Millenium Force
Posted on 07/28/2008 10:07:48 AM PDT by EBH
Cleveland) - Multiple search warrants are being executed across Cuyahoga County today by the FBI and the IRS.
Cleveland Special Agent In Charge Frank Figliuzzi tells Newsradio WTAM 1100 it's part of a long-running public corruption investigation.
Figliuzzi says the affidavit supporting the search warrant are sealed, so he cannot go into further details.
Figliuzzi did say that it is a broad-ranging investigation looking at the highest levels of Cuyahoga County government.
County Administrator Jim McCafferty confirms that the office of County Commissioner Jimmy DiMora was among those searched. DiMora's home was also searched, as was the home of Auditor Frank Russo.
Also raided was the home of Kevin Kelley, an employee of Russo's.
The third and fourth floors of the Cuyahoga County Administration Building were sealed off. Agents also blocked off the fourth floor of the County Data Center located at 1255 Euclid Avenue and have seized boxes of material.
The DAS Construction Company located at 9500 Midwest in Garfield Heights was also raided Monday morning. Agents reportedly shut down networks and checking systems at the Cuyahoga County Engineer's Office.
19 Action News is reprting that a second construction company is reportedly being raided at Blaze Construction located at 151 Lou Groza Drive in Berea, OH.
Once the search warrants are done being executed, the investigation will move into the prosecution phase. Figliuzzi says that's when more details will be made public.
Figliuzzi would not say how many search warrants were issued, only that there are "many locations" in Cuyahoga County.
In a statement released by County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones, he says, "Jimmy Dimora is my friend and colleague, and I fervently hope and pray that when all is said and done, this is a mere tempest in a teapot."
Stay tuned to Newsradio WTAM 1100 for further details as they become available.
I am sure you are correct. No one is in Cleveland politics for long without being a boob of some type !!! : )
Still can not believe that he continues to win his seat.
I was there. When the taxpayer-supported state university took sides with the commie, I knew that "higher education" wasn't all that it was meant to be. It was a sad day, but a very important lesson learned. Perhaps not the lesson that they intended, but a lesson nevertheless.
Not doubting you at all.
I don’t remeber that but back then I had my head in the sand.
You have about six months to spare? I'll give you a tour. The state itself is not bad, it's the doofi the people elect.
Looks as if the mafia got caught again. Oh, that’s right. Sorry, there is no mafia.
BTW, Russo’s mug is on a sticker on every gas pump in the county. As soon as a new one appears, someone scratches his eyes out. Love only a politician can earn.
We need a compilation of ALL the scandals manifested state-wise by Democrats in the past two years: such as Spitzer in NY; his successor in NY; the Mayor of Detroit; etcetera, etcetera, - and now his excellency John Edwards.
Almost too many to recall and list - somebody should do it.
This is “culture of corruption” unexcelled.
I’ve worked in downtown Cleveland, grew up in several east side communities, also North Olmsted, then Toledo, and now Columbus. Just wanted to say I enjoyed your homepage and appreciate the information provided there on Ohio.
Morning Update:
The federal investigation centers on allegations that they traded jobs and contracts for thousands of dollars of free improvements to their homes and properties....
... The nearly inseparable duo built a Democratic machine by hiring friends and allies, which is the subject of a continuing Plain Dealer investigative series. And the two have helped the party control every elected office in the county for decades, partly through Dimora’s role as county Democratic Party chairman.
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/fbi_raids_cuyahoga_county/
Corruption probe profiles: The people and places involved
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/07/corruption_probe_profiles.html
A tangled web of friendships and favors
Posted by Amanda Garrett July 28, 2008 23:18PM
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/07/a_tangled_web_of_friendhships.html
It’s a complicated tangle of friendships, favors and fortune.
The FBI and IRS are investigating Cuyahoga County’s two most powerful elected officials and their ties to three large contractors.
Much about the corruption probe is a mystery, but this much is clear: Two of the contractors raided Monday performed work at the pricey homes of Cuyahoga County Auditor Frank Russo and Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora — both targets of the probe.
And all three contractors have worked in recent years at the Browns training facility in Berea, although it’s unclear whether that work is being scrutinized.
The investigation appears to have started with Steve Pumper, the chief executive officer of D-A-S Construction.
Sources familiar with the investigation said Pumper offered a bribe to a Cleveland building inspector about two months ago. The FBI tracked Pumper, arrested him, but apparently hasn’t filed charges.
Sources now believe Pumper — a close friend to both Dimora and Russo — is assisting the FBI. An attorney representing D-A-S, not Pumper, said Monday that the company is cooperating.
Since 2002, Pumper’s company has done about $50,000 of work at Dimora’s home in Independence for free, sources said.
Richard Lillie, Dimora’s attorney, acknowledged Monday that authorities believe Pumper did the work expecting favors from Dimora, but he said no favors were given.
