^Message sent ;)

Shame on those wealthy out of state patricians for corrupting our Cuyahoga County  officials lol...

 

By your logic the voters support certain candidates or party because they love and admire a dysfunctional government.

 

cynical: The new Cuyahoga County government will have new ethical standards.  That means that if someone is getting kickbacks in money or "other gifts" that there will be "disciplinary" process.  The person could be fired or referred to prosecution.  The old system did not have that.

 

The PD is putting FitzGerald's (sic) name in the editorial as a means of weakening him before the November election.

 

It obviously does not occur to the wealthy out-of-state patricians who own the Plain Dealer that the Democratic Party actually represents the values of the people in this part of the country and that's why we vote for them.

Anybody else see the guy with the megaphone, his body draped in signs, standing outside the justice center yesterday?  I couldn't figure out where all the noise was coming from until I noticed him standing there.  Boy... he was angry!  Yelling about corrupt judges, officials, etc.  Shouting "y'all gettin' played like some fools!" and things like that.  I had to soak it in for a minute, just for the entertainment value if nothing else.  He was gracious enough to stop pacing for a minute and pose for a shot with my cellphone camera.  I will try to figure out how to post that picture later.

Looks like Bill Mason is the next to go down.  Is anyone at the top going to be left when the dust settles?

^Hopefully not.

Can anyone tell me why Jimmy Dimora's lawyer thinks the Federal govt should pick up the tab for his defense?  Or is this a misprint by the Plain Dealer?

Given the depth of the charges and the amount of paperwork involved, DiMora's defense would bankrupt a small nation.  Plus, the Feds froze his assetts last month, precluding his ability to get a loan.  While the thought of the taxpayers footing the bill (not really) for DiMora's defense is utterly nauseating, he has to have a lawyer (or his conviction would be overturned on appeal) and lawyers don't work for free.  My guess is a compromise will be reached where DiMora's will be forced to file bankruptcy, liquidate his assetts, and cover the fees as best he can with the funds for court appointed defense lawyers paying the balance.

That's a long way to go to probably get found guilty of most charges.  Wouldn't he have recognized this awhile ago and planned a way out to plead guilty to lesser charges, do the time, and at least come back in the near future to a beautiful home?  Otherwise, I'd think the fool would have a million stockpiled somewhere to pay for his own damn defense...

^you are really putting the cart before the horse.  Look what happen in Illinois...only guilty on one charge out of twenty and mistrial for the rest...and I am sure everybody there thought he was going to be guilty on all charges.  I did following the case from a far.

^^How do you suppose that "million stockpiled" would not fall within the scope of assetts which were frozen?

stockpiled in a brother/sister/cousin's account for future use in his legal defense before he was charged...  shoot he's had 2 years to set something like that up...  don't you ever watch Sopranos?  Tony gave Carmella the money and told her it was only to be used to "get him back" if needed...

 

Not to mention his first cousin owns a successful construction company in the area.  That could certainly look legit if his cousin was paying for his defense...

Plain Dealer is bragging that their front page photos are now being used in negative campaign ads.  Way to go, Plain Dealer!! :sarcasm:

19 Action News was just in my condo getting footage of our unit/view.  We are next door to the old model which apparently was given to county executives to use, although I've lived here since the building was opened and never noticed any large parties.  I did notice the door was open and lights were on a couple times later in the evening, but thought the agent just forgot to close it down.

19 Action News was just in my condo getting footage of our unit/view.  We are next door to the old model which apparently was given to county executives to use, although I've lived here since the building was opened and never noticed any large parties.  I did notice the door was open and lights were on a couple times later in the evening, but thought the agent just forgot to close it down.

 

Why was it given to county execs?  Is there more to this? 

19 news....everywhere....

19 Action News was just in my condo getting footage of our unit/view.  We are next door to the old model which apparently was given to county executives to use, although I've lived here since the building was opened and never noticed any large parties.  I did notice the door was open and lights were on a couple times later in the evening, but thought the agent just forgot to close it down.

 

Why was it given to county execs?  Is there more to this? 

 

As a place to use that wasn't a hotel.

 

http://www.woio.com/global/video/popup/pop_playerLaunch.asp?vt1=v&clipFormat=flv&clipId1=5285137&at1=News&h1=County Corruption Investigation deathbed deposition&flvUri=&partnerclipid=

 

The part that makes me think "hmmm...not quite right" is they say they had use of the condo for 5 years when the building is only 3 years old.  Plus, like I said, I never heard anything crazy going on there.  I guess if they're going in there to just play poker and bang some hookers I wouldn't anyway, but something seems off.

