Tag Archives: alleged theft

John Campbell: “I Am Sorry”

City Treasurer John Campbell, who resigned Thursday morning following allegations that he stole from a charity unaffiliated with city government, at his swearing-in ceremony in January of 2012.

Former city Treasurer John Campbell at his swearing-in ceremony in January 2012.

Former Harrisburg Treasurer John Campbell issued a lengthy statement late this afternoon, apologizing for taking money from two non-profit groups.

In his statement, the 26-year-old Campbell repeatedly apologized for his alleged thefts from Historic Harrisburg Association, where he served as executive director for four years, and from Stonewall Democrats, where he served as treasurer. In explaining his actions, he cited the burden of overwhelming debt and the immaturity of youth, but said these should not excuse his behavior.

“My decisions were selfish and without thought of repercussions,” he wrote.

He added that his achievements at such a young age blinded him to the consequences of his behavior.

“While I was fortunate in my accomplishments, I was also struggling with the challenges that come with aiming so high,” he wrote.

Yesterday, Campbell waived his preliminary hearing and now is due to stand trial on two felony counts of theft and one misdemeanor count of fraudulent conduct. He is charged with writing checks to himself totaling $8,500 from the account of Lighten Up Harrisburg, a charity associated with Historic Harrisburg, and $2,750 from the account of the Stonewall Democrats political action committee.

Following his arrest early last month, Campbell resigned his elected post as city treasurer. An audit of the office revealed no wrongdoing by Campbell, according to the city.

The full text of Campbell’s statement follows:

“The most important thing I can say right now is that I am sorry. I am ashamed. I am regretful. I’ve made poor choices for personal reasons and that have wrongly affected those who trusted me as an employee, an elected official, a community member, an advocate, a friend, and a family member.

I apologize for the disappointment, anger and grief I have caused. Most significantly, I apologize to the members and directors of the Historic Harrisburg Association who instilled their confidence in me as a 21-year-old Executive Director five years ago.  I apologize to the members and officers of the Capital Region Stonewall Democrats who reelected me to four terms as Treasurer and expected me to safeguard the organization’s financial position.

I have confessed to my wrongdoing and have fully cooperated with the authorities. As I continue to make full restitution to Historic Harrisburg and the Capital Region Stonewall Democrats and accept responsibility for my actions, I have not given up on myself.  I have sought counsel from my pastor, therapist, friends, and family throughout this difficult time so that I may learn from this unfortunate situation I caused. I refuse to settle into the failure I created, for it implies that we do not learn from our mistakes.  Instead I believe that new beginnings come only after our most difficult times, light after dark. It’s hard, sometimes very hard, but new beginnings, light, and learning all come in time.

Some have wondered how this lapse in my judgment could occur. I have thought long and hard about my actions and there are no excuses that can justify them nor shall I offer any. While trying to cloak my actions under a veil of college tuition, unexpected medical expenses, and burgeoning debt might be easy, these are simply symptoms of my decisions, not the causes. My lapse in judgment is ultimately my burden to bear.

Over the past year, while finishing my degree, I made damaging decisions that ultimately hurt me. More importantly, the organizations with which I have worked closely to help restore hope, faith, and trust in Harrisburg were injured. My decisions were selfish and without thought of repercussions. These decisions betrayed the trust I have worked so hard to instill and bring to Harrisburg as a young voice for change and accountability.

Historic Harrisburg is still an organization I hold closest to my values, beliefs, and vision for the future of Harrisburg. It was the organization in which I invested over five years of my life both as a board member and executive director. Together the Board and I built an organization that has become a leader within the community on issues of economic development, community building, and connecting Harrisburg’s past with its future. Just five years ago, the organization had five board members, struggled operationally, and lacked executive leadership. Today the board boasts 23 members, has experienced exponential programmatic and financial growth, and built a staff of six dedicated individuals.

While my tenure at Historic Harrisburg was filled with many successes, it now will be shrouded with doubt and confusion due to mistakes I made that hurt both the organization and me personally. I hope that my actions will not mar the reputation this organization has built.

There has been an impression—one that I fostered and encouraged—that I was a young man superbly succeeding in my ambitions, skills, and goals. Over the past eight years I put myself through both community college and undergraduate school, helped rebuild a struggling organization, reconfigured and modernized a city government office, and gave my time and resources to the community I deeply love. While I was fortunate in my accomplishments, I was also struggling with the challenges that come with aiming so high.

One of the most unfortunate consequences is that I betrayed the public’s trust. While my actions did not pertain to that of the City Treasurer’s Office, as a public official I am held to a higher standard.  Of course that is why I resigned my position in the best interest of the residents of Harrisburg.  My actions have far reaching consequences of betrayal and dishonesty at a time when Harrisburg needs unity, vision, and confidence. For this, I am eternally sorry to the residents of Harrisburg.

