Open Letter To Jack Buckwalter
Letter To LNP Chairman of the board from Ron Harper Jr, Editor/Publisher of 5thEstate.com

September 19, 2006

Dear Jack,

It was really nice to see you at the last convention center authority meeting. You're looking well and I hope in your retirement you are doing activities that bring you pleasure.

I saw the article in September 16, 2006, Saturday night's New Era about Lancaster Newspaper, which said that Penn Square Limited "…was established to keep the hotel project distinct and separate from its publishing company." Since this Limited Liability Company was established July 25, 2002 (click to see Pennsylvania Department of State Corporation Records) can you please explain why this story is written as though this just happened? The story references the project's 160 million cost estimate so it has to have been written recently!

Furthermore, 5thEstate.com wrote about this circa 2002 arrangement in July of this year documenting how the newspapers was increasing their investment in the project while the public was pouring millions and millions of dollars into what will ultimately be your company's benefit. (click here to read).

I couldn't help but notice that the story had no by-line on it. I fully understand that you couldn't get any reporter to knowingly participate in what is clearly the most blatant attempt at misinformation. (believe me that is saying something!)

Next, I noticed that it was on page B4 of the Saturday New Era. Page B4 of the Saturday New Era is the least read "news" page of ALL of the news pages printed by Lancaster Newspaper!

This means that you printed this story – not for the general public – but rather for someone else's consumption. Who are trying to lie to? Are you trying to convince other newspapers that these public monies really don't taint you? Are you going to clip this and to convince others that the company is now making bold moves to avoid their obvious conflict of interest of covering the largest public project in the history of Lancaster County while on the receiving end of millions and millions of those dollars?!

Please don't insult the general public that this blatant lie does not have some corrupt motive because we are way too smart for that kind of maneuver!

The story ended with this paragraph, "The Company, which also publishes the Intelligencer Journal and Sunday News, also established Steinman Park Restaurant Inc as a separate entity for its Pressroom restaurant."

Jack – this was corporation was created in 1981! Why are you printing a story about something that happened ¼ of a century ago as though it happened today?! You must think we are really stupid and I don't appreciate it at all.

As a fan of capitalism, I do not think there is a problem with one of your companies promoting another one. For instance, when Lancaster Farming, The Ephrata Review or The Lititz Record is using each other to cross promote, that's fine by me. (how come you never mention those publications in your disclaimer by the way?) After all – this is America! Also, what about you personally? I didn't say a word about your real estate development company and "Manor Builders" being featured in the newspaper articles during the sales stage. That's why I didn't say a word when the drug story you have invested money into (Wiley's Pharmacy) was quoted in newspapers stories. Why shouldn't you use one business to promote another business?

OUR hotel/convention center is way different Jack! I say OUR because the vast, vast majority of the 165-200 million project is tax dollars. You and your partners are leveraging the pittance that you "investing" while looking at ZERO risk! Unlike the other private business you promote, this is the public's money that you are taking. When you use your paper to continually attack your detractors - the ones that are fighting your feeding at the public's trough, that's just plain wrong.

Since you opened the door to questioning what your company is doing, what is Steinman Coal Corporation, founded circa 1969, doing and where? How about Steinman Holdings, Inc. founded circa 1988? What are they holding? What is that business up to? We don't trust you any more Jack!

The Steinman's have given much to the community in the last century. It will really be a shame if you take that legacy and ruin it for this convention center/hotel project. Come clean. Tell us what is really going on. Stop with the propaganda already! Get out of this project and start digging in the loss of 19S million that the convention center authority has squandered. Do it for the Steinman's legacy. Do it for your own legacy.

Thanks for reading,