Republicans want to defund police. Heard that before. Ah yes, former Coatesville PA Police Chief Matthews. His & Richard Legree's alleged intention was making drug business good again. An unintended consequence was arson fires raging all over our city.

"For their next trick, House Republicans have decided to defund the police. Democrats should call them on it, and anyone who cares about law enforcement should be outraged.

The spending package pushed through the House on Wednesday by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) cuts the FBI’s operating budget by 6 percent, siphoning much-needed resources away from the nation’s premier police agency. And the measure cuts funding for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) — which, among other roles, is instrumental in battling gun violence and terrorism — by 7 percent.

So much for all of the GOP’s “back the blue” hot air. Republicans are determined to reduce the federal government’s ability to fight crime and make our communities safer."

MORE AT:

The Washington Post

Opinion House Republicans want to defund the police

Eugene Robinson

March 7, 2024 at 5:59 p.m. EST

Like most Coatesville residents I slept downstairs with a fire extinguisher nearby. 

While the fires raged in Coatesville 4 Coatesville residents including myself went to Bob Casey’s office in Philadelphia pleading with his Philadelphia office manager to bring Senator Casey to Coatesville. 

It was like pulling teeth. He didn’t think Coatesville burning was important. Maybe he hadn’t read the New York Times articles about the Coatesville Arsons. 

SEE:

But Bob Casey came through for us in Coatesville. Below

***

Below is a portion of the resignation letter of former Coatesville Assistant City Manager Tarron Richardson. He refers to the Walker Administration:

“Continued association with the cesspool of corruption and misconduct created by the majority of council and its political appointments may subsequently jeopardize my future professional, personal, and political endeavors. Such inappropriate behavior has caused a mass exodus of city personnel, many who carried with them substantial institutional knowledge of the organization."

I believe Coatesville City Council thought the FBI would discover evidence linking Harry Walker to at least some embezzlement and bribery at city hall. But Harry Walker worked partly from home. The FBI failed to get a warrant for Walker’s apartment. 

After whistleblower former Director of Finance Stacy Bjorhus was fired she allegedly left boxes of files at city hall that had allegedly had incriminating evidence concerning several workers at city hall but not necessarily evidence that linked Walker directly with a crime. The boxes of files were allegedly destroyed.  Incidentally Ms. Bjorhus never signed a non-disclosure document.

I believe that embezzlement and bribery were rampant during Harry Gordon Walker IIIs stay in Coatesville. But I believe the City of Coatesville should not bring up any charges of alleged bribery and embezzlement at the City of Coatesville finance office in defending itself in Harry Gordon Walker III's lawsuit.  

I think is a non-starter anyway because it might incriminate others still employed at Coatesville City Hall.

Maybe Walker bribed and embezzled money as Coatesville City Manager and maybe he didn't but that's not why everyone but Chester County's drug dealers wanted to get rid of him.

======================================

Richard Legree had a dream of being the Chief of Police of the City of Coatesville. Everyone that knew him well knew his dream.

I believe Harry Walker helped Richard Legree realize his dream, in part. I believe that under Harry Gordon Walker III’s leadership of the city, Richard Legree could have virtual control of Coatesville's police department.

I believe the result was the "drug business was good again" in Coatesville.

MORE AT:

Monday, February 17, 2014

Under former city manager Harry Walker’s watch COATESVILLE BURNED.

***

But Bob Casey came through for us in Coatesville. 

Earlier Bill Washington & me spoke to Governor Rendell at a campaign event filling him in on the corruption of Coatesville City Manager Walker. Mayor Rendell’s assistant sent me his fax number to the machine IN HIS OFFICE. At the time I was working with then USA in the Eastern District PA Courthouse Tom Hogan. 

As Coatesville burned Governor Rendell woke Harry Walker from his hangover on Sunday morning telling him “You will declare a state of emergency and I will send the Pennsylvania Fire Marshal to Coatesville, he already knew Walker’s background.