Judge McCafferty's Sentencing Memorandum

The Plain Dealer, Ohio's largest paper and reporter Jim McCarty provide us with details from the government's sentencing memorandum in the case of Judge Bridget McCafferty (pic) slated to be sentenced in US District Court in Akron Monday on multiple convictions for lying to the FBI in their investigation into influence-peddling and bribery of Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) judges. This is McCarty's account, it suggests that the Judge had some dark secrets (don't we all?):

Federal prosecutors have accused former Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Bridget McCafferty of intervening on behalf of her boyfriend, an employee of the county auditor's office, after he was caught working out in a gym and hanging out at a tavern during work hours.

Prosecutors also accuse her of misleading the Ohio Supreme Court about her backlog of cases, lying to a Plain Dealer reporter and misrepresenting her academic credentials on a campaign website. The new allegations are included in a memorandum that prosecutors filed late Friday with U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi. The memo argues that McCafferty deserves time behind bars for lying to the FBI agents investigating corruption in county government.

Details of the Jury's Verdict in Judge Terry Fed Corruption Trial

Former Judge, Convicted Felon Steven Terry

At Cleveland.com Jim McCarty has a detailed look at the former-Judge's conviction on 3 corruption counts and acquittal on two.

Judge Steven Terry Guilty of 3 Corruption Related Counts

Reporter Jim McCarty at the Cleveland Plain Dealer webstie reports that a federal jury convicted Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Steven Terry on 3 corruption-related counts, acquitting Terry of two other charges.  This is from Cleveland.com:

A [federal] jury in Akron convicted Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Steven Terry on Monday of three corruption-related counts.  [T]he 12 jurors, who began deliberations on Friday afternoon and resumed them on Monday, acquitted Terry of two other counts.

The judge, who was on leave, immediately resigned. He was accused of fixing a forclosure case at the request of his political mentor, then-county Auditor Frank Russo.

The guilty verdict came after a weeklong trial during which Russo testified that he asked Terry to deny a motion in the case and prosecutors played a secretly recorded telephone conversation of Terry telling the auditor he had denied the motion.  "Very good," Russo could be heard saying. "Very good."

Despite the damning testimony, Terry took the stand in U.S. District Court and argued that he had been unaware of Russo's interest in the case and did nothing wrong in denying the motion.  Terry is the second common pleas judge convicted of wrongdoing as part of a federal investigation of corruption in the county. In March, a jury convicted former Judge Bridget McCafferty of lying to the FBI about cases on her docket. Her sentencing is scheduled for July 11. [ . . . ]

The corruption investigation has implicated more than 50 elected officials, public employees and contractors since becoming public in July 2008 with FBI raids of businesses, homes and county offices.
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There arre at least ten other Cuyahoga County judges who are quivering in their wing tips and pumps this afternoon, if the trial testimony by Russo stands up to scrutiny. 

Judge in Corruption Trial: "I Did Nothing Wrong."

The Plain Dealer's Jim McCarty continues his gripping account of the corruption trial of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Steven Terry. An excerpt follows:
"Judge Steven Terry, fighting for his freedom and his job on the Cuyahoga County common pleas court, testified Wednesday that he did nothing illegal in 2008 when he ruled on an obscure foreclosure case according to the wishes of his political mentor, former county auditor Frank Russo.

'I just wanted to get an old, complex case moving and to get it off my docket,' Terry explained, speaking directly to the 12-member jury hearing his corruption trial in U.S. District Court. 'When I denied the motions, everyone was equal and the case could move forward.'

But Cincinnati attorney Thomas Henderson, who represented the bank in the foreclosure case, disputed that position. Henderson said the ruling forced him to settle for far less money than the bank was owed [ . . . ]

The defense presented a court consultant who testified that Terry was correct to deny a motion for summary judgment filed by a bank in the foreclosure case. But when the consultant, law professor Beatrice Hill of Case Western Reserve University's School of Law, heard the wiretapped tapes and read the transcripts, she backed off her original conclusion. [Professor] Hill testified that a judge should not talk secretly to one side of a lawsuit, nor should a judge base his decision on the requests of influential politicians.

