When David Hughes demanded fiscal transparency on Exeter Township's Board of Supervisors, insiders fabricated harassment allegations, imposed baseless censures, and sued him with taxpayer money to shut him up. An independent investigation cleared him completely. He sued them back. It's all in the public record.
Every fact below is sourced from Docket No. 25-13317, filed in the Court of Common Pleas of Berks County, Pennsylvania, and from the public record. Read it for yourself.
David Hughes Won an Election. The Insiders Made Him Pay for It.
In 2021, David Hughes — a CMA/CFM-certified accountant with 40 years of Fortune 500 financial leadership at Raytheon, AMD, and Omnicell — was elected to the Exeter Township Board of Supervisors on a platform of fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability.
Before he even took office, David had already exposed a $1.8 million financial discrepancy in the Township's books during a public meeting. The Township's own auditors confirmed he was right.
The insiders on the Board and their hired solicitor, J. Chadwick Schnee of Schnee Legal Services, did not appreciate having someone on the Board who actually read the financial statements.
Eight Days In — The Fabrications Began
David Hughes was sworn in on January 3, 2022. Eight days later, the Township Finance Director responsible for the $1.8 million discrepancy filed a discrimination complaint against him. No allegation of sexual harassment was made. On February 4, 2022, a second employee filed a similar allegation. Again — no allegation of sexual harassment.
The Township retained an outside law firm to investigate. That independent investigation — which cost taxpayers over $16,000 — concluded unequivocally:
- David Hughes did not harass any employees.
- David Hughes did not discriminate against anyone.
- One female employee and David both had strong personalities — but the conduct was reciprocal, not discriminatory.
- No employee made any allegation of sexual harassment.
David was completely vindicated. But the Township buried the report. They refused to release it to the public.
Schnee Weaponized a Lie — After the Investigation Cleared David
Despite knowing the investigation found zero harassment, Solicitor Chadwick Schnee continued to reference the investigation in a way that implied David had engaged in sexual harassment. At a January 23, 2023 public meeting — six months after the investigation cleared David — Schnee publicly referenced allegations of sexual harassment.
According to the court filing, Schnee was fully aware that no allegations of sexual harassment were ever made. His public statement was a deliberate act of defamation designed to silence a Supervisor who wouldn't stop asking uncomfortable questions.
Schnee's misconduct according to Docket 25-13317:
- He falsely accused David of Ethics Act violations for having a laptop sticker
- He sent David a Cease and Desist letter to intimidate him into silence
- He inserted a "non-disparagement clause" into his own fee agreement — meaning taxpayers would be billed $1,000 every time a Supervisor publicly criticized Schnee
- He attempted to interfere with David's attorney-client relationship during litigation — a violation of Pennsylvania Rule of Professional Conduct 4.2
Ted Gardella and Emily Schnee: Conspiring to Punish David's Supporters
Former Supervisor Theodore Gardella and Emily Schnee (wife of Solicitor Schnee) conspired to harm Jerry Geleff, a local media representative who publishes The Exeter Examiner and who publicly supported David's accountability efforts.
They publicly discussed a plan on social media to boycott Geleff's businesses. The Township also brought an unsuccessful lawsuit against Geleff seeking to quash his First Amendment right to free speech — dismissed with prejudice weeks after it was filed.
Two Baseless Public Censures — Designed to Humiliate
The Board imposed two public censures against David — on June 22, 2022 and July 10, 2023. Both were read aloud at live-streamed public meetings, published on the Township website and Facebook page, and reported by WFMZ and the Reading Eagle.
At one point, David raised a legitimate concern about the Township paying Schnee Legal's bill early while incurring a late fee on another creditor. For this, David was escorted out of the meeting by a Township police officer.
At another meeting — on live stream — a sitting Supervisor called David an obscene name.
The Township Sued David — Then Offered Taxpayer Money to Remove Him
On October 6, 2023, Exeter Township filed a First Amendment lawsuit against David (Docket No. 23-14988), seeking to stop him from publishing information. The court denied the Township's petition.
The Township then made escalating offers — all requiring David to resign:
- January 2024: Pay legal fees + resign
- February 2024: $250,000 — "best and final," 5-day deadline
- May 2024: $500,000 — plus release of Schnee's family members
David initially offered to resign if the Township simply terminated Schnee's contract. The Township refused. They would rather spend hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars than part with their solicitor.
David Accepted — The Township Broke the Agreement Immediately
On August 2, 2024, the parties reached an agreement: David would resign, receive $805,000, and both sides would issue only a negotiated neutral joint statement. The Township agreed to revoke both censures.
David resigned August 7, 2024. Then the Township broke the agreement immediately:
- August 16, 2024 — just two days after the proper press release — the Township issued an unauthorized second press release calling the agreement "excruciating" and accusing David of "unethical" behavior. Every statement violated the agreement.
- The censures were never properly revoked. They remain on the Township website today.
- The defamatory press release was approved by Solicitor Schnee and issued by Interim Manager Lisa Hagberg.
David Hughes Sued Them Back
On October 14, 2025, David filed Docket No. 25-13317 — a breach of contract lawsuit in the Court of Common Pleas of Berks County, naming as defendants:
- Exeter Township
- J. Chadwick Schnee, Esquire — Township Solicitor
- Schnee Legal Services LLC
- George Bell — Supervisor
- Clarence Hamm — Supervisor
- John Piho — Supervisor / Chairman
- Michelle Kircher — Supervisor
- David Volmer
- Lisa Hagberg — Interim Township Manager
- Kafferlin Strategies, LLC — Township consultant
David is the plaintiff. He is demanding a jury trial. The case is assigned to Judge James E. Gavin.
What the Voters of the 128th District Need to Know
David Hughes served his neighbors on the Exeter Township Board. He found a $1.8 million discrepancy and said so publicly. For that, a corrupt network of insiders — led by Solicitor Chadwick Schnee and former Vice-Chair Ted Gardella — fabricated harassment allegations, imposed baseless censures, sued him with taxpayer money, defamed him publicly, interfered with his legal representation, conspired against his supporters, and then broke their own agreement the moment the ink was dry.
An independent investigation costing taxpayers $16,000+ cleared David of every allegation. The court denied the Township's injunction. When the scheme collapsed, they paid him $805,000 of your tax dollars to make him go away — then immediately violated the terms.
David didn't go away. He sued them back. And now he's running for State Representative.
Docket No. 25-13317 is public record. Every fact in this article comes directly from that filing. Read it for yourself.
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