: Schundler Calls For Investigation Into McGreevey-Organized Crime Link: Urban Times News
: March 7 - March 13, 2003
: By Steven Glazer
: (Jersey City-)Former Jersey City
: Mayor and gubernatorial candidate called
: for an investigation into the McGreevey
: administration and possible pressures on
: the State's parole board to act favorably on
: the application of convicted Genovese
: crime boss Angelo Prisco. The Asbury
: Park Press published a story detailing
: pressure from the Governor's office on
: Mario Paparozzi, who was then chairman
: of the State Parole board, to grant early
: release to Prisco. Prisco was represented
: at the time by Donald Scarinci.
: Scarinci denied that anything
: improper was done or that any influence
: was brought to bear on his client's behalf.
: Scarinci told the Asbury Park Press that
: Prisco's release followed the normal
: course of approvals. Scarinci said that no
: one from his law firm had any contact concerning the case with anyone in the
: governor's office, including the governor.
: Scarinci said that neither he nor Robert
: Levy, the attorney who handled the matter
: for Scarinci and Hollenbeck had been
: interviewed by investigators of the
: Criminal Justice Division of the Attorney
: General's Office, in connection with the
: matter.
: Prisco was sentenced in 1998 to
: 12 years in prison for arson and conspira-
: cy. After four years Prisco was eligible for
: parole but was denied in January 2002.
: Later, represented by Scarinci and
: Hollenbeck, Prisco's parole was approved
: in May of 2002 and Prisco was released in
: August. Prisco was indicted along with
: Louis Auricchio who is a brother-in-law
: of former state Senate President John
: Lynch, a leading Democratic Power bro-
: ker and a supporter of McGreevey.
: Scarinci is also a statewide Democratic
: power broker with roots in Hudson County and a major contributor to
: McGreevey. Scarinci is known as one of
: the top Democratic fundraisers in the state
: and is Treasurer of Menendez for
: Congress, a powerful supporter of Rep.
: Robert Menendez, D-13. Scarinci served
: as general counsel to McGreevey's transi-
: tion team and was recently hired as coun-
: sel to the Assembly Democrats.
: Schundler said, "These allega-
: tions, if true, represent the most offensive
: breach of trust imaginable and are a sign
: that McGreevey and his administration
: may be more than just patently inept, they
: may be criminal." Schundler said that McGreevey had joined him in a pledge to
: "eliminate the pay-to-play culture perva-
: sive in Trenton. Not only has he reneged
: on this promise, but if these allegations
: prove true, he has taken the practice to
: new and outrageous levels."