“There’s no quid pro quo,” Lillie said. “There are no contracts relative to the county. There’s nothing that would give any suggestion that Commissioner Dimora has done anything wrong.”
But federal agents Monday also seized the computer of a county employee whose husband, the head of Plumbers Local 55, may have provided additional free work at Dimora’s home.
Linda Rybak, wife of plumber Rob Rybak, works on the fourth floor in the county’s human resources department. One person who knows the couple said that Rob Rybak did work at Dimora’s home, including connecting a gas line to the swimming pool so it could be heated.
Linda Rybak was hired in 2000 as an administrative assistant. She was paid more than $31,000 in 2001. By last year, her salary had blossomed to $48,000 — a 55 percent increase since she started.
A number of other county employees were quizzed by investigators about their own jobs — whether they were forced to do political work for Russo or Dimora and whether they had to pay to get their jobs.
The Rybaks also live in Independence, near Dimora. A woman who answered the phone Monday afternoon said the family is not commenting on the investigation.
Across town in Mayfield, there’s another new underground pool. It’s at the end of a long, gravel drive behind Auditor Russo’s house.
Several companies did extensive work on his home over the past two years. Among them was Doan Pyramid Electric, one of the companies being investigated.
It’s unclear whether money changed hands for the work. Russo and Michael Forlani, president of Doan Pyramid, couldn’t be reached Monday. Since March 2006, Doan Pyramid has given nearly $11,000 to the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party — $10,000 of that came on the same day in two donations on Oct. 23, 2007.
The third contractor under investigation apparently did no work for either Dimora or Russo, but the owner is longtime friends with Dimora and has contributed nearly $20,000 to the Jimmy Dimora Booster Club and the county Democrats since 2003.
Blaze Construction Co. has obtained more than $20 million in contracts through the county engineer’s office since 1998. Blaze landed its largest project — $14.8 million for the Pleasant Valley Road reconstruction — in January 2004. In May, the county also awarded Blaze a $2.9 million contract to resurface Snow Road, from Ridge Road to Broadview Road in Parma.
Ferris Kleem, owner of Blaze, is the second cousin of Berea Mayor Cyril Kleem. Cyril Kleem introduced a strict anti-nepotism law that would have trimmed Blaze’s share of city construction work earlier this year.
But it hasn’t passed.
Ferris Kleem’s offices are across the street from the Browns Training Facility. Berea owns the property where the sprawling operation sits, but the city leases it to the Browns and the Browns handle their own contracting.
The Browns confirmed Monday that D-A-S Construction, Blaze Construction and Doan Pyramid have all done work at the facility.
Building permits filed in Berea show massive renovations at the facility since 2002. Among other things, contractors have worked on the executive offices, doctors’ offices and players weight room. The practice field and exterior of the facility also were improved.
Forlani’s company had four permits listed in the file — three under Doan Pyramid and one under Northeast Ohio Electric.
Blaze filed only one permit to work at the facility — an office renovation job worth $70,000. But Blaze, like any company, could work as a subcontractor not listed on city forms.
When asked how the Browns felt about being associated with a corruption scandal, Browns spokesman Bill Bonsiewicz seemed surprised. “We are, according to whom?” he said.
... When asked how the Browns felt about being associated with a corruption scandal, Browns spokesman Bill Bonsiewicz seemed surprised. "We are, according to whom?" he said.
Browns victims of the political machine or contributors?
Thanks for posting updates. The corruption is rampant.
Can an entity that pays what amounts to protection money really be called a “contributor”?
The BROWNS!
Yeah Baby!!
Oh, and the Buckeyes. And Mid-Ohio Raceway. And a few other jems, most of which are located outside of Cuyahoga County.
Put-In Bay, Kelly’s Island...etc!
Live in Lake County, but less then a few hundred feet Cuyahoga County Border.
Cedar Point Marina Restaurant, best lake perch sandwich anywhere.
I didn’t call them a contributor, I asked a question.
Another update:
Search attachment for Dimora’s Office
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/07/Attachemnt.pdf
Inventory of what was taken
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/07/seized_items.pdf
He said that as the investigation continues, “the chips will fall as they may.”
Jones said that the investigation should not factor into his election battle this fall with Bay Village Mayor Deborah Sutherland. He conceded that in a highly-charged political atmosphere, some may try to use the investigation against him.
Jones said he spoke at length on Monday with fellow Commissioner Jimmy Dimora, one of two public officials targeted by the federal probe. Dimora told him he has done nothing wrong.
Dimora is expected to attend Thursday’s regular commissioner meeting.
County offices are open for business today. Two floors of the building were essentially closed to the public yesterday during FBI and IRS raids of Dimora’s office and that of Auditor Frank Russo.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.