Philbin’s denial of culpability in Leader Herald stories proven false with release of emails between himself and corrupt Publisher/Editor Resnek

Carlo DeMaria, Jr. vs. Everett Leader Herald, Sergio Cornelio, Joshua Resnek, Matthew Philbin and Andrew Philbin, Sr.

Are you sure about that?

  As Mayor Carlo DeMaria’s attorneys await the arrival of Philbin family members at their offices to finally answer questions under oath – namely Andrew Philbin, Sr., Matthew Philbin, owner of the Everett Leader Heraldnewspaper, Tara Philbin, Manager of Philbin Insurance, and Andrew Philbin, Jr., of Philbin Realty Group – emails of Matthew Philbin were recently obtained showing information contrary to his denial of collaborating with Publisher/Editor Joshua Resnek in his answer to the lawsuit filed by the mayor for publishing stories and editorials of false fabrications and outright lies from 2017 until 2021. He denied “all the remaining allegations and states he is not a reporter and is not involved in reviewing, editing, or approving the Everett Leader Herald publications.” Unfortunately for the defendant, his emails speak to the contrary. As of this date, Matthew Philbin’s personal secretary, along with the newspaper’s bookkeeper, Mary Schovanec, who were also served subpoenas, like the Philbins, have refused to testify under oath.

  As an example of Philbin’s working relationship with Resnek, in a Feb. 26, 2019, email, Philbin instructs Resnek,” Gotta’ do a couple of rewrites, and go over a few things. But Fred is out…Not in print or on line.”

  Resnek replies in his email, “Got it. No Fred online or in print, my man. Just let me know what you want edited and we will be set. Nice looking paper. F@#K Carlo. F@#k him good. That front page is a killer.”

  Philbin also offered his political-artistic side when he was mulling publishing an attached cartoon in an email to Resnek mocking former President Donald Trump, where he’s dressed up as Santa carrying a sack with a man saying to a woman, “The Grinch is here early.” In a Dec. 16, 2019, email, Philbin writes to Resnek, “Let’s change it to Carlo.”

  In another email with an attached cartoon sent the same day, Philbin writes, “Put Carlo reading ‘The Everett Leader Herald’ Saying Where’s the Fake News when you want it,,,Maybe this is one for later date.”

  Given that it was the holiday season, Philbin’s emails continued to offer his “holiday spirit” toward his nemesis; in an email – once again attempting to mimic another political cartoon – he writes to Resnek, “OK, A Picture of Carlo and it says, He knows when you are donating…He knows when are not. He knows if you walk his dog, he knows if you shine his shoes he knows. We can go on and on here…it’s Christmas,” writes Philbin.

The irony and the hate

  As Philbin and Resnek continued to publish their printed hate each week towards the mayor, Philbin took exception to one of Resnek’s editorials in an email dated August 17, 2020, writing to Resnek, “I wouldn’t run this…Makes Carlo look good…He’s trying to save the City money.”

Delusions of grandeur

  Resnek, who attempted to publish a book about casino mogul Steve Wynn and his pursuit of the Class A Casino license in Everett, but was rebuffed by every credible publisher, offered up his “final proof” to Philbin and his cronies, former Metro newspaper publisher Russel Pergament, David O’Connor, current Communications Director for the Everett School Dept., Walt Pavlo, Jacob Resnek and James Mahoney, the newspaper’s designer. Resnek writes to Philbin, “This is but one comment of several just like it that I do not solicit. These attacks are brutal for him – and reach all the right places in addition. You and I share in any money from the book so hyping the book at Carlo’s expense is a win-win for us. Let’s see what happens.”

Making it up as they went along

  If constantly publishing hateful lies about the mayor wasn’t enough, Philbin and Resnek thought falsely claiming the mayor as racist would help in their attempt to unseat the mayor in the 2021 election. Starting with false claims of racist hiring practices and writing false claims about security cameras in the school administration office on Vine Street that didn’t work despite claiming otherwise, Resnek and Philbin attempted to paint the city as racist week after week.

