416.storyThe Morning Call's January 15 local section headline decreed: Szulborski case is closed, Lehigh County DA says
and you can almost hear DA Jim Martin's booming voice saying this (although reading from prepared notes and still stumbling several times).
But wait a second, "closed" means over, ended, done with, finis, Marge has left the building, doesn't it?
Hmm, read on, second paragraph says, "The investigation [italics added] into Marge Szulborski's theft is concluded,'' District Attorney James Martin said.
Oh well now that's very different, isn't it?
Only the investigation is "closed."
Read farther:
"Szulborski, 73, was charged in 2006 with embezzling $2.5 million of township sewer funds from 1999 to 2006."
"It's unknown if Szulborski will be able to stand trial. She had a portion of a brain tumor removed in August and continues to battle brain cancer."
"A status conference on Szulborski's medical condition is scheduled for Feb. 11 before Lehigh County Judge Kelly Banach."
Oh. Okay. So Marge may indeed have to stand trial and pay the piper.
Q. Was this just sloppy Morning Call reporting? Or is The Morning Call overzealously trying to get this case wrapped up (in the public's mind anyway) ASAP and the sooner the better or what? And if yes, why? Inquiring minds want to know.
![Irv Muchnick, Concussion Inc. [The Only Honest Reporting on Martin vs Villa/SLAPP]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPD2coV7RQATuCUf-3rw1R677yxUImhkVfkwctN91m7yfi3nNdoiPeWor3ZFheb8-GpJgZmYhLB110qFaj3cJ-Chizn5_-t0OCc58nBiQZ8ExJNvSonqN7DCj2ETWDi4Wy0_OObaC3JgJ5_i8VJtUJ3RFDUDQf0VyiSghcV4xshIX6yCIdMs4SUh6t=s220)
![[Reneged] City Solicitor Kloiber Bans Cousin Jeffrey Anthony Defamation & Harassment of Villas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrGZtm_TCRriA3DHGTVASeEr_XIZD_pQqaf-fCuaf2k-ApQAze7ZAeVU-I6gHcE8Tt6WXadtqw_hAOHjaJe11PiUx2MPPSCMN-MC5RBeCcjKX_DjAhw7IS0eWcKGimIJ9oImiqAkx3jw5l6mT-LnUEQ3U2JmCZyik1BNyiLbXmHr-MSBjt3fMiO6k4=s310)
![[Reneged] Villa Defense Witness: "Judge" Anthony](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEA5zRbHJ2QZAT9qDc0rbK8z4aAEOKvk_sodBrrul56cu0MeXGjYPqfiUm1BuTWqDQakCDdKpcM6ozIrgcLLpHcBTlXWl5yC2ODubS5_xHNDtieJnNg-ucIejp3eZORHRROmETUoFGKiW/s220/10653495_508198589366170_7055316366826361693_n.jpg)
19 comments:
"The investigation [italics added] into Marge Szulborski's theft is concluded,'' District Attorney James Martin said.
I'm not a lawyer, but shouldn't D.A. Martin have said "alleged" theft?
great (and realistic) photo of ardith hilliard
Get This: Lehigh County DA Jim Martin filed charges against Marge Szulborski on October 25, 2006. That's a long time ago; a year and 3 months ago to be nearly exact. Since then, Marge has remained as free as the $2.5 million-plus she stole from the Lower Macungie Township taxpayers and there's really no end anywhere in sight regarding DA Jim Martin resolving Marge's case and it being "closed" for real.
Now ... contrast DA Jim Martin's snail's pace in prosecuting Marge Szulborski with his lightening-fast action in resolving the Allentown Police Officer Michael Kenderski case. What a difference!
Kenderski, a perennial recipient of the Pennsylvania Top Gun Award for arresting drunk drivers was charged with excessively roughing up two crooks during two separate arrests a month apart in early 2007. "No nonsense" DA Jim Martin (Paul Carpenter's usual spin zone pre-fix for the DA) filed charges against Officer Kenderski on May 24, 2007 ... and just two months later (a mere 60 days!) it was ALL OVER when Kenderski pled guilty to avoid jail on July 24, 2007.
