The LuLac Eition #1636, June 13th, 2011

BOB & A.J. TRIAL DAY 6

If what all the government witnesses say turns out to be true, it appears that Bob Cordaro and A.J. Munchak were equal opportunity bribe takers. Everyone from a cleaning company to a car dealer testified as to their campaign contributions that put them first in line for business with Lackawanna County. And if some were more generous than others, they got on a “preferred” list.
The day started with testimony from John Heim of A.J Guzzi General Construction. Heim was told by Cordaro’s brother Ronald that he hoped Heim would back the right horse. Heim wrote a check but never acted on it.
Michael Conflitti, a consultant for Northeast Credit Collections, testified about how that firm lost the contract to collect delinquent real estate taxes. They lost out to a company that was owned by Joseph Durkin, a buddy of Cordaro's. Conflitti said Cordaro had repeatedly expressed disappointment to Conflitti that the owners of Northeast Credit were not "on his side" or "in his corner." Conflitti said he personally gave $1,000, but the firm never held a fundraiser as requested for Cordaro/Munchak. Because of that, he believed his firm lost the contract to Durkin's.
Dan Marion, owner of Marion Maintenance, explained that his company obtained work as a subcontractor to Quality Building Services. He also said he donated $1,000 to the Cordaro-Munchak campaign in November 2006, with the understanding that the campaign contribution would smooth the way for the $8,000-a-month cleaning contract.
Al Grow a car dealer from Lackawanna County talked about his $500.00 contribution to Munchak Cordaro’s campaign. Shortly after their election he got a seat on the Lackawanna County Stadium Authority Board. He also gave more than $3,0000 to the effort but did not construe it as a kickback.
Al Magnotta, of the Scranton engineering firm CECO Associates, took the stand for prosecutors. Magnotta, whose firm did county work and was the county engineer during the Cordaro-Munchak administration, made a $500 contribution to Cordaro that was not reported in campaign finance paperwork.
During the trial, there was testimony that Cordaro paid for two brand new cars with cash and that he bought a home for nearly half a million dollars in and around Lake Scranton.
As the testimony continues, it is quite evident that the Commissioners weren’t too choosy about where they wanted their money from. At first blush you can say the government is stacking a methodical case against Munchak and Cordaro but the wild card element in this will be the fact that all of the witnesses were granted immunity.
Day 7 tomorrow.