Ex-Harrisburg councilman charged with stealing from DNC in Philly
A former Harrisburg city councilman was arrested in Philadelphia this week and charged with stealing Democratic National Convention parking passes, media passes, and food vouchers, according to the District Attorney's Office.
A former Harrisburg city councilman was arrested in Philadelphia this week and charged with stealing Democratic National Convention parking passes, media passes, and food vouchers, according to the District Attorney's Office.
Brad Koplinski is accused of using a press pass from last week's Republican National Convention in Cleveland to enter the Pennsylvania Convention Center last weekend and take an assortment of DNC passes from boxes, according to Cameron Kline, spokesman for the D.A.'s Office.
A staffer noticed that the items were missing "because the passes were numbered," and security footage allegedly shows Koplinski taking them, Kline said.
Koplinski was arrested Sunday morning at 12th and Arch Streets, Kline said. He was charged with burglary, theft, trespassing, and related counts, according to court records, and was free after posting 10 percent of $10,000 bail.
Koplinski, a Democrat, was a Harrisburg councilman from 2007 to 2015 and once ran for lieutenant governor. Attempts to reach him Tuesday afternoon were unsuccessful. Court records say he is being represented by the Defender Association of Philadelphia.
Koplinski told PennLive last week that he had attended the RNC using a friend's credentials. In exchange, he told the website, he agreed to hawk Trump buttons in Cleveland, despite being a proud Democrat.
"Boy, some people will do anything to get into the Republican Convention," Koplinski wrote on his Facebook page, sharing a link to the article.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 8, according to court records.
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