Law Commons^™

The Indictment Of Longtime Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

Stephen Reed, the Democratic mayor of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania from 1982 to 2010, has been charged by state prosecutors with 499 counts ranging from bribery to theft by receiving stolen property.

Rebuilding Bell, California: Review And Recommendations For Continued Improvement Of Accountability, Oversight, And Transparency, Jennifer Rodgers, Jacob Watkins

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

In 2010, Bell, California was a small city with a big corruption problem. Its city manager at that time, Robert Rizzo, had developed a plan to enrich himself at the city’s expense, and covered his tracks by involving numerous other city officials in his corrupt scheme, including the city councilmembers who were supposed to serve as a check on Rizzo’s power. Because virtually all of Bell’s top-level officials ended up implicated in the criminal conduct, the limited number of checks and balances built into Bell’s governing structure failed. And because Bell did not have any formal anti-corruption mechanisms in place …

Warrantless Access To Cell Site Location Information Takes A Hit In The Fourth Circuit: The Implications Of United States V. Graham For Law Enforcement, Wesley Cheng

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

On August 5, 2015 the Fourth Circuit created a major ripple in Fourth Amendment law by ruling that warrantless access to cell site location information (CSLI) over a lengthy period amounted to an unconstitutional search in United States v. Graham. While the Fourth Court ultimately upheld the defendants’ convictions by applying the Fourth Amendment’s “Good Faith” exception, the ruling created a clear split from the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits, making consideration of the issue by the Supreme Court much more likely.

This article focuses on the facts and the Fourth Amendment arguments of the majority, concurring and dissenting opinions …

For Now, New York State Investigators Can Ping Cellphones Without A Warrant In New York State, Wesley Cheng

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

This article examines the major factors shaping the Moorer and Wells decisions. It also analyzes the implications of decisions in other cases involving the use of Geolocation tracking devices, and looks ahead to other areas of litigation that may arise in the future with respect to GPS devices. Finally, it concludes that, assuming Moorer and Wells (or other trial court cases with similar findings) are not overturned on this issue in the higher courts, law enforcement agencies can be comfortable that pinging cellphones is a technique that can be utilized without a warrant in New York.

The Indictment Of Congressman Chaka Fattah, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

Congressman Chaka Fattah has represented Pennsylvania’s 2nd District, which includes parts of Philadelphia, for 20 years.

On July 29, a federal Grand Jury indicted Congressman Fattah on 29 counts, including conspiracy to commit racketeering (RICO), bribery, money laundering, and fraud. The charges included four co-conspirators as well, including Fattah’s chief of staff as well as a former Philadelphia deputy mayor.

The Conviction Of Former New York State Assembly Leader Sheldon Silver, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

Sheldon Silver is the former Democratic Speaker of the New York State Assembly, a post he held from 1994 until January 2015. He represented Manhattan’s Lower East Side from 1976 until November 30, 2015, when he was convicted on four counts of honest-services fraud, two counts of extortion and one count of money laundering.

The Trials Of John Sampson And Thomas Libous, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

This July, two high-ranking New York State Senators faced trials for public corruption. Both were found guilty. Just the most recent in a long list of recent corruption scandals, the details of their cases provide a window into the culture of impunity in Albany.

New Jersey's "Bridgegate" Scandal, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

From September 9-13, 2013, officials of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey shut down access lanes of the George Washington Bridge between New Jersey and New York City for a "traffic study" that gridlocked the small city of Fort Lee, New Jersey for hours each day. In the following weeks, evidence emerged of political motives behind the bridge closure, spurring federal prosecutors to announce an investigation in January 2014. On May 1, 2015, Paul Fishman, U.S. Attorney of New Jersey, charged that two defendants illegally closed the bridge to punish Fort Lee's mayor for refusing to endorse …

Chris Christie And Jerry Jones, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

Christie is the Republican Governor of New Jersey. He previously served as the US Attorney for the District of New Jersey from 2002 to 2008. He is a likely contender in the 2016 presidential race.