Despite the corruption, I guess the Dems of Cuyahoga County are 'teflon-like' when it comes to elections.

I don't get this line of thought.  It's not like cuyahoga county turned its back on liberal values just because a few politicians lined their pockets.  If we would have elected DiMora to the county council or as the executive, that would have been a different story.  But I certainly hope some fat guy's corrupt practices were not enough to transform us into Salt Lake City.  That would be like saying how can you watch baseball anymore with the whole Bonds/McGuire/Sosa PED scandal.  Sure... it will make you more skeptical, but I don't think many baseball fans are now watching crickett instead.

Do we know when Frank Russo is going to be sent to prison?  this is gonna sound weird, but I met him over the weekend, and kind of developed a little crush on him.  He thinks I'm adorable, and I'd like to write him while he's away.  And yes, I know he's gay!

I met him over the weekend, and kind of developed a little crush on him.  He thinks I'm adorable, and I'd like to write him while he's away.  And yes, I know he's gay!

 

I wonder if Sandy Klimkowski said the same thing when she first met Russo....?  Just don't let him talk you into donating to his campaign fund...

Former Judge Bridget McCafferty headed to court today to defend against corruption charges.  Anyone want to weigh in where they see this going?  Sounds like the feds have a pretty tight case...?  Wiretapped phone conversations, Russo is taking the stand as a witness....  I'd say she gets a guilty conviction but a light sentence

"Former" Judge Bridget McCafferty.  She was not re-elected.  Judge Terry is the one with the uncertain future.... at least as far as continuing to serve on the bench is concerned.

^corrected, thank you. 

 

Classic line from her baliff during questioning today: 'I knew she was stressed & was worried because she was smoking".  Haha.  Bridget stepping out to puff on a camel light?

^"Stepping out"....actually you would be surprised at how many judges smoke (or at least use to) in their chambers or their bathrooms.  Kinda ironic given it was against the law.

I am trying to follow this trial through PD articles posted on Cleveland.com and I am starting to question whether their coverage is completely accurate and fair, or at least is falling to give a complete picture of what is going on at trial (not a big surprise since their coverage of the County Corruption probe has always been slightly slanted from day one).

 

My biggest problem with the coverage is that they detail the prosecution's direct examination (which of course will be damaging), but don't followup with any summaries of the cross exam which can often inflict body blows to the direct exam.  I am wondering if the defense is foregoing cross and recalling the witnesses in its case in chief since their is very little reporting of the cross.  I wish I was there to observe.

 

Another example was the PD headline on the front page today...something like Russo testifies that he spoke with judge "regularly" about cases.  I think his testimony was that it was something like 4 times a year which I would hardly classify as regularly, but headlining that makes it seem more damning.  Of course she was an idiot for taking the calls and discussing in the first place but it does not surprise me knowing Judge McCafferty.  Not the brightest light bulb in the pack.

Agreed, the coverage is very weak.  When Detroit Free Press followed former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's saga, they had a reporter giving up to the minute blog updates on questioning & court details.

 

Former Judge McCafferty guilty on 10 counts of lying to FBI.  What's the sentence going to be?  Jail?  Disbarment?

With the guilty verdict she will definitely be disbarred.  The process will take 6 months to a year.

 

I also imagine she will get some jail time.  A friend of mine caught up in all of this got 6 months, and he plead guilty to lying to the FBI.  Since she went to trial I imagine she will get a stiffer sentence, especially since she was a judge.  My guess 1-2 years.

what a waste of a half-assed career

I wonder how this is going to affect Judge Terry's approach to his upcoming trial...

^"Stepping out"....actually you would be surprised at how many judges smoke (or at least use to) in their chambers or their bathrooms.  Kinda ironic given it was against the law.

 

The last time I got jury duty, Cleveland already banned smoking in office buildings and you'd already see people outside doors.  However, the jurors had a smoking room and it was up to the judges whether or not they allowed it in the hallways outside chambers.  Most did.

 

The reason was the security involved getting in and out of the buildings, which made sense.

^If you are talking about the Justice Center, there is no need to leave the building to go outside and smoke (and thus go through security again).  Most smokers just go down to the fourth floor where there is a patio where smoking is allowed (or at least that was the case for years).

 

I would imagine a bigger concern of the judges was having jurors leaving the floor during short breaks and not getting back in time to resume the trial, so they allowed smoking on their floor as described.

Latest charges against Forliani and Dimora aren't really surprising.  Former councilmember Sabra Pierce Scott seems to be caught in the crossfire of the investigator's attempts to take down the other two guys.  Of course it was wrong for her to accept the $2,000 bribe but the PD coverage insinuates that she was wrong to solicit support from the community and lobby her fellow council members to push the VA Hospital project.  To me, that's a council member's job, to push high profile projects which will benefit the long term viability of their ward.  I guess the shame is that she was bought so cheaply.  $2,000 is nothing.

