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DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT ~B~ COMMITTEE SOUTH NORWALK OFFICIAL SITE Robert Burgess, Chairman Sylvester Maultsby, Vice-Chair Al Ayme, Secretary Mary R. Geake, Corresponding Secretary Yvonne Rodriguez, Treasurer We appreciate your contributions. Please send contributions payable to: DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT ~B~ COMMITTEE ~click here~ STATE OF THE CITY | '2005 - '2007 STATE OF THE CITY | '2007 - Present CT. STATE NEWS | ISSUES NATIONAL NEWS | ISSUES MAILING LIST EVENTS | PICTURES VIEW | POST - BLOG STREET MAP OF SOUTH NORWALK |
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trash-hauling contracts and related documents, in the Department of Public Works and the
Department of Finance, netted eight large boxes of vouchers, canceled checks, contracts and other correspondence. Following the raid some in White Plains, and throughout the County, were wondering if it was only a matter of time before the probe is widened, given lingering questions regarding the County’s dealings with certain carters over the past few years. Questions continue regarding the trash-hauling contract between Westchester County and City Carting of Danbury, Connecticut. Approximately two years ago the County permitted a ve-year, $70 million contract with an existing hauler, that could have been renewed at the same cost, to run out, despite Environmental Facilities Commissioner Anthony M. Landi’s admission that the hauler had been doing a good job and there really wasn’t any reason to discontinue his services. When asked at a meeting of the Solid Waste Committee of the County Legislature, chaired by Tom Abinanti, why it was that the County Executive’s Office would fail to renew the contract with the existing hauler at the same cost, for five more years; especially given the collusive and choreographed nature of competitive bidding with that industry, Commissioner Landi responded, “We wanted to test the waters.” That response seemed both glib and ill-advised to this reporter, given the fact that County taxpayers would now be paying $87 million, a figure that has since substantially increased, for what they could continue to have had for $70 million. Additionally, concerns were raised at the time that the company the County was now entering into contract with, City Carting, was one that New York City had placed on its “Do Not Do Business With” list, because of the owner’s reported prior association with Tommy Milo and James Galante. As my unexpected line of questioning continued, Larry Schwartz, who had been summoned from the ninth floor, suddenly appeared in the corridor at the door to the Legislature’s Committee Room and, one by one, pointed to legislators engaged in the meeting, motioning them into the hall and lobbying (to use a polite term) each and every one of them to support the deal with City Carting. Posted by The Westchester Guardian Newspaper at 9:43 PM COMMENT: This is one of the main reasons why Councilwoman Amanda Brown was trying to warn city council about the corrupt bidding process. That’s why Democratic members of the council voted for sending the Crescent Street option back to committee. The motion was thrown out by Republican members of the council with the help of councilmen Fred Bondi and Michael Geake in cahoots with Dick Moccia REPUBLICAN MAYOR MOCCIA rushed to sign the contract with City Carting & Recycling, Inc. Monday, August 4, 2008 without further consideration for any impact on Crescent street. CRESCENT STREET RESIDENTS DESERVE BETTER. A Democratic Party initiative to send the use of Crescent Street Facility option back to committee in order to gather more information, a study on environmental impact, health, quality of life issues and to better inform the rest of the council and the public at-large was voted in favor by the Democratic members of the City Council and voted against by Republican councilmen. Republican Mayor Dick Moccia failed to act on a tie that could've sent the measure back to committee. THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE CRESCENT STREET CONTRACT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENT BACK TO COMMITTEE (a Democratic initiative) FOR FURTHER STUDY. THE CITY TRANSFER FACILITY ON CRESCENT STREET IS NEAR A PLAYGROUND AND CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. The Common Council has the ultimate control over city operations. Should the Common Council vote to continue solid waste disposal in its present state, they are essentially conceding that they are incapable of making improvements to the quality of life for all of Norwalk. While other cities and towns in Connecticut have chosen the path of greater accountability in solid waste disposal, Republicans in Norwalk apply political and personal considerations. DESPITE MISLEADING CLAIMS TO THE CONTRARY, CITY CARTING AND RECYCLING, INC. OF DANBURY AND STAMFORD ARE ONE AND THE SAME COMPANY, continued next column..... |
