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Politicians in Trouble or Disgrace

Politicians in Trouble or Disgrace: Kickbacks
Payment back of a portion of price or wages to the decionmaker

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in chronological order

  William Adams Richardson (1821-1896) — of Massachusetts. Born in Tyngsborough, Middlesex County, Mass., November 2, 1821. Republican. Probate judge in Massachusetts, 1856; U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, 1873-74; while Secretary of the Treasury, he hired John D. Sanborn to collect unpaid taxes and receive a commission, some of which went as a kickback to Richardson himself; this arrangement caused an uproar, and Richardson resigned under fire; Judge of U.S. Court of Claims, 1874-96. Unitarian. Died in Washington, D.C., October 19, 1896 (age 74 years, 352 days). Interment at Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
  See also Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier — Find-A-Grave memorial
  Harry E. Mackenzie — of Bethel, Fairfield County, Conn. Republican. Alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from Connecticut, 1928, 1932, 1936. Charged in May, 1938, along with Mayor T. Frank Hayes and 25 others, with conspiracy to cheat and defraud the city of Waterbury of more than a million dollars; admitted that he received large fees for lobbying, and paid half back as a kickback to the other conspirators; pleaded guilty in November 1938, and testified against the other defendants; sentenced to nine months in jail. Burial location unknown.
Frank D. McKay Frank D. McKay (1883-1965) — of Grand Rapids, Kent County, Mich. Born in Grand Rapids, Kent County, Mich., November 4, 1883. Republican. Financier; political boss who dominated Republican politics in Michigan for years; delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1920, 1928, 1932 (alternate), 1936, 1940, 1944; Michigan state treasurer, 1925-30; investigated by a grand jury in 1931 over his handling of state funds while Treasurer; member of Republican National Committee from Michigan, 1940-44; subject of three federal grand jury investigations in 1940 over alleged fraud, extortion and kickbacks; indicted in 1944 for bribery of state legislators; hired a Purple Gang figure to murder the star witness, State Sen. Warren G. Hooper, and the case collapsed; charged in 1945, along with William McKeighan, with conspiracy to violate state liquor laws; tried in 1946; the judge directed a verdict of not guilty. Died in Miami Beach, Dade County (now Miami-Dade County), Fla., January 12, 1965 (age 81 years, 69 days). Entombed at Greenwood Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Mich.
  Relatives: Son of James D. McKay and Ellen (Zimmerman) McKay; married, May 31, 1906, to Agnes Christine Hermansen.
  Cross-reference: Edward N. Barnard — William Green
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Image source: Michigan Manual 1927
  Ernest King Bramblett (1901-1966) — also known as Ernest K. Bramblett — of Pacific Grove, Monterey County, Calif. Born in Fresno, Fresno County, Calif., April 25, 1901. Republican. Insurance business; mayor of Pacific Grove, Calif., 1938-46; U.S. Representative from California, 1947-55 (11th District 1947-53, 13th District 1953-55). Protestant. Member, Phi Delta Kappa; Elks; Moose; Rotary; Freemasons; Scottish Rite Masons; Knights Templar; Shriners. Investigated by a federal grand jury in Washington over payroll padding in his office; he had hired his wife, received kickbacks from employees who did no work, and made false statements to the House disbursing officer; indicted on 18 counts in June 1953; pleaded not guilty; tried in February 1954; convicted on seven counts; his conviction was stayed pending appeal, but ultimately upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court; fined $5,000, placed on one-year probation, and separately required to pay restitution. Died December 27, 1966 (age 65 years, 246 days). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of James Mitchell Bramblett and Bettie Frances (King) Bramblett; married, May 5, 1924, to Lois Candace Bowker.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  Hugh Joseph Addonizio (1914-1981) — also known as Hugh J. Addonizio — of Newark, Essex County, N.J. Born in Newark, Essex County, N.J., January 31, 1914. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during World War II; vice-president, A & C Tailoring Co.; U.S. Representative from New Jersey 11th District, 1949-62; mayor of Newark, N.J., 1962-70; defeated, 1970; delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1964. Catholic. Italian ancestry. Member, Holy Name Society; Veterans of Foreign Wars; American Legion; Urban League; NAACP; Elks; Lions; Kiwanis; Rotary. Indicted in federal court, December, 1969, along with Municipal Judge Anthony Giuliano, other city officials, and reputed organized crime leader, Anthony 'Tony Boy' Boiardo, on extortion and income tax evasion charges over a scheme to share kickbacks from a sewer contracting company; pleaded not guilty; tried; during the trial a witness identified him as recipient of thousands of dollars in bribes; convicted in July, 1970; sentenced to ten years in prison and fined $25,000; released in 1979. Died in Red Bank, Monmouth County, N.J., February 2, 1981 (age 67 years, 2 days). Interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover, N.J.