Corruption trial began today for George Phillips of CMHA & Michael McMichael from Siemens.  I hope the prosecution has more damning testimony than the taped phone calls thus far because those don't seem to implicate much other than some guys partying on a trip together.  What is the penalty for making false statements to federal agents?

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/12/county_corruption_trial_begins.html

Plot seems to be thickening on the case against the CMHA chief.  Sounds like he'll definitely be convicted on charges of making false statements to federal agents.  http://www.cleveland.com/countyincrisis/index.ssf/2011/12/fbi_agent_chma_board_chair_con.html

GPO acquitted of all charges except lying to FBI agents.  Seems odd that Nieheiser got three years for bribing him, but the flip side was nothing.  Neiheiser should've had his case tried with GPO's.  And the guy from Siemens was acquitted also...

^^^A friend plead guilty (to one count of lying to FBI...you know the charge you are left with when you ain't got nothing else) in connection with the probe and he got six months.  I am sure the max penalty is higher but I don't know what it is...I would imagine somebody going to trial and being convicted will get a stiffer sentence for the charge than one having plead guilty to it.

Interesting side note is that Michael McMichael is the first person charged in this entire County Corruption case that hasn't been found guilty or plead guilty...  makes me wonder how many others might have beaten charges if they had gone to trial.

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/12/federal_investigation_of_ameri.html

 

Even though I still believe this whole investigation was a result of a Pat O'Malley plea bargain, this ties back into Mike Trivasanno's observation that the real crime of the Cuyahoga County machine was being corrupt-and-incompetent.

I loved this from that Cleveland.com article:

 

Hagan said Thursday that he now questions the decision the commissioners made to purchase the Ameritrust building.

"In hindsight, it was the wrong decision," Hagan said. 

 

Hmmm, ya think?  What an absurd disaster that whole episode has been.

I would say they were very competent..... at being corrupt, given how long they got away with it.  Back in the "golden age" that so many people pine for, this was business as usual.  But in today's day and age, with the sunshine laws, the media, and watchdog groups, politics can't be what it once was (nor should it).

I would say they were very competent..... at being corrupt, given how long they got away with it.  Back in the "golden age" that so many people pine for, this was business as usual.  But in today's day and age, with the sunshine laws, the media, and watchdog groups, politics can't be what it once was (nor should it).

 

MT's point, which he actually attributed to "someone in a position of authority" is that corrupt officials who are competent are far less likely to get busted than those who are incompetent. 

Not in this day and age for the reasons I stated above.  Regardless, Triv doesn't have "points".... he more or less just opens his mouth and whatever comes out, comes out.  I do remember when he used to talk about sports.  Maybe if Obama loses in 2012, he can get back to a topic of which he at least has a basic understanding.  His sidekick is really his only saving grace whenever Triv starts talking politics, which seems to be all the time ever since November 2008.  A coincidence, I'm sure.

I was looking through the prosecution's witness list for the Dimora trial. They don't have a single one of the wiseguys who pulled Dimora's strings and made him dance for them and their friends. I suspect that's why Dimora is still vertical and breathing.

I'm a sucker for political commentary, but I'd rather hear a cat hack up hairballs than listen to Trivisonno spout theories...

 

Edit - at the end of the day, I don't think they really have much besides alot of favors on Dimora.  He'll still be convicted and spend some time.  Calling in favors for friends with judges is piddly compared to the millions Russo was wasting and pocketing through no-bid contracts in the Auditor's office....

I was looking through the prosecution's witness list for the Dimora trial. They don't have a single one of the wiseguys who pulled Dimora's strings and made him dance for them and their friends. I suspect that's why Dimora is still vertical and breathing.

 

Is the witness list available for the public somewhere?

Yes.  Judge Lioi read the list of potential witnesses in open court.  A google search will hit on it.

Thanks - here's the list if anyone is interested

 

http://www.cleveland.com/countyincrisis/index.ssf/2012/01/jimmy_dimora_trial_witness_lis.html

 

 

Pat O'Malley just got his law license back.    I doubt it's coincidence that its during the Dimora trial.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2012/01/ohio_supreme_court_reinstates.html

I think it's interesting that no democratic cronies from City of Cleveland got rounded up in this - Dimora had ties to everyone in the county, the judges, the local schoolboards & mayors...  but didn't do favors for anyone in City Hall?

Maybe he is taking the fall for White