THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2022 Page 11 Carlo DeMaria, Jr. vs. the Everett Leader Herald, Philbins, Resnek, Cornelio The Blue Suit Unravels Under Questioning Judge: Defendants must turn over all unredacted correspondence to mayor (Editor’s Note: This story was published in the Everett Advocate on July 8, 2022) By James Mitchell T his past week it was learned that defendants the Everett Leader Herald newspaper, Matthew Philbin and Andrew Philbin, Sr., and reporter Joshua Resnek must turn over within 20 days all unredacted emails, texts and phone records which may have been withheld related to the current lawsuit filed by Mayor Carlo DeMaria, Jr. This would also include the identities of all purported sources, according to the judgment by Middlesex Superior Court Judge James Budreau granting DeMaria’s motion to compel supplemental discovery responses dated June 30, 2022. In the continued depositions for Mayor Carlo DeMaria’s defamation lawsuit against the Everett Leader Herald newspaper, Matthew Philbin and Andrew Philbin, Sr., reporter Joshua Resnek, and Sergio Cornelio on June 23, at the Boston law offi ces of Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP, Resnek continued his stunning admission of yellow journalism. He admitted to attorneys for DeMaria that his stories published on Sept. 8 and 15, 2021 – written just weeks before the primary election – contained lies and fabrications that falsely claimed the mayor strong-armed City Clerk Sergio Cornelio in their legitimate commercial property land deal on Corey Street in Everett. Attorney Jeff ery Robbins commanded answers from the dodgy Resnek regarding his emails to Boston Globe reporter Andrea Estes about information written in his articles based on information Resnek claimed he obtained from Leader Herald owner Matthew Philbin. In just one example of Resnek’s attempt to goad The Globe reporter into writing articles about the mayor, Resnek was asked if he had any notes of any kind that proved the mayor threatened to withdraw city money from the Everett Co-operative Bank if he didn’t get a mortgage. Resnek admitted that he didn’t – his information was based on only what he was told by Philbin. When Estes asks Resnek how the mayor could justify having money in an account that pays no interest, Resnek stated, “It’s all speculation. I didn’t know whether or not there was a phony LLC.” Yet, Resnek wrote his articles accusing DeMaria of just that. Resnek had stated in his articles that Cornelio told him that the mayor strong-armed his way into the Corey Street property deal and the mayor fi led a phony LLC in order to collect on the deal – just one of many false allegations Resnek claimed in his articles in 2021. Resnek stated to the attorneys that all documents with respect to the land deal were, according to his testimony, witnessed by Philbin and related to him as information to use in his Sept. 2021 articles. Resnek admitted he never saw any documents, including a lawyer’s note related to the deal, and that he knew there was a legitimate LLC between Cornelio and DeMaria listed with the Mass. Secretary of State’s offi ce, despite not having the names of the owners, portrayed it as illegitimate, as if information was being purposely hidden. But Resnek admitted that he also never listed his name as owner of Chelsea Press, LLC, a company which he uses to collect his paycheck for his work for the Everett Leader Herald, as well as never listing Matthew Philbin as owner of Dorchester Publications, LLC, which publishes the newspaper. “In your articles in Sept. 2021, did you inform your readers that it was very typical, quite common for LLC documents to be fi led with the Secretary of State’s offi ce without identifying the owners?” asked Robbins. “No, I didn’t,” replied Resnek, When asked about his motivation to send emails to Estes which stated that he (Resnek) could not say with any certainty if the mayor threatened Everett Co-operative Bank President Richard O’Neil and his brother, Atty. David O’Neil, who represented DeMaria and Cornelio in their land deal, to “do his bidding” with respect to the property deal, Resnek stated he did because the bank’s ad was pulled from the newspaper, calling it “cause and effect.” “Mr. Resnek, have you given us just now your basis for believing that Mr. DeMaria threatened the O’Neils? Have you just told us everything?” asked Robbins. “That’s about all I have to say, yeah,” replied Resnek. “Did you have any evidence that Mr. DeMaria had threatened the O’Neils in any way relating to Corey Street?” Resnek answered, “No.” Robbins then asked Resnek about the Philbin family, who had taken ownership of the Everett Leader Herald in 2017 following the passing of Joseph Curnane, Jr., purchasing the Church Street offi ce property and the newspaper for reportedly $750,000. The attorney asked about the newspaper’s fi nances after Resnek became publisher in 2017. Resnek claimed it made $330,000 that year – to $200,000 by 2021 – described by Resnek as “bleeding” funds year after year. Resnek also claimed that the Philbins weren’t happy with the mayor for losing the city’s insurance business after DeMaria was first elected mayor. Resnek also stated that Matthew and Andrew Philbin, Sr. were upset that the Everett Co-operative Bank had pulled their $350 a week ad from their newspaper, believing it was at the behest of the mayor. Resnek claimed to have “anecdotal evidence” but admitted to not having any actual evidence. Robbins asked Resnek if he urged The Boston Globe reporter to urge Cornelio to make statements to her as well as urge others to make statements to him. Resnek replied that he did. The attorney delved further into the emails with Estes, asking Resnek about the email where Resnek describes the scenario where Estes should call DeMaria, Cornelio and the O’Neil brothers, and said that 2.50 %APY* With rates like this, earning while you save is easier than ever. Ask about our concierge service. EARN INTEREST WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS FROM A NEW MILESTONE SAVINGS ACCOUNT. Saving is hard. We get it. Life gets in the way. That’s why we created the Milestone Savings Account. With an amazing 2.50% APY* and no restrictions, reaching those New Milestone Savings Account. Go to everettbank.com for details. she should not expect them to reveal their pocket LLC to protect the mayor’s $96,000 “unless you provoke them that they met privately” – “at least three times before Cornelio gave up and signed over the $96,000 to the mayor.” Resnek claimed that evidence came from Cornelio’s statements; that it’s only DEPOSITION | SEE Page 14 * This account is available to all new customers and for existing customers with new monies of $50,000. Annual SKATING CENTER www.Roller-World.com 781-231-1111 HELP WANTED Earn $16. Per Hour Skate Guards • Snack Bar Must be 17 years or older - Hours Can Be Arranged Open 7 Days Per Week Call Jerry at 617-620-9201 Located at 425R Broadway (Route 1 South), Saugus MBTA Bus Route 429
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