THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MAy 19, 2023 Page 13 RESNEK | FROM PAGE 6 lieved based on his observations, that what Resnek was writing in the Leader Herald was inflicting serious pain upon the mayor. In the email, Resnek brags to O’Connor, writing, “What a week coming up for his honor. He wants to (expletive) with you – I’ll show him what he gets in return.” When asked if he thought the mayor was ever inappropriate to him, O’Connor said he had heard that the mayor wasn’t very fond of him, but knew he had no authority over his position. “So apart from hearing you say that the mayor wasn’t very fond of you, had the mayor done anything to you?” asked the attorney. “No,” he replied. “Mr. Resnek repeatedly said to you orally and in e-mails that he was going to get the mayor, right?” asked Robbins. “Yes,” replied O’Connor. Resnek and O’Connor have been close for many years, beginning with O’Connor working at the Independent Newspaper Group, which publishes the Everett Independent, where Resnek was a former co-owner until he was forced out due to his own corruption – compromising the newspaper’s integrity through his personal monetary gain. After being hired by the Everett Public Schools and working for the Leader Herald, O’Connor would meet Resnek almost daily for lunch. Sources close to the case claimed O’Connor could be seen waiting outside the Vine St. administration office at the Chelsea St. bus stop waiting for Resnek to pick him up for lunch. Atty. Robbins asked O’Connor about the damaging impact Resnek’s articles were having on the mayor through interactions from others. O’Connor stated that he would speak to people around Everett who claimed to have read the articles and heard both sides – some who were persuaded and some who just hated the newspaper. “And as a matter of fact, you even referred to the effect of what Resnek and Philbin were doing as a kind of Holocaust, didn’t you?” asked the attorney. “I may have used that term. I don’t remember using that term,” said O’Connor. Robbins stated to O’Connor that he did use that term in an email with Resnek when he described the impact of what Resnek and Philbin was having on the mayor’s reputation. The attorney offers an exhibit showing a Jan. 24, 2019 email between he and Resnek, at a time when he was working on the taxpayer’s dime. In the email, O’Connor is describing comments made to the mayor to a former Independent Newspaper reporter, where O’Connor states to Resnek, “It tells us, obviously, that what you’re doing is, as you like to say, the Holocaust.” “Do you see that?” asks the attorney to O’Connor. “Yes,” replies the witness. “What you were saying is that what Philbin and Resnek were doing to DeMaria was doing him damage akin to the Holocaust, correct? “Yes.” “Because that’s what you believed, correct?” asked the attorney. “Yes,” he replied. O’Connor goes on to pump up Resnek’s writings of falsehoods and lies, saying the “dumb call to arms” claiming that the mayor was attempting to use “veiled threats” to curtail advertisers in the Leader Herald, and telling Resnek that the mayor used his “claim-withoutproof” that Resnek’s articles were fake or false. O’Connor continued his rant to the corrupt publisher, stating that the mayor must be getting a lot of feedback that the Leader Herald has “a lot of balls” to be publishing his articles. “Did you have any evidence that the mayor was doing anything to curtail the Leader Herald’s advertising?,” asked Atty. Robbins. “No,” replied O’Connor. “But you just said here, you told the guy who was paying you money that he had made -- that he, the mayor, had made veiled threats to your advertisers because that’s what Resnek had told you; right?” “Yes,” he replied. Robbins asked O’Connor if he was aware that his good friend Resnek had admitted to fabricating articles and accusations; manufacturing phony notes; admitted to concocting purported quotes that were never said by anybody; and had admitted to lying under oath, O’Connor replied he was. “And so I guess that when the mayor said that what Resnek was saying was fake or false, it was the mayor who was correct, wasn’t he?” asked Atty. Robbins. “Yes,” replied Resnek’s best buddy. Time to lawyer up, buddy The mayor’s attorney offered another exhibit, a March 21, 2019 email exchange between O’Connor and Resnek, where O’Connor expresses his concern over Forestiere’s resignation and the possible shakeup at the school administration building, and facing being laid off. Resnek tells O’Connor that Philbin has suggested that he write up everything that he and Resnek have discussed, go to the post office, and mail the write-ups to himself by certified mail. O’Connor stated that he found the request to be very strange and said he didn’t follow his directive. Resnek then states, “We will take care of a lawyer when the time comes.” O’Connor states that he didn’t know what Resnek meant by taking care of a lawyer, or for what purpose he would need one. When asked if he believed that the mayor ever threatened his job in any way, shape or form, O’Connor stated the mayor did not. But then, in the email, Resnek tells O’Connor to be aware that the mayor is making an effort to have him removed. “You never know what can happen. What you do know is that the mayor is making a concerted, illegal, unethical effort to have you removed from your position,” states Resnek in the email. Robbins asks O’Connor if there was any truth or evidence that the mayor was doing anything to have him removed from his job, O’Connor stated, “No.” O’Connor would continue to praise Resnek’s accusations, never asking for proof but instead, exclaiming, “I love your passion!” Hot off the presses The subject turned to O’Connor relaying information from Resnek to Supt. Tahiliani, who he met with as her communications coordinator. Asked about Tahiliani’s lawsuit charging the mayor with RESNEK | SEE PAGE 22
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