Wow. Now what was it about the Officer Michael Kenderski case that lit such a motivational nuclear fire under Jim Martin's usually sedentary rear-end?
And why did The Morning Call portray Kenderski's excessively roughed up arrestees as being fresh-faced teenagers when in reality both had criminal records and prior incarcerations a mile long. The "newspaper" never mentioned these pesky factoids about the 2 bad guys. Hmm. Sloppy Reporting? Or Transparent Agenda?
How on earth could that township not know that money was being stolen untill it added up to 2.5 million dollars??? If it was up to me I would take Marge out and horsewhip her.. but we don't live in that society. Anyway, all the LMT supervisors should also be facing charges because there is no excuse for this. 2.5 million hase to be a big chunk out of their operating budget for a year. Where did all that money go??? Perhaps others in the township were stealing too.
"Perhaps others in the township were stealing too."
does seem likely doesn't it
"Wow. Now what was it about the Officer Michael Kenderski case that lit such a motivational nuclear fire under Jim Martin's usually sedentary rear-end?"
i betcha that top gun award had something to do with it ..........
Dottie, I think you're being a bit disingenuous here. The way I read it, Martin's investigation of Marge is over, while the court case continues. If you're arguing that the expression "case is closed" indicates the paper is trying to imply the court case is over, then i think you're just playing semantics. Anyway, no offense. I enjoy your blog.
Re: transparent agendas on the part of The Morning Call, here's one ... when Marge Szulborski was charged with embezzlement, she was required to hand over her passport, which is standard procedure for most serious crimes and/or when there is a risk the defendant might flee. Inexplicably, no such requirement was placed on the homicidal drunk driver who killed Sheena Villa in March 2006. So in August 2006, while out on bail for homicide (and also, allegedly, on a "suicide watch" at his home), Sheena Villa's killer left the United States to enjoy a lavish 10-day vacation in the tropical paradise of Belize, Central America. Needless to say, Sheena's family was outraged at his cavalier attitude and lack of remorse. They found out about his unauthorized vacation through an anonymous tip from an acquaintance of the defendant who was similarly outraged. They then alerted the authorities (who claimed to not know anything about the trip) and The Morning Call. Judge Steinberg was sort of pissed off too-- he immediately yanked the defendant's passport when he returned to the U.S., and don't forget, Sheena's family did not know he would return until he actually did. Imagine that turmoil. Now someone (DA's Office, District Justice, Pre-Trial Services) in A-Town's "justice" system either flat-out allowed this trip to happen (i.e., "looked the other way"), or, somebody screwed up in a rather large way by not keeping a close enough supervisory eye on Sheena's killer while he was out on bail. In any case, one heck of a Sensational Story for The Morning Call to cover, wouldn't you think?!! "Victim's family grieves and anguishes while their daughter's killer applies more sun tan lotion and orders another drink with a paper umbrella in it while AWOL in Belize." Nope. Not a chance. This story never saw one drop of MC printer's ink. The Morning Call had no interest whatsoever in reporting on this seeming favoritism and gross inequity, the family's outrage, the killer's lack of remorse, or, where a possible breakdown in our local "justice" system had occurred. Why no MC interest? Well ... one can only speculate of course ... but ... The Morning Call's disinterest in this story may (may) have had something to do with the fact that the father of Sheena's killer has a law firm that has represented The Morning Call for many, many years. Did The Morning Call reveal a grossly Transparent Agenda in not covering this story? You decide ...
RE: "Dottie, I think you're being a bit disingenuous here. The way I read it, Martin's investigation of Marge is over, while the court case continues. If you're arguing that the expression "case is closed" indicates the paper is trying to imply the court case is over, then i think you're just playing semantics. Anyway, no offense. I enjoy your blog."
