Philadelphia Courthouse Building Questions

In a developing story coming out of Philadelphia over a new courthouse building Democratic candidate in the 103rd district- Gene Stilp filed complaint against Chief Justice Castille in the Philly Courthouse bid scandal according to RoxburyNews.

Over the weekend the Philadelphia Inquirer penned this edtiorial concerning its eleventh-hour disclosure by an Inquirer investigative team that a courthouse consultant holds what appears to be a conflicting role as codeveloper of the project, casts doubt on the fairness of the $200 million price tag.

In this story published May 21, 2010 by staff writers Joseph Tanfani and Mark Fazlollah the reporters discovered that real estate lawyer and developer Jeffrey B. Rotwitt was working both sides of construction project to build a $200 million courthouse. He was paid $3.9 million as fees on the project from the courts.

But Rotwitt found a way to make even more money from the courts project, a 14-story tower planned for 15th and Arch Streets. It would be the largest current public works project in Philadelphia after the Convention Center expansion.

He made a separate deal with Donald W. Pulver, the Conshohocken developer who has development rights at the site. For more than a year, he and Pulver said, Rotwitt has been splitting the monthly development fees paid by the courts, fees that Rotwitt proposed in the first place. So far, that arrangement has earned Rotwitt close to $500,000.

"It was all open and above board," Rotwitt said.

State Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille, who has been working closely with Rotwitt on the courts project for two years, said he had no idea about that arrangement until The Inquirer's architecture critic, Inga Saffron, reported it and started asking questions about how Rotwitt could be on both sides of the deal.

Because he was relying on Rotwitt's advice, Castille said in an interview in his Philadelphia office, there's no way to know whether the public has gotten a good deal thus far on the $200 million Family Court project.

After the story broke Governor Rendell came to the rescue with an announcement that he would release the $200 million for the courthouse project but only with competitive bidding.

Rendell said he would release the $200 million for the huge courthouse at 15th and Arch Streets, but would require competitive bids, even if that means delays, to make sure the project is scrubbed of any conflicts of interest.

Rendell's announcement means the apparent end of the court system's two-year-old development deal with Donald W. Pulver, a developer from Conshohocken.

The Inquirer reported on Friday that Jeffrey B. Rotwitt, a lawyer the courts hired as a real estate consultant, has also been collecting fees on the other side of the deal as Pulver's co-developer.

"The commonwealth always looks at potential conflicts of interest, particularly when it comes to the taxpayers' money," Rendell said. "We will make sure there is no conflict of interest in this deal, even if it means slowing it up."

Rendell, joined by Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille and Mayor Nutter, appeared at City Hall to announce the funding for the 14-story, 29-courtroom building. Family Court handles some of the most sensitive cases in the justice system: juvenile crimes, divorces, child-neglect hearings.

On Tuesday, lawyer Henry E. Hockeimer Jr. of the firm Ballard Spahr, which represents the courts and Castille, sent Pulver and Rotwitt a letter asking them to detail their partnership and list everyone who received any money from the courts.

Rotwitt did not respond. Lawyers for Pulver did not provide the information, but said, "We previously advised your firm of the involvement of Deilwydd Property Group L.L.C. and Mr. Rotwitt in this project months ago."

Feeley declined to comment on Rotwitt's dual roles, other than to repeat that documents showed that court representatives knew about his work as developer.

Stilp's complaint isn't the first time he and Castille have clashed over an issue. As reported by John Micek at CapitolIdeas on January 15, 2008 after he was sworn into office yesterday, new state Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Castille got hit with a disciplinary complaint from professional gadfly Gene Stilp.

In what we're pretty sure is Stilp's millionth court filing since the short-lived 2005 pay raise, the Dauphin County activist and onetime Nader Raider claims that Castille ran afoul of disciplinary rules when he told Philly Daily News columnist John Baer late last year that he was soon going to allow a grand jury probe of casino owner Louis DeNaples to proceed.

According to Stilp, that action violated Canon 3 of the judicial code of ethics, which says "judges should abstain from public comment about a pending proceeding in any court."

To quote John Micek "Here we go again".

Bonner Pleads Guilty

Bonner Pleads Guilty To Passing A Bribe With the lastest arrests in the corruption probe by AG Tom Corbett and the FBI arresting Democrat after Democrat in Luzerne County why aren't Democratic Leaders coming out leading the cry for meaningful reform? Hiding won't solve the problem. If they want to survive they need to address this crisis head-on. But then again the Democrats greatest claim is continual vilification of George Bush which is quickly running out of steam.

To illustrate my point go on over to John Micek's Capitol Ideas column from yesterday and read about the arrogance of Bill DeWeeese who exhibits no humility for the veracity of complaint against him.

Around 8 p.m. or so last night, DeWeese wandered onto the House floor for the first time since charges were announced earlier in the day. On the Democratic side of the aisle, he was greeted with claps on the back and with handshakes.

It was an incongruous gesture given the gravity of the charges that had been lodged against him. A few minutes later, he gave a speech from the House floor -- the last he'll give as a member of the House Democratic leadership, we expect.

"I've had a tough day," he said dryly, before going on to thank his colleagues for the visits, calls and e-mails that had apparently filtered in throughout the day on Tuesday. "I've enjoyed being Democratic Whip," he went on to say. "And for all those of you who have shown support ... I am grateful."

