A lawsuit involving Bob Brooks (D), a retired Bethlehem firefighter who is running for Congress against Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Lehigh), and his former mother-in-law, Carol Wiley, has been dismissed.
According to a filing with the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas, the case has been settled, costs paid and dismissed with prejudice. The document is signed by lawyers representing both parties.
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“This old family dispute has officially been resolved by an agreement between the two parties,” Ryan Moore, Brooks’ attorney, said in a statement. “Bob is glad that this personal matter was resolved amicably and is now behind him and his family. Out of respect for everyone involved, we won’t be commenting further.”
Wiley originally filed the lawsuit against Brooks on Feb. 17, 2026, alleging the former firefighter attempted to defraud her of more than $162,000.
According to Lehigh Valley Public Media, the dispute dates back to 2004, when Wiley’s husband transferred a plot of land to Brooks and his former wife Jennifer Lynn Kostenbader. Wiley accused the two of not paying the amount they agreed in exchange. Brooks was made to pay $130,000 after a judgement against him in 2018. Wiley’s newest lawsuit alleged that the unpaid debt had since grown to more than $162,000.
While speaking at President Donald Trump’s midterm convention on Thursday, Mackenzie accused Brooks of stealing from his former in-laws.
“Let me tell you about Bob Brooks. He stole over $160,000 from his own family, and refused to pay it back,” Mackenzie said.
However, Brooks has had the support of his former wife throughout the dispute.
“To use this situation now as a way to demean my ex-husband is unjust, and I cannot in good conscience remain silent,” Kostenbader said in the statement in April. “Bob has been a devoted father to our two boys, and it pains me to see the truth twisted in a way that harms a good man.”
