Debunking the bunk

Just before 3 PM yesterday, Steve Corbett’s voice boomed over the airwaves as he invited listeners to tune into his fast-approaching show and listen to the “next mayor of Wilkes-Barre.”

I’ve replaced his show with sports radio and AOR of late, but with that lead-in you know I had to resist changing the channel.

Anyway, Corbett was doing his absolute level best to motivate tower Bob Kadluboski into initiating a fall write-in campaign for mayor. He claims that “Bob Kadluboski is a one-man Tea Party,” and that he’s “got a chance.”

My immediate thought was that a hastily-undertaken write-in campaign by Kadluboski would result in siphoning votes away from Lisa Cope, Mayor Tom Leighton’s Republican challenger.

But then my mind drifted back to Ed Soltis, the Wilkes-Barre police officer who specialized in parking enforcement for what seemed like an eternity.

Once upon a time, Soltis ran for mayor. But that was after he had delivered parking tickets to a few generations of Wilkes-Barre residents. So, as a result, I had him listed in the “fat chance” category.

But with Kadluboski you’ve got the mother of all force multipliers. No, he didn’t ticket a couple of generations, he towed their vehicles away. And his act is not exactly what you’d call people centered.

In other words, the “fat chance” principle clearly applies in this case. But, hey, it’s still a free country for a little while yet. Go for it.

Corbett couldn’t repeat enough his burning desire that Mayor Tom Leighton be replaced.

And you know why all of the recent uproar. Because of temporary summer jobs some of Leighton’s immediate family members were hired to. Fair enough. Whatever.

But after Corbett claimed that former mayor “Tom McGroarty would beat Leighton” if he were to run this fall, he also went on to say, “McGroarty’s heart was in the right place.”

Remembering history back (Mad Max beyond Thunder Dome)...

Ex-mayor's brother sues W-B over firing: Gerard R. McGroarty says dismissal was retaliation for supporting his brother, Tom.


The Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA)
December 28, 2005
Byline: Terrie Morgan-Besecker, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Times Leader

Dec. 28--WILKES-BARRE -- The brother of former Mayor Tom McGroarty has filed a federal lawsuit against the city and current Mayor Tom Leighton, alleging Leighton fired him from his position as director of parks and recreation because he supported his sibling in his failed re-election bid. The suit, filed Tuesday by attorney Kimberly Borland, says Gerard R. McGroarty performed in a professional, competent manner in the position, which he held from 1996 to 2004. He was fired on Jan. 4, 2004, shortly after Leighton took office. The suit alleges Leighton retaliated against McGroarty because he had …

And then...

Times Leader
February 21, 2009


Federal court upholds McGroarty’s firing

The Supreme Court protects the ability of elected leaders to implement policy, citing, “When a mayor creates a new department and names his brother to a leadership role in it, the next mayor should be able to fire the brother. The former mayor created the impression of nepotism.”

So, right here in Wilkes-Barre, home of the summer jobs fiasco, the former mayor hired his brother to lucrative managerial position.

Different mayor, different standards.

Another clear example of why I listen to 102.3 The Mountain in the afternoon.

One more thing: If we file a complaint with those ethics folks from the state, can we be reimbursed for that?

Later