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by Diane F. White, Frontpage News.us
Harrisburg - Eric Papenfuse, one of the newly appointed members of the board overseeing the Harrisburg Authority, says documents show Mayor Reed may have illegally used the money to purchase 30 million dollars in Civil War and Wild West artifacts, and that some of those artifacts are nowhere to be found.
There are also rumors regarding the misuse of Harrisburg School District funds, The sale of the Harrisburg Senators, McCormick Island and money being diverted from the Harrisburg Incinerator creeping around the Harrisburg "grapevine" as well. When the news hit the airwaves about these allegations just like the artifacts alleged to be missing, the Mayor was no where to be found, he was conspicuously missing too.
In a statement, "Acting" Mayor, Harrisburg Business Administrator, Linda Lingle called the accusations false, adding "There have been no illegal expenditures and all of the artifacts have been accounted for and are being prepared for sale at public auction."
However, Papenfuse says he has documents that prove otherwise. After digging into the Mayor's records for about month now, Papenfuse estimates Reed spent close to 30-million dollars on artifacts for the Civil War Museum and the now defunct Wild West Museum. Papenfuse says the missing money is no mistake, claiming records and receipts for the artifacts were purposely deleted by the Mayor and his office. A system of corruption Papenfuse says went on for years, and those who didn't play along didn't play at all. Papenfuse says he plans on meeting with the state attorney general's office sometime within the next two weeks.
Harrisburg City Council woman Linda Thompson, elected school board members who refused to give Reed and his "Board of Control a "blank check", Harrisburg ACORN members, Harrisburg Incinerator opponents, community leaders, small business owners and private citizens, have been battling the Mayor for years while he arrogantly misused his position, taxpayer money and the courts to keep up his charade as he drained the life out of city residents leaving us in a pool of debt for our children to pay.
Armed with guts, effort and her strong faith Thompson is calling for everyone to join the fight. “And I mean everyone. From the Attorney General, the Federal Attorney General to the Auditor General, everyone on that Authority board, even citizens. Join the chorus, and call for a major investigation.” says Thompson.
Whether an investigation into these allegations, which will undoubtedly turn up even more dirt, will happen, is the million dollar question. It took 14 years for the Philadelphia Phillies it to get back to the play-offs. The Harrisburg City Council hit a "grand slam", when they got the appointments to the Harrisburg Authority, now its time for the mayor to step up to the plate. Just like Brent Myer's third strike curve ball right down the middle left the batter standing there looking dumbfounded as the umpire called, "strike three", a fair and impartial investigation into these allegations will translate into a victory for the citizens of Harrisburg too.
