Power broker Lynch to admit corruption (NJ Dem: Ex-Senate president to plead guilty today)

Guilty plea by ex-Senate president expected to short-circuit federal graft probe

Former state Sen. John Lynch, the brash legislator who for two decades was a dominant force in New Jersey politics, is scheduled to plead guilty this morning to federal corruption charges, according to a knowledgeable source who has been briefed on the planned proceeding.

Such a plea would bring a sudden and extraordinary halt to an 18-month investigation just days before prosecutors were expected to seek an indictment against the Democratic Party leader and onetime Senate president... < snip >

The source who knew about the hearing would not disclose the nature of the charges, but prosecutors for more than a year have been examining whether Lynch used his long-standing political influence to profit in real estate and development projects.

A conviction against Lynch would rank among the most significant corruption victories for federal prosecutors in New Jersey in the past four years, a period during which more than 80 public officials, employees and contractors have been charged or found guilty.

None, however, matches the stature of Lynch, long viewed as one of the state's leading Democrats, though he bristles at the term "party boss."

Lynch, 68, retired four years ago after two decades in the Senate and three terms as New Brunswick mayor.

For more than a decade, Lynch and a business partner, Red Bank developer Jack Westlake, also earned thousands of dollars as consultants to contractors who were seeking government approvals.... < snip >

Lynch gets 39 months in prison for corruption

Stonefaced, silent -- and, most of all, powerless -- John Lynch sat alone on the back bench of a federal courtroom in Newark yesterday, awaiting his sentence on corruption charges. It was a long way from the East Brunswick Ramada Inn, where Lynch would hold court after helping guide James E. McGreevey into the governor's office five years ago. Then, public officials, business leaders and anyone looking for access to the levers of government sought his help But yesterday, the once-fiery political boss was humbled, having previously admitted accepting tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks from a developer. A plea agreement suggested a prison term of between 33 and 41 months, and he was hoping for leniency from U.S. District Judge Stanley Chesler.

By the end of the hearing, however, Chesler said he needed to send a message to New Jersey's public officials as political corruption is increasingly exposed in the state. He sentenced Lynch to 39 months in prison. "For those who are entrusted with such responsibility and power such as you, the fall is greater and there is no getting around that," said Chesler, who also fined Lynch $50,000. Chesler called the 68-year-old former state Senate president's downfall "tragic," saying Lynch had done "wondrous good" during a quarter-century in politics. During most of the roughly hour-long hearing, Lynch sat motionless, dressed in a solid blue suit, light blue shirt and tie. There were no friends or family there to support him because he didn't want to subject them to the media attention, said his attorney, Jack Arseneault. When Lynch stood to address the court, he nervously dipped his left hand in and out of his suit jacket pocket. "I deeply regret what I've done. I made a serious mistake," he said. "I know my shallow words of apology do little to repair the wrong."

Lynch and his attorneys left the courthouse without talking to reporters. U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie was happy with the sentence, telling reporters afterward that Lynch was the most powerful among the dozens of people his office has convicted on public corruption charges over the past five years. "If there are any public officials out there who think they are smarter than John Lynch, tougher than John Lynch or more powerful than John Lynch, then let them take their shot at committing criminal acts as well," Christie said. "The fact of the matter is that eventually, we will catch them." Chesler ordered Lynch to report to prison Jan. 15. Arseneault asked, and the judge recommended, that Lynch serve his sentence at the federal prison in Fairton, Cumberland County, so he could be near his wife, Deborah, 15-year-old son and other family members. Much of yesterday's proceedings focused on the stunning fall of one of New Jersey's most influential political figures and how much his long career of public service should mitigate his sentence. Before the hearing, defense attorneys submitted 172 letters to the court -- including 10 from former or current lawmakers -- asking the judge to be lenient toward Lynch. Arseneault, a longtime friend of Lynch, delivered an impassioned half-hour argument.

"He's crushed now, because at his core, he's a good and decent human being who knows in his soul that he was stupid," Arseneault said, adding that he was begging for mercy with "every ounce of emotion in my body." Arseneault said Lynch has been widely credited with revitalizing New Brunswick, where he served as mayor for three terms. In the Legislature, Arseneault said, Lynch pushed for legislation to help the homeless and drug addicts. And in a move that nearly cost him his political career, the attorney said, Lynch had the courage take on public employee unions by sponsoring a law capping salary increases for teachers to help fight rising property taxes. Arseneault acknowledged that Lynch was a "hard-knuckled politician" and that his enemies believe he is "crazy, he's tough, he fights in your face." But, he said, Lynch fought for matters of principle, not for the sake of fighting. "It's got to count for something," Arseneault said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Chiesa agreed that for the past quarter-century, Lynch's influence in New Jersey politics was "the gold standard." But, he said, Lynch used that influence to betray the public trust for financial gain, then sought to conceal his actions "This influence came with the accumulated power of 25 years in public service," Chiesa said, urging the judge to send an "absolutely unmistakable" message. "Everybody is going to watch what this court does today," he said. "They want to see if one of the most powerful officials over the last quarter-century is going to pay the price." The judge was not bound by the plea agreement, though by keeping it in that range, neither side can appeal.

"Mr. Lynch, you have done wondrous good, but by your conduct here you have done horrendous harm, to you, your family and to the citizens of this state," Chesler said. "To be truthful, your conduct here is totally inexplicable." Lynch pleaded guilty to fraud and tax evasion in September, capping a four-year investigation by the FBI and Internal Revenue Service that began with an inquiry into billboard sales by two high-level aides to McGreevey. Developer Jack Westlake, Lynch's business partner, pleaded guilty to a separate tax evasion charge. Lynch admitted that the Dallenbach Sand Co. made between $120,000 and $200,000 in corrupt payments for his services between 1998 and 2002. He lobbied the state Department of nvironmental Protection on behalf of the company, which was seeking to mine state parkland in South Brunswick. He also acknowledged that he failed to pay taxes on $150,000 in income. The former senator's sentence was two months longer than the punishment for former Paterson Mayor Martin Barnes but two months shorter than the 41-month sentence given to former Hudson County Executive Robert Janiszewski. Both were convicted on corruption charges. With time off for good behavior, Lynch could be free in late 2009.

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