Terry testified, however, that [convicted felon and former Cuyahoga County Auditor Frank] Russo's only interest in the foreclosure case was its age: five years. What Terry failed to address was why Russo -- who isn't a lawyer -- would show such an interest in this particular case among all of the old foreclosure cases on Terry's court docket.

Federal prosecutors have argued it was because the plaintiffs in the case were represented by attorney Joseph O'Malley, a close friend of Russo's.

The [Judge Terry]  is on leave pending the outcome of the case.

The trial, being heard by Judge Sara Lioi, will resume Thursday. "
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The former Auditor's pal, O'Malley entered a guilty plea and is prison-bound over his role in this corruption scandal. 

I would not be surprised if there is a verdict by Friday. 

More from Alleged Corrupt Cuyahoga County Judge Trial



Russo prepares to entire US District Court

Reporter Jim McCarty at Cleveland.com  has more sensational reporting on the ongoing testimony of former Cuyahoga County Auditor Frank Russo in the trial of alleged corrupt Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Steven Terry.

"[Convicted felon and former Cuyahoga County Auditor Frank Ruso] testified Tuesday morning that the campaign assistan[ce] and donations that he gave to Judge Steven Terry came with strings attached.   The disclosure came during Russo's second day on the stand in Terry's public corruption trial and after U.S. Attorney Antoinette Bacon recalled campaign-related car magnets and other assistance the once influential Democrat provided for the judge's 2008 election.

"Did you expect anything in return for all you did?" Bacon asked.

"Yes, I did," Russo replied. "Basically, I expected Steve to answer the phone anytime I called, to give it attention, to follow through, give me the benefit of the doubt, whether it be a case of whatever. Of course, he would do what I asked him to do."

Russo went on to recall sending a note asking Terry for help with a foreclosure case before the judge. The case was being handled by attorney Joseph O'Malley, a friend of Russo's, and the former auditor testified that he provided Terry with related case numbers and asked that the judge deny a bank motion for summary judgment.

The judge ultimately denied the motion.

Terry, who is on leave pending the outcome of his criminal case, is on trial in U.S. District Court on five charges of mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud [ . . . ]
Prosecutors contend that Terry conspired with Russo to win a judicial appointment. They accused the 53-year-old judge of accepting gifts, bribes and campaign help from Russo and in exchange agreeing to provide favorable decisions for Russo and his friends in court.

Defense lawyer Angelo Lonardo, who has tried to portray Terry as an innocent victim of Russo's criminal schemes, got the former auditor to acknowledge a "dark and secret side," a reference to [Russo's] conviction on 21 corruption-related crimes.

Russo, who faces nearly 22 years in prison, is cooperating with prosecutors in an attempt to reduce his time behind bars.

On Tuesday, he went on to explain that, although he offered his support and endorsements to many Democratic Party candidates in the county, but only provided wide-ranging assistance in 2007 and 2008 to three candidates: Terry, his brother Anthony Russo, who was running for judge in probate court, and Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan Sheehan. All three candidates won their elections in November 2008. Bacon asked Russo if, in return for his extraordinary campaign help, he expected Sheehan to answer his phone calls and perform legal favors in court cases such as prosecutors contend Terry performed for Russo.

"After all the help I gave him, yes I would have," Russo responded."
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This is stomach turning stuff. 

Judge Sheehan, referred to in the testimony, is according to lawyer friends, himself an outstanding lawyer, former prosecutor and apparently former bailiff to US District Judge Donald Nugent.  U.S. District Judge Donald Nugent is also a former Cuyahoga County Common Pleas judge as well as a former major crimes prosecutor in Cuyahoga County.  Nothing in this testimony apart from Russo's belief that Judge Sheehan was beholden to him, implicates Judge Sheehan in corruption.  But you can see,  it's one of the wrinkles in this sordid tale that a good and decent judge's reputation can be sullied in the political corruption connected to selection and election of judges when the process is corrupt.

Overnight, Plain Dealer reporter McCarty added the following details.  When asked whether there were other Common Pleas judges Auditor Russo felt he could "influence" he nonchantly responed: mmmm, yeah probably ten.  That would be 10 Common Pleas Judges out of some 30 sitting judges in Ohio's largest county. 

