Posted on 05/19/2005 9:11:18 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
SAN DIEGO (AP) - An FBI spy told a federal jury Wednesday that former strip club owner Michael Galardi paid bribes through a former southern Nevada lawmaker and another associate to a Las Vegas judge.
The judge was not named, and U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Miller in San Diego struck the testimony from the record after defense lawyers objected that Tony Montagna's testimony was not relevant to the corruption trial of former Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone and two San Diego city councilmen.
Government prosecutors argued the testimony was relevant because it established that Galardi and Malone bribed public officials in San Diego and Las Vegas.
"It's all inextricably intertwined ... these events didn't take place in a vacuum, spur of the moment, out of the blue," Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Ciaffa said.
Galardi and Malone are key characters in a parallel corruption investigation in Las Vegas that is scheduled for trial in September. Miller said he was "gravely concerned" about references to the Las Vegas investigation in the San Diego trial.
Galardi has pleaded guilty in Las Vegas and San Diego to funneling money to lawmakers to pass laws favoring his striptease clubs. He has agreed to testify for the prosecution at both trials.
Former Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny has pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from Galardi. She has agreed to testify against former commission colleagues Malone, Mary Kincaid-Chauncey and Dario Herrera. Malone, Kincaid-Chauncey and Herrera have pleaded not guilty.
In San Diego on Wednesday, the government played secret recordings of councilmen Michael Zucchet, Ralph Inzunza and Charles Lewis sharing meals and discussing changing strip club laws with Malone.
Zucchet and Inzunza have pleaded not guilty to charges they accepted cash from Galardi in a scheme to relax a law on contact between dancers and patrons at Galardi's clubs. Charges against Lewis were dropped after he died in August.
The defense contends payments to the politicians were legitimate campaign contributions and that officials are not required to publicly disclose political tactics, motives or actions.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Miller
Clinton appointee,, 1997
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The unnamed Judge, ???
Hmmmmm?? I wonder if dirty Harry is involved in this mess.
Judge protecting Judge.
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