If you are all wondering why I am covering this, is because he was the CHJCC's former nominee for AssemblymanThe Brooklyn Democratic Party's former leader, Clarence Norman Jr., was convicted yesterday of stealing a $5,000 check from his re-election campaign, a felony that could land him in prison for up to seven years.
The guilty verdict comes just two and a half months after Norman was convicted on three felony charges for soliciting illegal campaign contributions. The Brooklyn district attorney, Charles Hynes, has another two cases pending against him.
Handed down after about a week of deliberations, the verdict is another triumph for the district attorney's office, which is said to be pursuing Norman aggressively to help crack a larger judicial corruption case in the borough.
Brooklyn Jury Finds Norman Guilty, Again
If you are all wondering why I am covering this, is because he was the CHJCC’s former nominee for Assemblyman
The Brooklyn Democratic Party’s former leader, Clarence Norman Jr., was convicted yesterday of stealing a $5,000 check from his re-election campaign, a felony that could land him in prison for up to seven years.
The guilty verdict comes just two and a half months after Norman was convicted on three felony charges for soliciting illegal campaign contributions. The Brooklyn district attorney, Charles Hynes, has another two cases pending against him.
Handed down after about a week of deliberations, the verdict is another triumph for the district attorney’s office, which is said to be pursuing Norman aggressively to help crack a larger judicial corruption case in the borough.
With Norman now on the hook for two convictions and the prospect of serious prison time, some said yesterday that the fallen party boss might be more inclined to tell prosecutors if he knows anything about how judgeships were sold and who was involved. In the past, he has said he would not cooperate because he didn’t know anything.
Norman, who was stripped of the Assembly seat he held in Crown Heights after his first conviction, posted $100,000 bail yesterday. His sentencing is scheduled for January 10.
His lawyer, Edward Rappaport, told The New York Sun last night that he was “disappointed” and “upset” with the verdict. “I guess we now have lost sight of the fact that it is the prosecution that’s supposed to prove that someone is guilty not the defendant who has to prove he’s innocent,” Mr. Rappaport said during a phone interview.
Mr. Rappaport said the case was unfounded. “I still don’t think that the case was warranted and I truly don’t think that he’s guilty,” he said.
When asked how Norman had responded to the conviction, he said: “He’s a very religious man and I think he’s doing fine.”
The lead prosecutor in the case, Michael Vecchinone said: “The jury saw what we saw. The evidence in our opinion was clear and overwhelming and hence the verdict,” News 12 Brooklyn reported.
During the trial, which was held in state Supreme Court in Brooklyn, Mr. Vecchione painted Norman as a savvy politician who knowingly flouted the law. Norman claimed he used poor judgment but had done nothing wrong.
The case centered on a $5,000 check written out to Norman’s campaign that prosecutors said Norman illegally deposited into his personal bank account. Norman’s defense was that he paid Assemblywoman Diane Gordon the money from his personal account to pay workers on the day of the Democratic mayoral primary in 2001 and was simply reimbursing himself.
Ms. Gordon, who was billed as his star witness, invoked the Fifth Amendment when she was called to testify.
Yesterday, Mr. Rappaport said he had heard that some of the jurors felt they needed to hear from her. A Brooklyn district leader, JoAnne Simon, one of the self-described “reformers” in the party, said it was a “sad” situation.
When asked whether she thought Norman would try to cut a deal with prosecutors, she said: “I don’t know that he will be more apt to talk. When you look at what the consequences are of talking he may or may not choose to do that and I don’t know what Clarence knows.”
Norman still faces perhaps the most serious of the charges: He and the executive director of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, Jeffrey Feldman, are charged with extortion and coercion.
Yeka Staff
You would never see this embarasement if we would have voted for Mr. Wasserman ;-)
Vaad Watcher
The CHJCC never endorses, as a non-profit it cannot endorse politicians. The CH PAC (political action committee) which is a paper front group, does endorse. Norman was anti-semitic before the progroms, but came around to be a good friend, although he did not give yidden much compared to others, he was CH’s only connection to Albany because he was close to Shelly Silver. Now there is nobody to help the community who has any clout in the state legislature. The new member, Karim Camara, is at the absolute bottom in terms of seniority. He is also hand-picked by Norman and the out-going Senator, Carl Andrews, who has no real power.
chaim
the real reason why the "pac" asked to vote for this shvartz yar is the very same reason why he was arrested, and convicted.
we had no choice he baught evry seat and every office in the city.
If crown heights wouldn’t vote for him we would have suffered like crazy.
1) no police on yom tov
2) extra traffic cops erev shabbos and yomtov giving tickets
3) no support of any sort
we had no choice but to vote him in.
the pac can say what they want but this is the sab but honest truth.
let’s make no mistake his replacement is his puppet hand picked by him.
other guy
dotto chaim. also keep in mind that no matter who we vote for we are the minority here and dont hold the power. norman would win with us or without us so the best we can do is stand with him and recieve something in return.
welcome to the world of politics. :-)
EMES
the reasion CHJCC voted for him was because he was corrupt just like they are. He was getting them buildings for next to nothing. Chanina was then giving it over to his family for there own profits. I hope Norman spills the beans ans the whole CHJCC will get locked up. How many building do they own? How many Jews live in them? How many homes have they purchased, renevated and sold to GOYIM? Is this what Crown Heights stands for. A corrupt CHJCC with convicted felons running it. LOCK’EM UP!!!
Crown Heights- booster
abe wassernman ran for city council, not legislture, unless I am mistaken.
Here’s what has to happen, fast. Sperlin, Rubashkin, the CH leaders have to put up a candidate for some office who will make the blacks wake up and not take us for granted. Not that our candidate can win, but enought to make the blacks realize and understand that our 2000 or 3000 votes can make or break a Democratic Party candidate in the future. Why not run somebody in the open State Senate race? Why doesn’t the community leadership talk up David Yassky, a Jew, for the open congressional seat in 2006? Carl Andrews was Clarence Norman’s driver, not a great light bulb over there.
other guy
emes i think you should watch your mouth.
besides for libel theres also such things as loshon hara, rechilus etc.