And as to Judge Terry's denial of the motion for summary judgment that's at the heart of the trial, the AUSA elicited testimony from Judge Terry's "Magistrate" (these folks were formerly called "staff attorneys" an served in the role of "law clerk")--as follows:

"Terry’s former magistrate, Monica Klein, testified later that she was surprised when the judge ordered her to deny the motion without providing any explanation for his decision and without even looking at the court file, which she had kept in her office.


'I had never had a request or a conversation with a judge like this ever before,'  Klein said. 'It was strange.'”
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NO, if true,  it was corrupt.

Trial of Judge Accused of Bribery, Underway in Akron



Judge McCafferty leaves US District Court



Cuyahoga County's corruption scandal is winding down.  If you don't know what I'm referring to, check the link.  In essence several top (mostly, democratic) county politicians in the greater-Cleveland, Ohio area gamed the politics, revenues, business and legal system to enrich themselves, friends and families.  Ensnared in the racketeering by former Cuyahoga County Auditor, Frank Russo and (allegedly) Commissioner Jimmy Dimora were two Cuyahoga County Common Pleas judges: Bridget McCafferty and Steven Terry.  In March, McCafferty was convicted of lying to FBI agents about corrupt phone conversations she had with her political bosses; and, the latter's trial is underway in US District Court in nearby Akron, Ohio. 

Noted Plain Dealer reporter, Jim McCarty has a compelling account at today's Cleveland.com.  This is an excerpt:



Judge Terry talks to the Press

Former Cuyahoga County Auditor Frank Russo testified Monday that he took a liking to Judge Steven Terry and that is why he ran his 2008 election campaign, donated thousands of dollars in cash and political gifts, and provided the judge with staff and dozens of foot soldiers from the auditor's office.    But the deposed auditor, appearing for the first day of testimony in Terry's public corruption trial, did not provide federal prosecutors with the direct connection they sought to link the campaign assistance to their theory that Russo was setting up the judge for future corrupt purposes.
"He was a nice person but really naive about being a judge," said Russo, who was once the county's largest vote-getter. "He really needed some help. Once you were under my wing, you were in pretty good shape."

Terry faces five charges of mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Testimony began Monday morning in U.S. District Court before Judge Sara Lioi [ . . . ]


Former Commissioner Dimora

 The 53-year-old judge is one of more than 50 officials and contractors implicated in a corruption investigation that became public with FBI raids in July 2008. The chief targets of the investigation were Russo and then-County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora. Dimora has maintained his innocence and is scheduled to go to trial in January.

Russo, who faces nearly 22 years in prison for bribery, obstruction of justice, conspiracy and fraud, has been cooperating with prosecutors in hopes of shortening his sentence [ . . . ]
In an opening statement, a federal prosecutor depicted Terry as a judge more concerned about winning election than administering justice, and so corrupt he was willing to fix a case to curry favor with Russo, his political mentor.   Defense attorney Angelo Lonardo painted a strikingly different portrait of Terry, however. He blamed Russo for deceiving his client, who he portrayed as an innocent victim of Russo's criminal schemes [ . . . ]


Frank Russo

Russo provided Terry with auditor's office employees to work as a bailiff and judicial staff. He also donated campaign contributions, and provided the judge with signs, literature and access to his campaign schedule, which Bacon called "the Bible."
Prosecution witnesses included Mandy Smith, Terry's former bailiff, and Destin Ramsey, Russo's former chief operating officer.

Smith testified that Terry and his staff typically spent afternoons that should have been devoted to court business instead stuffing campaign flyers into envelopes, mapping out election strategies and making political calls.

Ramsey described Russo's interest in Terry as "quite frankly, very odd." Bacon questioned why Ramsey thought Russo was so interested in helping Terry to get elected. "I would assume for the influence, is what it appeared to me," Ramsey testified.

Russo's assistance to Terry came at a price, Bacon said. "He was giving things to buy a judge," Bacon said, "someone he could control."

