MAYOR SMITHGALL SOLD GUNS

    Lancaster City Councilman Luis Mendoza stated that Mayor Charlie Smithgall sold guns out of a backroom in his pharmacy at 536 West Lemon Street in Lancaster.  In a telephone interview on Wednesday, October 12, 2005, Mendoza said he saw the guns, including assault weapons, in 1997.  He said he was running for city council and Charlie Smithgall was running for mayor for the first time and they were close.  Mendoza stated that he was in the pharmacy and in the backroom and physically saw the guns.  He said the mayor has been selling firearms “for years.”

    Mendoza said the mayor is licensed to sell firearms and he is not alleging the gun sales were illegal.  But there most certainly is not a sign in Smithgall’s Pharmacy that advertises “Guns for Sale” and the gun sales by the mayor of the City of Lancaster are not public knowledge.  Other political insiders were not surprised by the allegation. Like the theft of cable rumor, this rumor has been swirling around the mayor for years.

    I placed a call to the mayor's office at 10:00 a.m. today for his comments regarding this allegation.  As of press time, 1:30 p.m., he had not returned the call.  I will keep you informed. 

    If you have purchased a gun from Charlie Smithgall, or if you have seen guns for sale in his pharmacy, please contact this website at webmaster@lipnews.com.  

THERE WILL BE MUCH, MUCH MORE THIS WEEKEND.

ANOTHER SHOCKING CHARGE

    Coming tomorrow – my interview with Luis Mendoza and another shocking charge against the mayor.  Please note that Michael Winterstein, (see story below)  and Dan Messimer, the “cable guy” who alleged the mayor had an illegal cable hook-up, both met with Justin Quinn and editors of the Intell and told their stories before the mayoral primary in May of this year.  Nothing was ever printed by the paper.  Please also see these stories:

·        “WAS THE MAYOR STEALING CABLE?” -  HERE.

·        “FREE THE CABLE GUY” – HERE.

Also coming tomorrow – What charges can the D.A. file?

City Treasurer Says:

“Mayor Had Illegal Cable Box”

The Lancaster Newspapers Knew

    Barry Winterstein, the Lancaster City Treasurer, said Mayor Charlie Smithgall told him he had an illegal cable box in his home and that he had had it for some time.

    In a telephone interview at 8:50 a.m. this morning, Winterstein, who owns a contracting business with his brother Michael, said he was doing work in the Mayor’s house about six years ago.  “He showed me a cable box and said it was illegal,” Winterstein said.  “He seemed excited about it.” 

    Michael Winterstein said this morning that he met with Intelligencer Journal reporter Justin Quinn and his editor in the Intell offices for over an hour several weeks before the primary this May.  He told his story and said they seemed “satisfied.”  He said Quinn called him and read him his entire story and Quinn said they were just waiting for an “okay” to run it.  The story did not run and Quinn told Michael Winterstein that the editors “did not want to influence the election” and would run the story after the primary.  The story never ran. 

MUCH MORE IS COMING LATER…