Following is the article by The Morning Call reporter Scott Kraus describing the fraud involving Northampton County Council President J. Michael Dowd, who also represents District 2 including Northampton County’s seat Easton; Dowd’s fellow council members; council’s solicitor Brian Monahan, Esq.; the Executive Glenn Reibmann administration; and the county’s General Purpose Authority in defrauding the taxpayers of Northampton County - a fraud perpetrated at the Northampton County Council meeting of March 7, 2002:

“As expected, Northampton County Council solicitor Brain Monhahan has given his stamp of approal to changes proposed for the county’ General Purpose Authority.

“Council President J. Michael Dowd said he thinks [italics added] Monahan’s opinion will avoid a legal battle and end a nearly two month dispute with County Executive Glenn Reibman over the authority’s makeup.

“The authority, which is administering $111 million in county bond proceeds, voted last week to amend its articles of incorporation to change the terms of its seven members.

“If the changes are approved by council, three authority members’ terms would expire, and Reibman would get a chance to propose three appointments, and County Council would get a chance to approve or reject them.

“‘We seem to have come to an amicable agreement, much better than going to court,’ Dowd said.

Dowd said Monahan’s opinion will probably lead council to vote tonight not to pursue legal action seeking the removal of all seven members of the authority.

“Councilwoman Peg Ferraro said it may be time for council to put the matter behind it and move on to other issues.

“‘I think we have accompished quite a bit in the first two months,’ Ferrar said, pointing to the changes in the authority and plans for expansion of the county’s prison.

“Reibman made his first new appointment to the authority Monday, submitting the name of Forks Township business consultant Drew Lewis to council for approval.”

Lewis initially declined to accept the appointment, born of his concerns that the manner in which the articles of incorporation changing the authority’s makeup was illegal.

After much arm twisting by Reibman and possibly Dowd and other council members, Lewis caved  and accepted the appointment.

Council is also suspect because when in the approval process Lewis refused to answer its questions regarding the identity of his cousulting-business clients, council failed to press the issue and approved him anyway.

Ms. Diane Berlin, Vice-President of the National Coaltion Against Legalized Gambling, has asked me to go to the Federal Bureau of Investigation with this and other evidence in my possession of Northampton County and Lehigh County fraud.

Of the $111 million (at least twice that amount with principal, interest, and administration costs), $13.1 million were allocated for the construction of Commerce Center Boulevard and related improvements traversing 126 acres of Sands BethWorks LLC property to accomodate a slot machine gambling casino in South Side Bethlehem on the former site of the defunct Bethlehem Steel Corporation.

This toxic property remains an unremediated Superfund Site.