Russo called in his favors in July 2008, when he asked Terry to rule favorably in a foreclosure lawsuit involving Russo's friend, attorney Joseph O'Malley, Bacon said.   FBI wiretaps of Russo's phone caught him calling Terry: "Judge, I need a favor."

On the tape, Russo could be heard instructing Terry to deny a key motion in a home foreclosure case. Terry later called Russo to report the outcome.

"I just took care of those things, denied everything," Terry told Russo, according to the wiretapped recording. Russo expressed his pleasure with the outcome, and told Terry to expect him and his friend, Dimora, to attend his next campaign fundraiser [ . . . ]
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Even assuming that Judge Terry is acquitted of the bribery allegations, this story should give you a great deal of insight into how some of Ohio's judges get, keep, and handle their judicial positions.  Disgusted?  Pissed? 

I'm hoping that Cuyahoga County is an extreme example of this sort of thing, gone wrong; but, I'll bet you--many judges bothering to read this story this morning would be well-advised to look for any resemblance for how business is conducted in their courtrooms and chambers. 

Cuyahoga County Corruption Rears Its Ugly Head In Cross-Examination of Coroner

Cleveland Plain Dealer crime reporter Leila Atassi has this account of the murder trial of Matthew Warmus (pic, with legendary Cleveland attorney Edward LaRue) who by various accounts gunned down a parking lot attendant either in self-defense or in some sort of rage over a parking spot depending on who you believe.

"Lawyers for a man on trial for aggravated murder departed from questions about gunshot wounds at today to ask Cuyahoga County Coroner Frank Miller whether his relationship with Prosecutor Bill Mason's office compromises the scientific integrity of his work.   Miller did not have to answer the question. Common Pleas Judge Daniel Gaul sustained a prosecutor's objection to the question posed by attorney John Pyle, which drew on recent headlines that Mason influenced Miller's decision to hire the prosecutor's friend and political ally Patrick Coyne as his top aide.

Pyle and attorney Edward LaRue are representing defendant Matthew Warmus, who is accused of killing parking attendant David Williams -- shooting him twice in the abdomen and once in the head -- during an argument over a parking space before a Cavs game in April.

Warmus claims he acted in self-defense when he retrieved .40-caliber gun from his car and fired on Williams.

An emergency medical responder testified this morning that Williams was wearing an empty gun holster beneath his orange parking vest and insulated jumpsuit, but he did not recall seeing a gun that could have belonged to Williams lying on the ground as some crime scene photos depict.

Prosecutors called Miller among their first witnesses to describe his autopsy of Williams, photos he took of the victim's gunshot wounds and the coroner's homicide ruling.   Miller testified that two bullets entered Williams' abdomen near his belly button and exited from his lower back and right hip. Another entered behind his left ear, severing his brain stem and lodging in his face beneath his right cheek bone. Williams also had a wound on his left wrist that could have been caused by a bullet grazing the skin, Miller said.

[Defense attorney] Pyle began his cross-examination by asking about the gunshot wounds and whether Williams could have continued clutching his gun until he was shot in the head. Miller said it was a possibility. Pyle then asked whether the fact that the coroner's office is funded by the state could compromise the integrity of his work. When Miller said no, Pyle asked Miller if he works closely with [disgraced prosecutor Bill] Mason and whether the prosecutor recommends personnel for Miller to hire.

After Gaul sustained Assistant County Prosecutor Aaron Brockler's objection, Pyle asked Miller if he had ever been called to testify for the defense at trial.   Miller said, "Maybe once."

Miller told Plain Dealer reporters Sept. 8 that Mason and his chief trial lawyer, Steve Dever [put the major squeeze on the Coroner to hire Mason's pals and], told him to hire [a local politician and friend of Mason, Pat] Coyne in exchange for help with his political campaign.   Mason and Dever deny the accusation.  Miller also accused Coyne of pocketing thousands of dollars in campaign cash solicited from other coroner's office employees. The coroner fired Coyne less than two weeks ago, rescinded the termination letter, then fired him again this week, effective Friday.

Miller's spokesman, Powell Caesar, said Coyne ultimately was dismissed for budgetary reasons.  Cuyahoga County Public Defender Robert Tobik said last week that he did not expect the suggestion of impropriety in hiring decisions to prompt more defense attorneys to challenge work performed by the coroner's office.