At the close of his remarks, DeWeese was greeted with a standing ovation. Another incongruous gesture. Not that we were expecting an Amish shunning or anything like that, but we couldn't help but wonder what the proper balance was between respect for DeWeese's three-decade tenure and opprobrium for the way it had ended.

Eachus Should Ask Governor Rendell To Resign, Not Corbett

From Dante Picciano


Capitol Idea's John Micek is on a roll, baby. Take a look at his post on the best quote ever.

“President Obama was very quick to run to the private sector and ask for the resignation of the top individual in charge of [the General Motors] fiasco.I think he should be very quick to look at all of the states that have huge budget deficits that are looking for bailouts from the federal government, and maybe ask for [Gov.] Rendell to submit his resignation so that maybe we could get things back on track.”

Thanks to Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, Capitol Wire, and of course, John Micek.

MORE NEW HIRE$: House Majority Leader Todd Eachus With 2 High-priced Hires…

Over at Capital Ideas with John Micek there is an interesting story about Representative Eachus hiring more attorneys.

New House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne, was swept into office late last year vowing to clean up the reputation of a caucus battered by scandal and to act as an aggressive steward of the public purse.

“In the end, we have to match our work to the policies that people are struggling with,” the Hazleton lawmaker told The Morning Call earlier this year. “People are losing their jobs … and we must forge policies that matter to real people.”

But in the last month, Eachus has made at least two high-priced hires — taking on a new chief-of-staff and a caucus counsel at salaries larger than those paid to their predecessors, according to data provided by his office.

Both are key positions within Eachus’ office, as is the new press secretary the northeastern Democrat announced Monday.

But at least one other legislative caucus in Harrisburg, the Senate Republicans, has pursued a policy of not paying new employees more than the people they succeed.

In February, Eachus announced that he’d hired Harrisburg lobbyist, and onetime Democratic employee, Laura Kuller as his new chief-of-staff.

Kuller will earn $161,000, or nearly $24,000 more than the salary paid in the last legislative session to Sandra F. Williams, who served as chief to then Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, D-Greene. (By me Ms. Williams is still on Mr. DeWesse's staff at the same rate of pay)

Eachus’ new counsel, former Rendell administration senior lawyer Nora Winkelman, is being paid $149,900, or $16,781 more than the $133,119 salary paid to DeWeese's top lawyer William Martin Sloane last year.

The Post-Gazette goes on to talk about some more hires not in the first article.

Another newcomer to Mr. Eachus' office is Director of Legislation Richard Speese, whose salary is $105,014, up from the $87,411 he received as compensation last year as executive director of the House Insurance Committee.

Another of those parts is Zane Phoenix, a former senior policy analyst to moved into the newly created position of personnel director for the majority leader's office. The change moved him from a job that provided $97,179 in compensation last year to one that pays $128,518 a year.

The opening line in that article says it all. The state House's new Democratic leaders say they are serious about reducing staffing costs, but so far, Majority Leader Todd Eachus isn't setting much of an example.

For a full listing of House employee salaries click here.

Capital Ideas Outlines Governor Rendell's Budget.

Captial Ideas with John Micek provides the reading communiity with a great index of newspapers around the state who have examined Governor Rendell's budget proposal.

Since Governor Rendell proposed legalizing video poker to fund financial aid for colleges students one has to wonder whether he will expunge the record of former Attorney General Ernest Preate. Preate was disciplined Februrary 1, 1999 for admitting to mail fraud in connection with accepting donations from illegal video poker operators. Usually politicians propose ideas to take care of their donors at some point.

Rendell Hits Paydirt Twice- Its a Mericle My Dear Hindrey

Over at Capitol Ideas with John Micek he talks about Fast Eddy Rendell's association with the bodacious donor who caused the demise of Tom Daschell as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Well, to be fair, it was Daschell who made his own choices.

As John reports Leo Hindrey dropped more than a fair amount of money into Rendell's coffers. "If recent history has taught us nothing, it's that where there's Democratic smoke, you'll probably find Gov. Ed toasting his marshmallows."

"A quick inspection of Department of State records show that Hindery has given a truly huge amount of money to Rendell over the years, starting with a $10,000 donation in 2001. Hindery also gave Rendell a stunning $100,000 in 2005, and footed the bill for $$2,257 worth of catering in 2006."
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That story takes us back to Robert Mercile, real estate developer, who believes in the premise that money is neither created nor destroyed it is just moved from place to place. According to a Times Leader article Mericle donated more than $110,000 to Gov. Ed Rendell’s campaigns since 1998 – including $70,000 in 2006 alone. Rendell was kind enough to repay the allegiance.

"About $17 million in grants and loans have been sent from Harrisburg to Mericle to help develop his CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park that spans the Pittston Township and Jenkins Township line."

Mericle is featured in the $2.6 Million Money Trail graphic authored by Gary Visgaitis of the Times Leader. It is alleged that over $1.15 million was wired transferred through Mericle Construction to the Pinnacle Group LLC linked to Ciavarella and Conahan.

No wonder Ed took himself out of Vice Presidential consideration. Almost $175,000.00 from just two donors. That is the way you show the public you have their interests above all others. I guess I didn't define who "their" is.

I could hear Santa now, On Daschell, On Dancing our way through this mess, In Hindreysite Fast Eddie will find a Mericle to deliver his gifts.