Posted on 09/25/2009 4:42:20 PM PDT by Titus-Maximus
Arbitrator: Manzo owes ex-aide $23G
Friday, August 21, 2009 By PAUL TAKAHASHI JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Arrested on corruption charges last month, former assemblyman and five-time Jersey City mayoral candidate Louis Manzo may have more bills to pay than just his defense attorney's.
An arbitrator determined yesterday that political consultant Dannielle Leigh is entitled to $23,262. She claims Manzo stiffed her for that amount when he was running for the state Legislature in 2007.
But the arbitrator's decision is non-binding, and Manzo is rejecting it.
"We will only pay her what she is entitled to," Manzo's attorney, Libero D. Marotta, said yesterday. "We have never had a problem paying her . The case now goes back to the Law Division (of Hudson County Superior Court)."
According to court documents, Leigh, 35, of Park Ridge, signed a contract with Manzo on May 8, 2007, that called for her to be paid $2,000 a month, plus "12 percent of all funds raised between April 4, 2007 and June 2007."
The arbitrator, James Dowden, interpreted "all funds" to mean all the money raised by the campaign, while Manzo - who attended yesterday's hearing in Jersey City - maintains Leigh was only entitled to 12 percent of the money she personally raised.
"She raised between $30,000 and $40,000, we are not sure of the exact figure," said Marotta. "She might be owed $5,000."
Represented by attorney Peter Tucci Jr., Leigh called the arbitrator's determination "fair."
"He (Manzo) wanted to nit-pick who gets credit for what," Leigh said. "It takes teamwork to get campaign funds . I don't think it makes sense (for Manzo to appeal). Manzo has bigger issues to deal with."
Manzo was arrested July 23 as part of a massive FBI corruption probe that netted 44 individuals on money laundering and political corruption charges.
Manzo, along with his brother Ronald Manzo, is charged with accepting $27,500 in bribes from an FBI informant.
“Culture of corruption”
I always reckoned that when a politician was caught red handed doing something wrong it was considered redundant to add the reference to the Democratic party affiliation.
When the democratic crooks get caught they never mention their party affiliation.
When the democratic crooks get caught they never mention their party affiliation.
Probably because it’s New Jersey. Democrat is the default.
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