Typically, the work done in the coroner's lab is based on hard science and is separate from the administrative function that Coyne served, Tobik said. If defense attorneys feel they have reason to challenge lab findings, they are always free to request independent testing, he said."
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Here you have excellent criminal defense attorneys seizing on startling revelations that local corrupt politics have also tainted the objectivity of the important function of the elected-Cuyahoga County coroner.  The sheer scale of the bleeding in this county is breath-taking. 

Meanwhile, Back in Cuyahoga County, Reform?

As I reported on Bad Lawyer, Cuyahoga County, Ohio residents have been so outraged by the corruption of their public officials, they discarded their form of government to get rid of all the crooks in one-fell-swoop. 

It is a truism that often what passes at "reform" turns out to be "less democratic" and often more of a "deform."  Witness, "tort reform," and while I agree that the election of Judges doesn't work out all that well in terms of the lawyers who obtain judgeships as can be seen from the arrest of and implication of numerous Cuyahoga County Judges in their ongoing corruption scandal--election of Judges mean that theoretically, the electors choose their jurists.  By the way, check this Las Vegas Sun article quoting former Associate Justice Sandra O'Connor who has taken up merit selection as her personal cause. But merit selection often means that the elites choose  the Judges--this may or may not be a good thing.  Look how merit selection plays out at "the top," the U.S. Supreme Court--currently, only Ivy League graduates serve on the high court, and only Ivy League law graduates get the coveted clerkships which lead to prominent academic and judicial careers. 

So, Cuyahoga County has "reformed" it's governmental model and the new guys have even taken their seats yet and this morning's Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that the democratic and republican candidates for the County "Executive" position have both been implicated in scandals relating to public ethics.  Matt Dolan (pic, right) apparently was dating a lobbyist (who he eventually married) while serving in the Ohio general assembly; and Ed Fitzgerald (a local suburban mayor, lawyer and former FBI agent), aka, "Public Official 14" in a federal indictment (pic, left) was doing business deals with the indicted former Cuyahoga County Commissioner and corruption kingpin, Jimmy Dimora (pic, right below).

As a commentator pointed out the other day, the word "Cuyahoga" in a native American word which means "Crooked" as in the Crooked River.  Apparently a micro-brewery in Cleveland makes a brew called "Croked River" as well as one called "Elliot Ness." 

So the world keeps on turning and as always the more things change, the more it remains the same.

Update:  Dimora, Russo, and Sheriff McFaul crony, Cuyahoga County prosecutor Bill Mason (pic, left), is reportedly on the verge of resignation and possible federal indictment (reports say within the next 60 days.)  An article at alternative newsweekly, the Scene.com, is the source for the current reports concerning prosecutor Mason.  Mason, has been the subject of several posts, here, on Bad Lawyer over the last year.

Federal charges against Mason would be the final climatic scene in this tragedy for Cuyahoga County. This was the boy who wanted to be president.  Turns out he was just another political hack.  Shame.

Cuyahoga County Corruption-Update

Jimmy Dimora, the former sewer maintenance worker and Suburban mayor, longtime Cuyahoga County Commissioner, and ring leader in the Cuyahoga County Corruption scandal was taken into custody this AM.  The story of the molecular corruption of a large regional metropolitan government has now reached its climax.    The picture from photographer Martin Fong at the Cleveland Plain Dealer, is one Cuyahoga County residents have long awaited.

The denouement will be protracted, but will include the end of many legal and judicial careers caught up in the corruption.

Update:  Two sitting Cuyahoga County Judges: Bridget McCafferty and Steven Terry have also been taken into federal custody.

Cuyahoga County Corruption

OurTown and OurCounty are going through a corruption scandal virtually identical to the one in Cuyahoga County, Ohio and I felt it instructive to share with you the coverage from Cleveland.com (Moses Cleveland statue, above, from Public Square in Cleveland) the website of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and recap some of the larger themes of this blawg.  This post is prompted by the charging of the Cuyahoga County Auditor Frank Russo (who's visage graces every scale and gas pump in that large metropolitan county) as well as the imminent federal prosecution of his political partner a Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora following an endless investigation and revelations of massive corruption that dripped out in the news like Chinese water torture for the citizens of that region of Ohio.