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AND IS ALSO THE SAME COMPANY OPERATING UNDER DIFFERENT NAMES THAT CREATED MAJOR PROBLEMS IN NEW YORK CITY, NEW JERSEY
AND MOUNT VERNON source: Courant, Galante Admits Guilt; His Trash Empire Crumbles, By DAVE ALTIMARI, june 4, 2008 The case started with federal authorities recording James Galante’s associates warning garbage-hauling competitors not to “[expletive] with Jimmy.” It ended Tuesday with the Danbury trash magnate pleading guilty to offering no-show jobs to hockey players and stealing money from a garbage transfer station. Galante, 55, admitted to charges of racketeering, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and defrauding the Internal Revenue Service. He faces 70 to 87 months in prison when he sentenced Aug. 22 by U.S. District Court Judge Ellen Bree Burns. Galante also agreed to forfeit his stake in 25 trash hauling and recycling companies to the federal government, and promised to never work in the business again. When the government sells the companies, estimated to be worth $100 million, it will return $10.75 million to Galante as a portion of his share of more than $40 million in loans he and his wife, Roseanne, made to the businesses over the years. Galante also agreed to forfeit a horse farm he bought for a former girlfriend in Southbury, six racing cars, a racing trailer and $448,000 in cash that federal agents seized in 2006. He also must pay at least $1.6 million in back taxes to the IRS. Acting U.S. Attorney Nora Dannehy said the government “was satisfied with the plea agreement.” Galante and his attorney, Hugh Keefe, left court without commenting. Keefe later said the negotiations that led to Tuesday’s plea were some of the longest and most intense he has ever experienced. “This was an extremely complicated negotiations because of all his business entities and the value of his companies,” Keefe said. “I’m sure there are some people who will believe he got off easy, but he has to do a substantial amount of time no matter what anybody may think.” Galante’s plea is the latest and the biggest in the more than two-year investigation into the garbage hauling business in western Connecticut and Putnam County, N.Y. Only three of 33 people who have been indicted or charged remain free. THERE IS MORE... source: MOB NEWS: United States http://www.onewal.com/mn200609.pdf (page3) CONNECTICUT Federal authorities this summer made a long-anticipated move against the allegedly corrupt Connecticut waste hauling enterprises of James Galante, 53, of New Fairfield. Twenty-nine people and seven companies owned by or affiliated with Galante were indicted June 9 after a three year probe that included telephone wiretaps. Galante was charged with 72 offenses, including racketeering, mail and wire fraud and witness tampering. Also prominent among those accused were former Waterbury CT mayor Joseph Santopietro, 47, and reputed Genovese Crime Family boss Matthew “Matty the Horse” Ianniello, 85. Santopietro is charged with racketeering. Ianniello is charged with RICO and tax law violations. Prosecutors say Galante made regular payments to Ianniello, including $200,000 in 2001 and $30,000 every three months until 2005, in connection with a property rights racket in the waste hauling industry. Santipietro, who previously served time for taking cash kickbacks while mayor, (and) worked as a Galante consultant. In the property rights racket, waste haulers contributed money for guaranteed contract areas. The effect of the racket was to thwart legitimate business competition. Galante and the others accused maintain their innocence of the charges. Galante has denied any connection to the underworld. Galante was held without bail in a Rhode Island facility until the last day of June, when he was released to his $1.6 million New Fairfield home on $2 million bail and under strict conditions. He is to wear an electronic monitor that tracks his movements. He has been ordered to have no contact with potential witnesses in the case continued next column..... |
