(In Our Opinion)
Chad Schnee and his wife, Emily Diehm, though not residents of Exeter Township, have become the epicenter and driving force behind a campaign that seems intent on dismantling our community.
Schnee, a former clerk for the county’s department of open records, selectively applies portions of the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know laws, and his work is mediocre at best. His billing practices are offensive, and his passive-aggressive behavior in public, online, and private settings is insufferable. Emily Diehm, a registered nurse, has called online for the murder of an opponent and routinely engages in vicious online trolling alongside her partner in crime, Gardella, a secondary contributor to a first-grade math textbook.
So, what is driving this destructive behavior? Schnee appears to be orchestrating a campaign to destroy Exeter Township, leveraging lies, deception, and corruption to drain the township’s resources through dubious deals and alliances with corrupt county officials and law firms. His goal seems to be to maintain an incompetent bureaucracy that serves his interests, not the residents and taxpayers who fund his outrageous bills.
Our theory is that Schnee’s vendetta began when he was fired from Tucker-Hull, likely due to unethical billing practices that drew unwanted attention. This dismissal, coupled with his wife’s joblessness and their financial instability, may have pushed them to channel their frustrations onto Exeter Township. Instead of taking responsibility for their situation, they targeted a lone supervisor, blaming them for their misfortune and embarking on a mission to destroy Exeter Township.
The tactics employed by Schnee and his allies include:
- Malicious slandering campaigns both in public and online, targeting the lone supervisor with lies, insults, and even calls for murder. These tactics failed.
- Misuse of attorney-client privilege to withhold information, forcing costly Right-to-Know requests and appeals to increase Schnee’s revenue. This illegal ruse eventually backfired.
- Manipulating the Board of Supervisors to pass resolutions isolating the lone supervisor and granting Schnee more power. Despite his unethical billing practices, he managed to secure a significant income from the township.
- Filing lawsuits against the lone supervisor to intimidate and financially drain them, which also failed.
- Attempting to rig elections through in-kind political contributions, which did not succeed.
Under Schnee’s influence, the township has faced numerous devastating financial transactions:
- Hiring an expensive and incompetent township manager, Betsy McBride, who has exacerbated bureaucratic inefficiency and ballooned expenses.
- Negotiating disastrous deals like the RHM hospitality agreement for the Reading Country Club, costing taxpayers significantly.
- Renewing trash hauling contracts in a non-competitive manner, favoring a single firm and resulting in unfavorable terms for taxpayers.
- Re-zoning resolutions and the sale of the Reading Country Club to friends at the Berks County Redevelopment Agency, leading to plans for low-income housing that will further strain the township.
In summary, Chad Schnee and his wife have led a campaign of destruction against Exeter Township, driven by a distorted vendetta. Their actions reflect a severe disconnect from reality and a dangerous disregard for the community’s well-being. Immediate action is needed to remove Schnee from his position and address his destructive track record through legal avenues.
Schnee Legal Services touts itself as a trusted law firm, but based on these actions, it is clear that Chadwick Schnee is one of the most unethical attorneys in Pennsylvania, if not the nation. It is imperative to recognize the damage he has caused and take steps to protect Exeter Township from further harm.