A fight earlier this month between two men at Braveheart Highland Pub in Hellertown may be connected to an ongoing FBI investigation into allegations of redevelopment-related corruption at Allentown City Hall.
Court records state that Lehigh Valley Building Trades Council president James Edward Reilley, 57, of Lower Saucon Township, assaulted Brendan Hansbury at the bar/restaurant on the evening of Sept. 1–allegedly choking him and telling him he was going to “(expletive) kill him.”
An affidavit of probable cause dated Sept. 16 and signed by Hellertown Police Cpl. Jeff Johnston states that “Hansbury was asked how he was assaulted, and he replied that James Reilley began to squeeze his neck to the point that Brendan began having difficulties breathing.”
The affidavit notes that there were witnesses to the alleged choking incident, and says Hansbury told police “(Reilley)…accused him of calling the FBI in regards to a investigation taking place in Allentown, Pennsylvania.”
When Johnston called Reilley to follow up, Reilley told him he was in Reading and unable to return to the area to talk to about what happened, the court records say.
Reilley has been charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, harassment and terroristic threats.
The Morning Call reported that after his arraignment he was freed on $25,000 unsecured bail and ordered not to have contact with Hansbury.
The Express-Times reported that a phone number for Hansbury was disconnected as of Thursday.
Both newspapers have also reported that the incident may have been tied to the FBI-led probe into allegations of bribery; a probe which involves Hansbury’s brother-in-law, Allentown political consultant Mike Fleck.
Reilley through his lawyer Thursday told the Express-Times the alleged confrontation with Hansbury had nothing to do with the FBI investigation, although he declined to say what it was about.
Fleck–a former advisor to both Allentown mayor Ed Pawlowski and Reilley–was widely reported to have shuttered his business and left town the day news of the investigation broke over the summer.