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against him or with codefendants, to avoid use of computers or cell phones, and to leave his home only for medical appointments
and meetings associated with the court case.Ianniello, already under house arrest on other charges, was released immediately on $1 million bail. Federal marshals immediately took over Galante’s trash operations, as prosecutors claimed that Galante had diverted millions of dollars from those busineses to a minor league hockey team (Danbury Trashers) he owned, to no-show jobs, to race cars and to “questionable stockholder repayments.” Marshals indicated in August that they had put a stop to a questionable cash flow amounting to $4 million per year. Still, the Galante firms seemed not to be making any money. Marshals notified federal courts that the businesses might have to be sold because they were operating at a loss. Galante’s representatives charged that the federal authorities were financially mismanaging his empire. Others charged in the June indictment include: Galante’s brother-in-law Paul DiNardo, 47, CT; Connecticut state police officer Paul Galietti, 38, CT; Eric Romandi, 59, CT; Timothy Arciola, 35, CT; Dennis Bozzuto, 35, CT; Jason Manafort, 36, CT; Jeremy Everett, 30, CT; Alan Ferraro, 57, CT; Anthony Novella, 28, CT; Joseph LoStocco, 42, CT; Phillip Armetta, 75, CT; Arthur Wallinger, 41, CT; Lisa Henry, 45 NEW JERSEY (arrests records include CITY CARTING associates) same document Raynard “Trouble” Brown, reputed member of a New Jersey branch of the Bloods street gang, was arrested Aug. 8 and charged with the shotgun killing of a police officer. Brown’s arrest occurred in East Orange, NJ, 13 hours after the fatal shooting of Detective Kieran Shields, 32. Brown was already awaiting trial on burglary and weapons charges. Shields was shot 11:30 p.m. Monday. He and his partner were responding to a report of gunshots. Shields was reportedly wearing a bulletproof vest but took part of the shotgun blast to an unprotected area of his neck. James J. Harney, 40, followed up his early August resignation from a New Jersey state CT; Carmine Dominicus, 42, CT; Galante’s business partner Thomas Milo, 68, NY; Richard Galietti (cousin of Paul Galietti), 33, NY; Ciro Viento, 43, NY; Richard Caccavale, 47, NY; David Magel, 33, NY; Scott McGowan, 37, NY; Gary Mueller, 51, NY; Ronald Zollo, 48, NY; Anna Priskie, 45, NY; Christopher Rayner, 44, of North Carolina; Louis Angioletti, 35, of New Jersey; Todd Stirling, 33, of Massachusetts. Joseph Milo Sr., brother of Galante partner Thomas Milo, pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS on Sept. 6. He faces up to six months in jail when sentenced Dec. 22. The seven indicted companies are Automated Waste Disposal Inc.; Diversified Waste Disposal Inc.; Superior Waste Disposal Inc.; Transfer Systems Inc.; Advanced Recycling Corp.; AWD affiliated companies Jat Truck Repair Service Inc., minor league hockey team Trashers LLC, SWD subsidiaries Danbury Carting Company Inc. and Thomas Refuse Services Inc.; and Galante controlled 530 Main Street North Corp. doing business as Nutmeg Investments. Anthony Megale, of Stamford CT, who pleaded guilty in March to extorting money from businesses in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, was sentenced in early September to 11 years in prison. A reputed capo in the Gambino Crime Family, Megale is believed to have served as the family’s underboss from 2002 through late 2004. He was also sentenced to pay a fine of $30,000 and to forfeit $100,000 of benefit from his underworld ventures. By Richard Blassberg SEE PREVIOUS ARTICLE STARTING END OF PAGE 7 Thursday, October 18, 2007 FBI Probe Into Mt. Vernon Mob Trash Deals Renews Questions About County Trash Contracts, And Arm-Twisting of Legislators By Larry Schwartz.  «««PREVIOUS NEXT»»» |
| NORWALK'S REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION IS FAILING TOO MANY OF ITS CITIZENS |
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