A federal judge has ordered the City of Allentown to turn over a taxpayer-funded investigation into allegations of discrimination at City Hall.
That investigation was conducted by former FBI Agent Scott Curtis, who led the criminal investigation that resulted in the conviction of now former Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski.
69 News acquired a copy of a report prepared by Curtis’ company, FLEO Investigations LLC.
The report is dated December 16, 2024 and is addressed to members of Allentown City Council.
But council has yet to see it.
“As a member of council who did commission this with taxpayer dollars, I do want to see the report. And I’m sure there are other members of council that would also like to see the report,” said Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach.
Curtis was hired by city council in June of 2024 to investigate allegations of discrimination at Allentown City Hall.
At the time, Mayor Matt Tuerk claimed council didn’t follow proper procedure in hiring Scott Curtis.
Tuerk claimed the contract was void and declined to pay Curtis for his report.
Curtis reportedly interviewed dozens of city employees before his company drafted this 29-page report.
Six months later, Curtis and the City of Allentown reached a settlement in which Curtis turned over his report and investigative materials for $50,000.
Curtis also signed a non-disclosure agreement.
As part of a discrimination lawsuit filed by Allentown Deputy Clerk Tawanna Whitehead, a federal judge has ruled that the Curtis report be released to her attorney.
Judge Gail Weilheimer ruled that:
“If the defendant knew it harbored a hostile work environment and did not take sufficient steps to correct it, that information might well be relevant to liability.”
Attorney Marc Weinstein is Whitehead’s attorney.
Weinstein anticipates the investigative material he will get will be voluminous.
“I will be getting the entire investigative file that was prepared by Scott Curtis during his investigation, that would be notes that he made of interviews, reports that he made, summaries, documents that he was given, all of his investigative materials,” said Weinstein.
The city hired another firm, Duane Morris, to investigate some of the same allegations detailed in the Curtis report.
The judge ruled that report was subject to attorney-client privilege.
Weinstein says he should get the Curtis investigation materials in two weeks and will release it to the media.
69 News reached out to the City of Allentown for comment on the release of the Curtis report.
A city spokesperson tells 69 News, “The City just received the order today and is reviewing next steps.”