F. James Germano pleads guilty

Former North Greenbush political boss F. James Germano pleaded guilty to felony solicitation, Monday, the day his trial was to begin.

The 86-year-old Germano was arrested on Nov. 2, 2012 in Vero Beach Fla., for offering a 12-year-old boy money for sex and then making the same offer to the boy’s mother. He was initially charged with two counts of stalking, attempting to procure a person under the age of 18 for sex and solicitation and lewd and lascivious behavior.

All but the solicitation charge were dropped in the more than two-year process. He is slated for sentencing on March 3.

Germano ran everything political in North Greenbush for some three decades. He stepped down as Democratic Party chair in 2002 amid allegations he swapped his considerable political influence for favors from then County Executive Henry Zwack.

Germano, Zwack and three of the latter’s top aides were acquitted by a jury.

The heavyset Germano was one of the more colorful characters in Rensselaer County politics. Once during a raucous committee meeting where Germano was vying to be the party chair he stood up and said “the next person who calls me a thug I’m going to break his legs.” Another, during another equally raucous meeting of the Democrats, one party member said he would not let the party turn in a “Banana Republic.” Germano leaned towards a friend and asked quite innocently “Did he just call me an ape?”

 

    

F. James Germano gets yet another trial date

GERMANO

For at the fifth time, F. James Germano’s trial has been postponed.

The former North Greenbush political boss stands charged with the misdemeanor solicitation for prostitution and the felony of lewd, lascivious or indecent behavior in Indian River County Court. His new trial date is Dec. 15.

According to court records, Germano stipulated to a surveillance video and hearsay testimony – which means they will be entered into evidence should the case make it to a jury.

Germano was arrested on Nov. 2, 2012 by Vero Beach Police. The 85-year-old was initially charged with procuring a person under the age of 18 for prostitution, a felony, and two misdemeanor counts of stalking. Those charges were thrown out and he was arrested for the two crimes he stands charged with now.

According to Vero Beach police, Germano allegedly offered a 12-year-old boy money in exchange for sex while the boy was waiting for a bus near his home. The boy called his mother on a cell phone and when she came to the bus stop, Germano allegedly made her a similar offer.

He was last set to go to trial on Aug. 25 with a conference slated for Nov. 6. Germano was not in court for the conference but Judge Robert L. Pegg set the new trial date.

He remains free on $65,000 bail.

Before stepping down after three decades as the town's Democratic Party chair, Germano controlled all things political in North Greenbush, and his influence was felt throughout Rensselaer County and across the river in Albany too.

He was tried along then County Executive Henry Zwack on charges the two – plus three of Zwack’s top aides – conspired to circumvent Civil Service Law. The five allegedly tried to give Germano’s grandson another crack at the physical agility portion of his Civil Service exam so he could remain a North Greenbush cop and in return Zwack would get the Conservative Party endorsement for his re-election bid. All five were found not guilty.

Here is a link to some older stories.

Germano's trial date set for June 2

GERMANO

In case you are wondering, F. James Germano, the former North Greenbush political boss, is still in hot water in Florida.

According to records from the Indian River County Court Clerk, Germano’s trial date was postponed again from May 5 to June 2. The now 85-year-old was initially slated for trial on April 7.

In one of the most bizarre stories I have ever covered, Germano was arrested in November, 2012 for allegedly offering a 12-year-old boy $50 for sex. The boy, who was waiting at a bus stop near his Vero Beach home, called him mother. When she showed up, Germano allegedly solicited her for sex too.

The charges of felony procuring a minor for prostitution and two misdemeanor stalking charges were dropped, but he was later re-arrested for felony charge of lewd and lascivious behavior and the initial misdemeanor count of solicitation for prostitution still stands. He is free on $65,000 bail pending his trial. The fact it’s been going on for so long, with the trial postponed twice, tells me the two sides can’t agree on a plea deal which probably doesn’t bode well for Germano. I'm guessing Florida authorities have yet to acquire a taste for Germano's charm.  

The story caps off what can only be defined as a colorful career. Germano ruled all things political in North Greenbush with an iron fist for decades until he was indicted along with former Rensselaer County Executive Henry Zwack for attempting to circumvent Civil Service law in exchange for political favors. All five defendants were acquitted in 2002.

What makes the solicitation story so bizarre is Germano could be cast as a Sporanos extra. Or, better put, the Sopranos extras could have taken lessons from the tough talking Italian politico - he wasn’t just playing a part. He is one of the legendary politicos in and around Rensselaer County, not only for his tireless work ethic but just because he is Jimmy Germano.

