United States v. Manzo
| Citation | 851 F.Supp.2d 797 |
| Decision Date | 17 February 2012 |
| Docket Number | Criminal Action No. 09–759 (JLL). |
| Parties | UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff, v. Louis MANZO, Defendant. |
| Court | U.S. District Court — District of New Jersey |
OPINION TEXT STARTS HERE
Christopher Gramiccioni, United States Attorney's Office, Newark, NJ, for United States of America.
John David Lynch, Union City, NJ, for Defendant.
Defendant Louis Manzo (“Defendant”) is charged with two counts of travel in interstate commerce to promote, carry on and facilitate bribery in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1952(a)(3) and § 2 a misprision of a felony in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 4. This matter comes before the Court by way of Defendant's omnibus pretrial motions filed respectively on September 27, 2011 and October 18, 2011 [Docket Entry Nos. 64 (“First Mot.”) and 66 (“Second Mot.”) ]. On January 26, 2012, this Court held a hearing on said motions, and disposed of two motions by mutual consent of the parties and reserved on others. As set forth on the record of said hearing, the Parties reached agreement that: (1) the Government will preserve the notes of FBI agents as requested in Defendant's first Motion (Def. First Mot., at 39); and (2) the Government and the Defendant agree to cooperate regarding discovery requested by Defendant and reciprocal discovery requested by the Government (Def. First Mot., at 37–38). The Court reserved on the following motions: (1) Defendant's motion to dismiss all counts of the Second Superseding Indictment (“Indictment”) on the grounds that actions attributed to Defendant did not violate the Travel Act; (2) Defendant's motion to dismiss the Indictment entirely as violating Defendant's Tenth Amendment rights; (3) Defendant's motion to compel discovery and seeking an evidentiary hearing related to the grand jury proceedings; (4) and, finally, a motion by Defendant to dismiss the Indictment or appoint a special prosecutor based on alleged prosecutorial misconduct. The Parties supplemented their motion filings with the court's permission on January 27, January 30, January 31, and February 6, 2012. The Court has considered the oral arguments presented at the January 26th hearing and the written submissions made in support of and in opposition to Defendant's motions, including the aforementioned supplemental materials. For the reasons set forth below, this Court: (1) grants Defendant's motion to dismiss the Second Superseding Indictment; (2) denies Defendant's motion for discovery and an evidentiary hearing of the grand jury proceedings; and (3) dismisses all remaining motions as moot.
Defendant Louis Manzo was a candidate for mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey during elections held on May 12, 2009, in which he did not prevail. (Indictment, ¶ 1(a)). During the period of the Indictment, Defendant did not hold public office, nor does the Government allege that Defendant held a public position subsequent to the termination of his representation of the 31st Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly in 2008. ( Id.).
It was during the period of Defendant's candidacy for mayor that he was introduced to Solomon Dwek, a cooperating witness for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”). Dwek was assisting the Government in a broader public corruption investigation by posing as a real estate developer looking for assistance in expediting his development projects through local government processes. Defendant was introduced to Mr. Dwek by Edward Cheatam, the then affirmative action officer for Hudson County and a Commissioner on the Jersey City Housing Authority in Jersey City, and Jack Shaw (now deceased), a political consultant based in Jersey City who was an acquaintance of Defendant Manzo. ( Id., ¶ 1(d), (f)). The Indictment alleges two improper transactions arose from the introduction of Mr. Dwek to the Defendant and subsequent meetings at which, in consideration for his agreement to accept or his acceptance of a pecuniary benefit, Defendant promised future official assistance as mayor in: (1) obtaining certain development approvals on Mr. Dwek's behalf in relation to a property located on Garfield Avenue in Jersey City (the “Garfield Development”); and (2) promoting Maher Khalil, an employee of the Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services and former member of the Jersey City Zoning Board of Adjustment to a higher position within the Jersey City government (“Promotion Transaction”). ( Id., ¶ 3). The Government alleges that the transactions occurred between January 26, 2009 and April 23, 2009 as follows.
On January 26, 2009, Mr. Cheatam, Mr. Khalil and Mr. Dwek met at a restaurant in Weehawken, New Jersey, where Mr. Khalil suggested that Mr. Dwek meet with Defendant in connection with approvals for Mr. Dwek's purported real estate development in Jersey City. ( Id., ¶ 4(a)). Mr. Cheatam advised that a meeting with Defendant could “cover” Mr. Dwek's development interests in case Defendant were elected in the upcoming mayoral election. ( Id.). At that time, Mr. Cheatam also cautioned that any such meeting between Mr. Dwek and Defendant had to occur outside of Jersey City since Mr. Cheatam could not openly support Defendant's mayoral candidacy. ( Id.).
