Pennsylvania mayors charged in pay-to-play corruption casePHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The mayor of Allentown, the third largest city in Pennsylvania, is among the latest officials charged in a long-running federal corruption investigation, according to indictments unsealed on Wednesday. Edwin Pawlowski, a Democrat who is running for a fourth term, was one of five people accused of bribery, extortion, wire fraud and other charges in two indictments that included a total of 73 counts. Seven others have already pleaded guilty in the probe. Wednesday’s new defendants include Vaughn Spencer, 70, a Democrat who previously served as the first black mayor of Reading, Pennsylvania. “Pawlowski and Spencer essentially put a ‘for sale’ sign on City Hall and sold out to the highest bidder,” said Louis Lappen, the acting U.S. attorney in Philadelphia, at a news conference on Wednesday. At his own news conference, Pawlowski called that accusation “fiction” and vowed to keep running for reelection. “I want to make it clear to everyone: I have done nothing wrong, nor have I ever accepted a dime beyond my salary,” he said. “In no way, shape or form was City Hall ever up for sale.” Pawlowski, who has also run unsuccessfully for governor and U.S. Senate, is accused of accepting more than $150,000 in contributions to his various campaigns from vendors with the understanding they would receive city contracts in exchange. The mayor sought to cover up the scheme by deleting emails, instructing his campaign aides to do the same and sweeping his office for listening devices installed by law enforcement, the indictment said. Spencer, meanwhile, was charged with a similar scheme in which he allegedly directed a contract to a donor’s engineering firm. He is also accused of agreeing to bribe the city council president in exchange for repealing campaign finance limits.  A lawyer for Spencer, Geoffrey Johnson, said he “intends to vigorously defend against these charges” but declined to comment further, saying he was still reviewing the indictment. The separate schemes outlined in the two indictments included some of the same players. James Hickey, a business consultant, was named in both indictments, while Michael Fleck, who previously pleaded guilty, served as campaign manager for both mayors. A lawyer for Hickey did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Charges against Pawlowski had been expected. Earlier this year, Allentown’s former managing director pleaded guilty as part of the investigation and implicated Pawlowski in a $3 million bid-rigging scheme to benefit a campaign donor. politicsNews
pennsylvania mayors charged corruption casephiladelphia reuters the mayor allentown third largest city pennsylvania among latest officials charged federal corruption investigation according indictments unseated wednesday edwin pawlowski democrat running fourth term one five people accused bribery extortion wire fraud charges two indictments included total counts seven others already pleaded guilty probe wednesday new defendants include taught spencer democrat previously served first black mayor reading pennsylvania pawlowski spencer essentially put sale sign city hall sold highest bidder said louis happen acting attorney philadelphia news conference wednesday at news conference pawlowski called accusation fiction vowed keep running reelection i want make clear everyone i done nothing wrong i ever accepted dime beyond salary said in way shape form city hall ever pawlowski also run unsuccessfully governor senate accused accepting contributions various campaigns vendors understanding would receive city contracts exchange the mayor sought cover scheme deleting emails instructing campaign aides sweeping office listening devices installed law enforcement indictment said spencer meanwhile charged similar scheme allegedly directed contract donor engineering firm he also accused agreeing bribe city council president exchange repealing campaign finance limits a lawyer spencer geoffrey johnson said intends vigorously defend charges declined comment saying still reviewing indictment the separate schemes outlined two indictments included players james hockey business consultant named indictments michael flock previously pleaded guilty served campaign manager mayors a lawyer hockey immediately respond request comment charges pawlowski expected earlier year allentown former managing director pleaded guilty part investigation implicated pawlowski million scheme benefit campaign donor politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Pennsylvania mayors charged in pay-to-play corruption casePHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The mayor of Allentown, the third largest city in Pennsylvania, is among the latest officials charged in a long-running federal corruption investigation, according to indictments unsealed on Wednesday. Edwin Pawlowski, a Democrat who is running for a fourth term, was one of five people accused of bribery, extortion, wire fraud and other charges in two indictments that included a total of 73 counts. Seven others have already pleaded guilty in the probe. Wednesday’s new defendants include Vaughn Spencer, 70, a Democrat who previously served as the first black mayor of Reading, Pennsylvania. “Pawlowski and Spencer essentially put a ‘for sale’ sign on City Hall and sold out to the highest bidder,” said Louis Lappen, the acting U.S. attorney in Philadelphia, at a news conference on Wednesday. At his own news conference, Pawlowski called that accusation “fiction” and vowed to keep running for reelection. “I want to make it clear to everyone: I have done nothing wrong, nor have I ever accepted a dime beyond my salary,” he said. “In no way, shape or form was City Hall ever up for sale.” Pawlowski, who has also run unsuccessfully for governor and U.S. Senate, is accused of accepting more than $150,000 in contributions to his various campaigns from vendors with the understanding they would receive city contracts in exchange. The mayor sought to cover up the scheme by deleting emails, instructing his campaign aides to do the same and sweeping his office for listening devices installed by law enforcement, the indictment said. Spencer, meanwhile, was charged with a similar scheme in which he allegedly directed a contract to a donor’s engineering firm. He is also accused of agreeing to bribe the city council president in exchange for repealing campaign finance limits.  A lawyer for Spencer, Geoffrey Johnson, said he “intends to vigorously defend against these charges” but declined to comment further, saying he was still reviewing the indictment. The separate schemes outlined in the two indictments included some of the same players. James Hickey, a business consultant, was named in both indictments, while Michael Fleck, who previously pleaded guilty, served as campaign manager for both mayors. A lawyer for Hickey did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Charges against Pawlowski had been expected. Earlier this year, Allentown’s former managing director pleaded guilty as part of the investigation and implicated Pawlowski in a $3 million bid-rigging scheme to benefit a campaign donor. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: pennsylvania mayors charged corruption casephiladelphia reuters the mayor allentown third largest city pennsylvania among latest officials charged federal corruption investigation according indictments unseated wednesday edwin pawlowski democrat running fourth term one five people accused bribery extortion wire fraud charges two indictments included total counts seven others already pleaded guilty probe wednesday new defendants include taught spencer democrat previously served first black mayor reading pennsylvania pawlowski spencer essentially put sale sign city hall sold highest bidder said louis happen acting attorney philadelphia news conference wednesday at news conference pawlowski called accusation fiction vowed keep running reelection i want make clear everyone i done nothing wrong i ever accepted dime beyond salary said in way shape form city hall ever pawlowski also run unsuccessfully governor senate accused accepting contributions various campaigns vendors understanding would receive city contracts exchange the mayor sought cover scheme deleting emails instructing campaign aides sweeping office listening devices installed law enforcement indictment said spencer meanwhile charged similar scheme allegedly directed contract donor engineering firm he also accused agreeing bribe city council president exchange repealing campaign finance limits a lawyer spencer geoffrey johnson said intends vigorously defend charges declined comment saying still reviewing indictment the separate schemes outlined two indictments included players james hockey business consultant named indictments michael flock previously pleaded guilty served campaign manager mayors a lawyer hockey immediately respond request comment charges pawlowski expected earlier year allentown former managing director pleaded guilty part investigation implicated pawlowski million scheme benefit campaign donor politicsnews