  Relatives: Son of Frank Addonizio and Livia (Barasso) Addonizio; brother of Victor F. Addonizio; married, July 6, 1942, to Doris Goodheart.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier — Find-A-Grave memorial
  Anthony Giuliano (c.1897-1970) — of Newark, Essex County, N.J. Born in Newark, Essex County, N.J., about 1897. Republican. Lawyer; member of New Jersey state house of assembly from Essex County, 1927; candidate for U.S. Representative from New Jersey, 1948; Essex County Clerk, 1955; delegate to Republican National Convention from New Jersey, 1956; municipal judge in New Jersey, 1968-69. Indicted in federal court, December, 1969, along with Newark Mayor Hugh J. Addonizio, other city officials, and reputed organized crime leader Anthony 'Tony Boy' Boiardo, on extortion and income tax evasion charges over a scheme to share kickbacks from a sewer contracting company; became ill and died before he could be arraigned. Died, from a heart attack, in Newark, Essex County, N.J., February 4, 1970 (age about 73 years). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Mary Freda.
  John T. Gregorio (1928-2013) — also known as "The Lion of Linden" — of Linden, Union County, N.J. Born in Staten Island, Richmond County, N.Y., February 6, 1928. Democrat. Florist; mayor of Linden, N.J., 1968-83, 1991-2006; defeated, 2006; shot at in his car, in March 1968; two days later, his house was firebombed; member of New Jersey state house of assembly 21st District, 1974-77; indicted in April 1975 on perjury and fraud charges, over his purchase of a vacant lot from Elizabethtown Gas Company, while conspiring to falsify documents to conceal his involvement as buyer; later charged with extorting a $25,000 kickback from a building contractor on a high school project; following jury selection, the charges were dismissed in February 1976; member of New Jersey state senate, 1978-83 (21st District 1978-81, 20th District 1982-83); indicted in September 1981 on charges of income tax evasion, concealing his interest in two "go-go bars", and for failing to enforce state alcohol laws; convicted in December 1982 of conspiracy to commit official misconduct, but found not guilty on other charges. Died, from leukemia, in Trinitas Hospital, Elizabeth, Union County, N.J., October 23, 2013 (age 85 years, 259 days). Burial location unknown.
  See also Wikipedia article — OurCampaigns candidate detail
Charles C. Diggs, Jr. Charles Coles Diggs Jr. (1922-1998) — also known as Charles C. Diggs, Jr. — of Detroit, Wayne County, Mich. Born in Detroit, Wayne County, Mich., December 2, 1922. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II; mortician; member of Michigan state senate 3rd District, 1951-54; U.S. Representative from Michigan 13th District, 1955-80; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1976 (alternate); candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan. Baptist. African ancestry. Member, Elks; Freemasons; American Legion. First chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus; charged in March 1978 with taking kickbacks from staff whose salaries he raised; convicted, October 7, 1978, on eleven counts of mail fraud and filing false payroll forms; insisted he had done nothing wrong, and was re-elected while awaiting sentencing; censured by the House on July 31, 1979; sentenced to three years in prison and served 14 months. Died, of a stroke, at Greater Southwest Community Hospital, Washington, D.C., August 24, 1998 (age 75 years, 265 days). Interment at Detroit Memorial Park East, Warren, Mich.
  Relatives: Son of Charles Coles Diggs Sr..
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — NNDB dossier — Find-A-Grave memorial
  Image source: Michigan Manual 1957-58
  Vincent Riccio (born c.1920) — of Brooklyn, Kings County, N.Y. Born about 1920. Member of New York state assembly 51st District, 1969-74; indicted on charges of taking kickbacks from holders of no-show state jobs; convicted of larceny in May 1981; sentenced to one year in jail. Presumed deceased. Burial location unknown.
  William Vincent Musto (1917-2006) — also known as William V. Musto — of Union City, Hudson County, N.J. Born in West Hoboken (now part of Union City), Hudson County, N.J., March 27, 1917. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during World War II; member of New Jersey state house of assembly from Hudson County, 1947-65; mayor of Union City, N.J., 1962-70, 1974-82; delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1964, 1976; member of New Jersey state senate, 1966-82 (District 12 1966-73, 33rd District 1974-82); indicted in 1981 on federal charges that he took part in a scheme to collect $440,000 in kickbacks from a construction company connected to organized crime; convicted in May 1982. Member, American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Elks. Died February 27, 2006 (age 88 years, 337 days). Burial location unknown.