Mr. Cheatam and Mr. Dwek met again on February 16, 2009, at a restaurant in Jersey City during which meeting they discussed paying Defendant “cash” in exchange for his future official assistance in favor of Mr. Dwek's purported development projects in Jersey City. ( Id., ¶ 4(b)). Mr. Cheatam and Mr. Dwek met the following day, on February 17, 2009, when they were joined by Mr. Shaw. ( Id., ¶ 4(c)). At that meeting, the parties continued to discuss Mr. Dwek's purported development interests in Jersey City and the arranging of a meeting with Defendant to give him cash as “insurance” “for his anticipated official assistance, action and influence” in the event he were to be elected mayor. ( Id.). Mr. Shaw and Mr. Cheatam then agreed to accept for themselves an equal amount in cash from Mr. Dwek as Mr. Dwek paid to Defendant. ( Id.).
Count I of the Indictment is based on Defendant's first meeting with Mr. Dwek which occurred on February 23, 2009, at a restaurant in Staten Island, New York, where the parties were joined by Defendant's brother, Ronald Manzo, and Mr. Cheatam. ( Id., ¶ 4(d)). The transcript of the meeting indicates that, prior to Defendant's arrival, Mr. Cheatam told Mr. Dwek that he “mentioned to Lou ... Manzo that I want Maher for that position,” that Mr. Dwek confirmed, and Mr. Cheatam said, (Pl. Jan. 26, 2012 Letter, Ex. A, Feb. 23, 2009 Tr., 16:20–17:1). The following conversation confirmed that the promotion discussed was that of Mr. Khalil by Defendant to the position of Director of the Department of Health and Human Services, and that there would be ( Id., 17:11–14). Once Defendant and Mr. Ronald Manzo arrived, Mr. Cheatam allegedly explained to them that he and Mr. Dwek were meeting with them so that they would be “favorable” towards Mr. Dwek's plans for the Garfield Development. Specifically, Mr. Cheatam stated that Mr. Dwek would make contributions to Defendant's mayoral campaign in exchange for expedited development “approvals” if Defendant won the mayoral election. ( Id., ¶ 4(d)).
After Defendant and Mr. Ronald Manzo left the meeting, Mr. Cheatam confirmed that Mr. Dwek would bring $10,000 cash to the following meeting to be paid to Mr. Ronald Manzo. ( Id., ¶ 4(f)). On February 25, 2009, Mr. Ronald Manzo met with Mr. Cheatam and Mr. Dwek at a restaurant in Staten Island where Mr. Cheatam coordinated with Mr. Dwek to receive the cash payment intended for Defendant which he would then give to Mr. Ronald Manzo. ( Id., ¶ 4(g)). The parties discussed the concealment of Mr. Dwek's contemplated cash payments, and Mr. Ronald Manzo instructed Mr. Dwek to refrain from openly discussing payment matters with the Defendant, but rather in any future discussions with Defendant, Mr. Dwek should refer to both the approvals and the promotion transaction as “opportunities.” ( Id., ¶ 4(g)-(i)). Finally, at the end of the meeting, Mr. Cheatam, in Mr. Ronald Manzo's presence, accepted an envelope containing approximately $10,000 cash from Mr. Dwek, and Mr. Dwek advised Mr. Ronald Manzo that Mr. Dwek was making an “investment” in Defendant and Mr. Ronald Manzo in consideration for Mr. Dwek's development approvals. ( Id., ¶ 4(j)). On the same day, Mr. Cheatam told Mr. Dwek that Mr. Ronald Manzo was “happy” with the $10,000 payment, and confirmed the use of a code word to discuss the development approvals that Mr. Dwek sought. ( Id., ¶ 4(k)). Mr. Cheatam also stated that he had spoken with Defendant and Mr. Ronald Manzo, and that they had indicated that they wanted additional money in exchange for Defendant's future assistance with Mr. Dwek's real estate development interests and in connection with the Promotion Transaction. ( Id.).
Count II of the Indictment is based on Defendant's second meeting with Mr. Dwek which occurred on March 4, 2009, at a restaurant in Staten Island, New York, where the parties were joined again by Mr. Ronald Manzo, and Mr. Cheatam. ( Id., ¶ 4(1)). Before Defendant and Mr. Ronald Manzo arrived, Mr. Cheatam confirmed with Mr. Dwek that Mr. Ronald Manzo received the $10,000 payment, and indicated that Defendant and Mr. Ronald Manzo would accept $7,500 in cash in consideration for Defendant's official support of the Promotion Transaction as well as an additional $7,500 cash to be paid once Defendant got elected. ( Id.). After Defendant and Mr. Ronald Manzo arrived, the parties discussed their agreement, and Defendant confirmed receipt of the $10,000 payment, further agreeing to accept more money from Mr. Dwek at a later date, including after the mayoral election, in exchange for the Promotion Transaction and “approvals” relating to...
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