  In one of many emails showing how they schemed to do just that, Philbin wrote in an Oct. 13, 2020, email to Resnek, “‘Subject: Racism Commission,’ So Great Article…But ‘Systemic’ Everett’s Racism,,,that means the system set up is racists…Hmmm. The Mayor is a Racists NO DOUBT…(I believe he even hates himself),,,I also don’t believe Everett as a whole is Racist…I think the Mayors Hiring Practice maybe Racists.”

  The emails also show that Resnek couldn’t blow his nose without Philbin’s permission. Resnek had to send all his written articles to Philbin prior to publishing for his approval and editing.

  In a November 17, 2020, email, Resnek sends his “Eye on Everett” article to his boss for approval. “You think the mayor or his wife will like it?” asks Resnek. “Will wordsmith where necessary.”

  Philbin replies to Resnek, “Some wordsmithing needed. But other than that pretty funny…”

Exploiting Covid

  Philbin also critiqued Resnek’s School Committee story that same day, writing to Resnek, “To the end you say SD…The school Dept. is TOO IMPORTANT to abbreviate. And let’s make sure that the people realize once again The Mayor and his Administration is taking the money away from Everett’s kids, their Future, this Education we are talking about. Basically the cost of flowers…”

  Philbin never let up, realizing their strategy to hurt the mayor during the pandemic needed to be used to their advantage. In a December 1, 2020, email from Philbin to Resnek, Elena Vega and James Mahoney, Philbin instructs his corrupt editor to place more emphasis on the crisis and effects – and still blame the mayor: “Hmmm…maybe these Pols and the Mayor don’t really understand the crisis and effects on the everyday citizen BECAUSE they The Mayor Especially didn’t take a pay cut did he? Did he still expect his raise? Oh of course because that is part of it. He is so out of touch with the everyday schmuck that lost hours, lost pay, lost their jobs. And quite possibly lost their homes…”

  Makes you wonder how much money the Philbins were losing – probably not much given their many real estate holdings and marijuana business.

Don’t quit your day job

  Philbin also offers up some inspiration to his flunky editor that day, offering up some comedy for Resnek to write: “Hmmmm How about a call with Trump and Wynn…Don’t Go Don Don’t Go! I’d never leave,,,Never. I own city hall…Hmmmm, Maybe I’m smarter than both of them. Come to think of it, you know it’s not reality either, it’s all fake news.”

  Of the 92 pages of emails between Philbin and Resnek, it’s clear that, despite his claims of having no editorial claims to the publishing of any articles, it’s blatantly false.

  As the 2021 election neared, Philbin appeared to be under pressure to attack the mayor any way he could through his newspaper. In a February 13, 2021, email, Philbin asked Resnek to have a brainstorm session to discuss “Leader Branding” where Resnek wants to sell t-shirts on the internet that would read “Dump Carlo or Leave $$$ for Everett” or “I’m Not with Carlo.” Philbin writes, “Like his Face and Trumps face and Hitler all on the front. Or his Face with #Donutman – some nifty forward thinking things like ‘Everett Matters Carlo’ Not Aruba…or a shirt with all his famous lines.”

But wait, there’s more

  Despite Philbin’s claims that he was “not involved in reviewing, editing, or approving the Everett Leader Heraldpublications,” an email offered proof to the contrary. In a December 22, 2020, email to Resnek, stating in the subject line: “Re: #2. EDITED EYE COPY PLEASE USE THIS COPY”, Philbin writes, “Interesting…when you mention his salary I would slide in that its more than major cities like Denver, etc. etc. WAY overpaid for what he puts into it. It’s a good time to make a comparison again.”

  Judging from the many emails provided to the mayor’s attorneys, one thing is clear – that Philbin’s only intention of publishing a newspaper was to take revenge on Mayor DeMaria at any cost through the use of the corrupt Publisher/Editor Resnek. And the testimony of Philbin’s former vice president of operations, Elena Vega, who witnessed many a draft of the articles and edits between Resnek and Philbin, stated that the Leader Herald wasn’t a legitimate newspaper – to Vega, it was all about attacking the mayor of Everett.