Disgraced Leader Herald reporter/publisher Resnek behind local lackeys’ public participation antics

Ringleader cowrote and published scripts in order to intimidate city officials

By James Mitchell

According to sources related to an ongoing lawsuit filed by the city solicitors in Middlesex Superior Court, Joshua Resnek – the disgraced reporter/publisher of the Everett Leader Herald, who is currently a defendant in an ongoing defamation lawsuit filed by Mayor Carlo DeMaria, Jr., along with Everett Leader Herald owner Andrew Philbin, Sr., publisher and son Matthew Philbin, City Clerk Sergio Cornelio and Dorchester Publications LLC, through discovery emails – has been writing scripts for certain individuals, John Puopolo, Sandy Juliano and Paula Sterite, to read during the public participation during School Committee and City Council meetings, as far back as 2022. Resnek even goes so far as providing stage instructions, such as dramatic pauses, and encouraging them to study their scripts before the meetings. One email has Resnek rewarding Puopolo as having “made the special list of those who receive the paper the night before.”

Resnek and the Philbins are currently facing major financial penalties following the consequences of the DeMaria lawsuit after publishing damaging stories where Resnek fabricated quotes and published outright lies for over three years to hurt the mayor’s reelection chances leading up to the 2021 elections.

Resnek and Puopolo, who was recently banned from Encore Boston Harbor casino for disorderly conduct, acted as cowriters for scripts to be read during public participation in order to intimidate city officials. In the series of emails from March 2022, John Puopolo and Resnek exchange emails titled: “Re: Changes before you go to print” where Puopolo states that he’s not to use what he (Resnek) wrote for him in print until after the group’s final comments are available. “Josh, all have read your narratives and stated they will alter a bit. Paula is adding Devaney comments, Janice mentioned she will shorten, Sandy will make some changes.”

Resnek then replies, “Remind them they are bound to nothing I wrote. What I provided was a framework. They say what they want.”

The puppet master follows up with Puopolo, writing, “I will be running all your statements in the newspaper Wednesday no matter what happens.”

Puopolo – known to many as Johnny “Flop” Puopolo – whom Resnek dubbed in a November 2022 email “a big part of the investigative team” along with Anthony “The Razor” Raymond, is currently, along with Sterite, banned from School Committee meetings, and Council meetings for Raymond, for making threats to the city solicitors Keith Slattery and Colleen Mejia and Chief Financial Officer Eric Demas. Puopolo answers Resnek in the same email, “just keep me out of jail! Another great headline this week!”

Raymond is the administrator for the social media site “The Everett Reporter” on Facebook, which he uses to make threats against Slattery, Mejia and Demas as well as the mayor and city and school officials. Raymond, a felon, has been ordered by the court to wear an electronic bracelet and to stay away from all school property and City Hall as he faces contempt of court charges as a defendant in the ongoing lawsuit.

Almost 10,000 emails have been uncovered and, according to the source, there will be more to come. It is also expected that additional subpoenas will be served in the solicitors’ lawsuit.

Another series of emails concerns former Everett school employee Cory McCarthy, who directed Everett High students to carry signs demanding resignation from city councillor Anthony DiPierro over emails between himself and a city employee, in order to bolster the former Supt. of Schools Priya Tahiliani, who filed unfounded lawsuits claiming racism by the mayor. The state attorney general’s office and the Dept. of Justice would investigate and close without a finding of discrimination and harassment. McCarthy, in a March 2022 email to Sterite, described his plans to have students speak during public participation: “The student should go first. I believe they are asking one of them to go and speak on behalf of the students. More than enough time. These folks need to listen up and stop protecting this man.”

Puopolo replied, “Paula & Corey decided the children should go first.”

McCarthy is referring to DiPierro, who had publicly resigned his seat on the council the week before the planned circus.

Sterite emailed Puopolo, stating, “John can you let Josh know that Cory is asking if student can go first.“ Following up on the same email thread to Resnek, “You can add a point about the black & brown youth are in fear from hearing & seeing these racist comments in the city they are growing up in in 2022.”

Resnek, again, in his attempt to direct the circus for the Monday night City Council meeting the next day, emailed, “The council can’t hurt us without paying for it in the Wednesday paper.”

Little did Resnek’s puppets know how much the Wednesday paper and its disgraced reporter could hurt them. History has shown that whatever Resnek touches, turns to garbage. The black eye that was given to Everett for years emanated from Church Street so the Philbins could exact revenge against the mayor at any cost with false claims of racism and corruption written by one of the most corrupt and vile reporters.

Resnek, who’s disgraceful articles and editorials have been spotlighted by Boston Magazine and the New York Post, continues to earn his pay from the Philbins, publishing drivel week after week, in order to keep the once proud newspaper alive, destroying an over century-old newspaper’s reputation built by the Curnane family. The Philbins have continued publishing with Resnek at the helm following the outcome of a lawsuit that’s expected to cost the Philbins dearly.

The discovery of Resnek’s direction of his puppets, Puopolo, Raymond, Sterite and Juliano (a North Reading resident), who do not have children in the school system or own businesses in the city, has now cast a spotlight on their shameful behavior.

What is now clear in the emails is the collusion running deep between Resnek and these bad actors, who continue to waste the taxpayers’ time with their scripted vitriol at city government meetings. It shows the fraud perpetrated on the city under the guise of freedom of speech, all to serve one family’s political and personal agenda – and this embarrassing circus should shut down their tents and be held accountable by city officials.