For example, when Rensselaer County Democratic Chairman Ed McDonough Sr. stepped down because of his own criminal problems, the

GERMANO ON TRIAL IN 2002/ TIMES UNION PHOTO

re was a skirmish over who would replace him.

Germano thought he was the heir apparent but Doreen Connolly had a different idea and thought the title should be hers. Germano, never on to follow rules all that closely, brushed her aside, determined he was chair and declared himself so.

The committee didn’t like that much and there was a bunch of behind-the-scenes maneuvering going on. One member, who was trying to keep a semblance of decorum, attempted to explain to Germano how the party should avoid becoming a Banana Republic. Germano took offense and asked with a unique mix of innocence and fury: “Did you just call me an ape?”

During the meeting where the committee eventually voted Connolly chair, one of her supporters said from the floor he would not allow the party to be taken over by a “thug.” Germano stood and calmly said: “If you call me a thug again, I’m gonna break your fu$#&ing knees.”

Classic.

The FBI in Troy, now what?

Russ Reeves

Now that the Times Union disclosed the FBI are looking into three questionable deals orchestrated by City Hall – sidewalks in North Central, King Street demolition and Scolite – everyone is wondering what happens next.

It’s really anyone’s guess. Generally, the Feds take a look when something doesn’t quite pass the smell test and then determine if it stinks enough to warrant a full blown investigation or not.

We saw that process play out the Feds took a look at voter fraud, former County Executive Henry Zwack, former state Sen. Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, former political boss Ed McDonough and most recently the conduct of police during the Jan. 25 melee at Kokopellis.

Bill Dunne

Everything may not be peachy keen, but I think it’s safe to say the FBI will not proceed unless they think they and the Justice Department can get a conviction in federal court. Bruno may be the exception to that rule, but after nearly 10 years the Feds found themselves in too deep to back off now.

Anyway, according to the Times Union, City Engineer Russ Reeves and Corporation Counsel Ian Silverman were invited to Albany to answer some questions about the three aforementioned projects. It wasn’t the mayor, deputy mayor or the head of the Planning Department, Bill Dunne, the central figure in all three projects, it was people on the fringes who would know what happened.

If we look at the projects, they each have their respective odors:

Fire Chief Tom Garrett

-The new sidewalks in front of Freedom Square were initially said to be paid for by federal Community Development Block Grant money. It was later determined it was not included in the Council approved projects and – and I’m not certain of the sequence – the Sanctuary of Independent Media would pick up the tab, the city would pick up the tab and J.R. Casale would pay for it out of the goodness of his heart.

(As an aside, I’m hearing that’s not the only tab Casale offered to pick up as he has a new found penchant for helping out with weddings.)

-Someone ordered Fire Chief Tom Garrett to order an emergency demolition of the King Street properties adjacent to Bomber’s Burritos while Reeves was out of town. As the TU article pointed out, by declaring it an emergency saved the owner, attorney Don Boyajian, tens of thousands in asbestos abatement. Garrett doesn't get along with Dunne or Reeves and it's doubtful he would take such an order from either one of those two so it had to come from higher up - my guess is Deputy Mayor Pete Ryan or Mayor Lou Rosamilia.

The question is why it was declared an emergency when the buildings have been sitting vacant for years and there are others in the city in a worse repair and arguably should have been demolished before the King Street properties.

Mayor Lou Rosamilia

Another twist is that the Local Development Corporation, headed up by Dunne, came under fire by the state Comptroller’s Office, for giving Bombers in excess of $2 million without any collateral – in other words, Bombers doesn’t own the building or have anything else to borrow against.

-The city certainly has bent over backwards to sweeten the Scolite property for the company awarded the bid, R.J. Valente.

First, it changed the zoning before the property was sold, then it said it would build a new $9 million road, then it said it would allow Valente to put a down payment on the property and allow it to work the property, then it said it would take another chunk of land from Ludlow Valve and give it to Valente.

All those tangible benefits were not in the initial Request for Proposal issued by the city and as such were not extended to the other bidders, who, according to at least one bidder, would have bid the project differently. The Council’s Finance Committee passed the deal by a 6-2 vote and is expected to formally address it at its regular meeting on Thursday.

Times Union Photo: Deputy Mayor Pete Ryan
has a mess on his hands

I guess the questions are: did any money change hands, was favoritism granted for whatever reason (usually that one goes back to the first question) and who is going to take the fall should the FBI continue its probe? That last one should be fun since that's generally when the finger-pointing begins.

One more thought, it’s disheartening to have to read about an FBI probe in the Albany Times Union rather than the Troy Record. There was a time, not long ago, when The Record would have been all over it but instead we get how to dress while travelling as its main Sunday story. I heard about it last week but The Record took my Rolodex and with it, obviously, a number of my numbers.