  See also Wikipedia article
  Lee Alexander (1927-1996) — of Syracuse, Onondaga County, N.Y. Born in Jersey City, Hudson County, N.J., May 18, 1927. Democrat. Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 34th District, 1962; mayor of Syracuse, N.Y., 1970-85; candidate for U.S. Senator from New York, 1974; delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1980; member, Arrangements Committee, 1984. Was indicted in July 1987 over a $1.5 million kickback scandal, and pleaded guilty in January 1988 to racketeering and tax evasion charges; served six years in prison. Died, of cancer, in Syracuse, Onondaga County, N.Y., December 25, 1996 (age 69 years, 221 days). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Peter Alexander and Rita (Rouatcos) Alexander; married 1957 to Elizabeth Strates.
  See also Wikipedia article
  William James McCuen (c.1943-2000) — also known as Bill McCuen — of Hot Springs, Garland County, Ark.; Heber Springs, Cleburne County, Ark. Born in Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Ark., about 1943. Democrat. School teacher; Arkansas land commissioner, 1981-85; secretary of state of Arkansas, 1985-94; defeated in primary, 1994; candidate for U.S. Representative from Arkansas 4th District, 1992. After leaving office as Secretary of State, he admitted accepting kickbacks from two supporters he gave jobs, and not paying taxes on the money. He also admitted to conspiring with a political consultant to split $53,560 embezzled from the state in a sham transaction. He was indicted on corruption charges in 1995. On January 5, 1996, he pleaded guilty to felony counts of tax evasion and accepting a kickback; he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of trading in public office. Sentenced to 17 years in prison, and fined. Released on parole (due to illness) in February 1999. Died of colon cancer and a stroke, in Heber Springs, Cleburne County, Ark., September 9, 2000 (age about 57 years). Interment somewhere in Van Buren, Ark.
  Arthur E. Teele (1946-2005) — also known as Art Teele — of Florida. Born in Prince George's County, Md., May 14, 1946. Republican. Served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam war; lawyer; director, U.S. Urban Mass Transportation Administration, 1981-83; candidate for Presidential Elector for Florida; as Miami city commissioner in 1997-2004, he chaired the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA); an investigation of corruption in the agency, started in 2003, led to charges that he had accepted $135,000 in kickbacks from two construction companies; as a result, he was removed from office in 2004 by Gov. Jeb Bush; in August, 2004, when he and his wife were under surveillance, he drove his car at a police detective in an attempt to run him over, and also threatened to kill police officers who had been following his wife during the investigation; convicted in March 2005 on charges related to this incident; indicted on July 14, 2005, on federal conspiracy and money laundering charges, over a scheme to fraudulently obtain contracts for electrical work at the Miami International Airport through a "minority-owned" shell company; published police reports revealed that he had put his mistress on the CRA payroll, that he regularly bought and used cocaine, and that he frequently made use of a male prostitute. Church of God in Christ. African ancestry. Member, Kappa Alpha Psi; NAACP; Freemasons. Came to the offices of the Miami Herald newspaper, and shot himself in the head with a semiautomatic pistol; he died two hours later in the trauma unit of Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Miami-Dade County, Fla., July 27, 2005 (age 59 years, 74 days). Interment at Culley's MeadowWood Memorial Park, Tallahassee, Fla.
  Relatives: Married to Stephanie Kerr.
  See also Wikipedia article — OurCampaigns candidate detail
  Anthony Russo — of Hoboken, Hudson County, N.J. Democrat. Mayor of Hoboken, N.J., 1993-2001; defeated, 2001. Pleaded guilty in 2004 to extorting kickbacks from an accounting firm; sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. Still living as of 2004.
  See also Wikipedia article
  William Shannon Lerach (b. 1946) — also known as William S. Lerach; Bill Lerach — of Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego County, Calif. Born in 1946. Democrat. Lawyer; delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1996. Plead guilty in 2007 to federal charges of conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice and making false declarations under oath in connection with a kickback scheme; sentenced to two years in prison, fined $250,000, and ordered to do 1,000 hours of community service. Still living as of 2010.
  See also Wikipedia article
  Melvyn I. Weiss (b. 1935) — of Oyster Bay Cove, Nassau County, Long Island, N.Y. Born in Bronx, Bronx County, N.Y., August 1, 1935. Democrat. Lawyer; alternate delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1996. Pleaded guilty in 2008 to federal charges of making illegal kickbacks to clients to induce them to sue; sentenced to 30 months in prison, fined $250,000, and ordered to pay restitution of $9.75 million. Still living as of 2010.
  See also Wikipedia article
  C. Ray Nagin — of New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La. Born in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La. Democrat. Mayor of New Orleans, La., 2002-10; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Louisiana, 2008; indicted in January 2013 for accepting bribes and kickbacks in connection with city contracts. African ancestry. Still living as of 2014.
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