Four Years for Della Donna

by: Thurman Hart

Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 01:51:08 PM EDT

Here's the news:

A federal judge today sentenced a husband-and-wife political team from Hudson County to more than four years in prison each for accepting thousands of dollars in bribes from a local bar owner trying to fend-off town inspectors.
U.S. Senior District Judge Harold Ackerman sentenced former Guttenberg Mayor David Delle Donna and his wife, Anna, to each serve 51 months in prison.

QOTD worthy?

"Public office is a public trust. That's the bottom line. This notion cannot be repeated often enough. It cannot be forgotten," Ackerman said.

While his wife begged for mercy, David della Donna was unrepentant:

"Your honor, some see me as a broken man. I have no money, I have no job, and I'm going to jail," he said. "I am not broken. Your honor, I stand before you today with my conscience clear."

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Mr Corzine - Grow a pair!

There isn't a single detail of the story coming out of Guttenberg that wouldn't turn the stomach of a decent person. In return for a fairly paltry list that includes a fistful of Viagra, a hatful of Macy's cards, a stupid dog, and enough cold cash to fix a bad boob-job, Mayor David Della Donna found a way to make nightclub owner Luisa Medrano's troubles disappear. Those troubles included receiving the underage "merchandise" of a human trafficking ring and forcing the underage girls to work as prostitutes in her bar.

As sick as that is, it gets worse. Make the jump.

There's More... :: (13 Comments, 625 words in story)

Please, Let Me Be Wrong

by: Thurman Hart

Fri Sep 28, 2007 at 05:20:29 PM EDT

The Jersey Journal is announcing that Guttenberg Mayor David Delle Donna and his wife, Anna, have been indicted on federal corruption charges:

It seems Guttenberg Mayor David Delle Donna's wife, Anna, has gotten used to a certain lifestyle.
According to a federal indictment unsealed today that charges both of them with extortion and mail fraud charges, the first lady spent thousands in ill-gotten cash on cosmetic surgery, Atlantic City gambling trips and department store gift cards.
The indictment also says Anna Delle Donna, at 58 nine years her husband's senior, spent over $1,000 on a dog and "related accessories" and that both took liquor bottles from the town bar owner accused of paying the kickbacks.
In exchange for the cash, the indictment charges, the mayor helped the bar owner with problems she was having with police over security issues, "the improper storage and disposal of garbage," and her efforts to get a variance for construction on a piece of residential property.

Make the jump with me. There may be something more serious than garden-variety political corruption here. Take your pepto.

There's More... :: (4 Comments, 1009 words in story)