Philbin admits to knowing mayor’s real estate deal was legit, yet published lies

Resnek describes his Sunrise Café meetings to obtain cash payments

By James Mitchell

In an Aug. 8, 2023, deposition given by Matthew Philbin, the owner of the Everett Leader Herald newspaper, who is currently embattled in a defamation lawsuit filed by Mayor Carlo DeMaria, Jr. against him, publisher Joshua Resnek, Andrew Philbin, Sr., Dorchester Publications, LLC and City Clerk Sergio Cornelio, Philbin reveals he knew that the Corey Street property deal between the mayor and city clerk was legitimate yet published lies and fabrications written by Resnek a year later in order to defeat the mayor in the 2021 election.

Representing the mayor, Atty. Jeffrey Robbins opened the third deposition asking Philbin to elaborate on a May 5, 2021, email between himself and Resnek, where Resnek brags about his enjoyment as publisher of the newspaper, writing, “I’m going to run this guy out of office,” referring to the mayor, and taking credit for the mayor having two opponents, Fred Capone and Guerline Alcy, in the Sept. 2021 primary.

“I am the single cause of these two running against him. What a pleasure. Today I deliver stores [sic] throughout the city like a lumber [sic] like the shit head I am and again I love doing that. My delivery team will be going door to door. The mayor cannot beat my door-to-door messaging,” writes Resnek.

In the same email, Resnek boasts to Philbin about the payoff he will make in support of their yellow journalism. “Then tomorrow at eight at a place called the Sunrise Cafe on Main Street in Everett, a friend of one of the two people running against the mayor will meet me for breakfast. I will treat him to breakfast and he will invite me out to his car, a Mercedes. He will open the trunk and point, and I will reach into the trunk and take away a beautiful package, a thick almost heavy envelope licked shut with $2,000 in $20 bills stacked neatly inside. A very nice morning. I will do this every week until the September primary to aid his man in winning,” writes the corrupt reporter.

“Did you know that Mr. Resnek was having meetings and receiving cash?” asked the attorney. Philbin answered that he wasn’t aware of Resnek’s breakfast meetings but stated he was very much aware that the newspaper desperately needed funding to publish extra copies and cover delivery costs for the 2021 mayoral primary and general elections. Philbin said he couldn’t recall any meetings by Resnek at the Sunrise Café in Everett.

When asked if he knew a local Everett businessman named John Mattuchio, Philbin stated he knew of him, saying Resnek may have mentioned his name. When asked by the attorney if he was paying any attention to Resnek’s meetings with Mattuchio, a stanch Capone supporter, Philbin stated,” Not that I remember.”

Atty. Robbins then introduced an exhibit that displayed multiple cell phone text messages beginning May 20 through June 9, 2021, between Resnek and Mattuchio showing that the two were meeting up at the Sunrise Café. Asked if he could also confirm text messages between himself and Resnek, Philbin confirms they are.

In one particular June 18, 2021, text, Philbin asks Resnek, “so no breakfast with Mattuchio last couple of weeks?”

“Why did you want to know whether or not Mr. Resnek was having breakfast with Mr. Mattuchio?” asked the attorney. Philbin replied that Resnek usually tells him when he has breakfast and lunch meetings even though stating earlier that he never questions or pays attention to Resnek’s schedule.

“Just happened to be interested in the meeting with Mr. Mattuchio?” asks Atty. Robbins.

“I can’t remember at that time,” answered Philbin. Philbin denied that Resnek was receiving cash from Mattuchio to fund the newspaper at their morning get-togethers.

“Can you think of any particular reason that you were interested in Mr. Resnek’s meetings with Mr. Mattuchio, sir?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he’s a supporter of Fred Capone. Other than that, he’s in advertising,” replied Philbin.

Philbin said he knew Mattuchio, who owns a local laundromat, was a supporter of Capone because Resnek told him so but couldn’t remember the reason why he was asking Resnek about meetings with Mattuchio. But in the next text between Resnek and Philbin – sent just 30 seconds later – Resnek writes, “Mattuchio states that its a guarantee.” Philbin claimed Resnek was referring to guaranteeing breakfast meetings with Mattuchio; nothing to do with receiving money for the newspaper.

Atty. Robbins then refers back to an exhibit; a July 29, 2021, email sent to Philbin by Resnek, titled “Internal Use Only” – a strategy headlined by dollar signs where Resnek provides the total cost of publishing and distributing “our newspaper” from week to week; for the next seven weeks at a circulation increase of 10,700. The memo discloses the cost of raising the circulation to over 10,000 papers for the mayoral campaign, which Philbin agrees but said he wasn’t aware if he did – that it was Resnek’s decision.

