Most Ohioan’s have heard about this sensational trial, and maybe some other parts of the country. I am SICK of these no good politicians and thier stinking greed and power trips.
The voters of Cuyahoga County did away with the 3 Commissioner form of County government and went to an Executive-Council form due to the vast corruption, even a Common Pleas (state) Judge was nailed.
One count he got nailed on, under the Hobbs Act, was for sex from a chick for a job.
Former Auditor Frank Russo got 22 years in federal prison, still on bond I believe. I don’t know the salaries of each, but you can bet we are looking at $100,000.00 +, YET, that is not enough, stinking crooks.
I remember the day of the raid back in 2008, about 200 FBI guys simultaneously raided several county offices, several homes and a few businesses that had contracts with the county. They hit around 9am and by noon they were calling U-Haul for more trucks to haul away records with. So wide was the net they were casting that not only were none of the county’s legal offices involved (prosecutors office etc.) in any aspect of the pre-raid investigation but they even bypassed the local FBI and spearheaded the investigation out of their Pittsburgh office. Yea, this was big.
The Plain Dealer has a very good page set up with links to all of their coverage (Link). The actual trial was a little of an anti climax, off the top of my head I don’t remember how many minor players had plead guilty and turned states evidence but by the time Jimmy stood trial he only had one co conspirator who didn’t turn on him. The weight of the evidence against him was crushing, wiretaps, videotapes and witness testimony. His defense attorneys didn’t make a good case but you wonder what they could have said after weeks and weeks of damning testimony.
I’d like to say I was confident that we’ve rooted corruption out of Cuyahoga county and that a new day has dawned. But I’m not.