I do not expect nor wish to receive sympathy or pardon but instead ask for your compassion, grace, and forgiveness. I hope in time that those I have wronged will forgive me for my mistakes. Again I am deeply sorry for my actions and the ramifications they have had on my community.”

 

 

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John Campbell’s Statement on the Charges Filed Against Him

City Treasurer John Campbell, who resigned Thursday morning following allegations that he stole from a charity unaffiliated with city government, at his swearing-in ceremony in January of 2012.

City Treasurer John Campbell, who resigned Thursday morning following allegations that he stole from a charity unaffiliated with city government, at his swearing-in ceremony in January of 2012.

As provided by John Campbell via email Thursday afternoon:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

John Campbell’s Statement on the Charges Filed Against Him

Harrisburg, PA (August 28, 2014) — In light of the recent charges filed against me, I have surrendered myself to the Dauphin County District Attorney’s office and the Harrisburg Bureau of Police. I appreciate both agencies’ willingness to accept my cooperation.

I have also resigned my position as Harrisburg City Treasurer. While the charges have nothing to do with the Office of Treasury, it is in the best interest of everyone involved, most especially the public, that I step down.

I respect and value that Mayor Eric Papenfuse has called for an independent audit of the Treasury’s business. I agree that is the action that should be taken, and I think it’s necessary to give the public absolute evidence that I did no wrong doing in my position as City Treasurer.

Undoubtedly, there will be more I have to say about the charges against me and my work as Executive Director of the Historic Harrisburg Association. For now, though, I ask that all media inquiries on this matter be directed to my attorney, Adam Klein, Esquire of the law firm Smigel, Anderson and Sacks.

 

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Harrisburg Mayor Announces Interim Replacement for City Treasurer Accused of Theft

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse has appointed an interim city treasurer, following the announcement of criminal charges Tuesday against city Treasurer John Campbell for theft from a charitable program unaffiliated with city government.

Paul Wambach, a former city treasurer who served for 20 years before retiring in 2012, will assume Campbell’s position on a volunteer basis, the mayor said Tuesday afternoon at a press conference in city hall.

“As chief executive officer of the city of Harrisburg, I have a responsibility to ensure that the city is being managed properly, all accounts are in order, and that city treasury continues to function in the midst of this dilemma,” Papenfuse said.

Papenfuse also announced Tuesday that he had asked the city’s independent auditors, Maher Duessel, to apply extra scrutiny when reviewing the treasurer office’s operations. Expanding the audit would only incur additional costs if an irregularity were discovered, the mayor said, necessitating a forensic investigation.

The Dauphin County district attorney’s office said Tuesday it did not believe Campbell had stolen any money from the city.

The criminal complaint against Campbell, filed Tuesday morning, alleges that Campbell, 26, stole more than $8,000 out of an account related to a fundraising program to replace city streetlights.

Campbell allegedly stole the money while serving as executive director of the Historic Harrisburg Association, a preservation nonprofit headquartered in Midtown. The funds came from the account associated with a program called Lighten Up Harrisburg, which has raised money to fund citywide lighting initiatives, including the restoration of decorative lights on the Walnut Street Bridge.

Most recently, Lighten Up helped sponsor a 5K “Glow Run” in June, in which runners adorned with glow-in-the-dark necklaces, bracelets and paint ran along Riverfront Park to raise money for replacing downed light poles along Front Street.

In July, the city announced that $22,000 raised from that effort would help fund the replacement of 15 light poles. On Tuesday, Papenfuse announced that the city had completed the work but had not yet been reimbursed by HHA, which discovered funds were missing when it went to reconcile the account holding the donated funds.

Following that discovery, HHA board members requested “monthly bank statements and canceled checks” related to the Lighten Up Harrisburg account, according to the criminal complaint. The board subsequently discovered that Campbell had written himself 10 checks from the account between last December and July, totaling at least $8,481, the complaint says.

The complaint also claims Campbell wrote an email to HHA earlier this month, in which he acknowledged taking the money and spending it on “personal medical and college educational expenses.”

Papenfuse said Tuesday that he fully expects Campbell to resign. If that happens, council will have 30 days to appoint a replacement. The mayor said he had spoken with Council President Wanda Williams before Tuesday’s announcement, who had agreed with his interim appointment of Wambach and would have additional comments about the replacement process during council’s legislative session Tuesday evening.

During Tuesday’s press conference, Wambach made a brief statement about his interim role. “I love this place,” he said of the city. “This place has to know that they’re protected. This place will know that they’re protected.”

Wambach added that he had learned about the forthcoming charges against Campbell last Friday, when the mayor called him to relay what he described as the “shocking” news.

The city treasurer position is part-time and pays $20,000 per year, and does not collect health care or pension benefits. Campbell has held the post since January 2012.

On Tuesday afternoon, HHA posted a statement on its website from its board of directors. “We were shocked to discover the irregularities and are saddened by the alleged actions of our former executive director as outlined today by the District Attorney,” the statement says. “We will seek full restitution of the missing funds.”

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