First let me congratulate the Plain Dealer and its terrifc journalists and editors for coverage over the last two years, it's been brilliant and insightful.  ( BL: A few years ago, the Plain Dealer and its reporters: James McCarty and David Briggs did pioneering work on exposing the Catholic Child Sex abuse scandal, nationally, at the same time the Boston Globe received a Pulitzer prize for their coverage. I add this by way of disclosure since I supplied historical detail and information to both investigations.)

At the same time, the Plain Dealer is historically one of the villains of the story that its now exposing, and currrently the paper is not acknowledging its historical role and involvement in enabling and encouraging exactly the corruption uncovered by its current reporters and editors.  It doesn't take too much deep reading in the Plain Dealer archive to see where the publication endorsed and promoted many of the people: the Commissioners, the Sheriff, the Auditor, and the Judges who are now swept into federal and state justice systems on bribery and other felony crimes.  The Plain Dealer was run at one time by a succession of patriarchal types (Thomas Vail (pic) and Alex Machaskee) who were more interested in wielding power with the their corporate buddies and who viewed the regional government of Cuyahoga County as serving their interests.  Retiring republican U.S. Senator George Voinovich is one product of that culture, although I am not suggesting that Voinovich himself was ever involved in any of the sordid stuff that has come to a head in this scandal.  Nonetheless the Plain Dealer was complicit in turning a blind eye or encouraging for DECADES, a course of dealing and doing business in a way that benefited the elites at the cost of the citizens.  Since Cleveland has long been a one-newspaper town, the influence of the Plain Dealer was out sized and unfortunately malevolent for many decades.

But the Plain Dealer under editor Susan Goldberg and before her, Dough Clifton is a different publication, although it would be nice to see the current journalists look at the role of the paper in the unfolding drama.

As I said many times on Bad Lawyer, public-minded young professionals in OurTown and apparently in Cleveland, coming fresh out of school and looking to do public service had very little chance for public sector employment unless they knew somebody, possessed a certain familiar ethnic name, or played a very corrupt game.  In Cuyahoga County in recent years, this operation was run by a fat Italian named Jimmy Dimora (pic, above) who is a Cuyahoga County Commissioner for a few more hours, and his buddy, Cuyahoga County Auditor Frank Russo (pic, below right).  At one point these two shared power in a triumvirate with an bantam weight little wife-beater and child porn hound, Pat O'Malley.  These guys corrupted nearly everything and everybody (including many lawyers, judges, and other professionals) they touched and they cost the tax payers directly and indirectly millions and millions of dollars.  These so-called public servants converted--under the nose of the Cuyahoga County Sheriff Gerald McFaul, and Prosecutor Bill Mason (both of whom have been discussed on Bad Lawyer)--a contracting and taxing authority that was little more than racket for self-seeking.  They were aided and abetted by nearly every other elected official in the county.  The people of Cuyahoga County finally became so outraged with the shenanigans of these thieves and their enablers in an election, last year, the voters discarded county government as it then existed and cleaned the slate of everyone.

Largely because of the Plain Dealer, the FBI, the IRS, and federal prosecutors one by one each of these crooks is being uncovered and exposed.  You can read the story at the Cleveland.com link I provided, above, but I wanted to make a couple of further points about the roots of the corruption as it relates to lawyers and judges. 

From my reading of the scandal, as it unfolded, federal law enforcement was looking at some very curious things relating to how contracts were awarded in Cuyahoga County.  As long as I've been aware of OurTown politics and public sector corruption, this is where the action is.  When I was no more than a law student and law clerk, I remember talking to a junior politician in a downtown racket club warning him that he should be very careful about being involved in the awarding of "cable contract franchises" which was then very much in the news.  Politicians, everywhere were being prosecuted for taking bribes associated with the awarding of those contracts.  Since time immemorial, politicians fall prey to easy money--don't we all? 

