Those raucous Philly Democrats are at it again! This time they have opened the Street Administration to a Whistle-blower Lawsuit! In a city known best for the corruption of its Democratic Machine run administrations, has there been as corrupt an Administration as that of John Street? Almost everyone around him has either been indicted or is under investigation by the Feds. (Sadly, State law enforcement officials stay out of Philadelphia politics. Perhaps that’s because most of the state officials are graduates of the Philly Democratic Machine!).
This from today’s Philadelphia Inquirer:
Posted on Wed, Dec. 21,
2005
Mariano aide who testified loses her job
Anna Davila talked to a grand jury. She was laid off last week. Mariano's chief of staff said there was no connection.By Michael Currie Schaffer
Inquirer Staff Writer
Councilman Rick Mariano's new chief of staff calls it a "review of office functions." The attorney for Anna Davila calls it a case of intimidation.
Either way, the Mariano staffer whose testimony about being punished for not taking a bribe was a prominent feature in the councilman's federal corruption indictment is out of a job.
"It's absolutely related to her testimony," Davila's lawyer, Patrick Egan, said.
Davila, 40, told a federal grand jury that Mariano berated her after she refused to take money and a trip to Florida in exchange for helping a local businessman obtain city licenses. At an Oct. 25 news conference announcing the indictments of Mariano and five others - including the businessman - U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan praised Davila, who was referred to only by her initials.
Within days, Davila was complaining to federal authorities about a slew of harassing calls related to her role in the investigation. One caller allegedly told her he knew she was alone and threatened her; another allegedly suggested she find work as a prostitute. Davila told authorities she thought the calls were from someone loyal to Mariano, according to FBI documents.
Egan said Davila soon went on medical leave, citing stress caused by the calls.
But the Nov. 27 issue of the Spanish-language newspaper Al Dia quoted Davila's siblings as saying she was being pressured to quit.
That brought a rebuke from Jay McCalla, who took over as Mariano's chief of staff in early November.In a Nov. 30 letter, McCalla told Davila that he would place her on paid leave once she returned from sick leave "to allow a careful and definitive examination" on the
allegations "made on your behalf."
Last Thursday's letter terminating Davila made no mention of the investigation. Rather, McCalla wrote that Davila was being laid off as part of a review of office functions, particularly zoning. The letter allowed Davila to use leave time until the end of the year, meaning her health benefits will last until Jan. 31.
However, McCalla wrote, Davila would be terminated at once if she returned to Mariano's office for any reason.
In an interview, McCalla said Davila's departure had nothing to do with her testimony or her complaints.
"There's no relation to anything other than circumstances that exist within the office in terms of workload and the organization of the office," McCalla said.
Davila, who was paid $30,600 a year, was the only staffer laid off.
As for his investigation of the claims that Davila had been pressured to quit, McCalla said: "We had been unable to find anyone that has overheard or seen anything that would lend credence to her charges. But that's a completely separate
matter."
Davila's departure makes her the third Mariano staffer to depart this fall.
On Oct. 21, a day after he set off a suicide scare by climbing to the top of the City Hall tower, Mariano telephoned from the hospital to fire legislative aide John Lisko and McCalla's predecessor, Walt De Treux, prompting investigators to look into the dismissals for possible witness intimidation.
Like Davila, both men had testified before the grand jury investigating the councilman.
In the case of Davila, McCalla said he had consulted the city's Law Department and Council administrative staff to make sure her termination was legal.
"All parties are satisfied," McCalla said.
Not as far as Davila's concerned. In an interview yesterday, she said she was contemplating a lawsuit.
"Right now, I feel as though he was very unfair, taking his anger out on people," she said of Mariano. "It's totally unfair that he takes it out on me instead of the big people with power."
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Contact staff writer Michael Currie Schaffer at 215-854-4565 or mcschaffer@phillynews.com. Inquirer staff writer John Shiffman contributed to this article.
THE CENTRIST
"It is the duty of every citizen according to his best capacities to give validity to his convictions in political affairs. " Albert Einstein
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