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« Stirfry
Antonini’s plea deal revealing
By Bertram de Souza (Contact)
Published June 5, 2011
The U.S. Justice Department already knows the identity of the businessman who paid off former Mahoning County Treasurer Lisa Antonini to do his bidding. Connecting the dots of information released by the feds in Antonini’s criminal case, the line goes to Anthony M. Cafaro Sr., retired president of the Cafaro Co.
Given that, why would the feds be willing to recommend leniency for Antonini, who resigned last month and pleaded guilty Friday to an information charging her with one count of honest-services mail fraud? Because they believe she has information about other individuals involved in government corruption in the Mahoning Valley. And they wouldn’t be wrong.
Remember, Antonini was chairwoman of the county Democratic Party and, as such, would have had access to the movers and shakers and to those elected officials willing to be influenced by them. That’s how it has worked for generations in this area. Politics has always been a game for high rollers.
The fact that Antonini’s plea deal requires her full cooperation, including names and places, means federal prosecutors and the FBI have a pretty good idea of the information she can provide them in their quest to end government corruption in the region.
And that should keep more than a few people awake at night.
Comments
The Cafaro family is the most important crime family in this area, maybe in America. The scope of their involvement is unreal.
Oh Please! It is your Federal and State Governments that act under the guise of legality and then accept bribes from lobbyists that are the real American Criminal Family.
I swear you''ve been watching too much State controlled media again.
If you are an elected official in Mahoning County; especially annointed by the current political party, you may want to find out how many sentencing leniency points you will qualify for so that you'll then know how many 'cell-bunking" years you'll be eligible for at a nearby federal lock-up.
Someone help me with this. If Cafaro gave Antonini $3,000, is it not her obligation to report it? It is not illegal for Cafaro to give her $3,000, is it? If Antonini was required to do something for Cafaro as a result of the payment, what could that have been as Treasurer? The Treasurer could not have help him with the Oakhill issue, right? Any input would be appreciated.
ROBERT :
"The Cafaro family is the most important crime family in this area, maybe in America. The scope of their involvement is unreal."
If you want to go into politics in a big way in The Valley you had better get their blessing . Will this latest investigation find all of the roots going to the Cafaro Tree ? I highly doubt it .