Philbin admitted that the circulation was significantly increased during the mayoral campaign but he had personally paid for it out of his own pocket despite counting on Resnek to find advertising revenue. But according to Resnek, he informs Philbin of his plan to raise $16,000; $5,000 from Mr. A, $5,000 from Mr. B, and $6,000 from Mr. C. – three payments, according to Resnek, that “will pay almost entirely for all our printing and distribution costs for the 7 weeks. Whatever comes in from advertising will also add to our bottom line.”

Asked if he knew the identities of Mr. A, Mr. B and Mr. C, Philbin said he didn’t know, that it must have been advertising, and that he’s the one funding the newspaper every week.

Atty. Robbins asked if the advertising Resnek is referring to must be something over and apart from the three $16K anonymous donors. Philbin denied it and said he didn’t remember if he asked Resnek for the donor’s identities. “Yeah, I’m not Mr. A, B and C,” said Philbin.

“So, he’s referring to somebody other than you?” asked the attorney, pointing to Resnek’s email stating that for the next seven weeks, he (Philbin) “gets a free ride from cash infusions.” Resnek further states in his email that there’ll be “more than additional thousands for our use.”

The conversation turned to the Philbin family’s relationship with the mayor. When asked if he discussed the issue with Resnek – that he felt “frozen out” in terms of doing business with the mayor – Philbin replied, “absolutely not.”

Atty. Robbins asked if he and any members of his family attempted to reach out to the mayor, and that they were not getting their phone calls returned; Philbin again stated, “absolutely not.”

Robbins presented an email exhibit from May 2018 from Philbin to the mayor that states “…for the past 10 years, my family has made many attempts to work with you and have received not even a call back.”

Asked if he was attempting to speak to the mayor about the Philbin family business, Philbin replied, “What business?”

“Any business,” replied the attorney.

The Philbin family owns many businesses in Everett and throughout Greater Boston and beyond, including numerous properties and real estate holdings, such as Philbin Insurance on Broadway, Zeke’s Pub on Chelsea Street and two rooming houses adjacent to the bar, as well as multiple apartments and the Everett Leader Herald newspaper and the building on Church Street. Matthew Philbin also owns a marijuana company on Railroad Avenue in Revere as well as one in Portland, Maine.

“You felt that the mayor – and his allies – were lined up against you. Is that fair to say?” asked the attorney.

“No,” replied Philbin.

In a June 20, 2020, email from Resnek to Philbin, Resnek states that all the mayor’s friends are lined up against them. “They are all lined up together, in one way or another, against us,” stated Resnek in the email. “There is no room for us in this world they have created among themselves in Everett. There is no room to allow you to remove snow.”

Philbin is the owner of a snow removal company called Northeast Ice & Snow, which he claims only services private companies. Asked if he contracts with any public bodies, Philbin stated that he did not apply for a city contract – stating that he doesn’t contract for municipal or state work.

In the same email, Resnek refers to Greg Antonelli, owner of GTA Landscaping and Construction, “buying the Cornelio property that the mayor was a partner in which he has admitted to me and I (we) will not use.”

“My question is he (Resnek) informed you in June 2020, Mr. Philbin, that the mayor and Mr. Cornelio, were in fact, partners in a piece of real estate?” asked Atty. Robbins.

“Which I have no idea what he was talking about,” replied Philbin.

“I’m not asking you whether you have any idea. Did he or did he not inform you that in June of 2020, sir?”

“Buying the Cornelio property that the mayor was partner in. Yeah. It says it right there,” stated Philbin.

When questioned if he ever asked Resnek back in 2021 about being informed that the mayor and Cornelio were partners back in 2020, Philbin replied, “no.” Despite knowing back in 2020, Philbin and Resnek published stories claiming the mayor had no interest in the property and that he was extorting Cornelio over $90,000 over the real estate deal.

“In Sept. of 2021, your paper published stories to the effect that Mr. DeMaria did not actually have an interest in the Corey Street property, am I right?” asked Atty. Robbins.

“I don’t know if that’s what it stated. If you can show me it, I’ll read it,” said Philbin.

“Do you recall publishing that Mr. DeMaria was asking for money and demanding money from a property that he had no interest in? Do you recall that?”

“Yes,” replied Philbin.

“And in fact, you had been informed 15 months earlier by Mr. Resnek himself that Mr. DeMaria and Mr. Cornelio were, in fact, partners in Corey Street, correct?” asked the attorney.

“Objection,” stated Philbin’s attorney, “asked and answered.

Philbin then admits that he met with Cornelio sometime in the fall of 2021 to discuss the Corey Street property deal and called the mayor a crook, referring to a Sept. 8 text where Philbin texted to Cornelio, “Friends don’t do a fraction of the shit that has been done to you by this Crook.”

“You’re referring to Mr. DeMaria, correct?” asked Atty. Robbins.

“I don’t recall, but possibly, yes,” replied Philbin.

  Next week: Philbin tosses around “some ideas” about the mayor with Cornelio.