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Manzo facing corruption charges appears in video calling for defeat of Supreme Court nominee
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Jersey City ex-state legislator facing corruption charges appears in video calling for defeat of Supreme Court nominee Kagan's confirmation
Updated: Monday, July 19, 2010, 12:53 PM
Agustin C. Torres/The Jersey Journal
Former New Jersey Assemblyman Louis Manzo of Jersey City, who faces federal trial on corruption complaints, is on the national stage by appearing in a video on The Justice Integrity Project website urging the the U.S. Senate to deny confirmation to Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan.
Manzo and The Justice Integrity Project accused Kagan, as solictor general, of rubberstamping what they consider the Department of Justice's misconduct in the case of Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman and co-defendant Richard Scrushy. In the video, Manzo accuses Kagan of ignoring "prosecutorial misonduct." The U.S. Supreme Court has since vacated the Siegelman case and it has been sent back to a federal appeals court.
On the video, Manzo said:
?While serving as Solicitor General arguing against certiorari in Siegelman v. United States, Kagan ignored constitutional protections provided by due process. Also troubling is the manner by which Kagan feigned ignorance to what is frightfully apparent in Siegelman?s case ? prosecutorial misconduct. Instead of questioning the bizarre prosecution tactics employed against Siegelman, Kagan blindly supported positions taken by prosecutors with obvious personal and political agendas.?
Since her nomination by President Obama was announced, Kagan has received support from many organizations and individuals, including retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
The Senate is expected to vote on Kagan's confirmation tomorrow.
The assemblyman from Jersey City is interested in the Kagan confirmation hearings and the Siegelman case because he is seeking a hearing on "prosecutorial misconduct" in his case.
Manzo's attorney, John David Lynch of Union City, said the massive corruption and money-laundering probe appears to have been engineered to help to elect Republican Gov. Chris Christie, the former U.S. attorney. Manzo, was among 46 people charged in the probe that was started under Christie.
The Justice Integrity Project (?The Project?) explains on the Internet site that it advocates for legal reform, calls itself a bi-partisan advocate for legal reform seeking. It seeks "oversight of abusive prosecutorial and judicial decisions in the federal justice system."
It is following a number of cases that are considered possible instances of political or selective prosecutions and other legal abuses. Besides Siegelman and Manzo, other cases reviewed include those of former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, former Georgia State Senate Majority leader Charles Walker Sr., former National Security Agency analyst Kenneth Ford, and others.
Posted on: 2010/7/19 21:25
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