Word: merola
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...Schiavone Construction Co. of Secaucus, N.J. At the time, Donovan was executive vice president and one of two controlling stockholders in the firm. Donovan tried to have his indictment dismissed, partly on the ground that it was politically motivated. The head prosecutor, Bronx District Attorney Mario Merola, is a four-term Democrat. Merola last week called Donovan's complaints of political bias "ludicrous...
...companies. Since 80% of Schiavone's contract was federally financed, the firm had to find a minority subcontractor. So Masselli created the Jo-Pel Contracting and Trucking Co. and claimed that at least 51% of it was owned by Joseph Galiber, a New York state senator who is black. Merola claims that his evidence shows that Galiber, while drawing a $700-a- week salary as Jo-Pel's president, had no equity in the company...
...Transit Authority that Jo-Pel had paid more than $90,000 a month to rent tunnel- digging equipment. Schiavone had actually allowed Jo-Pel to use the equipment free of charge. In all, Schiavone collected some $12 million for work it claimed Jo-Pel had done. According to Prosecutor Merola, however, Jo- Pel's effort was worth only about $4 million...
...Merola claims that he gained significant evidence against Donovan and the other defendants from a 1979 FBI wiretap on the telephone at Masselli's Bronx meat-packing warehouse. In 1981, after Donovan had faced confirmation by the Senate as Labor Secretary, the FBI advised the lawmakers about his alleged organized crime connections but for some reason did not mention the incriminating wiretap. Nor did the FBI reveal that it was aware, as the Senate considered Donovan's qualifications, that "possibly fraudulent schemes" to hike minority participation in the Schiavone subway work had been disclosed by the recorded conversations. The bureau...
Donovan firmly proclaimed his innocence. Declared he: "Merola may have won today's battle by the misuse of his office, but I guarantee you he will not win the war... I fully expect to resume my duties just as soon as this injustice has been dealt with." Whether justice or injustice, dealing with it is likely to take months...