On Monday afternoon, Scranton Mayor Bill Courtright resigned from office after entering a plea agreement on three federal charges that include bribery, conspiracy, and “attempt to obstruct commerce by extortion.”
Scranton City Council members confirm that Mayor Bill Courtright will resign today at 4pm. Message sent by memo to council. @WNEP pic.twitter.com/AwFsXIDgCv
— Stacy Lange (@stacylange) July 1, 2019
“As of 4:00 p.m. today, I hereby resign from my position as Mayor of the City of Scranton,” Courtright said in the letter to council on Monday.
In January, the FBI raided Scranton City Hall and Courtright’s house. Rumors surfaced that Courtright would resign days after the raid, but he shot those down without commenting further on the raid and investigation.
Citizens Voice reports that the corruption began in the beginning of his first term in 2014, when Courtright threatened “economic harm” to businesses that did not provide support to his campaign among other actions. Courtright’s attorney signed the plea agreement on June 26, while U.S. attorneys signed it June 27 and July 1.
According to the Times Leader, Courtright could spend a possible maximum of 35 years in prison and be forced to pay up to $750,000 in fines, although it’s likely to be less than the maximum.
As a result of Courtright’s resignation, council president Pat Rogan will be acting mayor until council appoints someone to fill out the mayor’s term, WNEP reports.
Courtright is in a federal courtroom in Williamsport this morning, while the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be holding a press conference in Scranton at 2 p.m. this afternoon.
The now ex-Democratic Mayor was re-elected for a second term in 2017.
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (@AP) — The ex-mayor of Scranton has pleaded guilty to charges he shook down businesses throughout his term-and-a-half in office. Bill Courtright’s plea in federal court to charges of bribery, extortion and conspiracy came less than 24 hours after he resigned.
— Marc Levy (@timelywriter) July 2, 2019
9 Responses
Amazing how you have to read through to the 8th paragraph to see that he is a Democrat. If he were a GOP politician it would be in the headline.
Nonsense.
Proud to say I didn’t vote for him. In addition to his prison time and fines, he should lose his pension and other perks from the city. Mellow was a disgrace – served his sentence, but kept his whopper of a pension. His ex-wife tap danced all the way to the bank on her half, because it was retroactive. There are many more corrupt officials in this city. That’s why our school district is $33,000,000 in debt. That’s right – 33 million dollars. Clean the swamp!
Stupidity and greed are a deadly combination in the “we will never learn that things have changed” world.
One more corrupt politician bites the dust. Now, if they would just go after judges as hard, you’d see many empty courtrooms.
Probably another half assed investigation. They took 2 judges down on the Zappala “Cash for kids” probe in Luzerne but left the real culpricks alone. Courtwrong should at least have got a $3,000 custom made suit out of the deal so he could look good at sentencing.
This case has zero to do with “2 judges case” in Luzerne County. This seems pretty obvious to be yet another case where poor judgement is substituted for commonsense and ethics in raising campaign funds. Once again, rearing it’s presence is bad judgment where a politician wants money for a campaign. Of course, public financing of campaigns will never happen despite ongoing evidence it is needed.
Right, Chuckie…just like the people you often represent.. poorly.
I love the “happy photo” of him. LOL 🙂