Christie's penchant for accepting luxury perks, paid for by groups who arguably have significant interests in his decisions as Governor, was highlighted in a New York Times article on February 2, 2015. Questionable gifts include: travel on Sheldon Adelson's private plane, a 2012 trade mission partly funded by a group of businesses (Choose N.J.) barred from donating to the Governor directly by pay-to-play laws, and …

Profile In Public Integrity: Marjorie Landa, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

Marjorie Landa is the Deputy Comptroller for Audit at the Office of the New York City Comptroller. Previously, Landa served as Deputy Commissioner for Legal Affairs to the New York City Department of Investigation. There, she counseled the agency on legal issues including criminal and civil procedure, conflicts of interest, forfeiture and restitution, and the agency’s unique legal authority. Prior to that, Ms. Landa was Deputy Chief in the New York City Office of the Corporation Counsel, Affirmative Litigation Division. In that capacity she served as lead counsel in high-profile cases including fraud, civil RICO, False Claims Act, intergovernmental funding, …

The Sheldon Silver Case, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

Sheldon Silver was the Speaker of the New York State Assembly from 1994 until January 28, 2015. He represents Manhattan's Lower East Side as a Democrat, which he has since 1976.

The federal criminal complaint charges that Silver, since 2000 or earlier, "us[ed] the power and influence of his official position to obtain for himself millions of dollars of bribes.” In the complaint, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (who has jurisdiction over Manhattan), outlines $4 million in illicit funds disguised as outside income. Allegedly, Silver took kickbacks from various parties for whom he secured state …

Profile In Public Integrity: Lawrence Yealue, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

Lawrence Yealue is the West Africa Representative of Accountability Lab, an incubator for local-level integrity initiatives with an emphasis on generating sustainable development. Based in Monrovia, Liberia, Yealue’s career has centered on community-driven approaches to responsible reform. His previous work includes serving as Electoral Commissioner for the Liberian Student Association-Ghana, National Coordinator for the World Youth Spirit Council, Project Director for the Rotary Club of Wisconsin, and as a volunteer for Africa Peace’s HIV/AIDS Education & Peace Initiative. Yealue also founded and directs the Liberian Youth for Peace & Development community group. Yealue holds a B.A. in Human Resource Management …

Profile In Public Integrity: The Honorable Georgios Kaminis, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

Born in New York City, Georgios Kaminis holds a degree in law from the University of Athens School of Law, as well as a Diplome d’etudes approfondies and Doctorat d’Etat en Droit. He served as Assistant Greek Ombudsman, responsible for Human Rights, from 1998 to 2003. In May of 2003,

Kaminis became the Greek Ombudsman after being unanimously elected at a Presidents of Parliament roundtable meeting. Kaminis was elected Mayor of Athens on November 14, 2010. Under the Mayor’s guidance, Athens was awarded a Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayor’s Challenge Innovation Prize for its online citizen engagement platform, SynAthina.

He is a …

Profile In Public Integrity: Cyrus Vance, Jr., Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., was first inaugurated as the District Attorney of New York County on January 1, 2010. Over the following four years, Mr. Vance enhanced the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office as a national leader in criminal justice by expanding the offices expertise on an array of 21st century crimes, including identity theft, cybercrime, white-collar fraud, hate crimes, terrorism, domestic violence, human trafficking, and violent and gang-related crimes.

Upon taking office, Mr. Vance modernized the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office by reorganizing its resources and creating new specialized bureaus and units, including the Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau, Major Economic …

Profile In Public Integrity: John Hyland, Jr., Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

John Hyland has been a Senior Legal Advisor with the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section (AFMLS) of the U.S. Department of Justice since 1992. His duties include reviewing money laundering prosecution memoranda and indictments, consulting with attorneys and special agents about asset forfeiture and money laundering cases investigations and indictments, representing the Criminal Division at agency undercover case reviews, helping analyze evidence of financial crimes, and lecturing on asset forfeiture and money laundering topics. Previously, Mr. Hyland worked in private practice in the Washington area for 12 years. He also served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the District …