Thanks for liking my blog, A-Town Liker, but I must respectfully disagree with you. I believe it's The Morning Call that's playing with semantics, and on purpose. Their headline that "quotes" DA Jim Martin conveys a distinctly different meaning than what Martin actually said and is quoted as saying in paragraph two ... and The Morning Call knows that many people skim through their paper and read only the headlines. Sloppy Reporting? or Transparent Agenda? It's got to be one or the other, because DA Jim Martin did not say the words The Morning Call has put in his mouth in their headline.
If you read all the comments here, which I greatly appreciate, there are other examples of questionable reporting, or lack thereof. People have every right to question the ethics of our so called "free press." Victims of crime and their families deserve fair coverage in A-Town's only newspaper. Why didn't this reporter ask the DA some questions about the case? Like: why is it taking so long for the taxpayers of Lower Macungie Township to get justice?
"Why didn't this reporter ask the DA some questions about the case? Like: why is it taking so long for the taxpayers of Lower Macungie Township to get justice?"
great question dottie and the answer isn't brain cancer. the zluborski case was dragging its feet and for no good reason long before marge was allegedley diagnosed with cancer. and obviously with the right motivation D.A. James B. Martin can resolve cases very quickly if he wants to. if it took martian only 60 days to nail an award-winning police officer how long should it take to nail an embezzler?
One of the best "lawyer Wins case" things happenes when the lawyers have postponemants and delays, delays delays. The trial can be set at perhaps June 1 and people are supinaed to testify, then June 1st at 1:00 am the thing is postponed... The lawyers do this all the time so people don't testify... ha ha ha on you, right.
Why do judges allow so many delays?
Could one of the reasons be because they receive campaign contributions from the lawyers? I know this is standard practice, but judges ARE human, even though they want us plebeians to think otherwise.
The judge in the Marge Szulborski case is Kelly Banach. Kelly Banach's campaign manager (when she was running for Judge) was attorney Susan Ellis Wild of the law firm Gross, McGinley, LaBarre, and Eaton (GML&E). Marge's defense attorney Phil Lauer has a working relationship with GML&E. You draw your own conclusions; I've merely provided you with the facts.
"(Judge) Kelly Banach's campaign manager (when she was running for Judge) was attorney Susan Ellis Wild of the law firm Gross, McGinley, LaBarre, and Eaton (GML&E)."
Really? I know lawyers CONTRIBUTE to judge campaigns but isn't it a tad, oh, i dunno, arrogant and obnoxiously conflict of interesty in your face to have a local lawyer RUNNING a judge's campaign?!
isn't it a tad, oh, i dunno, arrogant and obnoxiously conflict of interesty in your face to have a local lawyer RUNNING a judge's campaign?!
sure it is but don't expect to read about this in the morning call as gml&e is the morning call's law firm
a little quick math shows that she was stealing $6867 per week for 7 years. How on earth could this have gone unnoticed for 7 years? She is not the only one who should have to answer to a judge.
The way I read it, the CASE is closed -- the second case. I don't think that's so hard to understand. The case into whether or not the lady stole money before 1998 or 1999 is closed. The other, in which she was charged, is on-going.
There were esentially two cases -- one resulted in charges, one didn't. I didn't pass the bar, but I can understand that. Also, the conspiracy theories you present make no sense. Why would a newspaper want a case that has public interest to end. You should pick and choose your battles or you'll look stupid.
Thanks for dropping by, DA Martin.
"The way I read it, the CASE is closed -- the second case. I don't think that's so hard to understand. The case into whether or not the lady stole money before 1998 or 1999 is closed. The other, in which she was charged, is on-going.
There were esentially two cases -- one resulted in charges, one didn't. I didn't pass the bar, but I can understand that. Also, the conspiracy theories you present make no sense. Why would a newspaper want a case that has public interest to end. You should pick and choose your battles or you'll look stupid."
Post a Comment