But the catalyst in Cuyahoga County, came in the guise of the county recorder, Pat O'Malley, a former City of Cleveland councilman.  O'Malley, then a recent law school graduate, and fantastically unstable character was involved in a divorce proceeding.  In 2004 his soon to be ex-wife turned over his computer hard drives which allegedly contained child and violent porn to federal prosecutors. 

I'm relatively certain that from that moment on, as historians look back at what came flying apart the arrest of O'Malley will prove to be the critical moment.  O'Malley (pic, left) was one of the big three or four power centers in Cuyahoga County.   As an aside, O'Malley has completed his prison sentence; and, recently, the Legal Profession blawg noted that the Ohio Supreme Court suspended O'Malley law license for two years subject to his completion of federal probation.  He may resume practicing law someday soon.  Of course, I am not saying that O'Malley's prosecution caused the corruption, and I'm not saying that O'Malley's prosecution resulted in the uncovering of the crimes resulting the fall of Cuyahoga County (they were already under investigation,) what I am saying is that the angry ex-wife's turning over hard drives--accelerated the investigation of the crimes which led to the actual collapse of Cuyahoga County government, this year. 

Also uncovered in the investigation by the Plain Dealer and the feds was the wholesale corruption of the Cuyahoga County justice system.  The Bad Lawyer previously discussed the fall of disgraced elderly politician and famously corrupt, Sheriff Gerald McFaul; but, what remains to be discussed are the Judges swept up in the scandal and the prospects of Bill Mason (pic, right), the boy-prosecutor who wanted to be president.  The prosecutor ran the Cuyahoga County Democratic party with Russo, Dimora and O'Malley.  Thus far nothing suggests that Mason did anything overtly prosecutable, but there can be no doubt that Mason failed to do his job.  The Plain Dealer documented Mason's illegal receipt and subsequent refund of political contributions from his employees.  Mason, however is Rovian, in the sense that when called out on any deviation he immediately turns it into a public relations virtue by making it look like he's been the reformist all along.  So when called on the receipt of campaign funds from employees of the county Mason refunded the money, and claimed to be shocked, like Claude Rains discovering gambling at Rick's in Casablanca.  Mason trumpets "reform" while involved in everything that happened.  His political allies are going to the federal penitentiary forever for crimes against the Cuyahoga County, on Mason's watch.   More will be revealed, I guess.

Caught in the scandal are at least three Judges, Common Pleas Judges: Brigit McCafferty, Steven Terry and Frank Russo's brother Anthony.  Simply stated each of these judges accepted help or money from Russo in exchange for rulings, influence, or hiring of Russo or Dimora employment prospects.  The FBI has two of the judges on surveillance audio according to media reports, and as I said, we know only a little at this point, but the Cleveland.com coverage hints at widespread corruption.  One of the questions I have is whether any of this will impact positively the selection of Judges which are elected in Ohio, usually based on no more than the qualification of a familiar sounding Irish or Italian name.  One of the oddities of the current Cuyahoga bench which has 34 (?) full-time judges, was the election of a Judge Nancy Russo, who I've been told was working as an insurance company investigator and not as a lawyer and yet managed to beat a well-regarded (by lawyers who claim to know these things) sitting judge.  Judge Russo acquired her last name through a terminated prior marriage to a Russo unrelated to any of the Russos involved in the current scandals.    Having said all of that, I understand that Judge Nancy Russo has been a credible addition to the bench serving competently for a number of years.  The point is, she was elected on the basis of the possession of a last name now completely corrupted in the eyes of Cuyahoga County voters--maybe she'll changer her name.

For me, reading this coverage causes no end of sadness.  As a virtual avatar for OurTown and OurCounty, I think about the lives and careers and potential lost to greed and self-seeking alone.  I think about the careers which were thwarted or damaged because these crooks took power and parceled it out to incompetents and thieves.  I think about the damage to a beautiful city and region by the political malpractice and arrogance of these so-called public servants.  And I am infuriated that the elites enabled and ignored what was happening.  I know my friend and fellow-blogger, Gayle has bemoaned the political and civic injuries of Detroit--may we ultimately pray for light from darkness as these regions transform in the wake of their man made disasters.  These are municipal tragedies on a grand scale, can there be a new beginning?