Gloria Wise execs escape prison, pay fine

Two former executives of the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club - the group from which Air America Radio got one of its first "loans" - yesterday avoided being sentenced to prison and instead paid what for them are probably small fines, the NYT says.

Charles Rosen, former executive director, will pay $38,575 in restitution, and Jeffrey Aulenbach will pay up $32,363. They each will also pay a $5,000 fine and won't be able to work for a non-profit for three years. There's probably some sort of a loophole in the latter.

During the past several months, thousands of Co-op City residents signed petitions and wrote letters to the judge in the case, Justice John N. Byrne, requesting that he impose jail sentences on the two men despite the plea agreements. Dozens of Co-op City residents showed up in Justice Byrne’s courtroom for each of the four sentencing dates, three of which were postponed while the judge reviewed documents and considered his legal options...

..."I just think it was a travesty of justice, but that's the way it goes here in New York," [Gloria Wise's sister Juanita Garrido] said. "I guess it's who you know and not what you do."

The Rev. Robert A. Smith Jr., pastor of the Church of the Savior and president of the Coalition of African American Churches and Community Organizations in Co-op City, said the group was considering filing a civil lawsuit against Mr. Rosen.

"This case is not finished," he said. "Either way, justice is going to prevail."

As I type, reporters throughout the land are converging on Minnesota to look into Al Franken's foreknowledge of the "loan". No really, they're on the way there. I saw the tickets. It's true, I swear. No, really.

Posted in Meta at March 13, 2007 09:16 PM